Sunday, November 13, 2011

BC 13Nov2011


Northeastern said BC was the best team they had seen, and they looked strong and tall when we saw them on the field for warm-up.  The sun came out and it felt warm!  Julia found us a goalkeeper!  Rachel Funk!

Just before going on the field we soaked in the moment and spoke about how excited we were to play.  BC looked lively, but both teams had plenty of energy and possession.  It looked pretty even in terms of shots.  

In the 27th minute, Natalie made a great cross that Molly rocketed into the upper right corner of the goal.  Late in the half BC's height got the best of us just after Blyth's (what I thought was clean because she got the ball) tackle was whistled for a BC free kick.  1:1

Jenn put a shot over the bar late in the half, then Mila's shot in the 45th minute was solid but easy for BC's skilled goalkeeper to save.  Natalie also got off a shot before the whistle.  

At half-time we spoke about how well we were passing and how we got the ball wide to create good chances.  

We almost got a goal when Julia broke free for a one-on-one with the BC goalkeeper, but her shot was saved.  Rachel made an incredible save in the 50th minute.  A little later, Jenn was all alone in front of the BC goal and put a cross on frame that was saved by the BC GK.  Shelby soonafter put a solid shot on frame that was saved.  

BC took advantage of what might have been our exhaustion from playing two games in two days as they broke through our defense for their second goal in the 67th minute.  Both teams had good chances after that, and Ally almost tied the score in the 78th minute with a great give-an-go breakaway through the BC defense.

Everyone was happy to have played so well against a great team!  Our passing was crisp, our runs were well timed, great diagonal passes and crosses led to great chances for us.  There were many times when we linked half-a-dozen wall passes together!  It was the jogo bonito -- beautiful game!  

The game could have gone either way. We're already looking forward to playing BC in the spring and certainly next fall! 

F: Julia + Bri, Courtney+Natalie
OM: Jenn+Mila, Ginny+Katherine, Laura
CM: Molly+Shelby, Laura+Christine, Emily B
OD: Blythe+Liz, Tessa+Christine
CD: Ally+Annie S, Julia
G: Rachel Funk

Shots 13:11  Saves 4:5

3 BC weak shot saved
4 Julia shot saved
5 BC header saved
8 Jenn shot wide
10 Molly shot wide
17 BC shot saved
20 Rachel prevented BC header
27 Natalie cross to Molly upper right rocket --> 1:0
28 Courtney shot wide
40 BC header --> 1:1
42 Liz prevented a shot, BC corner
44 Jenn shot over
45 Mila shot saved
45 Natalie shot over
47 Julia shot saved
50 BC shot sick save by Rachel
50 BC corner
51 Jenn shot saved
62 Shelby shot saved
65 BC corner, shot over
67 BC got behind our defense --> 1:2
68 BC shot wide, corner, BC shot wide
69 BC corner, header over
75 BC corner
78 Ally breakaway, shot wide
79 Molly shot wide
83 BC free kick wide

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Northeastern 12Nov2011


We looked forward to playing Northeastern because last fall they were fast, physical and pushy!  Today was perfect playing weather -- partly cloudy 10C/50F.  Great parent attendance once again!

Before the game we spoke about quick passes to avoid overly physical contact.  It worked.  You were quick.  Northeastern got frustrated.

We dominated in shots but had trouble getting power on the shots.  We came close to scoring many times.

At half-time we spoke about keeping our quickness but switching the attack from side to side and getting the ball into their third.  That worked, too.  We had most of the possession and almost put one in around the hour mark.  

The ref near our goal whistled Northeastern's shot in the 81st minute offsides, so Chelsea and our defenders stopped playing.  The far ref argued that it was a goal because the whistle was after the shot was made.  Our team photographer, former Dartmouth varsity player Ron Cima '75, found the official position from the US Soccer Federation disallowing a goal after a whistle:  article.

We almost scored on some good last-minute attempts!  The Northeastern coach said we were the best team they had played.  They want to play us in the spring and next fall.  

