Strong Showing at Spring District 2 Cup

The Devils concluded the Spring Season with a fantastic showing at the District 2 Cup, held at Evergreen College last weekend. The Devils won both of their pool games on Saturday, earning the top seed in the playoff round on Sunday, but fell to the Hollister Tremors in a 1-0 nail biter on Sunday.

Pool play started early Saturday morning with an 8:15am game that pegged the Devils against the Central Valley Jaguars. The girls have struggled historically in early morning games, but they came out firing in this contest.

Christene opened the games scoring on a deflection off the goaltender just 8 minutes in. Courtney set up the goal sending a cross from the right corner, after navigating past a defender along the right sideline. As the pass crossed through the box, the Jaguars keeper failed to control the ball. Christene charged up the middle and chipped home the 5-footer for the 1-0 lead.

The Jaguars would answer 5 minutes later on a 35-foot shot from the left side. E, the Devils keeper was lined up with the shot, but the ball skipped on the wet grass then took a crazy hop, redirecting to the right and into the net.

The Devils made it 2-1 on a put back after Grace put a 40-foot shot on goal from the left side. The Jaguars keeper got a hand on the shot, but the deflection bounced right to Courtney, who was positioned on the right side. She would easily deposit the ball for the goal.

Half time was as entertaining as the first half. The girls reported that a gopher popped his head up in the middle of the pitch while play was going on, catching some of the action up close.

The 2nd half of the contest would be highlighted by the defense who snuffed out every Jaguars chance. Audrey played in goal and only handled the ball twice in the entire half. The fullbacks did a great job at anticipating opposing passes and communicating where the ball was being played.

The midfielders controlled the field and setup several scoring chances, including a shot attempt by Marlene that was stopped by the Jaguars keeper with 8 minutes to play.

In the Saturday nightcap, the Devils offense opened up and stormed to a 3-0 win over the Monterey Blizzards. The Devils wasted no time taking the early lead. Kelly punched a 20-foot shot from center-mid that clipped a defender and redirected past the Blizzards keeper for the 1-0 lead, just 2 minutes into the game.

Audrey converted 5 min later on a chip shot from the center of the small box after Courtney sent another beautiful cross from the right side.

Christene started the 2nd half in goal and came up big. A Blizzards free-kick headed for the goal before the keeper gloved the shot on the run. She would make another big save later in the half when another shot found it’s way deep into the box.

Courtney would cap the game’s scoring when she knocked home a 20-foot blast from the top of the box. r Audrey carried the ball up the left side before sliding a pass to her right. Courtney carried the ball up the middle, before firing a shot that sailed over the Blizzard keeper’s head.

The Devils turned in more great soccer on Sunday, but they came up short in the single elimination playoff round. Facing the same Tremors team that they beat in the last regular season game three weeks earlier, Hollister had revenge in mind.

The games were similar in that the Devils held the ball in the Hollister zone for 70% of the game, but Hollister would take advantage of their lone chance deep in the Devils zone. The Devils had plenty of shots on goal, but the Tremors keeper played a huge game.

Jojo would open the shot-fest with a nice attempt from the right side that was gloved in the 3rd minute. Another shot attempt from the right corner that straddled the goal line before hitting the left post 2 minutes later.

Hollister would strike with the game’s only goal on a series of pin balling shots that landed on a right wings foot for a 15 foot bullet 10 minutes into the game. The Devils would put 4 shots on goal before the half closed out, but the Tremor’s keeper stopped everything that came her way.

The Devils continued to control the ball in the 2nd half, but the Tremors played their mids back to preserve the slim lead.

The Devils would get their best chance to score with 3 minutes to play when Grace took a pass at midfield and raced up the gut before putting a 20-foot shot on goal. The shot was a bullet, but once again the Tremors keeper knocked the head-high shot down before snagging the ball to squelch the scoring chance.

The final whistle would sound, ending the Devils run, but the tournament was a big success for the girls. They allowed a paltry 3 goals in 3 games during the weekend, continuing their fantastic defense play. The offense also started to work well with each other, stringing together legitimate scoring chances by placing the ball with precision passing. A fantastic showing all around.

Regular Season Finale - Fun Notes

With the 2009 Spring Regular Season coming to a close, we wanted to reflect on some of the things that made this past campaign so much fun. First off, a big Devils THANK YOU to Coach Brad and Carmon for hosting such a fantastic end of season party on Saturday. Some of the girls were in the pool at high noon and didn't get out until things wrapped up after 6!

We also wanted to thank everyone who volunteered their time this season. There are many jobs that make the team tick (team manager, volunteer coordinator, team treasurer, field liners, referees, buyer, party coordinator, and more), so we certainly appreciate all the hard work our parents put into the team.

One of the things we did this season during one of the regular practices was hold a skills competition. Here is a list of the individual winners:

Juggling - Christene
Paired Head Balls - Christene
Head Balls - Audrey
Longest Kick - Karsyn
Fanciest Move - Clara
Penalty Shots - Clara
Longest Throw - Karsyn
Throw-In Accuracy - Lindsay

Our season juggling champion is Kelly (45).

Please be sure to check out the team calendar, which has all the team events planned throughout the summer.

5/30/09 Game Recap (3-2 Win)

Wow. That one word best describes Saturday’s regular season finale. The Devils overcame a late deficit to take a thrilling 3-2 win against the Hollister Tremors at Veterans Memorial Sports Complex in Hollister. The Devils trailed 2-1 with 5 minutes to play in the game, before rallying with a pair of goals to wrap up a 5 win, 2 draw, 2 loss season.

The girls came ready to play, as was indicative from the strong warm up before the game. When the opening whistle sounded, the Devils immediately went on the offensive.

Starting at the left fullback position, Sammie opened the game with a blast from the left side that sailed just wide of the right post. It would serve as a precursor to the salvo of shots that was forthcoming.

Marlene would split two defenders on the subsequent possession, putting a shot on goal from 15 feet out. The Tremors goal keeper gloved the shot to help Hollister weather the initial wave. The Devils would get another chance 4 minutes later on another drive up the left side by Marlene, but that ended with another save by the Tremors keeper.

Hollister would push the ball deep in the Devils zone midway through the opening half, drawing a corner kick. They would score on that chance at the 12 minute mark when the Tremor player assigned to take the corner lofted a huge ball over the Devils defense. The kick landed right on the foot of a teammate, positioned on the far post for the easy tap in.

The goal didn’t affect the drive in the Devils, who would continue to force the play to the Tremors half of the field with a constant stream of through balls that created more offensive chances. Audrey would take one of those balls up the left side before firing another shot that the Tremors keeper was forced to handle.

Marlene would knot the game at 1-1 a minute later with a 15-foot rocket that she unleashed from the just inside the left post. The shot was a live drive that hit the top right corner of the net a good 6 feet off the ground.

The second half of the game could have justified admission for the show that was about to begin.

The Devils continued to use through balls to jump the Hollister defense, but Tremor’s goal keeper played a fantastic game, gloving shot after shot.

Hollister would stake out a 2-1 lead with six minutes to play, when a dump-in was gloved by Shivani outside the box, setting up an indirect kick from just left of the penalty shot dot. The Tremors converted with the free chance, sending a shot right of the Devils wall and into the net.

Rather than pack it in so late in the game, the Devils went to work. Defensively, the Tremors would muster only one shot on goal that didn’t come off a corner or free kick.

The tide would begin to turn when JoJo got off a nice shot from the right side that was knocked down by a Tremors defender right in front of the goal line. Another Devil’s shot was turned aside by a hand ball in the box, but it went uncalled.

Clara would re-tie the game with four minutes left in the game when Courtney chipped a pass to her left across the goal line. Clara read the pass and headed for the goal, deflecting the ball with her knee into the goal. It was her first as a Devil, but it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The next minute turned out to be a goal keeper’s nightmare. First the Devils were awarded a direct kick 30 feet out. Grace took the shot and rang it off the right post. The deflection would land on Kelly’s boot for another shot that slammed off the opposite post.

The crowd was buzzing with all the shots that were being thrown on goal. The anticipation would come to a crescendo with the biggest goal of the season.

That goal would come in the waning minutes of the game after another wild flurry in front of the Tremors net. Grace would start the sequence with a corner kick that deflected off Tremors defender in the box. After a partial clear, the ball would find its way on a trajectory with the goal line. Clara grabbed the ball on the right post and chipped a pass to Courtney, who was parked right on the goal line. There was no doubt where the ball would end up after Courtney’s foot slammed the orb into the back of the net.

