At UMass A 25Sep2022

UMass A is always a difficult team to play, so we came with 23 players and got there on time for a good warm-up under partly cloudy skies and a comfortable ~15C/60F temperature. Abby’s mom, Erika’s dad and Caris’ mom were there! We spoke about coming out with high-energy.

UMass got off the first shot in the second minute, but it hit our upright; then they got the rebound and put a shot over. UMass got a free kick from mid-field and a little later had a shot saved by Caris. Kalā blocked a shot for their corner kick in the 13th.

Alison earned a free kick for Erika to take and ten minutes later earned a penalty kick that Mudia converted ever so gloriously in the 27th minute. Eliza had a shot saved five minutes later.

During the break we spoke about getting more control of the ball, not making square passes and switching sides. 

After UMass’ free kick, Rachel made a clearance for a UMass corner; they converted on a header in the 43rd minute. Caitlin earned a corner for Ash to take before UMass had a free kick in our third that Caris saved.

Lizzy’s corner kick in the 54th minute found Erika, whose header went wide, and Genevieve earned a free kick in their third that Erika hit solidly but was saved.

UMass had another free kick from mid-field before converting on a corner kick in the 62nd minute. Ella had a shot saved, giving Ash another corner to take, and Ella had a shot go wide just before Erika’s two free kicks. 

UMass had another free kick from mid-field before Rachel took one for us in our third. Kalā almost got us an equalizer 3 minutes from time, but her shot was saved for a corner Daniella took. In the last few seconds, UMass scored on the rebound from a free kick. 

We felt that we had better passes than they and should have been able to show more for our good playing, but we were happy not to have any injuries since there is some history of that.

G: Caris White

CD: Kalā Harman, Molly Knox, Rachel Horne, Kelly Zreloff

OD: Aislinn Mitcham+Kelly Rutherford, Erika Huston+Daniella Nichols

CM: Lizzy Strapp, Lana Kanno, Claire Meli, Alison Sasaki, Abby Burgess, Avery Jones, Ella Steinhilber

OM: Caitlin Evers+Nathalie Maffei, Eliza Durbin+ Sara Pickrell

F: Mudia Ikoba, Genevieve Schaefer

Shots 7:7  Saves 2:4

2 UMass shot hit the upright, another shot over

5 UMass free kick mid-field

12 UMass shot saved by Caris

13 Kalā blocked a shot for a UMass corner

17 Alison earned a free kick for Erika

27 Alison earned a PK, Mudia converted -> 1:0

32 Eliza shot saved

42 UMass free kick their third 

43 Rachel cleared a shot for a UMass corner

     UMass converted with a header -> 1:1

47 Caitlin earned a corner for Ash

51 UMass free kick in our third, shot saved by Caris

54 Lizzy corner, Erika header wide

58 Genevieve earned free kick their third, Erika shot saved 

60 UMass free kick mid-field 

62 UMass corner converted -> 1:2

64 Ella shot saved, Ash corner

67 Ella shot wide

73 Erika free kick from our third, another from mid-field

75 UMass free kick from mid-field

76 Rachel free kick from our third

77 Kalā shot saved for a corner by Daniella

80 UMass free kick in out third, converted on rebound -> 1:3

Springfield College 24Sep2022

Mostly sunny and warm ~68F/20C, we welcomed new-to-the-League Springfield to our beautiful field for our game at noon, along with many student fans and Claire’s dad and Eliza’s parents and fuzzy pup Walter.

We spoke about playing quickly as preparation for tomorrow’s game at UMass A. We wasted no time getting a corner kick in the 3rd minute that Lizzy sent to Kalā, whose shot went wide. Same situation four minutes later with Kalā’s shot over.

Springfield sent a shot wide before Julia earned a corner for Abby B to take. Erika did well getting forward in the 21st, earning a free kick in their third of the field. Then Kalyn and Zanna had shots saved before Zanna set up Avery for her goal into the upper-left corner of their net.

After Springfield’s free kick from their third, Genevieve struck a rebounded ball that their GK couldn’t hold onto, giving us our 2nd goal.

Ash earned a free kick in our third, sending us up for field for Kalā’s shot that was saved in the 32nd minute. Then Springfield got a free kick in out third just before Ash sent the ball up the left side of the field to Mudia, who dribbled past her defender and crossed the ball perfectly to Nathalie, whose wonderful shot from the right side of the field gave us our 3rd goal in the 34th minute.

Lizzy earned a free kick in our third for Ash to take before Ash earned a corner kick for Lizzy to take; then Lizzy took a free kick in their third and had a shot go wide just before the break.

We were very pleased by our recovery after a somewhat slow start, and especially proud of the goals - two of them scored by members of the Class of 2026!! We suggested that our midfield players get back quickly to help when we lose the ball, to use more width when we have the ball and to switch the ball to the other side of the field more often.

