Starting with crisp temperatures, brilliant sun warmed up our immaculate pitch to 15C/60F soon after we arrived for our match with UMass A -- so named because now they have two teams (we play the other "B" team next). We always try to play them later in the season when we are more prepared, but it wasn't to be. They are well-organized and physically strong, so we always look forward to playing them.
Sorority Rush meant that we needed to play as early as possible (noon), but we were grateful that the '19's were able to play almost the whole game before they left us. We offered to play 35-minute halves, but UMass A insisted on 40's.
I forgot to suggest that we make quick passes before the game! We got schooled not to hold the ball so much in the first 17 minutes -- UMass got off the first shots, with Laura making a big save in the 10th minute and almost preventing their first goal in the 11th minute. Only a minute later they scored again, with a shot slotted into the right side of our goal. Five minutes later they rolled the ball in the right side of our net.
We learned quickly that they were beating us to many of 50/50 ball opportunities, putting quick pressure on us. We regained our composure and in the 33rd minute Maria had a solid shot saved. Jenna earned us a corner in the 40th minute.
We spoke at half-time about being quicker to release the ball, completing more of our passes and moving together as a unit -- everyone attacking and everyone defending.
Callie cleared a UMass shot off the line in the 43rd minute, and UMass had a shot wide and another shot saved by Laura right after that. She again almost was able to save a UMass shot into the wide right side of our net in the 49th minute. In the 55th minute Laura made another great save for a corner.
Sarah Latulipe got off a shot that went wide in the 60th minute, then over the next almost 20 minutes the shots were all UMass -- 3 saved by Laura, one wide and one over the bar.
Jenna got us on the scoresheet in the 80th (last) minute with a glorious highly-arched floater from the right side of the field to the upper left corner of the UMass net. Her goal gave all of us a greatly needed psychological lift against a team we knew was good but didn't know they were *that* good!
It was wonderful to see Christyn's and Caroline's families there -- a great day to be outdoors!
Shots 3:15 Saves 6:1
F: Christyn+Haley, Nat+Namya
CM: Caroline+Lindsey, Maria+Elise
OM: Sarah L+Lizzie, Sarah A+Jenna, Meredith
CD: Mari+Christina, Izzy
OD: Izzy+Katie, Morgan+Callie
G: Laura
6 UMass shot over
10 UMass shot saved
11 UMass shot hit Laura's fingertips --> 0:1
12 UMass shot slotted into the right side of our net --> 0:2
17 UMass breakaway, ball rolled into the far right side --> 0:3
33 Maria shot saved
40 Jenna earned us a corner
------
43 Callie cleared a shot off the line
45 UMass shot wide
48 UMass shot saved
49 UMass shot off Laura's fingertips into far right side --> 0:4
55 UMass shot saved for a corner
60 Sarah L shot wide
65 UMass shot saved
70 UMass shot saved
75 UMass shot over
77 UMass shot saved
78 UMass shot wide
80 Jenna lofted ball into upper left corner --> 1:4
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Saturday, September 17, 2016
at WPI 17Sep2016
We got a beautiful day with bright sunshine and a little wind at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Their turf field is directly above a parking garage -- hence the name Rooftop Field.
We spoke about moving the ball quickly in order to control the game and conserve our energy (it got fairly warm!).
WPI looked much brighter than last year, when our score was 8:0. They pressed quickly and got off the first shot in the 3rd minute. Rose took a free kick that WPI saved.
In the 8th minute, WPI got off a high shot from a long distance that seemed to be right where the sun was in the sky -- Laura did her best to get her fingers on it but she was having to back-pedal and couldn't hold onto it.
Christyn had a free kick saved before she scored from a perfect pass from Rose in the 13th minute. Haley almost scored in the 25th minute but her shot rebounded off the upright! Namya got off a shot that went wide, then Laura saved a shot from WPI in the 33rd minute. Nat had a good chance in the 37th minute but her shot went wide.
Just after Jenna's shot was saved, Mel and Namya had shots that rebounded out for Jenna, who scored in the 44th minute, putting the Class of 2020 on the scoreboard! Maria had a good chance right after that, as the half ended.
The half-time discussion was entirely upbeat -- we were improving as we played, with better passes and often winning the ball. We spoke about better communication and more diagonal passes and runs.
In the first minute of the 2nd half Rose got off a shot that was saved, and then our good passing put Christyn through for a breakaway goal in the 50th minute. Rose and Christyn had more shots saved, and Laura saved one of WPI's shots before WPI got off a perfect shot into the upper left of our goal in the 66th minute.
WPI had a shot over the cross-bar before Haley and Namya had shots saved. Meredith got off two corner kicks in the 76th minute before she got off a shot that was saved.
Namya got off a shot wide just before Haley scored in the 82nd minute, sealing our win. Just before time, WPI got off a shot wide and Jenna made a shot that was saved.
We felt rewarded by our high level of play -- especially the great quality of the new players! Our passing and commitment to a very high work rate paid off wonderfully.
Callie's mother, Heather, had the perfect treat for the warm temperature -- watermelon! And Lizzie's family sent the most amazing chocolate covered rice krispies! The team surprised me by singing Happy Birthday and giving me two scrumptious cup cakes!