Game over. FANTASTIC way to wrap up the regular season.

Game Positives--

Defense: It’s important to recognize the fullbacks in this game, as they allowed only one shot on goal from the field. The Tremors goals came off a corner and a free kick. Clara, Jess, Karsyn, Lindsay, Ruhi and Sammie consistently shut down drives toward the Devils net all game, which was a great way to cap their overall performance this season. The Defense accounted for 5 shutouts in 9 games this season.

Quick Releases: As has been the theme in practice the last two weeks, the girls applied quick release shots, and it paid huge dividends for them. All three goals came on direct shots while receiving the ball, rather then trying to control and setup a shot.

Poise: After falling behind twice in the game, the team never got down on themselves. In fact, the Tremors goals seemed to inspire them to turn the level of play up a notch. They answered both goals with equalizers within 2 minutes of both tallies. When they needed that third goal, the intensity was elevated and it paid dividends.

Development Areas--

Consistency: Heading into the D2 Cup, the girls need to maintain their drive and desire to control the game. We didn’t stress this during the fall Cup and it hurt us. The girls will have four games in two days, so it will be important for them to focus on maintaining the same intensity they exhibited this past weekend.

5/16/09 Game Recap (4-0 Win)

The Devils traveled to a toasty Salinas on Saturday, but the offense turned out to be even hotter, taking a dominating 4-0 decision over the MCFC Wolverines at the Constitution Soccer Complex.

In the spirit of the temperature, the girls opened the game on fire, immediately controlling the tempo. The girls put together one of their best passing performances of the season.

One of the things the girls worked on during week was drop passes to a trailing shooter for one-time shot attempts. Courtney delivered in the first few minutes of the game dropping a perfect pass to Marlene, who put a shot just wide of the left post.

Moments later, Shivani made a fantastic centering pass to Marlene from the left corner. Marlene gathered the pass, before deflecting a shot off of a defender and into the goal.

Courtney would follow that up by scoring one of the prettiest goals of the season. Starting at right forward, she drove down the right side of the field and let loose a high shot that sailed past the goal keeper and found the top left corner of the net for the 2-0 lead.

Kelly and E capped the first half by putting together one of the most impressive passing series of season. Kelly started the sequence by knocking the ball up to E at left forward. E then dropped the ball back to Kelly, who returned the pass before bee-lining to the center of the field to take one more exchange. It was a dazzling exchange that had the Wolverines on their heels.

For the second straight game, the Devils defense limited scoring chances, and only allowed their goal keeper to touch the ball once in the contest, when Grace gloved a shot at the 15 minute mark of the game.

The coaches mixed things up a little to start the 2nd half, putting Ruhi in goal. Grace started the half at center forward, Karsyn at center mid, Kelly at stopper, and Marlene to the sweeper position.

Grace would use her opportunity up front to score her first goal as a Devil. She liked it so much, that she decided to score twice from the position and had a 3rd tally called back on an off sides call. Her first goal would come off a pass from JoJo, lofting the ball right over the goalie keeper’s head.

She would score again by taking a terrific pass from Audrey from the left side, pumping a shot into the net for the 4-0 cushion.

The defense was led by Jess Jess, who stepped into every attempt that came her way, clearing away any would be scoring chances y the Wolverines. Courtney took a long turn at sweeper in the 2nd half, complementing her offensive skills with a strong stint as a defender.

Game Positives--

Passing: The work the girls put in during practice on passing and creating space was very evident during the game.

Communication: The girls did a great job of directing each other, which was evident from the great series of passes that they were able to string together.

Holding and Driving the Ball Forward: The Wolverines did not pull their defenders up so it was difficult to send through balls up the lines. The girls recognized this though, and shifted their approach by driving up field. They deftly held the ball until they were contested.

Development Areas--

Shooting, Shooting, Shooting: Although we came away with a big win, there were many shooting opportunities that went unaddressed or the shot selection was directly on the keeper.

Quick Release: We continue to struggle with taking the immediate shot, instead choosing to take one too many touches before shooting.

Following the Shot: Forwards need to follow every shot on goal.

5/9/09 Game Recap (1-0 Win)

The Devils hosted the MCFC Blizzards on Saturday, taking a 1-0 decision in one of the most lopsided wins in the team’s short history. Controlling the ball for a majority of the contest, the Devils kept the ball in the offensive zone, peppering the Blizzards net with shots that did everything except cross the goal line.

The offense put had more than a dozen quality scoring chances, stringing together well placed passes while grabbing the initiative from the opening whistle.

Grace opened the shot fest with a blast from the center of the box in the first two minutes of the game. The shot was slowed down by the goal keeper, who got a glove on the shot, but allowed it to trickle past. Only a diving stop as the ball headed toward the goal line kept the game scoreless.

The Devils midfielder would create the Devils next scoring chance two minutes later, by sending a crossing pass from the left side, which landed on Jessica’s boot right in front of the goal line. A scrum in the front of the net ended with the Blizzards goal keeper pouncing on the ball to smother the chance.

The offensive onslaught would continue later in the first half after the Devils were awarded a corner kick. The shot form the left side that feathered past two players, right to Shivani who cranked a shot that sailed over the cross bar, just missing the net.

While the offense was pressing the play in the Blizzards zone, the defense was squelching any runs attempted by Salinas, suppressing most attempts to move on the Sunnyvale net at the midfield line. Ruhi, Lindsay, Karsyn , Jess and Clara put the clamps on the Blizzards offense, allowing only one shot on goal the entire game.

Marlene started in goal and had to handle the ball once in the first half. Clara followed her up and never touched the ball.

The opening 20 minutes would be capped with a 40-foot shot from Sammie that the lizards goal keeper snared right before the end of the half.

The 2nd half started with more of the scoring frustration. Audrey maneuvered in tight, before getting off a shot from 15 ft that drilled the goal keeper in the chest. The shot was a pretty chance, but once again the goal keeper was in the right place at the right time.

The Devils finally broke through at the 30 min mark. Karsyn sent a corner to the box where it pin-balled off two players, before landing on Christene's boot for the chip shot that finally found the back of the net.

Game Positives –

Offensive Pressure: The Devils smelled blood and kept up the offensive pressure all game.

Impenetrable Defense: The backs snuffed out every run the Blizzards tried throwing at the Devils. The solid play by the back-liners was one of the most impressive performances of the season.

Development Areas—

Shot Strength: Developing stronger shot strength continues to be a key area of development for the girls. This could have easily been a 5 goal game had there been a little more velocity and height on some of the shots that were directed on goal.

Shot Placement: We need to work on where shots are directed, given the positioning of the goal keeper and other defenders.

Stanford Tourney Photos

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Devils Turn in a Stong 2009 Stanford 4v4 Tournament Showing

The Devils participated in the 2009 Stanford 4v4 Tournament, which marks the second consecutive season that the team has attended this competition. The 4v4 format allows the girls to sharpen their small game skills, in a competitive environment. The Devils split the team into two squads, which were represented by a Red Team and White Team.

The Devils were one of nine SASC teams to participate in the tournament.

Both squads played exceptionally well, especially the newcomers, who had not played in the small field format before. Every game was competitive and entertaining, but more importantly it provided the girls with an opportunity to better understand how to manage the ball in tight quarters.

This experience will certainly provide them additional tools that will help their regular format game. The highlight of the tournament was the Red squad's 2-1 win over the MVLA class 1 contingent.

As the tournament has become an annual event, so has the parents-kids game played during the lunch break. This was a great chance for the parents to show off their soccre skills in a fun game of 16 v 16 soccer on one of the mini fields. Thankfully, no arent was required to run more than 4 steps in any one direction!

