Middlebury senior day 23Oct2021

Perhaps it was fortunate for parents that we didn’t get into Regionals - we were close, but instead of taking the usual 24 teams they took only 18 - because this was Parent’s Weekend! Parents of Carly, Rachel, Zanna, Julia and Abby and friends of many were there under sunny skies and 10+C/50+F temps. After enjoying our game two years ago, Middlebury today had enough players to have two simultaneous games and displayed improved quality after three years as a club/former JV team.

Advising to “do it for the seniors” - Carly Brown, Caroline Collins-Pisano, Sophia Greszczuk, Katie Reisman and Cate Rozelle - we looked as happy as ever to have a game today!

Lizzy got us started by earning and taking a corner kick and a free kick in the Middlebury third before her shot sailed over their cross-bar. Claire had her shot saved in the 7th minute before Julia’s went wide seven minutes later. 

After Sara earned a free kick, Rachel’s shot went over. Kalyn earned a corner in the 17th minute, resulting in Lana’s three corner kicks and Kate’s sweetly struck shot that was saved. 

Kalyn earned another corner taken by Lana. Kalā acrobatically got her foot on the ball and chipped it over their keeper, but the goal was disallowed because we had an extra player on the field.

Mudia had a shot go wide and then made a perfect cross to Eliza, whose attempt at a tap-in hit the upright. Ash had a shot go over before Lizzy had two shots saved and a third that hit the cross-bar. 

Kalyn and Abby had shots saved in the last minutes of the half before Julia earned a corner taken by Lizzy. During the break, we discussed following up shots that bounce back into play and continuing our good field-switching and give-and-go passing.

Eliza had a shot saved right away before Mudia earned a free kick in the Middlebury third taken by Ash. Then Sophia’s shot went wide.

Zanna earned a corner taken by Lana, and Kalā had a shot blocked. Mudia earned a corner taken by Ash, and Eliza had a shot go wide. Zanna earned another corner taken by Lana in the 49th minute. 

Abby had a shot go over the cross-bar before another player’s shot went wide. Lizzy had a shot saved and later took another corner kick. Julia had a shot saved and Lizzy took another corner. Mudia earned another corner that was taken by Ash in the 69th minute.

Ash set us up for great success with her shot saved in the 71st minute for three corners, resulting in Kalā’s goal on the third corner kick.

Middlebury had a free kick from their end-line before they got a shot on our goal that Caris saved in the 78th minute. Julia earned a corner taken by Nathalie before Kalyn and Abby had shots saved. 

After Middlebury’s free kick from mid-field, Julia earned a free kick taken by Claire and Abby took a corner in the last minute.

With almost 30 shots to their one, we well deserved the win, but it was perhaps more impressive to see our stepping to the ball, getting the ball away from Middlebury players, connected passes, switching the ball to the opposite side of the field and the individual moves we made to keep the ball and open up space for passing options!

The glorious day was capped by a lovely ceremony honoring the seniors and memorable chances for parents to admire their talented children!

