Sunday, October 2, 2016

UMass B 2Oct2016

Overcast and 55-60F but dry, we welcomed the second UMass team for our 2pm game. We weren't sure what to expect from them because this is the first season UMass has had two teams in our league. They had a large group of players -- maybe about 20.

We had fans! Lizzie's dad and godmother and a bunch of KDE fans came!

We were very fortunate to have Morgan and Sarah A offer to play GK in Laura's absence! Goal is such a difficult position and not a role anyone should be forced to play.

Mari took the words out of my mouth in our huddle just before the game -- make high-quality passes quickly and provide good passing options -- just what we worked on in practice Thursday. That was good advice (and I heard the UMass coach offer similar input to his team) -- we were able to start much more energetically in this game than last Sunday's game.

Rose got off the first shot in the 4th and 5th minutes -- one wide and one that hit the left post! Then UMass made a shot wide before they had a free kick go wide in the 16th minute.

Rose, Julia and Elise all had shots in the remainder of the (40-minute) half -- Elise's free kick on target but saved in the last minute of the half.

At the half, we spoke about keeping up our pressure and subbing often ( every 10 minutes) in order to keep ourselves fresh and intense. Nat suggested more give-and-go passes in the final third as a good tactic for breaking down their defense. 

UMass had a free kick go wide and a shot saved by Sarah A early in the second half. Then Meredith made a perfect cross into the top of the UMass box that became a great scoring opportunity but was snuffed out by their keeper.

It seemed that we had the ball in their half a great deal of the time after that, and in the 56th minute Maria earned us a free kick on their 18 that Elise knuckled into the top left corner of the UMass net for the only goal of the game. 

Right after that, Nat made a solid shot that was saved for a corner in the 58th minute. Elise took the corner kick that could have easily gone into their net but was cleared. 

Sarah L made a solid shot that went wide in the 60th minute, and just after that Christyn got a breakaway smothered by the UMass GK. Christyn soon after that earned us another corner kick that Rose lofted wonderfully into the area in front the UMass goal but was cleared.

In the 68th minute, Christyn had a shot blocked, and Lizzie shot was saved for a corner taken by Rose that was driven at about head level across the front of the UMass goal.

Maria got off a shot that went wide in the 72nd minute, and finally UMass got off a shot in the last minute that sailed wide.

We felt that the better team won, but it could have gone either way if we had not worked so hard to get and keep the ball. It was a tribute to the immense benefit of hard work, especially in the 2nd half.

GK: Morgan+Sarah A
CD: Mari+Christina, Izzy
OD: Izzy+Katie, Maria, Morgan
CM: Lindsey+Sarah L, Maria+Elise
OM: Mel+Lizzie, Jenna+Julia, Meredith+Sarah A
F: Christyn+Rose, Nat+Namya

Shots 13:5  Saves 1:7

4 Rose shot wide
5 Rose shot hit the left post!
6 UMass shot wide right
16 UMass free kick wide
20 Rose free kick wide
28 Julia shot over
29 Elise corner kick
40 Elise free kick saved
------------------------
41 UMass free kick wide
43 UMass shot saved by Sarah A
53 Meredith cross from the left side to the 18 smothered
55 UMass corner 
56 Elise free kick knuckled into upper left --> 1:0
58 Nat shot saved for Elise's corner kick
60 Sarah L shot wide
62 Christyn breakaway smothered 
66 Christyn earned a corner kick taken by Rose
68 Christyn's shot blocked
68 Lizzie's shot saved for a corner taken by Rose
72 Maria shot wide
79 UMass shot wide

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