Here is a recap of the 12 games each squad participated in:

White game 1: 4-1 L to MVLA I Goals: Christene

Red game 1: 3-1 L to MVLA VII. Goals Shivani

White game 2: 5-3 win vs Penninsula Storm. Goals: Karsyn (2), Sammie, Marlene, Jessica O

Red game 2: 4-3 L vs MP Strikers. Goals Kelly, Clara (head ball), Courtney

White game 3: 4-3 L vs Los Angeles Sol. Goals Marlene, Christene, Karsyn

Red game 3: 3-1 L vs MVLA II. Goals: Kelly

White game 4: 5-3 L vs Santa Clara Sporting. Goals: Sammie, Marlene, Jessica

Red game 4: 2-1 W vs MVLA II. Goals: Kelly, Jess

White vs Red: 4-1 W white. Wht Goals: Ruhi(2), Karsyn, Sammie. Red goals: E

Red game 6: 5-4 W vs Santa Clara Sporting. Goals: Katrina, Courtney(2), Shivani, Clara.

White game 6: 3-2 L vs MVLA II. Goals: Christene, Jess O

5/2/09 Game Recap (1-1 Tie)

The Devils traveled to a wet a dreary Gilroy to square off against the Orchard Valley Rampage on Saturday. The two teams battled to a hard fought 1-1 tie, the first between the two teams in four meetings.

With the emphasis on using the wet grass as an advantage, the Devils used the elements to string together several quality chances in the first half. Karsyn started things with a beautiful feed up the left side to Courtney in the first minute of the game. Courtney dribbled the ball 15 yards before ripping a shot that the Rampage keeper was forced to snare out of the air.

The Devils held the ball in the Rampage end of the field for a majority of the first half, but a single lapse in the defensive zone would cost them. The Rampage scored at the 8 minute mark when a forward dribbled around the right side and sent a shot just inside the right post for the 1-0 lead.

Marlene would tie it up a minute later when Jessica sent a cross from the left side. Marlene took the feed, dribbled to the middle of the box and ripped a low liner into the net.

Courtney would setup another chance early in the 2nd half by streaking up the right side and putting another shot on net that buzzed the goaltender.

The slick grass provided an opportunity for the Devils to showcase their speed at forward, but the Rampage backs did an exceptional job shutting down the chances late in the game.

Game Positives—

Crosses: The mids and forwards continue to improve by utilizing crossing opportunities. The outside forwards have been exceptional at putting the ball to the middle of the field.

Marks: This has been a sore spot the past two games, and the girls took the weeks practices to heart, focusing more attention on supressing the opposing forwards with marks to the goal side.

Development Areas—

Through Balls: The wet grass was an opportune time to spring the fleet footed forwards with through balls, especially against big back line.

Holding Positions: The girls were caught out of position on numerous occasion, because they were gravitating to the ball. We where unable to capitalize on a couple crossing chances, because the off wings were pinching toward the ball and not in a position to receive the pass.

Readiness: Early morning games are proving to be difficult for the team to focus on the game plan. Having to travel so far, so early may have contributed to the team’s overall readiness.

Getting Ready for the Stanford 4v4 Tournament

Sunday we will play in the Stanford 4 v 4 tournament. This is going to be a fun tournament for our girls. All teams will play six games. Rather than trying to organize anything too elaborate for food, I would like the girls to bring their own lunch with them to the field. Last year, some of our best fun was found playing soccer on the field during lunchtime with parents. Here is list of things to bring:

* backpack and ball
* both shirts and both socks (shirts are very important)
* sunscreen, chapstick, and hats
* jackets and sweats
* lots of water
* lunch and lots of healthy snacks
* something to keep them occupied between games
* blanket, towel, chair, umbrella for hanging out
* soccer sandals for in between games
* money if you choose for snacks and/or soccer merchandise
* a pack mule to carry all of their stuff :)

I will be at the tournament very early to save a spot and check in our team. We have five Alliance teams coming to the tournament. We are going to try to set up together in the Eucalyptus grove together. We will play on the Cagan Field and our home base will be in the Masters Grove next to that field. Here is a link to a [campus map]

I personally think that the most clear driving directions (not necessarily the fastest) to the field are to take 280 north, take the Page Mill exit and make a right on Page Mill. Follow Page Mill all the way to the El Camino. Make a left on the El Camino. The field is on the left a few minutes up. If you hit the Embarcadero, you have gone too far.

The girls should be at the field by 8:15. We will have three, twenty-minute games between 9am and noon. There will be a two hour lunch break. The girls can get autographs from Stanford players during lunch. Play will resume at 2pm. They will play three more games from 2pm to 5pm.

I will be at the field all day. If you need to leave, just let me know and I will supervise your daughter.

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the tournament.

Coach Sonya

4/26/09 Game Recap (2-0 Loss)

The Devils suffered their first loss in 4 games on Sunday as they played the back end of a weekend double header against the West Valley Surefire at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex, falling 2-0.

Since losing to the Los Gatos Wildcats in the first week of the season, the girls have steadily improved their game. Even though they came out on the short end of the score, they turned in one of their better performances of the year.

Playing a tenacious game, the Devils played an up and down game, exchanging scoring chances early in the contest before the Devils settled down.

The Devils got a bit of a pick-me-up, when Audrey showed up for the game, battling the flu. She would start the first half in goal, which turned out to be a bigger plus for the team. The Surefire would put three shots on goal in the first half, but she collected each shot.

Grace continues to get batter with each game. She controlled the midfield with her aggressiveness to the ball.

The game looked as if it might end in stalemate until West Valley put a shot across the goal on a deflection following a corner kick with 7 minutes to play. They would convert 2 minutes later on a shot from inside the box.

Putting one more rush on the attack, the Devils tried to cut into the Surefire lead, but an indirect kick went awry.

The defense deserve kudos for their play. Ruhi, Karsyn, Clara, Jess, and Lindsay played exceptionally as a unit, limiting the opposition’s offensive chances for a majority of the game.

Game Positives—

Marking: This was a point of contention against the Jaguars and it was self corrected by the girls after we discussed this following Saturday’s game. It was nice to see the focus on this part of the defensive play.

Toughness & Intensity: We asked the girls to step up and they all responded with great results. Pursuit of the ball and not backing down to the physical play of the opposition was great to see.

Fundamentally Strong: We emphasized the basics, and the girls responded. There were few mistakes in the game, which was the result of strong fundamental play

Development Areas—

Attention to Details: The girls tried to create opportunities (which is a good thing), but the execution was stymied by breakdowns with simple skills. Small game play along the lines was affected by simple passing mistakes.

Lack of Shooting: We didn’t generate many scoring opportunities, even though the ball was deep in the offensive zone on several opportunities. Rather than creating offensive chances by putting the ball on net, there were several instances when the ball was held too long.

Response on Corners: West Valley utilized a short corner kick to a midfielder down the line, but the Devils were slow to react to the play.

Spring 2009 Game 4 Photos

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4/25/09 Game Recap (0-0 Tie)

Playing on the road for the first time this Spring, the Devils turned in another defensive gem, tying the Central Valley Jaguars 0-0 at Femmatre Middle School in San Jose on Saturday. The Devils held the Jaguars to a single shot on goal, while applying plenty of offensive pressure on their cross-town opponents.

Courtney turned in a fine performance, demonstrating her quickness on the right side. She employed several crossing chances that setup scoring chances for the other forwards.

Marlene almost converted midway through the first half with a shot that hit the goaltender in the arm and slipped through her grasp. With the ball rolling toward the goal, Courtney pursued the loose ball, but the keeper pounced on it with a big lunge before the Devils forward could reach the ball.

Jess has quietly become a solid defender, and her initiative to the ball is being recognized by the coaching staff. She played one of the most aggressive games we’ve seen from a Devils backliner, stopping offensive chances by anticipating passes and moving to the ball well.

The Devils almost scored what may have been the games only goal early in the second half with a booming shot from well outside the box. A Jaguars defender just managed to step in front of the shot, deflecting it just enough to push the ball wide of the right post. The shot only missed by an agonizing 2 to 3 feet.

Sammie played with cool confidence on the backline, stepping into several attempts by the Jaguars to move the ball up the line. She has become more fearless when an opposing player tries to barrel up the line. She used her strength to flat out stonewall several attempts by the Jaguars to encroach into the Devils zone on Saturday.

Game Positives—

Good Offensive Drives: When we gained possession of the ball, the forwards and mids drove to the goal in proper formations, which enabled several quality scoring chances.

Crosses: The forwards are starting to employ crosses much more effectively. Courtney had several chances from the right side, and Christene put two chances into the box from the left side.

Defense: The mid and full backs were well positioned and did a great job of stepping into shooting lanes when the opposition would wind up for a shot. The defense limited the Jaguars to two shots on goal, both of which were not high percentage shots.