G: Caris White

CD: Kalā Harman+Molly Knox, Rachel Horne

OD: Ash Mitcham+Lana Kanno, Kate Clark+Sara Pickrell

CM: Sophia Greszczuk+Claire Meli+Lizzy Strapp, Krista Schemitsch+Abby Burgess

OM: Eliza Durbin+Zanna Stutz, Kalyn Dawes+Nathalie Maffei

F: Mudia Ikoba, Julia Gottschalk

Shots 27:1  Saves 1:14

4 Lizzy earned and took a corner kick

5 Lizzy earned a free kick in their third, her shot over

7 Claire shot saved

14 Julia shot wide

16 Sara earned a free kick, Rachel’s shot over

17 Kalyn earned a corner taken by Lana three times

     Kate shot saved

19 Kalyn earned a corner taken by Lana

     Kalā scored with her foot but disallowed due to 12 players fielded

25 Mudia shot wide

27 Mudia cross to Eliza whose shot hit the upright 

     Ash shot over

28 Lizzy two shots saved, a third hit the cross-bar

34 Kalyn shot saved

38 Abby shot saved

40 Julia earned a corner taken by Lizzy

42 Eliza shot saved

44 Mudia earned a free kick in their third, taken by Ash

     Sophia shot wide

47 Zanna earned a corner taken by Lana

     Kalā shot blocked

48 Mudia earned a corner taken by Ash

     Eliza shot wide

49 Zanna earned a corner taken by Lana

52 Abby shot over, another player’s shot wide

54 Lizzy shot saved

59 Lizzy corner

61 Julia shot saved for a corner taken by Lizzy

69 Mudia earned taken by Ash

71 Ash shot saved for a corner taken by Ash three times

     Kalā scored again! ->1:0

74 Middlebury free kick from their end line

78 Middlebury shot saved

     Julia earned a corner taken by Nathalie

     Kalyn shot saved

     Abby shot saved

79 Middlebury free kick from the half

80 Julia earned a free kick taken by Claire from the half

     Abby corner

at MIT 16Oct2021

Our president, Caroline Collins-Pisano, had - last summer - arranged a game on Sunday October 17th with Northeastern as a way to continue our post-league division season - we preferred Saturday, but they had a conflict, so we agreed on Sunday. In late August Northeastern cancelled, and we were unable to find another team that would agree to come up that day, so we decided to consider traveling for an away game. Harvard invited us but then gave the date to BU, but Caroline found out only three days ago that MIT could host us.

Only eleven players were available, given the late notice, but Ash’s dad John Mitcham was here from Utah and wanted to see her play, so we were excited to play! Sophia’s parents also came to see our game under windy, partly cloudy skies and warm 20+C/70sF temperatures.

We spoke about turf being fast and the value of good passes and quick pressure.

Ash wasted no time getting off a shot in the first minute, followed by Caitlin seven minutes later. After MIT’s free kick in their third, Lizzy had her shot deflected for a corner taken by Ash, and Lizzy had another shot hit the upright.

After Caris saved an MIT shot, she distributed the ball perfectly to Mudia, whose shot rocketed into the MIT net. Ash and Caitlin had their shot saved five minutes later. Most of the action was in their third, while Caris communicated what she was seeing and our passes was quick and well connected.

Ash had two more shots saved in the last few minutes of the half.

We spoke during half time about making through balls more successful by using less force and about passing to feet and passing back to keep possession.

Caris saved an MIT rolling shot in the fifth minute before Ash made a wonderful cross from the left side to Caitlin on the right side - her powerful shot landed in the MIT net.

Sara earned a free kick in the middle of the field taken by Lana before MIT put a shot over our cross-bar and had a free kick from their third in the 55th minute. Their GK came out swiftly to squash Sophia’s chance a few minutes later, Lizzy earned and took a corner kick, Ash had a shot blocked and Mudia had a shot deflected.

We had a great amount of communication during this half, ending with Claire’s corner, Sophia’s blocked shot and Caris making another save from a cross/shot.

