UMass Minutewomen 7oct2017

UMass has so many good players, so they have TWO club teams. Today, their team named Minutewomen visited us, greeted by 15C/60F overcast weather. 

Claire's grandmother, aunt (with wonderfully tasty cookies) and uncle, Callie's mom, Lizzie's mom, Jenna's dad, Bri's wife Alice with their puppy, Hannah Nolan '16, Mel Brown '17, Caroline Vanacore '17 and Christyn Karol '17 came to cheer us on!

We spoke about keeping the ball moving quickly -- not holding it -- since we expected high pressure. UMass did exactly that, but we were ready for them!

In the first twelve minutes, Meredith S had a shot saved, Sarah J had one go wide, Mari and Claire had shots saved, Jenna's went wide and Maria's was saved. Tina had a free kick in the 16th minute.

In the 20th minute a lucky shot from 25 yd sailed into the upper center of our net -- nothing Bri could do about that (besides, as my Italian mentor told me "it's never the goalkeeper's fault"). They were ecstatic because they knew we were out-playing them and their goal was "against the run of play." 

We didn't let down. Claire's and Sarah J's shots were wide, and Claire's free kick from the corner of their box was saved. Callie's shot was saved just before UMass got off their second shot of the game, a free kick, that Bri saved handily.

Lindsey's shot went wide, Meredith G's shot was saved, and Callie's corner found Jenny, whose smart, quick flick of the ball was saved.

During the half time break we spoke about keeping up the good work -- the passes (many of them give-and-go) were clinical and we made very good use of diagonal passes and runs.

Claire got off a shot right away, then Callie's free kick from 30 yd out was punched out for Izzy's one-time hit that barely went over the cross-bar. Claire had a shot go wide in the 47th minute before UMass's free kick from mid-field.

Lindsey took a corner kick, UMass took a corner kick and Katie had a free kick before Izzy had a shot saved then took a free kick. UMass got another free kick just before Claire took one from the right side of the field that bounced out to find Izzy, whose shot was blocked.

In the next 4 minutes, Claire had four shots saved, blocked or wide! Then Katie earned and took a corner kick before Claire got off another shot for a corner. UMass got another free kick in the 68th minute.

Meredith G almost scored with her header in the 70th minute, and Claire had a shot and a cross deflected out for two corners. Lindsey caught the rebound on one of them but her shot was blocked.

After UMass got another free kick, Claire in the last minute of the game earned and took a corner that she sent smartly just past the UMass goalkeeper. Maria converted on the ensuing scuffle, leveling the score for us! Lindsey almost got us another goal right after that, but her shot went over the cross-bar.

It was wonderful to play so well and finally be rewarded for it! We were fortunate to have Katy Sprout on the team this fall! This was her last game before departing for San Francisco for a film internship. She made so many good runs and dribbles up the right side, and we will miss her dearly!

update: due to UMass Minutewomen using a goalkeeper from the UMass CS team, their result was ruled by the league to be a forfeit (win for us)

F: Claire+Sarah J, Dani+Jenna, Jenny
CM: Lindsey+Nam, Maria+Meredith G
OM: Meredith S+Katy, Jenny+Julia C, Jenna
CD: Tina+Julia F-O'L
OD: Mari+Katie, Callie+Izzy
G: Bri

Shots 32:2  Saves 1:16

2 Meredith S shot saved
   Sarah J's shot wide
4 Mari's shot saved
8 Claire's shot saved
9 Sarah J's shot wide
10 Claire's shot saved
11 Jenna's shot wide
12 Maria's shot saved
16 Tina free kick
20 UMass shot from distance upper center --> 0:1
25 Claire's shot wide
26 Sarah J's shot wide
27 Claire's free kick from corner of the box saved
28 Callie's shot saved
29 UMass free kick saved
30 Lindsey's shot wide
37 Meredith G's shot saved
38 Callie earned and took a corner kick
     Jenny's flicked shot saved
-----------------------------
42 Claire's shot saved
46 Callie's free kick from 30 yd punched back out,
    Izzy's one-time shot of the rebound barely over
47 Claire's shot wide
48 UMass free kick from mid-field 
50 Lindsey corner kick
51 UMass corner kick
52 Katie free kick
55 Izzy's shot saved
56 Izzy free kick
58 UMass free kick
59 Claire's free kick on the right side bounced out
     Izzy's shot of the rebound blocked
60 Claire's shot saved
62 Claire's shot blocked
63 Claire's shot wide
64 Claire's shot blocked
65 Katie earned a corner kick and took it
66 Claire's shot out for a corner
68 UMass free kick
70 Meredith G header wide
72 Claire's shot deflected for a corner
73 Claire's cross deflected out for a corner
    Lindsey's shot blocked
74 UMass free kick
79 Claire earned and took a corner
     Maria got the rebound in a scuffle --> 1:1
81 Lindsey shot over