Development Areas—

Right of Way: There were numerous occurrences of players stepping into the path of a teammate who had control of the ball, or would try to overtake a teammate when facing the wrong direction.

Lack of Shooting: Rather than taking shots when the opportunities arose, we had too many instances of ball handlers trying to walk the ball deeper into the attacking zone.

Defensive Stance: While the overall defense was fantastic, we had several instances of the defenders be flat footed with hips open to the attacker, rather than being in the defensive stance that we have been practicing. This led to attackers moving around the defense.

Spring 2009 Game 3 Photos

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4/18/09 Game Recap (1-0 Win)

The Devils built on their big win over the De Anza Tidal Waves with another strong performance on Saturday, defeating the MVLA Typhoons 1-0 at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex. The Devils played a big defensive game, thanks in part to a big goaltending performance in the second half.

The girls wasted little time dictating play, taking the control of play from the opening whistle. Courtney put a big shot from the right wing 4 minutes into the game, missing wide right.

The Devils would convert the only goal of the game 2 minutes before half-time. Marlene carried the ball up the left side, before cutting back to her right just short of the end-line. She put the ball on her right foot and sent a 35-foot crossing pass to the far side of the small box, where Audrey was waiting. Audrey collected the pass and chipped home the 5-foot shot for the 1-0 lead.

She would almost score her second goal of the game 4 minutes later, when Grace setup a scoring chance with a booming free kick from mid field. A pair of Typhoon defenders collapsed on Audrey to snuff out the chance, but not before a shot attempt missed to the left.

The back-liners rarely allowed the ball to enter their own box, playing exceptionally well in tight quarters. Ruhi played her typical solid game, snuffing out anything that came her way. Lindsay played one of her strongest games as a Devil on the back line, carrying several deep balls out of the corner to avert any Typhoon scoring chances.

Game presence was the theme of the day. On a Typhoon goal kick, Courtney read a short ball, intercepting it at the top of the box with a one-time shot that sailed just wide right. Three feet to the left and the rocket shot catches net in the top right corner.

Making her first start at center-mid, Grace played exceptionally well, commanding the play with aggressiveness to the ball. Her nose for the ball was evident late in the game when she played back and picked the pocket of two Typhoon forwards as they started to press the offense.

The Typhoons would turn up the heat midway through the second half with a series of shots that reached the goal. Audrey played huge in net, making two big saves. She knocked down a shot that was just above her head and calmly scooped up the deflection, then was forced to make a save by moving laterally on a shot that was sent across the goal mouth.

E played several positions, showing her versatility. Katrina played a strong game at outside mid, and consistently shut down her mark with nice footwork and persistency toward the ball.

Game Positives—

Through Balls: Pushing the ball up the lines for the forwards to chase was a point of focus in practice and the girls applied the technique wonderfully during the game. Courtney and Marlene were given the opportunity chase several balls that were pushed up by the mids.

Switching & Passing: Another emphasis in practice has been on positional switching and moving the ball to a teammate who has switched positions with the person carrying the ball. It was great to see this being utilized, especially in traffic.

Head Balls & Traps: While we haven’t spent as much time focusing on head balls and traps, they were both used frequently in the game. More importantly, the girls are recognizing when it makes sense to utilize these moves.

Development Areas—

Goal Side Marks: This has proven to be the one thing we need to reiterate every few practices. With the defense playing so well, the girls started to move away from playing good, fundamental soccer. Allowing your opposition to get position toward your own goal will only lead to bad things. It’s a simple technique that pays big dividends.

Quick Releases: There were several instances of players holding the ball too long, which allows the defense to collapse on the attack. We need to make sure that line-mates are moving to space to create passing opportunities, and that the player controlling the ball looks to advance the ball in traffic with quick passing.

Mid Transitions: The mids were not making the transition from offense to defense, and vice versa as diligently as we would like to see. Defensive responsibility is priority, so not getting back to help back on defense is something we want to curb as much as possible. Making transitions from defense to offense quickly is what creates scoring chances. The score was indicative of our failure to capitalize on these type of transitions.

Spring 2009 Game 2 Photos

[Click here] for a slideshow

[Click here] for all photos

4/11/09 Game Recap (9-0 Win)

The Devils offense exploded on Saturday for 9 goals en route to a 9-0 win over the newly formed De Anza Tidal Waves at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex. After failing to generate any goals the week prior, the Devils spread the wealth with six different Devils scoring goals. Christene led the charge with her first hat trick as a Devil.

Not knowing what to expect, the Devils started the game with players starting in their regular positions. The goals came early and often. Christene got the Devils on the board in the first minute of play, taking a pass up the left wing from Grace, then racing in on goal and launching a 25-foot shot that tucked inside the left post.

She would repeat the play 2 minutes later, racing around the left wing then sending a shot across the grain for the 2-0 lead.

Jessica O scored her first goal as a Devil 4 minutes later after a wild scrum in front of the Tidal Wave net. Kelly and Marlene took a series of shots from inside the box before the ball chipped outside the right post. Jessica gathered the loose ball on the right side and knocked the rebound in for the 3-0 lead.

Christene completed her hat trick with a rocket from the left corner of the box that hit the top right corner of the box right before the end of the first half.

The big lead allowed the coaches to move players to positions they don’t normally play.

Traditionally a back, Karsyn was given an opportunity to play at forward and capitalized on the chance by taking a pass from Ruhi up the right wing, before ripping a 30 foot shot past the goaltender at the start of the 2nd half for her first career goal.

Lindsay would make it 6-0 less than two minutes later when she scooped up a deflection on the left side then lofted a shot over the goaltender for her second career goal.

Ruhi, the team sweeper, was given a chance to play up and would scored her second career goal as a Devil 3 minutes later, splitting two Tidal Wave defenders then snapping a shot into the goal from the left side.

Sammie got in on the action and made it 8-0 with a shot from the left side after beating a defender up the left side. She took a line feed near midfield, then raced in on net. She used her left foot to punch the ball past the Tidal Wave goaltender for her 2nd career goal.

Defensively, Grace, Clara and Jess put the clamps on the Tidal Wave offense, only allowing two shots on goal the entire game. Jessica O made her debut in goal and came up with a big save late in the game, punching a chest high shot clear of the goal.

Ruhi would cap the game’s scoring by punching in her second of the game on a deflection from the left side. Using her left foot, she rocketed a shot that hit the back of the net.

The game turned out to be a mismatch, to no fault of the Tidal Waves, but the girls must prepare for their next opponent with the midset that the competition will get tougher this season.

Game Positives:

Shots, Shots, Shots – There was no shortage of shooting in this game, which has been a focus in practice. You don’t score if you don’t shoot, and this game was a great indicator of what can happen when you put the ball on goal.

Passing – The starting forward played several crossing chances exceptionally well. Marlene alone had three beautiful crossing passes that resulted in scoring chances.

Momentum – The entire team never took their foot off the gas, which in a blowout, isn’t always the best way to treat an opponent, but for those players that don’t get many chances to play forward it was an understandable reaction.

Development Areas:

Defensive Marking – The team showed improvement in this area, but it is still something we must develop, especially as we match up against strong teams. Veteran and new players alike must focus more attention on reading defensive situations and understand how to counter those situations.

Recognizing Outlets – Younger players tend to get drawn into the mindset that you must always move the ball forward. Utilizing open teammates in front or behind is something we will focus on in practice and hopefully apply more readily in game situations.

Passing to space – This was a good opportunity for the girls to hone their passing to open areas. We are focusing more and more attention on dump and chase tactics up the wings, which can translate into scoring chances when followed up with crossing passes. We have the crosses down, now we need to develop the situations that allow for deeper attacks.

Devils help launch new WPS FC Gold Pride

Several Devils players and their families attended the inaugural FC Gold Pride game at Buck Shaw Stadium on Sunday, to kick off the new Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league vs. the Boston Breakers. Those in attendance were treated to a thrilling 2-1 win by the Pride, on a goal by US National Team player Tiffeny Milbrett in the 90th minute of play.

The game was fast paced and a great example of what soccer is like at the highest ranks in the world. Players from Brazil, Japan and Canada all join the large U.S. contingent that makes up these rosters.

The Pride are led by team captain Leslie Osborne (U.S. National Team), Milbrett, and World Cup hero (and local girl) Brandi Chastain.

