Saturday, October 30, 2010

Boston University 30Oct2010

Wintry! Cloudy 5˚C=40˚F. So different from last Saturday! But again a GREAT show of family attendance!

After working in practice on being quicker, taking shots and keeping possession by connecting passes, we thought we were ready for any opponent. But you were caught a little off-guard by BU's pressure. They were loud and pushy and got off 5 shots in 6 minutes -- all on target and all but the last saved by Abbe. Finally in the middle of the first half during a defensive lapse an unmarked BU player scored from about 15m.

It seemed like your wake-up call! After that BU had NO shots until the middle of the 2nd half!

Your touch improved, you spread out wider and peppered their goal with 10 shots in the next 20 minutes! One indicator that you were controlling the game better was that Collin (in stopper) got shots off. Another was that you began to use diagonal passes to get in behind BU's defense. Laura, Ginny, Mila, Katherine and Casey repeatedly got into threatening positions by staying wide and then running onto a through-ball served diagonally from the center midfielders. Your use of give-and-go passing also help you keep the ball in their third.

Ally '13, still nursing a strained quad, said she wanted to play a little; her dad and uncle (both '74 classmates of mine) were in attendance, so she probably wanted to show them what she could do. Subbed in late in the 1st half she scored off a brilliant cross from Casey who was served a long diagonal pass from Jess in sweeper. It was a very memorable goal not only because it was done so beautifully and clinically but also because it seemed to turn the tide on BU!

At 1:1 we talked at half-time about more quick passing to keep possession and diagonal movement of the ball to get behind their defense. It worked -- You had 16 shots in the 2nd half to their 3.

Early in the 2nd half, Collin's long diagonal pass from the left side into the middle of the box found Emily N, who, with a defender on her back, landed the ball gently with her right foot and them immediately shot it with her left foot -- diagonally past the BU goalkeeper into the far right side netting a la Wambach or Drogba. It was an impressive piece of skill after artful service by Collin.

Then Emily N had a couple more good opportunities, one in the 55th minute that was saved but bounced out for Jenn to rocket into the net for 3:1. Jenn hit the post in the next minute, then Emily N served a cross from the right side for Mila to touch acrobatically with a full volley into the net for 4:1.

Jenn scored again with another rocket in the 60th minute for 5:1. Almost all of the play was in their third, and a great deal of the credit goes to talented midfielders Molly, Felds, Sarah, Betsy, Emily B and Hannah! BU only got off one shot that Abbe needed to save (right after Jenn's second goal).

Before Courtney and Bri went in I suggested that they work together like Romario and Bebeto, the famous Brazilian forwards; they were very dynamic together and extremely effective -- Bri scored two goals in 3 minutes!

A welcome attribute of an outside defender is for her (or him) to be able to get into a position to score. You see this in the high-level clubs -- outside defenders Rafael at ManU and Ashley Cole at Chelsea get forward often. Annie, Liz K and Blythe all got forward often, and in the last few minutes, Liz N hit the post with a shot that almost scored a goal!

It is so effective when a team can ALL attack as a unit and defend as a unit!! You showed that today! The families all were beaming afterward about your abilities!

F: Emily N+Jenn, Bri+Courtney, Ally '13
OM: Casey+Laura, Mila+Ginny, Katherine
CM: Molly+Felds, Sarah R+Betsy, Emily Baer+Hannah
OD: Annie+Liz K, Blythe+Liz N
CD: Elle+Collin, Jess
GK: Abbe

Shots 26:8 Saves 5:7

2 D corner
6 BU corner, Abbe save
16+17 BU shots, Abbe saves
21 Mila shot saved
22 BU shot, Abbe save
22 BU shot --> 0:1
23 Collin shot wide
24 Courtney shot saved
25 Collin shot saved
28 Betsy shot wide
31 Courtney shot wide
32 D corner
34 D corner, Courtney shot wide
36 Hannah shot wide
37 Courtney shot saved
44 Jess long diagonal pass to Casey on the left who crossed to Ally '13 --> 1:1
49 Collin long diagonal cross to Emily N --> 2:1
50+51 D corner
53 Emily N shot wide
55 Emily N shot saved but Jenn fired the rebound --> 3:1
56 Jenn shot hit the post then out
57 Emily N cross to Mila --> 4:1
59 Ginny shot saved
61 Jenn rocket --> 5:1
62 BU shot, Abbe save
63 D corner, Emily N shot wide
65+67 Mila shot wide
70 Mila shot saved
71+74 Bri --> 6:1, 7:1
75+78 BU shots wide
80 Courtney shot saved
83 D cor, Liz N shot hit post then out

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