Springfield got off the first shot but it went wide, then Claire earned a free kick in the middle of the field before Springfield sent another shot wide. Caitlin earned a corner kick that Abby B took, and Sara had a shot go wide just before Caitlin, Avery,  Genevieve and Eliza had shots saved within about 10 minutes before Eliza’s lower-right shot gave us our 4th goal in the 60th minute.

Springfield had another shot go wide and took a free kick in our third before Caris sped upfield to quash a ball off the feet of an attacking player in the 65th. Mudia almost scored with a shot that hit their side-netting before Nathalie had a shot saved. Ash, Lizzy, Caitlin and Julia had shots go wide before Sara earned and took a free kick in their third; Abby B’s shot went over. 

Julia earned a corner for Sara to take; then Ella had a shot blocked for another corner. Springfield had a shot saved by Caris before Kalyn’s shot went wide. Ella set up Kalyn in the 80th minute for our 5th goal just before Caitlin’s shot was saved.

G: Caris White

CD: Kalā Harman, Molly Knox, Rachel Horne, Kelly Zreloff

OD: Aislinn Mitcham+Kelly Rutherford, Kate Clark+Sara Pickrell, Erika Huston+Daniella Nichols

CM: Lizzy Strapp+Lana Kanno+ Krista Schemitsch, Claire Meli+Abby Burgess+Abby Headstrom, Avery Jones+Ella Steinhilber

OM: Eliza Durbin+Nathalie Maffei, Caitlin Evers+Kalyn Dawes, Genevieve Schaefer

F: Mudia Ikoba, Julia Gottschalk, Zanna Stutz

Shots 26:5 Saves 1:9 

3 Lizzy corner, Kalā shot wide

7 Lizzy corner, Kalā shot over

10 Julia earned corner for Abby B

21 Erika earned a free kick in their third 

22 Kalyn shot saved

23 Zanna shot saved

26 Zanna set up Avery upper-left -> 1:0

27 Springfield free kick their third

28 Genevieve got rebound -> 2:0

31 Ash earned free kick our third

32 Kalā shot saved 

33 Springfield free kick our third

34 Ash to Mudia to Nathalie -> 3:0

35 Lizzy earned free kick our third taken by Ash

36 Ash earned corner - Lizzy

37 Lizzy free kick their third

38 Lizzy shot wide

43 Springfield shot wide

44 Claire earned free kick at half-field

45 Springfield shot wide

47 Caitlin earned corner - Abby B

     Sara shot wide

49 Caitlin shot saved 

53 Avery shot sav

56 Genevieve shot saved 

59 Kalā earned free kick mid-field 

60 Eliza shot saved 

     Eliza lower-right -> 4:0

61 Springfield shot wide

63 Springfield free kick our third

65 Caris came out quickly to grab the ball off feet!

66 Mudia shot wide, side netting

67 Nathalie shot saved 

     Ash shot wide

69 Lizzy shot wide

73 Caitlin, Julia shots wide

74 Sara earned free kick their third - Sara

     Abby B shot over

76 Julia earned corner - Sara

     Ella shot blocked for a corner

78 Springfield shot saved by Caris

79 Kalyn shot wide

80 Ella set up Kalyn -> 5:0

     Caitlin shot saved

At Assumption + Holy Cross 18Sep2022

It was Assumption’s turn to host Holy Cross and us on their new turf field in Worcester, so we arrived around 1pm for games with Holy Cross at 2pm and Assumption immediately following at 3:30pm. 

Holy Cross and Assumption were playing when we arrived, and, since all three teams were to play two games, the halves were shortened to 35 minutes. Sunny and 28C/82F with a little breeze - warm but not too warm!

G: Caris White

CD: Kalā Harman, Molly Knox, Rachel Horne, Kelly Zreloff

OD: Erika Huston+Kelly Rutherford, Daniella Nichols+Sara Pickrell

CM: Lizzy Strapp+Abby Burgess+Abby Headstrom, Claire Meli+ Alison Sasaki+Krista Schemitsch

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

F: Mudia Ikoba, Genevieve Schaefer, Julia Gottschalk

vs Holy Cross:

Kalyn in about 30sec got in front of the Holy Cross goal with a shot that went wide before Kelly R’s corner kick and shot that was saved. Then Kelly R distributed to Mudia, who set up Kalyn’s shot from the right side of the field to the lower left corner of the Holy Cross net for our first goal in the 7th minute.

Eliza earned a corner kick that Kelly R took (she took so many and they were always such high quality - in the mix in front of goal but easy for their GK to reach). Five minutes later Holy Cross got a free kick in our third, but it was so trouble for Caris to save.