Chastain subbed in for Osborne early in the second half and showed why she’s still one of the world’s finest midfielders in the women’s game today. Chastain’s international days are over, but her participation in the WPS helps bring immediate legitimacy to the league.

Former Brazilian superstar Sissi is also an assistant coach for the Pride.

The starting goaltender, Nicole Barnhart, was tested often during the match, which pegged the Pride against current U.s. National team players Kristine Lilly, Heather Mitts and Angela Hucles.

As an added bonus, the girls were invited to play at on the field in a scrimmage following the contest. The Devils were teamed up with players from the SASC Blades, and scrimmaged against the SASC Top Gun. Thanks goes out to the Blades for extending the invitation to join in on the action.

For more information on the Pride, checkout their website at: http://www.womensprosoccer.com/bayarea/

For more photos of the event, [click here for a slideshow] or [click here for individual shots].

4/4/09 Game Recap (2-0 Loss)

The Devils started their 2009 Spring campaign with a hard fought game against the Los Gatos Wildcats on Saturday morning. Having been elevated to a bracket consisting of some teams that were in the higher Class 3 – A Group last fall, the Devils will face stiffer competition this season. That was evident from the opening whistle.

Los Gatos struck early, taking the opening kickoff and driving up field and scoring in the game’s first minute. A Wildcat forward pumped a shot from the right corner of the box across the goal mouth from 40 feet. Starting in goal, Karsyn lunged to her right in an effort to stop the shot, but the ball slipped under her right arm and into the net.

6 inches lower and Karsyn makes that stop.

The remainder of the half was spent shaking out the cob webs of a long winter break, although the girls looked good in the season opener. The coaches started most of the returning roster players in an attempt to let some of the new Devils get to track the pace of the game before being cast into a live game situation.

Our five new Devils looked great....

Coach Sonya subbed in the new Devils over the first two substitutions, and the girls looked right at home in their first league game donning the red, black and white.

Clara and Grace rotated at center-mid and played exceptionally well. Both girls were aggressive to the ball, and let their natural instincts keep the Wildcats in check for a majority of the game.

Katrina and Jessica played at the outside mid, and both played well. Holding position is a difficult concept for rec players to grasp when they make the move to comp level play, but the pair did a great job.

Elizabeth (E), played dual roles, first at outside defender, then at goaltender in the second half of the game. She used her speed effectively, helping to stave off several chances by the Wildcats. In net, she looked like a seasoned pro, but fell victim to a crazy hop on a long shot that skipped over her shoulder. There was little she could do to stop the shot, which was skipping across the grass, before it jumped on her at the last second.

Having scrimmaged the Wildcats last fall, the coaches elected to go with two taller players in net, to offset the high shots we saw last October. That strategy backfired as both goals were low line drives. Hats off to both our goaltenders for being the first to get the call in net this season.

Our veteran players continue work hard and gelled well as a team with the new comers. Ruhi once again anchored a solid backline that spent much of the game clearing chances safely to the outside. The defensive corps was spearheaded by Shivani, Jess, Lindsay and Karsyn (Clara and Grace both took turns in the back as well), who all helped suppress a very potent Wildcat offense.

Sammie continues to build on her aggressiveness at mid and helped ease the newer mids into the fray. The forward rotation of Marelene, Audrey, Christene and Courtney got off to a slow stat, but by the start of the second half, they began to formulate scoring opportunities by making passes that were on target and directed to open space.

While the score wasn’t in their favor, the girls played exceptionally well. It was clearly a testament to their progression as a team.

As is the case with all game recaps, the coacheds try to identify areas that we want to commend and focus some attention on areas of development:

Game Positives:

Good line movement – The girls did a great job of moving the ball up the lines, and moving laterally when necessary. This has been a focus for the backs, mids and forwards, and it was applied well in this game.

Solid defensively – The defense continues to be a strength for the Devils. They kept a very talented offensive team in check for a majority of the game.

Free kick situations – The entire team reacted well to defensive free kick situations, which has been an Achilles heel in the past. The girls also had two free kick opportunities that turned into scoring chances.

Development Areas:

Defensive marking - Marking the middle of the field on defense created several chances for the Wildcats, who figured out how to generate breaks. The girls were drawn to the ball, rather than playing goal-side and eliminating these chances.

Moving to the ball – We will be focusing more attention on being assertive in attacking the ball. This is not a natural trait in young players, who need to be aggressive to the ball. Fast teams take advantage of this, as was the case on Saturday.

Passing to space - Rather than always directing passes directly to a teammate, we need to focus on leading the pass. This is typically done by mids to forwards who have open space in front.

2009 Team Calendar Updated

I've updated the 2009 Team Calendar, so that it's presented in an easier to read table format. All practice, scrimmage, tournament and game dates are located on the calendar, which is located here: http://devils98.blogspot.com/2009/01/2009-team-calendar.html

Spring 2009 Schedule

Here is the D2 Girls U10 Blue 2009 Spring Schedule

4/04 (9:00am) vs Los Gatos Wildcats - 2-0 L
4/11 (1:30pm) vs De Anza Tidal Waves - 9-0 W (Goals: Christene (3), Ruhi (2), Karsyn, Sammie, Lindsay, Jessica O)
4/18 (10:30am) vs MVLA Typhoons White - 1-0 W (Goals: Audrey)
4/25 (11:20am) @ Central Valley Jaguars White - 0-0 T
4/26 (1:30pm) vs West Valley Surefire - 2-0 L
5/02 (9:00am) @ Orchard Valley Rampage - 1-1 T
5/03 (All Day) @ Stanford Tournament
5/09 (12:00pm) Monterey County Blizzards - 1-0 W (Goals: Christene)
5/16 (11:30am) @ Monterey County Wolverines - 4-0 W (Goals: Courtney, Marlene, Grace(2))
5/30 (3:45pm) @ Holister Tremors - 3-2 W (Goals: Marlene, Clara, Courtney)

Team Stats
Season Record: 5W-2L-2T (17 points)
Team Goals Scored: 19 (2.11 GFA)
Team Goals Allowed: 7 (0.77 GAA)
Team Shutouts: 5

Individual Stats
Goals Scored:
Christene - 4
Marlene - 3
Courtney - 2
Grace - 2
Ruhi - 2
Clara - 1
Jessica O - 1
Karsyn - 1
Lindsay - 1
Sammie - 1
Audrey - 1

Goals Allowed (Goaltending):
Audrey - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 1.0 games
Clara - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Courtney - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Grace - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Jess - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Jessica - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Kelly - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Lindsay - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Marlene - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Ruhi - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Sammie - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Karsyn - 1 (2.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Elizabeth - 1 (2.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Shivani - 3 (2.00 GAA) - 1.5 games
Christene - 2 (4.00 GAA) - 0.5 games

Team Events Week of 3/2/09

Practice will definitely be at the Community Center on Tuesday (3/3) from 3:30 - 5pm. The Community Center is located at 550 E Remington Drive in Sunnyvale. The girls should wear tennis shoes (no cleats) and shin guards. They should bring their backpacks with water and a ball. Always wear a white t-shirt for practice. It does not matter if it has writing on it. It is just easier to do white against the team with the pinnies.

Not sure that we will be in the gym on Thursday as well.

Two upcoming scrimmages: Saturday, March 7th at 9am at the complex against CV Jaguars. I will keep you posted on field conditions.

New scrimmage scheduled for Sunday, March 8th at 11am at Ida Price Field in San Jose. This scrimmage is likely a go even on a muddy field.

Training with Jan at the complex 4pm on Sunday. Karsyn, Sammie, Elizabeth, and I had fun in the rain on Sunday. :)

2009 Spring Snack Schedule

Here is the Spring 2009 snack schedule.

4/04 ( 9:00 am) - Clara
4/11 ( 1:30 pm) - Kelly
4/18 (Time TBD) - Jessica O
4/25 (Time TBD) - Sammie
4/26 (Time TBD) - Grace
5/02 (Time TBD) - Katrina
5/09 (Time TBD) - Christene
5/16 (Time TBD) - Marlene
5/30 (Time TBD) - Elizabeth

2/28 Scrimmage is ON

The Saturday 2/28 scrimmage vs Petit Blue is ON

Please be sure to check email and this site for info regarding the scrimmage.

