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 Jim Launder rolled the dice a bit Sunday and broke even.
With an eye toward Tuesday's U.S. Open Cup match, the Madison 56ers coach left several regular starters at home for his team's game against the Quad City Eagles in Moline, Ill.
The 56ers ended up settling for a 1-1 tie against the Eagles in a matchup of two of the top three teams in the National Premier Soccer League Midwest Division standings.
"We played really good in the first half. I thought in the second half we kind of dissolved," said Launder, whose team also was without more likely starters due to injuries and personal reasons.
Quad City (6-2-4 overall, 3-1-4 NPSL Midwest) took the lead against the run of play, Launder said, but the 56ers equalized through North Carolina's Carlos McCrary late in the first half.
After switching the field from left to right, McCrary got the ball, took a touch and fired a shot past the goalkeeper from just inside the penalty box for his second goal of the season for Madison (4-1-3, 3-1-2).
The 56ers started well enough in the second half, too, but it quickly fizzled out.
"The first 15 minutes of the second half we played pretty well, and then they kind of took the game over," said Launder, whose team tied Quad City 2-2 in last month's league opener. "It really looked like fatigue. I was kind of surprised."
Another surprise was the 56ers' keeper. Kyle Dillman (Madison La Follette), who had been sidelined with a broken finger, returned to action a week earlier than expected.
Among the regulars who didn't make the trip were leading scorer Jed Hohlbein (Middleton/UW), Marquette forward Adam Lysak (Milton), defender Aaron Nichols (UW), midfielder-defender Ryan Buda (Stevens Point) and University of Wisconsin goalkeeper Max Jentsch (Hartland Arrowhead).
UW-Milwaukee midfielder Cody Banks (Madison Memorial) and UW-Green Bay midfielder Luke Goodnetter (Brookfield East) missed out because of knee and hamstring injuries, respectively, while midfielder Trevor Banks (Madison Memorial) had other personal commitments.
The Eagles continue to lead the Midwest with 13 points, two ahead of the Milwaukee Bavarians and the 56ers. However, Quad City has played three more matches than the Bavarians (3-0-2) and two more than Madison. The 56ers play at the Bavarians on Saturday night.
"We're not in a desperate position," Launder said. "It was a tough weekend, we got to rest some guys. ... I don't feel good (about tying instead of winning), but we're all right going into Tuesday with that game, and going into Saturday back in the league I think we're all right."
MADISON 56ERS LINEUP: Kyle Dillman; Carl Schneider, Colin Mani (Sean Ronnekleiv-Kelly 50), Arnel Zahirovic, Derek Pitts; Henry Aiyenero, Keith Dangarembwa (Keenan Newallo 57); David Kommavang (William Bagayoko 57), Anthony Santaga, Carlos McCrary (Robin Forslund 57); Sam Krenzien (Andrew Wiedabach 65). Substitute not used: Jared Kuehl (GK).
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