G: Laura
CD: Mari+Christina, Lindsey, Izzy
OD: Izzy+Elise, Callie+Katie
CM: Caroline+Lindsey, Maria+Namya
OM: Sarah L+Julia, Meredith+Lizzie, Sarah A+Jenna
F: Rose+Christyn, Mel+Haley, Nat
Shots 22:8 Saves 2:13
3 WPI shot wide
5 Rose's free kick saved
8 Laura got her fingers on the ball but the sun blocked her view!
WPI shot went just under the cross-bar --> 0:1
10 Christyn's free kick saved
12 WPI shot wide
13 Rose's pass to Christyn --> 1:1
25 Haley's shot hit the post
28 Namya's shot wide
33 WPI shot saved
37 Nat's shot wide
41 Jenna's shot saved
44 Shots by Mel and Namya rebounded, Jenna scored --> 2:1
45 Maria's shot wide
46 Rose's shot saved
50 Christyn's breakaway! --> 3:1
54 Rose's free kick saved
55 Christyn's shot saved
58 WPI shot saved
60 Mel had two corner kicks
66 WPI shot upper left corner --> 3:2
70 WPI shot over
71 Haley's shot saved
73 Namya's shot saved
76 Haley's shot saved for corner taken by Meredith
76 Meredith took a 2nd corner kick
80 Meredith's shot saved
81 Namya's shot wide
82 Haley --> 4:2
83 WPI corner
88 WPI shot wide
89 Jenna's shot saved
We spoke about moving the ball quickly in order to control the game and conserve our energy (it got fairly warm!).
WPI looked much brighter than last year, when our score was 8:0. They pressed quickly and got off the first shot in the 3rd minute. Rose took a free kick that WPI saved.
In the 8th minute, WPI got off a high shot from a long distance that seemed to be right where the sun was in the sky -- Laura did her best to get her fingers on it but she was having to back-pedal and couldn't hold onto it.
Christyn had a free kick saved before she scored from a perfect pass from Rose in the 13th minute. Haley almost scored in the 25th minute but her shot rebounded off the upright! Namya got off a shot that went wide, then Laura saved a shot from WPI in the 33rd minute. Nat had a good chance in the 37th minute but her shot went wide.
Just after Jenna's shot was saved, Mel and Namya had shots that rebounded out for Jenna, who scored in the 44th minute, putting the Class of 2020 on the scoreboard! Maria had a good chance right after that, as the half ended.
The half-time discussion was entirely upbeat -- we were improving as we played, with better passes and often winning the ball. We spoke about better communication and more diagonal passes and runs.
In the first minute of the 2nd half Rose got off a shot that was saved, and then our good passing put Christyn through for a breakaway goal in the 50th minute. Rose and Christyn had more shots saved, and Laura saved one of WPI's shots before WPI got off a perfect shot into the upper left of our goal in the 66th minute.
WPI had a shot over the cross-bar before Haley and Namya had shots saved. Meredith got off two corner kicks in the 76th minute before she got off a shot that was saved.
Namya got off a shot wide just before Haley scored in the 82nd minute, sealing our win. Just before time, WPI got off a shot wide and Jenna made a shot that was saved.
We felt rewarded by our high level of play -- especially the great quality of the new players! Our passing and commitment to a very high work rate paid off wonderfully.
Callie's mother, Heather, had the perfect treat for the warm temperature -- watermelon! And Lizzie's family sent the most amazing chocolate covered rice krispies! The team surprised me by singing Happy Birthday and giving me two scrumptious cup cakes!
G: Laura
CD: Mari+Christina, Lindsey, Izzy
OD: Izzy+Elise, Callie+Katie
CM: Caroline+Lindsey, Maria+Namya
OM: Sarah L+Julia, Meredith+Lizzie, Sarah A+Jenna
F: Rose+Christyn, Mel+Haley, Nat
Shots 22:8 Saves 2:13
3 WPI shot wide
5 Rose's free kick saved
8 Laura got her fingers on the ball but the sun blocked her view!
WPI shot went just under the cross-bar --> 0:1
10 Christyn's free kick saved
12 WPI shot wide
13 Rose's pass to Christyn --> 1:1
25 Haley's shot hit the post
28 Namya's shot wide
33 WPI shot saved
37 Nat's shot wide
41 Jenna's shot saved
44 Shots by Mel and Namya rebounded, Jenna scored --> 2:1
45 Maria's shot wide
46 Rose's shot saved
50 Christyn's breakaway! --> 3:1
54 Rose's free kick saved
55 Christyn's shot saved
58 WPI shot saved
60 Mel had two corner kicks
66 WPI shot upper left corner --> 3:2
70 WPI shot over
71 Haley's shot saved
73 Namya's shot saved
76 Haley's shot saved for corner taken by Meredith
76 Meredith took a 2nd corner kick
80 Meredith's shot saved
81 Namya's shot wide
82 Haley --> 4:2
83 WPI corner
88 WPI shot wide
89 Jenna's shot saved
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