Time: 9:00am

Uniforms: Whites

Location: Sunnyvale Soccer Complex (1095 Dunford Way Sunnyvale, CA) [MAP]

Saturday Soccer

Hi Devils (& Parents)

Coach Sonya will be holding an OPTIONAL Saturday Soccer practice this Saturday (1/10) from 2:00pm to 3:00pm at West Valley Elementary in Sunnyvale. This is the same location that regular practices were held last year.

A majority of the hour will be spent simply scrimmaging, in order to keep those soccer skills sharp. This is a very informal practice and is open to all. That includes moms and dads. So if you're interested in kicking the ball around, dig those cleats out of the garage and we'll see you on Saturday.

For those that don't know where West Valley is (1635 Belleville Way. Sunnyvale, CA 94087), here is a [map]

Roll Stepover

Offseason drills to improve your game. This week - The Roll Stepover

2009 Team Calendar

Last updated: 6/3/09 @ 10:00pm

March Date Day Time Event Location 3/3 Tue 3:30-5:00 Practice Svale Comm Center 3/5 Thr 3:30-5:00 Practice Svale Comm Center 3/8 Sun 11:30am Scrimmage vs CV Jaguars Ida Price Middle 3/10 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice Svale Soccer Complex 3/12 Thr 5:30-7:00 Practice Svale Soccer Complex 3/14 Sat 9:00am Scrimmage vs SASC Blades Svale Soccer Complex 3/17 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 3/19 Thr 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 3/21 Sat 8:30am Scrimmage vs De Anza Force Hyde Middle School [Map] 3/24 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 3/26 Thr 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 3/28 Sat 1:45pm Scrimmage vs WV Surefire French Prospect H.S. [Map] 3/29 Sun 11:45am Scrimmage vs CV Jaguars Femmate Elem [Map] 3/31 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley April Date Day Time Event Location 4/2 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 4/4 Sat 9:00am Game vs Los Gatos Svale Soccer Complex 4/7 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 4/9 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 4/11 Sat 1:30pm Game vs De Anza Tidal Waves Svale Soccer Complex 4/14 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 4/16 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 4/18 Sat 10:30am Game vs MVLA Typhoons White Svale Soccer Complex 4/21 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 4/23 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 4/25 Sat 11:20am Game @ CV Jaguars White Femmate Elem [Map] 4/26 Sun 1:30pm Game vs West Valley Surefire Svale Soccer Complex 4/28 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 4/30 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley May Date Day Time Event Location 5/2 Sat 9:00am Game @ Orchard Valley Rampage South Valley School 5/3 Sun All Day Stanford Tournament Stanford 5/5 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 5/7 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 5/9 Sat 12:00pm Game vs Monterey Co. Blizzards Svale Soccer Complex 5/12 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 5/14 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 5/16 Sat 11:30 Game @ Monterey Co. Wolverines Constitution Soccer Complex [Map] 5/19 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 5/21 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 5/26 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 5/28 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 5/30 Sat 3:00 Game @ Holister Tremors Veterans Memorial Sports Complex [Map] June Date Day Time Event Location 6/2 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 6/4 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice (+ ice cream social) West Valley 6/6 Sat 12:00pm End of Season Party Coach Brad's House 6/9 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 6/11 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 6/13 Sat All Day D2 Cup Evergreen College [Map] 6/14 Sun All Day D2 Cup Evergreen College [Map] 6/22 Mon 9:00-11:00 Devil Camp West Valley 6/23 Tue 9:00-11:00 Devil Camp West Valley 6/24 Wed 9:00-11:00 Devil Camp West Valley 6/25 Thur 9:00-11:00 Devil Camp West Valley July Date Day Time Event Location 7/14 Tue 5:30-7:00 Optional Practice West Valley 7/16 Thur 5:30-7:00 Optional Practice West Valley 7/19 Sun All Day Sonoma Tournament Sonoma State Univ [Map] 7/27 Mon 5:00-7:00 Pro Camp Svale Soccer Complex 7/28 Tue 5:00-7:00 Pro Camp Svale Soccer Complex 7/29 Wed 5:00-7:00 Pro Camp Svale Soccer Complex 7/30 Thur 5:00-7:00 Pro Camp Svale Soccer Complex 7/31 Fri 5:00-7:00 Pro Camp Svale Soccer Complex August Date Day Time Event Location 8/11 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 8/13 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 8/18 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 8/20 Thur 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 8/22 Sat All Day Soccer by the Bay Tournament TBD 8/23 Sun All Day Soccer by the Bay Tournament TBD 8/25 Tue 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley 8/27 Thu 5:30-7:00 Practice West Valley

Spring 2009 Team Tryouts

The SASC Devils98 Under-10 Girls Competetive Team is looking to add players to its roster for the 2009 spring season. Eligibility requires players birthday fall between 8/1/98 and 7/31/99. The Devils recently concluded their 2008 Fall league season, posting an undefeated 8-0-2 record. They will finish no lower than 2nd place in the Delgado Class 3 standings (pending the outcome of games to be played by other teams in the league).

The team is also looking to fill a permanent goalkeeper position.

The coaching philosophy is focused on developing soccer and life skills as a team. While the Devils have already shown great success, the coaching staff emphasizes player progression throughout the lineup. 9 of 12 roster players scored in the recently concluded league season, which demonstrates the commitment to balanced development of is players.

If you are interested in trying out for our team, there are two options available (Please let us know you are coming by e-mailing the head coach Sonya Lee [sonyahwlee@yahoo.com] so that we can convey any schedule changes.):

1) Come to a Devils practice:

- November 29th at Cupertino Middle School (Corner of Homestead & Bernardo, SV), 10:30am to Noon

- December 2nd at Washington Park (255 Pastoria Ave, SV 94086), 4:30 to 6:00pm

Players need to bring cleats, shin guards, water bottle.


2) Attend the Sunnyvale Alliance Spring 2009 Competitive Tryouts on:

Sat 12/13/2008 & Sun 12/14/2008, 12:00pm – 1:30pm both days at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex at 1095 Dunford Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94087.

Players need to bring cleats, shin guards, water bottle.

Please note: Tryouts will take place unless there is a significant rainfall.

Please arrive at least 15 minutes early for registration.

If you are interested in getting a sense for the Devils level of play, come watch us scrimmage another competitive team on November 20th, 4:30pm, at Cupertino Middle School (corner of Homestead & Bernardo)

2008 D2 Cup Photos

[Click here] for a slideshow

[Click here] for all photos

Devils Have a Blast at D2 Cup

The Devils capped the 2008 Fall Season with a great showing in the Division 2 Jubilee Tournament. The tournament is hosted at several fields throughout the Bay Area, one of which was the Devils own home field (the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex). The girls were allowed to let down their hair and play a variety of positions throughout the tournament.

The girls also paid tribute to Jonathan Manzo Chaves, the U10 player from Santa Clara Sporting who tragically lost his life earlier this season. All the girls wore green and white striped hair bands in honor of Jonathan during all four games played.

They also showed a little club spirit by cheering for their sister teams, the U10 Blades and U9 Extreme before their final games.

Game 1 Recap (OV Rampage)

In the Devils first game of the tournament, play started at 8:30 in the morning on a frosty complex field against the Orchard Valley Rampage. This was the same team that the Devils defeated 5-1 in their regular season finale.

The Devils took a 1-0 lead when Marlene punched in a deflection from the top of the box at the 20 minute mark. The girls narrowly missed making it a 2-0 lead when Christene pushed a shot just wide from the same spot as Marlene’s goal. The Shot off a deflection turned aside with 10 to play.

Shivani and Ruhi both played up and showed that they can fill any offensive void. Both girls played exceptionally well in given their limited time at the position during the regular season.

The Rampage exacted a little revenge for their regular season loss with a pair of goals in the final 5 minutes of play. The first goal came on a free kick from the top of the box. They took the lead 2 min later on a throw-in that found its way to the box, deflecting off several players before finding the back of the goal.

Game 2 Recap (MP Strikers A)

In the second game of the tournament, the Devils turned in their best performance of the weekend, albeit on a 1-0 loss to the MP Strikers A Team. The Strikers were gifted with lots of team speed, which was in full display on the back line.

Credit their backs for consistently shutting down the Devils by catching every offensive breakaway.

