Saturday, September 14, 2013

Fairfield and UConn 14Sep2013

With school not yet in session, we were fortunate to have 14 players available to play two games at UConn! Leaving at 8am for noon and 2pm games, we arrived before 11am with plenty of time for a good warm-up. 

We were delighted that so many family members came! Liz's folks and sister Emily, Catherine's folks with their adorable puppy and high-resolution camera that Ron uses to capture the team's action, Julia's folks, Molly's mom and Hannah's dad who brought drinks and tasty cupcakes!

Fairfield at noon - ~60F/15C partly sunny

Fairfield agreed to play 35-minute halves after having just lost to UConn 0:3. We hadn't played them before so didn't know what to expect. We spoke about being quick and making good passes.

It was a goal-fest for our team -- surprising since we had only had one practice session the day before! Our passing improved throughout the game. Molly's half-volley in the 9th minute demonstrated her technical brilliance! Natalie and Allison set up Molly's 2nd goal with sleek diagonal passes that made it impossible for Fairfield to defend.

Mila's superb cross to Julia set up our 3rd goal, and she also set up her sister's goal in the 25th minute -- a glorious diving header just like Letchkov's goal for Bulgaria against Germany in the 1994 World Cup!

Julia nearly scored in the 39th minute with a brilliant header off a cross from Natalie, but the Fairfield GK did well to catch it. Soon after that, Molly hit a cross from Allison so hard that the Fairfield GK couldn't keep a hold of it, and Natalie followed up to score on the rebound.

Hannah saved a penalty kick in the 57th minute -- an incredibly feat since PK's favor the kicker 80% of the time! Julia's extreme work-rate paid off again with her goal in the 63rd minute, and Mila's shot in the 69th minute glanced off the upright on its way in.

GK: Hannah
CD: Tessa+Lindsay
OD: Liz+Amanda W, Kate
CM: Molly+Julia
OM: Mila+Catherine, Sophie
F: Natalie+Allison, Caroline

Shots 28:4  Saves 1:3

1 Lindsay shot over
4 Molly shot wide
5 D corner
7 Julia shot wide
9 Molly half-volley in the net! 1:0
11 D corner
13 Natalie to Allison to Molly whose shot found the net after bouncing off the left post  2:0
17 Molly shot over
20 Natalie deflected wide for a corner
20 Mila shot saved
23 Fairfield shot wide
24 Mila to Julia 3:0
25 Mila to Sophie diving header! 4:0
27 D corner
32 Caroline shot wide
33 Amanda shot wide
35 Sophie shot wide
38 Fairfield shot wide
39 Natalie cross to Julia, header saved
43 Allison cross to Molly shot saved
     Natalie got rebound! 5:0
44 Mila shot wide
50 Natalie shot over
     Natalie to Sophie header over
51 Molly shot over
52 Catherine shot wide
53 Fairfield shot wide
55 Lindsay to Allison header over
56 D corner
57 D handball in the box! PK SAVED by Hannah!!
     Fairfield corner
60 Molly free kick over
61 Natalie shot over
63 Julia! 6:0
64 Caroline shot deflected for a corner
67 Caroline shot wide
69 Mila shot off the post on its way into the net! 7:0

UConn at 2pm

We expected UConn to be eager for a win since they were our hosts. We requested 35-minute halves, but UConn wanted 45-minute halves. We compromised with 40-minute halves. 

We demonstrated great passing technique, but they were very quick to pressure us and to get the ball back. Their play was much more physical and they made a lot of kick-and-run long-ball passes. 

For the first half of the game, we looked the better team, and we were rewarded when Molly set up Julia's goal in the 32nd minute. UConn was visibly upset about not scoring, and their frustration led to a yellow card for one of their feistiest players in the 40th minute. Soon after that Molly's brilliant left-footed shot gave us an insurance goal.

If UConn had played us first we probably would have had a better second half, but we were exhausted from playing back-to-back games. They peppered our goal, and Hannah kept us in the game, making the most saves I think I've ever seen for our team!

Given UConn's earlier season start (having played their first game the previous weekend), with only 3 subs we were lucky to get the tie! 

GK: Hannah
CD: Tessa+Lindsay
OD: Liz+Amanda W, Kate
CM: Molly+Julia
OM: Mila+Catherine, Sophie
F: Natalie+Allison, Caroline

Shots 9:27 Saves 17:4

6 UConn shot saved
10 Molly shot saved
11 UConn free kick saved
12 UConn corner
16 UConn shot over
     UConn shot saved
20 Molly shot over
25 UConn shot saved
27 Caroline shot saved
28 Julia shot wide
30 UConn shot wide
32 Molly to Julia --> 1:0
35 UConn shot saved
36 UConn shot saved
     UConn corner
37 UConn shot wide
40 UConn YELLOW CARD for dangerous tackle!!
41 Molly left-footer!  2:0
42 Molly shot saved
44 UConn shot saved
48 Mila shot saved
50 UConn shot saved
52 UConn chipped the ball over our defense 2:1
55 Tessa tackled the ball to prevent a break-away
     UConn corner
56 Amanda deflected a UConn shot, UConn corner
    Lindsay cleared a UConn shot off the goal line
57 UConn free kick saved
59 UConn shot over
60 UConn shot saved
     UConn shot tied up the game 2:2
64 UConn shot saved for a corner
66 UConn shot saved
67 UConn shot over
68 UConn shot wide
69 Molly shot wide
75 UConn shot saved
78 UConn shot saved
     UConn shot wide
80 UConn free kick saved
82 UConn shot wide

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