It was Emily's last game with her sister Liz!  Great that her dad could be here.  

F: Emily N + Courtney, Julia, Jenn
OM: Jenn+Mila, Ginny+Katherine, Natalie+LauraCM: Molly+Julia, Laura+Christine, Emily B
OD: Blythe+Liz, Tessa
CD: Ally+Annie S, Hannah
G: Chelsea

Shots 13:8  Saves 5:5

2 Jenn shot over
9 Liz shot wide
10 Mila shot saved
12 NE shot from distance saved
13 Molly free kick wide
31 Christine corner wide
34 NE shot saved
35,36 Emily N shot saved
40 NE shot over
41 Emily N shot over
43 Emily N shot wide
50 Jenn corner headed over by NE
50 Jenn corner
51 Julia (?) shot saved
55 Chelsea grabs a cross
61 Emily N (?) shot saved, Mila shot wide
62 Emily N shot wide
69 NE shot wide
81 NE whistled offsides, shot upper corner
85 NE shot saved
89 Emily N shot over
90 Jenn corner
90 NE shot wide but saved

Saturday, November 5, 2011

at Harvard 5Nov2011

Bright sunshine, blue sky and 15C/59F on Harvard's turf field -- a pleasant recovery in conditions after last Saturday's snow!  So many parents!  Ally's, Molly's, Katherine's, Courtney's, Julia's, Shelby's mom and Christine's mom al the way from southern CA!  Amazing!


We talked about keeping it simple (making the easy, close passes), being quick with the ball (since it moves faster than players can run), using the full width of the field, and sending the ball diagonally.


Harvard's style-of-play was very in-your-face, physical, chippy.  We had the first corner but they made the first shots of the game.  In the tenth minute Harvard was called for hand-ball, and Emily Niehaus calmly scored, just as she had with Tufts.


Only two minutes later, Molly's free kick was almost saved by Harvard's GK, who couldn't hold onto it.  Mila put in the rebound for our second goal.  


Harvard had several chances at getting close to our goal, but Tessa, Ally, Blythe and Liz shut down all of them.  Harvard did a job on Tessa's lower legs but she played through it.


In the 29th minute Emily N launched a shot from the right side of the field from more than 30m that the Harvard GK touched but couldn't save.


At half-time we talked about making the easy close passes and using more width -- trying to be calmer.  It worked -- in the second half we started to string together more of our passes.  


Two minutes in, Jenn's corner found Molly, who made it 4:0.  Ten minutes later, Harvard returned the favor and scored their only goal on a corner that we couldn't clear.


For the remaining half hour, we dominated possession, getting increasingly calmer and in control.  Harvard made two more shots but they were off target.  We were blessed by players who were happy to switch position in order to give defenders a rest.


The parents all were beaming, and they complimented your playing.  It was good that we were able to do so well under such physical play by Harvard.    


F: Emily N + Courtney, Caroline
OM: Jenn+Mila, Natalie+Katherine
CM: Molly+Julia, Shelby+Christine, Emily B
OD: Blythe+Liz, Christine+Ally
CD: Ally+Tessa, Ginny+Julia
G: Hannah


Shots 6:8  Saves 4:0


6 Mila corner
8 Harvard corner saved off the line by Liz
8 Harvard shot saved by Hannah
10 Harvard called for hand-ball, Emily N Pk --> 1:0
12 Molly free kick bobbled by the GK, Mila got the rebound --> 2:0
15 Emily N shot hit the cross-bar
16 Harvard corner, shot wide
17 Harvard shot wide
19 Emily N shot wide
22 Harvard shot from distance, Hannah save
27 Blythe squashed a Harvard shot
29 Emily N shot from 30+m --> 3:0
35 Harvard shot from distance, Hannah catch
47 Jenn corner --> Molly --> 4:0
49 Mila corner
54,55 Harvard corners
58 Harvard corner --> 4:1
69 Harvard shot wide
78 Harvard shot over