The Strikers would score their lone goal off a corner kick midway through the 2nd half. The ball found its way to the box, then a shot bounced off a both a Devils defender as well as the goaltender.

Game 3 Recap (Burlingame Cyclones)

On Sunday the Devils would suffer a power outage on offense, thanks in part to a Burlingame Cyclones goaltender who stopped 15-20 shots on goal. Sammie unleashed her big left foot on two chances in the first half. Her first opportunity came on a 45-foot shot from center mid that the goaltender had to glove. She then popped a shot from the top of the box that crossed the goal mouth before being cleared by a Cyclones defender.

Marlene would follow those chances up with a golden opportunity on a break from the left side, but her shot just went wide of the right post. Lindsay played one of her best games at mid and forward, consistently moving the ball up the right wing.

Two plays sealed the 0-0 tie. First Karsyn had a direct kick from 30-feet that sailed wide right. Audrey then made the save of the tournament in goal in the games final minute. Pressing on offense, the Cyclones got a solid shot on goal, but the Devils goaltender lept to her left, blocking the shot with her thigh to secure the tie.

Game 4 Recap (MP Strikers B)

In the tournament finale the Devils played to another 0-0 draw, in a fun contest that allowed every player to play in positions that may have been a bit foreign to them.

Jessica also stepped up from a defensive position, and was the best player on the field in terms of attacking loose balls.

Karsyn was given a chance to take corner kicks, and to the coaches surprise, she unleashed a pair of kicks that landed in the center of the small goal box after clearing the heads of several players on the fly.

On one of those chances Courtney almost deflected a chance with a point blank shot.

Devils to Wear Green & White for Jonathan

In honor of Santa Clara Sporting U10 Boys soccer player Jonthan Manzo Chavez, the Devils will sport green and white ribbons during their 4 games in this weekend's District II Cup on December 6th & 7th.

His story: http://prettyboychavez.blogspot.com/

From the Santa Clara Sporting website:

On Saturday, November 15th, Santa Clara Youth Soccer and Santa Clara Sporting Club lost Jonathan Manzo Chavez, a very special young player to a tragic traffic accident while traveling home with his family from a soccer tournament in Manteca. Jonathan was a member of Sporting's Boys Under 10 Team. On that Saturday morning, Jonathan, his mother and two siblings travelled to Manteca for a NorCal State Cup qualifying tournament. Although Jonathan's father had to leave the tournament early to attend work he still made the drive to watch as much of his son's games as he could. Jonathan showcased his talents in front of those he loved the most and celebrated the end of a perfect day of soccer by putting one goal in the back of the net. Unfortunately, no one knew this was to be Jonathan's last goal. As the family was traveling home, a driver made an ill fated attempt to pass another car on a two lane road and hit the Manzo Family's Minivan head on. Amazingly, it was reported as rescue workers tried to take off Jonathan's Sporting shorts, he pleaded that they not be cut because he had a game the next day. As rescue workers then tried to cut away his Sporting jersey Jonathan yelled to his mom to come take it off. Prior to being air-lifted to the hospital, his mom removed his jersey and he again reminded her to save it, as he was worried it would get lost or ruined. It's hard to imagine the love this young man had for the game and his team.

Jonathan's father is a sole provider for the family, and they do not have insurance coverage for the family, so any financial assistance to their family in this time of need would be very much appreciated.

Financial Support & Donations can be made electronically via a special PayPal Account set-up for the Chavez Family, or checks can be sent in the name of "Jonathan Manzo Chavez Memorial Trust" (Acct # 376000010) to the United Labor Bank at 2550 N. First Street, Suite 102, San Jose, CA 95131, and can also be mailed to the Santa Clara Sporting office at 282 Brokaw Road, Santa Clara Ca 95050.

2008 D2 Cup Schedule

The schedule has been set for the upcoming D2 Cup, set to be played at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex:

Saturday Games (12/6):

Game #1383 8:30 AM-9:40 AM
SASC DEVILS 98 vs ORCHARD VALLEY OV RAMPAGE
Field #4

Game #1386 12:00 PM-1:10 PM
SASC DEVILS 98 vs MP STRIKERS BLUE
Field #2

Sunday Games (12/7):

Game #1392 10:50 AM-12:00 PM
BURLINGAME CYCLONES vs SASC DEVILS 98
Field #2

Game #1397 2:20 PM-3:30 PM
MP STRIKERS FC 98G MAROON vs SASC DEVILS 98
Field #4

Some comments worth repeating from the Cup Organizer:

District II Cup is a district wide event completely ran by volunteers. It is an event that pulls together the whole district in what is supposed to be a friendly celebration of our community. It is the biggest fund raiser for the district and all the leagues are pitching in with fields and volunteers. It is a huge tournament, surely one of the biggest in the country. Over 600 teams participated this year. In addition, it is the most affordable tournament in California.

With all this in mind, I would like you to look at the event in a way that is
involved and understanding because it is YOUR event too. Some sites may not have the most experienced volunteers, some games may not be refed by the best refs, I may not make the schedule the way you see best, etc. Before you send me pages and pages of complaints (I do get quite a bit of those) try to jump in and help. Go to the field coordinator and offer to help, pick up some trash, help setup/take down a field, offer to ref. Most of all, please do not forget that all this work is for the kids - very young kids - and that this is not World Cup. Tone down your competitive juices, rankings, wins and other ambitions. It is too early for them. The jamboree does not declare a winner, we do not give trophies. Enjoy the game.

Fall 2008 Game 10 Photos

[Click here] for a slideshow

[Click here] for all photos

11/15/08 Game Recap (5-1 Win)

The Devils incredible 2008 Fall season came to an end on Saturday with a victory, but more importantly with one of their best performances of the year. Playing on the road in an attempt to preserve a record that went unblemished with any losses, the Devils scored five times and shut down the league’s 3rd best offense in a 5-1 win over the host Orchard Valley Rampage.

The Devils wrapped up league play with a remarkable 8-0-2 record. Audrey recorded her first hat-trick as a Devil to pace the team and a strong defensive showing held the Rampage to a lone goal on a free kick.

Entering play, the Devils knew that a victory or tie would guarantee that the Devils would finish no lower than 2nd place in the standings. Any pre-game jitters were quickly erased when the Devils jumped out to an early 2-0 lead.

The Devils broke the ice in the 3rd minute, when Audrey bounced a shot off the right post with a shot from 25-feet out. The forward would then gather her own rebound and punch it home for the lead. The Devils never looked back.

Christene would add another goal less than 2 minutes later, when she out muscled a defender in a foot race to the ball. The Rampage played a very physical game, as was evident on this play, but the Devils forward shrugged off the bumping, gained control of the ball, then sent a laser past the goaltender for the 2-0 lead.

The Rampage cut the Devils lead in half just before halftime on a blast off a free-kick. Karsyn was whistled for a questionable foul as she and a Rampage midfielder jostled side-by-side for position on a ball. The referee awarded the Rampage a free kick, that they utilized to score their only goal of the game. The shot sailed high over the Devils goaltender Jessica’s head, just under the crossbar. It was unlikely that any Devil would have stopped it, given the trajectory of the ball.

The Devils would regain a two-goal cushion at the start of the 2nd half when Shivani scored her 2nd goal of the season on a pretty crossing shot from the right side. Playing at right mid, Jessica swerved past a Rampage defender before feeding the ball up the right sideline. Shivani received the pass and streaked up the line, cutting toward the net at the right corner of the box. Drawing the goalkeeper out of the net, she then whistled a shot that caught the inside of the left post for the 3-1 lead.

Disaster almost struck at the 35 minute mark, when a planned goaltending change went awry. Instructions from coach Sonya resulted in an on-the-fly change, which included a jersey change while the ball was in play! While a creative attempt at defensive posturing, it is illegal. After Shivani gloved the ball, the referee awarded a free-kick to the Rampage for the illegal substitution.

Having learned their lesson the week prior, the Devils formed their wall right in front of their own goal, and the ensuing free kick was blocked by Sammie, who leaped into the air to defend the shot.

That was close as the Rampage would get to the Devils goal the remainder of the game. Ruhi, Karsyn and Shivani teamed up to shut down the Rampage forwards, playing one of their most physical games of the season.

The mid play was anchored by Kelly, who clogged up the middle defensively all day, and deftly moved the ball when the flow moved into the attacking zone. Sammie and Jessica each played their best games of the season, taking the initiative on balls on the respective wings. All three players would help tilt the field toward the Rampage goal late in the game.