G: Caris White

CD: Lana Kanno+Sara Pickrell

OD: Aislinn Mitcham+Katie Reisman

CM: Sophia Greszczuk+Claire Meli+Lizzy Strapp

OM: Caitlin Evers+Julia Gottschalk

F: Mudia Ikoba

Shots 12:4   Saves 3:5

1 Ash shot wide

8 Caitlin shot wide

9 MIT free kick in their third 

12 Lizzy shot deflected for a corner taken by Ash

     Lizzy shot hit the upright

13 MIT shot saved by Caris who distributed to Mudia for her rocket-shot ->1:0

18 Ash shot saved, Caitlin shot saved

30 Ash shot saved

34 Ash shot saved

40 MIT rolling shot saved

     Ash cross from the right side to Caitlin on the left ->2:0

47 Sara earned a free kick from the half taken by Lana

51 MIT shot over

55 MIT free kick in their third

57 MIT GK out to squash Sophia’s chance

58 Lizzy earned a corner she took, Ash shot blocked, Mudia shot deflected

67 Claire corner, Sophia shot blocked

69 MIT cross/shot saved

UVM 9Oct2021

Delighted to welcome alumnae and parents - Molly’s parents from MD, Caitlin’s dad from CA, Ella’s mom from TN, Katie R’s parents, Katie Bernardez from Seattle, Meredith Srour from Duke Medical School, Jenna Salvay from San Francisco, Dani Black from NYC, Jenny Kane and Namya Malik (here for a masters degree in computer science) - we were excited to play our best with a team we usually find difficult to beat. 

The 15C/60F cloudy weather was perfect for soccer! 

Sophia gave a motivating pep-talk about playing our best, and we looked sprightly as Mudia got off a shot in the 2nd minute that went over their cross-bar. In the eighth minute, UVM made a goal with shot from the right side of the field into the left side of our net. 

After UVM had a free kick in their third, Lizzy’s free kick in the 16th minute was saved, and her shot four minutes later was saved, as was Eliza’s shot a minute later.

Caitlin blocked a UVM shot in the 26th minute, and Caris saved a UVM shot four minutes later. Julia, in an attempt to wrest the ball from UVM, was cautioned.

UVM made their second goal in same manner as their first, curling the ball into the lower left corner of our goal in the 34th minute. After UVM’s free kick from the half-line, Molly made a free kick from our third. In the last minute of the half, UVM had a shot go wide and awarded a free kick from the middle of the field. 

During the break, we discussed opening up more when we get the ball, making more dynamic runs and shorter passes, passing back when desired, closing the gap in the midfield and beating them by passing around them.

Kalyn showed her great energy and earned us a free kick in the 42nd minute that was taken by Kelly, then Sophia had a shot go wide before Kalyn’s shot went over their cross-bar. Caris squashed a UVM chance in front of our goal just before Julia earned a free kick that was taken by Claire. 

Claire made a beautiful free kick from 20 yd that was almost a goal but instead hit their cross-bar in the 44th minute. She made another free kick from 30 yd out before her corner kick earned by Julia in the 51st minute. Sophia’s ensuing shot was on target but saved. Sophia earned us a free kick just after that before UVM had a shot go wide. 

Sophia had s hot go over their cross-bar in the 55th minute before UVM had a free kick, two shots saved and one shot go wide. After Kalā saved a UVM shot for their corner in the 74th minute, Julia earned a free kick for us. 

Claire made another sweet free kick from 20 yd that again hit their cross-bar. After that, Kelly earned a free kick taken by Claire.

We played so well in the second half, with many scoring chances, so we couldn’t feel deflated. It was a very well played game and a great chance for friends and family to see our quality!

G: Caris White

CD: Molly Knox+Kalā Harman, Rachel Horne

OD: Katie Reisman+Kelly Rutherford, Sara Pickrell+Kate Clark

CM: Sophia Greszczuk+Claire Meli+Lana Kanno, Ella Steinhilber+Krista Schemitsch+Lizzy Strapp

OM: Aislinn Mitcham+Nathalie Maffei, Kalyn Dawes+Eliza Durbin, Caitlin Evers+Abby Burgess