Daniella took the next corner kick superbly just before Holy Cross made a successful run toward our goal and, while we thought we got the ball, the ref called a penalty kick. Caris came up with a magical save!!

Alison had her shot go over, and Julia had a shot saved before she tucked a shot from the left side of the field into the lower right side of their goal for our second. After Holy Cross took a free kick in their third, Nathalie from the right side of the field rocketed a powerful shot into the upper left corner of their net in the 31st minute for our third goal.

Caitlin earned a free kick and Sara’s shot was saved just before the break. We spoke about playing to feet and keeping the ball on the ground to avoid turnovers, moving to space and using the whole width of the field and making diagonal passes and dribbles.

Mudia immediately got close to their net and earned a corner for Kelly R to take - from which Lizzy’s shot hit their cross-bar before going over. Lizzy had another shot go wide and Abby B had a shot go over before Kelly R took another corner kick.

Abby H sent in a powerful shot that was saved in the 43rd minute. The Class of 2026 continued to shine as Erika had a shot go wide and Genevieve had shots saved and go wide before she earned a corner for Zanna to take.

Zanna, after two Holy Cross free kicks, set up Julia in the 49th minute for our fourth goal and then had her shot saved a couple minutes later. Same for Claire just before time.

We were delighted to play so well and to to have so much fun doing it!

Shots 18:2  Saves 2:7

1 Kalyn shot wide

5 Kelly R corner kick, shot saved

7 Kelly R to Mudia to Kalyn from right side of field to lower left -> 1:0

14 Eliza earned a corner taken by Kelly R

19 Holy Cross free kick in our third saved by Caris

20 Daniella corner kick

22 Holy Cross PK SAVED by Caris!!

23 Alison shot over

28 Julia shot saved, 

     Julia from left to lower-right side -> 2:0

30 Holy Cross free kick in their third

31 Nathalie from right to upper left -> 3:0

34 Caitlin earned a free kick, Sara shot saved

36 Mudia earned a corner taken by Kelly R,

     Lizzy shot hit the cross-bar & over

37 Lizzy shot wide

39 Abby B shot over

41 Kelly R corner kick

43 Abby H shot saved

48 Erika shot wide

52 Genevieve shot saved, shot wide

56 Genevieve earned a corner taken by Zanna

57 Holy Cross free kicks from their third then ours

59 Zanna to Julia -> 4:0

63 Zanna shot saved

65 Claire shot saved

68 Holy Cross free kick from their third

vs Assumption

Abby B in under 60sec got off a shot that went wide before Caitlin’s shot was saved. Two minutes later, Kalyn had a shot wide and Mudia a shot saved for a corner taken by Lizzy; Kalyn from the right side put the rebound into the upper left corner of the Assumption goal.

Mudia earned a corner for Lizzy to take before Erika had her shot go over - we took 32 shots in this game!! Abby B had a shot saved and Mudia a shot over before another shot from Abby B looked like a goal but hit side netting in the 12th minute.

Eliza from the left side did her magic three minutes later with a shot past the near post successfully into their net for our second goal. Nathalie and Abby H had shots go wide. Assumption had the same experience in the 20th.

Zanna had a shot go over just before Kalyn went on another dribbling and cuts extravaganza for her FIFTH goal of the weekend! Zanna had another shot go over before Abby B’s shot was saved for a corner taken by Lizzy; then Lizzy’s corner kick successfully found Kalyn’s head but was just wide.

Erika started the second half with a shot saved in the 2nd minute just before Sara proved again that defenders can score! More magic from Kalyn sent a cross from the right corner of the field onto Mudia’s head for a goal that was disallowed due to offside. But after Kalyn did the same trick again this time but with cuts to evade her defender, Mudia’s foot put the ball into their net for our 5th and final goal of the game.

Erika earner another corner that she took just before Alison had a shot ring off the cross-bar and another shot saved. Mudia set up Caitlin for another goal disallowed for offside.

Abby H also hit the cross-bar with a shot that went over, and Julia earned a corner taken by Sara before Genevieve’s shot went wide. Kelly R had a solid shot saved for a corner she took. Then in the last few minutes, Genevieve had a shot saved, Abby B and Lizzy had shots go wide, Abby B had another shot saved and Caitlin had a shot go over.

We marveled at how well we were able to play so early in the season - not usual for us! Stand-out improvements during the weekend were more give-and-go passes, switching the ball across the field, and defenders getting forward to join the offensive. WAY TO GO, Dartmouth!!

