Glorious sun from clear skies with temperatures approaching 20C/~70F awaited us at Sachem for our first time playing Merrimack (near Andover, MA). We had arranged also for Amherst to play Merrimack and us afterward, so we agreed on 30-minute halves -- a good idea given the warmth of direct sun.
Fans came! Lizzie's folks, Andi and Chris, with Kirsten Teevens, Sophia's folks, maybe others? Lizzie's mom brought amazing pumpkin/chocolate muffins and apples - THANKS!
We spoke about quick, high-quality passes as a key for not getting over-exerted in the heat and length of two games.
Merrimack was quick to get off a shot in the first minute that Bri saved. After that, we controlled pretty much the entire game. Sarah J's shot was saved in the 4th minute, and Sophia's hit the cross-bar just after that.
In the 8th minute, Meredith S set up Sarah J, whose shot bounced off the keeper's hands and the upper-right corner before landing in the Merrimack goal. In the next minute, Lizzie's header was saved, and - another minute later - Jenny's corner kick was caught by the Merrimack GK.
After a fairly long period of possession from good passes, Nam had her shot saved in the 18th minute. Then Julia FO'L earned a free kick from her fierce dribbling at pace through the Merrimack midfield. Near the end of the half Jenny and Caroline had shots go over the cross-bar.
At the break we discussed switching the ball to the opposite side, better communication, sending the ball back when it looks crowded ahead and taking more shots.
After five minutes, Sarah J set up Dani for her low shot from the right into the left side of the Merrimack goal. Callie had a free kick, Sarah J had one shot go wide and one saved, Lizzie had two shots saved, Nam sent a shot over, Dani had a shot wide, Caroline and Nam had shot saved -- we kept the Merrimack GK very busy!
We might have been a little nervous about missing six players due to injuries and illness, but it didn't show. We played the way we had wanted to play -- with good possession due to an abundance of good passes.
G: Bri
CD: Julia FO'L+Callie, Katie B
OD: Katie R+Izzy, Katie B
CM: Sophia+ Sarah J, Nam
OM: Jenny+Meredith S, Caroline
F: Lizzie+Dani
Shots 16:1 Saves 1:8
1 Merrimack shot saved
4 SJ shot saved for a corner taken by Meredith S
5 Sophia shot bounced off the cross-bar
8 Meredith S to SJ whose shot bounced off the GK's hand --> 1:0
9 Lizzie header saved
10 Jenny corner caught by GK
18 Nam shot saved
19 Julia FO'L earned a free kick
23 Jenny shot over the cross-bar
25 Caroline shot over the cross-bar
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35 SJ set up Dani's shot from right to left (grounder) --> 2:0
36 Callie free kick
38 SJ shot wide
44 SJ shot saved
47 Lizzie shot saved
50 Nam shot over
52 Lizzie shot saved
52 Dani shot wide
54 Caroline shot saved
55 Callie free kick
58 Nam shot saved
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