At Southwest

2 April in EKL matchup with BV Southwest (1-2)

Game 5

Well, this played out to be a very entertaining high school soccer match with generous scoring opportunities for both teams. Despite playing a man down during the last 10 minutes, even then, we created numerous opportunities to score that tying goal.

The game was pretty physical in a competitive way. BWhite chose Kate Goza as the BWhite Player of the match, one of our most competitive girls.  She played tough.

Taylor was a little tentative in goal first half, but she sure made up for it in a brilliant second half in goal. Their winning goal came on a long cross past the back post that we failed to head and failed to close down. It was a nice finish, but really a shot that we should have not allowed.

We loved the fact that we came back from down 1 to tie it before the half. We came close on several occasions to tying it in the second half as well. It reminded us a lot of our opening match against Blue Valley.  

Basically, goals are so hard to come by in a good soccer match—we just can't gift goals to the other team. So, as we go forward, we need to tighten the ship up in the back as we did throughout our tournament. Keep in mind Southwest missed a PK as well (Check that one out!)

We still do not have our full complement of players, but hopefully, we have a few coming back this weekend, and more in the next couple of weeks. 

Kyli will have to sit Friday night now after the questionable red card (check it out!), and that will take out best defender off the field. Hopefully, we get Meg back by Friday.  And perhaps, we can add Muckerman and Erhnman as well.  Ryan is still a few weeks away.

Southwest did a nice job containing Grace, although she did have her chances to add a goal or two.  We need to combine with her better up top. The best example came in the closing minutes where she overlapped Gabi Cox who played her a brilliant ball going towards goal. Gabi even got the follow off the first save, and that follow kissed the top of the bar. Check it out.

It felt a lot different walking off the field last night as opposed to our final match of last season.  The girls continue to make strides forward. We have two tough ones this weekend, and we will be shy a few key players.

We now stand 3-2.

STATS:

First Half

Saints: Shots 5 (4) Corners: 5 (Bella 2, Cox 2, Kante)

22:00 Hamm (Assa strokes the left-footed corner to the back post where Hamm heads it down before recovering to lace it in)

T-Wolves: Shots: 3 (0) Corners: 1

Goal 1: Own goal

Second Half: Saints Shots: 5 (1) Corners: 2 (Hamm, Bryson)

T-Wolves: 7 (6) Corners: 2

Goal 2