F: Mudia Ikoba, Julia Gottschalk

Shots 10:10   Saves 6:4

2 Mudia shot over

8 UVM from right side of the field to left side of goal -> 0:1

12 UVM free kick from their third

16 Lizzy free kick saved

20 Lizzy shot saved

21 Eliza shot saved

26 Caitlin blocked a UVM shot

30 UVM shot saved

31 Julia cautioned

34 UVM from right side of the field to left corner of goal -> 0:2

35 UVM free kick from the half

36 Molly free kick from our third

39 UVM shot wide, free kick from half

42 Kalyn earned a free kick in their third taken by Kelly

     Sophia shot wide

43 Kalyn shot over

     Caris squashed a UVM chance

44 Julia earned a free kick taken by Claire

     Claire free kick from 20 yd hit the cross-bar

49 Claire free kick fro 30 yd

51 Julia earned corner taken by Claire

    Sophia shot saved

52 Sophia earned free kick from half

53 UVM shot wide

55 Sophia shot over

57 UVM free kick from half

60 UVM shot saved

61 UVM shot saved

70 UVM shot wide

74 Kalā saved a shot for a UVM corner 

     Julia earned a free kick from half

78 Claire free kick from 20 yd hit the cross-bar

80 Kelly earned free kick taken by Claire

UMass A 3Oct2021

 Having played the other UMass (B) team to a draw last Saturday, we braced ourselves for today’s match with UMass A, telling ourselves to bring our best soccer to them using our 3-center midfielder formation. The drizzle let up just in time, and ~15C/60F temperatures were perfect. 

At first, neither team could hold the ball very long. After UMass got a corner kick in the 3rd minute and a free kick from their third, Claire took a free kick.

Just after Katie Fearon took a free kick earned by Julia, Katie set up Julia for her shot to the upper left side of their goal in the 15th minute. Then Kelly earned a free kick and Ella fired a shot that sailed over their cross-bar.

Kalā got aggressively tackled, and Molly took the ensuing free kick in the 22nd minute. Five minutes later, Lizzy earned a free kick before Caris came up big to save a shot that ricocheted toward our goal.

Rachel blocked a shot for a UMass corner in the 30th minute before Abby set up Mudia for her shot that was blocked. Just before the end of the half, Zanna took a free kick.

We spoke about well we improved during the first half, with better passing and sending the ball back to switch sides, and pushing up the midfield to close the gap.

Kalā cleared a UMass free kick and UMass had a shot go wide of our goal. Kalā earned a free kick before Ais took a corner kick in the 45th minute. Kelly took a free kick and Mudia’s solid shot went over their cross-bar. After UMass’ free kick, Caris came out quickly to squash a shot and was given a yellow card for dissent. UMass converted their penalty kick to even the score. 

Zanna’s shot was saved in the 53rd minute before Julia’s shot was blocked and she earned a free kick that was taken by Katie F. Ella’s shot went over their cross-bar before Molly’s clearance resulted in a corner for UMass.

Nathalie had a great shot saved in the 60th minute before Caris smothered a UMass chance. Nathalie had a subsequent shot blocked, earning a corner for Katie F, whose shot in the 65th minute was blocked for a corner taken by Nathalie. Ella’s shot went over their cross-bar. It felt as if we were close to scoring again.

Ella had another shot saved in the 69th minute before she fired a rocket-shot into their net to give us the lead in the 70th minute.

After UMass put a shot over our cross-bar, Caitlin had her shot go over their cross-bar and earned a free kick for Sara to take; in the last minute of the game Caitlin put her shot from the right side of the field into the upper left corner of their net to put us two goals ahead.

We felt that it was our best playing - we won possession and kept it with passes that connected, kept the ball moving by seeing the next pass and we created many good scoring opportunities - the refs and even their keeper complimented our playing! 

G Caris White

CD Kalā Harman+Molly Knox, Rachel Horne

OD Kelly Rutherford+Katie Reisman, Kate Clark+Sara Pickrell

CM Claire Meli+Sophia Greszczuk+Lana Kanno, Ella Steinhilber+Krista Schemitsch+Katie Fearon, Abby Burgess+Alison Sasaki+Lizzy Strapp

F Aislinn Mitcham+Mudia Ikoba, Kalyn Dawes+Julia Gottschalk+Nathalie Maffei, Caitlin Evers+Eliza Durbin

Shots 15:6  Saves 3:7