Shots 32:1  Saves 0:9

1 Abby B shot wide

3 Caitlin shot saved

5 Kalyn shot wide

   Mudia shot saved for a corner taken by Lizzy

   Kalyn from right to upper left -> 1:0

7 Mudia earned a corner taken by Lizzy

   Erika shot over

8 Abby B shot saved

10 Mudia shot over

12 Abby B shot wide, hit side netting

15 Eliza from left to near post -> 2:0

17 Nathalie shot wide

19 Abby H shot wide

20 Assumption shot wide

27 Zanna shot over

30 Kalyn -> 3:0

33 Zanna shot over, Abby B shot saved for Lizzy corner

34 Lizzy corner, Kalyn header wide

37 Eliza shot saved 

38 Sara -> 4:0

40 Kalyn cross to Mudia header no goal/ruled offside

41 Kalyn cross to Mudia volley -> 5:0

43 Erika earned a corner she took

45 Alison shot hit the cross-bar

46 Alison shot saved

47 Mudia to Caitlin no goal/ruled offside

51 Abby H shot hit the cross-bar then over

53 Julia earned a corner taken by Sara

60 Genevieve shot wide

62 Kelly R shot saved for her corner kick

65 Genevieve shot saved, Abby B shot wide

66 Lizzy shot wide, Abby B shot saved, Caitlin shot over

WPI 17Sep2022

Coming after busy days of tryouts, we were delighted to start our fall season with talented new players Abby Headstrom, Erika Huston, Avery Jones, Daniella Nichols, Genevieve Schaefer and Kelly Zreloff - at home under sunny skies and with warm temperatures! And we were delighted to see Krista’s parents!

Never quite sure what to expect from WPI, we suggested that keeping the ball moving might help avoid excessive physical contact. WPI was later to play UVM on our field, so they might have preferred shorter halves but agreed to 40 min halves.

We wasted no time getting close to their goal, with Julia having a shot saved and one blocked after only a minute or so. Caitlin had a shot blocked before WPI had a chance that Caris saved in the 7th minute. 

Zanna had her shot saved a minute later, then Lizzy sent in another of her soaring and accurate corner kicks before Abby Burgess set up Eliza’s goal in the 15th minute. Lizzy had another corner and Abby B had a shot go over their cross-bar before Nathalie’s shot was saved in the 18th minute.

After Rachel’s free kick, Lizzy had a shot blocked for a corner kick that she took; Sara had a shot go over. WPI got a free kick just before Kalyn did her magic in the 32nd minute for our second goal. Then Abby H set up Kalyn for a third goal; Kalyn had a shot go wide and Kate had a shot saved just before the break.

We were feeling well in control of the game and were delighted by how seamlessly the new players from the Class of 2026 showed their quality. We scrambled the line-up so that players could play with different teammates.

The second half started with Julia immediately getting free to take another shot that went wide and Avery having a shot saved. Zanna earned a corner kick that led to a (saved) shot by Sara. Avery had another shot saved before WPI’s free kick from mid-field and their ensuing corner kick in the 47th minute.

Mudia earned a corner kick and WPI had another free kick from mid-field before Mudia had shots blocked and saved. After Lizzy had a shot go high, Abby B had a shot blocked before Abby H’s shot hit the cross-bar before going over.

It was a great showing for a first game!

Shots 23:1 Saves 1:8

G: Caris White
CD: Kalā Harman, Molly Knox, Rachel Horne, Kelly Zreloff
OD: Kate Clark+Kelly Rutherford, Erika Huston+Sara Pickrell
CM: Claire Meli+Lana Kanno+Krista Schemitsch, Lizzy Strapp+Alison Sasaki+Abby Burgess, Avery Jones+Abby Headstrom

OM: Caitlin Evers+Zanna Stutz, Eliza Durban+Nathalie Maffei, Daniella Nichols+Kalyn Dawes

F: Julia Gottschalk, Mudia Ikoba, Genevieve Schaefer

2 Julia shot saved

4 Julia shot blocked

5 Caitlin shot blocked

7 WPI shot saved by Caris

8 Zanna shot saved

13 Lizzy corner kick

15 Abby B pass to Eliza -> 1:0

16 Abby B shot wide

17 Lizzy corner kick, Abby B shot over

18 Nathalie shot saved

22 Rachel free kick

23 Lizzy shot blocked for a corner taken by her,

     Sara shot over

30 WPI free kick

32 Kalyn -> 2:0

39 Abby H set up Kalyn -> 3:0

    Kalyn shot wide

40 Kate shot saved

42 Julia shot wide

43 Avery shot saved

44 Zanna earned a corner kick

     Sara shot saved

46 Avery shot saved

47 WPI free kick from half-field, corner kick 

56 Mudia earned a corner kick

60 WPI free kick from half-field

61 Mudia shot blocked

63 Mudia shot saved 

69 Lizzy shot over

70 Abby B shot blocked

77 Abby H shot hit the cross-bar then over