Sammie initiated things with a sweeping drive that ended with a left-footed shot on goal. On the same sequence, Courtney would intercept a clearing attempt and navigate through several defenders near the left corner. She would then serve up a back-pass to Kelly who pumped a shot on goal from 20-feet out. The Rampage goaltender got a piece of the shot, but it deflected to Audrey on the off-wing for the easy deposit.

Marlene and Lindsay also had great games at mid, repelling several Rampage attacks. The pair showed their poise when ball handling in a very busy midfield.

Audrey would complete her hat-trick with 4 minutes to play on a wild series in which she put three consecutive shots on goal. Her last shot deflected off the goalkeeper’s arm, hit the post, caromed back at the keeper, hitting her in the back and deflecting into the goal.

When the final whistle had sounded, the Devils celebrated their remarkable season. The girls then got to enjoy coach Brad run an "Adios" lap!

Proof Positives—

Tenacity: The girls collectively played one of their best games of the season, leaning toward a more physical game. The mids and backs played especially well against a bruising Rampage offense. Having lost to the Rampage on two prior meetings, the Devils pushed back when necessary, which was the biggest difference this time around.

Following the Game Plan: A very clear game plan had been drawn up in the week leading up to the game, and the girls followed that plan to the last detail. It was great to see them stick to that plan, and execute it to a T. They also demonstrated a lot of poise with the ball, utilizing back-passes and crosses to their advantage.

Execution: The little things made all the difference in this game. Simple things like goal kicks and passes just seemed a little more crisp. Positioning and marks were spot on, which made it difficult for the opposition to generate many opportunities. You could almost see the drills that were employed in the week leading up to the game being performed on the field.

Areas of Improvement—

There really wasn’t anything the girls could have done better. The foul that led to the Rampage goal was an overzealous call, and the goaltending change issue was a mix-up on the coach’s part. The girls played a wonderful overall game. A wonderful conclusion to a superb season.

Nov/Dec Calendar

As the Fall 2008 season winds down, there are a few important events to keep in mind. The girls will be busy with remaining practices, their last league game, the Dvision II Cup Tourney, and Futsal. Here is a list of key upcoming dates to remember:

LAST UPDATED: 11/23/08 @ 4:15pm

Novermber 18 (Tuesday)
Practice Time: 4:30 - 6:00pm
Field: Washington, Sunnyvale

November 20 (Thursday)
Scimmage: Los Gatos Wild Cats
Game Time: 4:30pm
Warm-up Time: 4:00pm
Field: Cupertino Middle School
Snack Person: Need volunteers??

November 29 (Saturday) - OPTIONAL
Practice Time: 10:30am - Noon
Field: Cupertino Middle School
Note: This will primarily be scrimmage time to evaluate tryouts

December 2 (Tuesday)
Practice Time: 4:30 - 6:00pm
Field: Washington, Sunnyvale

December 4 (Thursday)
Futsal Practice: 3:30 - 4:30pm
Location: Sunnyvale Indoor Sports Center

December 6 (Saturday)
District II Cup - Day 1
(More info to come...)

December 7 (Sunday)
District II Cup - Day 2

December 7 (Sun) "New Update"
Early Evening - Season End Party (Potluck Dinner)
Time: 5:30pm
Location: Patty & Michael G's house
(more info to come...)

December 11 (Thursday)
Futsal Practice: 3:30 - 4:30pm
Location: Sunnyvale Indoor Sports Center

December 13 (Sat) & 14 (Sun)
SASC Club Try-out

December 18 (Thursday)
Futsal Practice: 3:30-4:30pm
Location: Sunnyvale Indoor Sports Center

Fall 2008 Game 9 Photos

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11/8/08 Game Recap (3-2 Win)

The Devils incredible season continued on Saturday on another wet and dreary day at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex. The Devils roared out to a 3-0 first half lead, then held on for a 3-2 win over the Orchard Valley Sparks.

The Devils were in the mood for a little offense early. The girls moved the ball exceptionally well, feeling out the Sparks defense.

They would crack that defense at the 4 minute mark on a highlight reel goal by
Audrey. Sweeping up the right side, the Devil took a centering pass from Manaasa before moving the ball toward the box. A series of cutbacks crossed the Sparks defense, allowing Audrey to draw the ball back to her right before firing a shot on goal. The Sparks goaltender tried valiantly to make a sliding save toward the right post, but the ball had too much velocity on it.

Audrey would set up the next goal on almost a carbon copy of the first, with another set of dipsy-doodle cutback moves. With two Sparks defenders collapsing on her on the right wing, she elected to fire a pass across the top of the box rather than take the high risk shot. The pass threaded past another defender, right to Marlene who was cutting from the opposite wing. With nothing but daylight between her and the goal, Marlene easily tapped home the Devils second goal.

The pair would team up less than two minutes later to make it 3-0 Devils. Dribbling through traffic, Audrey chipped the ball to her left for Marlene, who rocketed the ball off the Sparks goalkeeper's chest. The ball's momentum carried it into the goal for the trifecta.

With the comfortable cushion, the Devils didn't let up on the gas, but fell victim to a little bad luck in the 2nd half.

With the Sparks pressing early in the half, a Devil was called for a hand ball in the box. On the direct kick, the Devils had trouble setting up the wall and allowed the shot to slip between two defenders and into the goal.

The Devils just missed on a scoring chance when a feed from Christene just missed hitting Courtney on a crossing play at the 35 minute mark.

The hand-ball blues would strike again with 10 minutes to play. It was deja-vu all over again, when the Devils wall failed to setup quickly enough. The Sparks took advantage again by rifling their second free kick into the Devils net to make it a one-goal lead.

The defense would buckle down and deny the Sparks another scoring opportunity. Orchard Valley tried drawing their own forwards back to midfield then punting the ball past the Devils defense in an attempt to outrace the Devils backline.

On one chance the Sparks right forward push the ball up the wing, but Karsyn hustled back and cutoff the Sparks forward as she attempted to whip around the right side..

The Devils put the game away with forward pressure that resulted in two corner kicks. The game ended on a peculiar play, when Kelly outworked a Sparks defender to win the ball deep in the Orchard Valley zone. Carrying the ball intro the box, she wound up for a shot, but the referee blew his whistle to signify that time had expired.


Game Positives-–

Marks: The girls did a great job of forcing the play to the outside by concentrating on goal side marks to the center of the field. This is something we’ve been focusing on in practice.

Unselfish Play: The habit of looking for the pass rather than trying to create all alone is something the girls are starting to really take advantage of. That was really evident with the second goal scored.

Stepping Up: When the game was on the line the entire team buckled down on the opposition. We may have seen a different result last season. The girls did a great job of stepping up the intensity when it counted.


Focus Areas-–

Defending Free Kicks: This obviously affected the outcome of the game significantly and is something we still need to focus time on. As can be expected from this age group, this is an experience thing that the girls will learn to react with more game situations. Getting bitten twice in one game will certainly leave an impression on the players.

Communication: One of the reasons we had issues with the free kick situations was that we had too many players trying to command the positioning of the wall, which in turn led to more confusion. Setup should be a natural reaction, not something that needs to be called in the heat of the action.

SASC Annual General Meeting Schedule for Thursday Night

Just a reminder that the SASC Annual General Meeting will be Thursday night (11/06/08) at 7:30pm at Washington Park building in Sunnyvale.

Please come out and hear all the SASC news. We'll review the past year and talk about our plans for next year. This is your opportunity to let your voice be heard if you have any suggestions or comments regarding your kids soccer club. I know you all spend a lot of time on the sidelines every week, so please take an hour or so out of your busy schedules to spend with your fellow club parents/coaches/ board members.

Thank you for your support and I hope to see you all tomorrow night!

Masood Mokhtary
SASC president

Practice Info: 11/4 thru 11/13

Due to day light savings time, practices will be moved to facilities that have lights. Practices for the next two weeks will be held at:

UPDATED 11/5 (8:45 pm)

Tuesday 11/4 3:30 to 4:30 - Sunnyvale Community Center's Indoor Sports Center (550 Remington Ave - Map) - complete

Thursday 11/6 3:30 to 4:30 - Sunnyvale Community Center's Indoor Sports Center (550 Remington Ave - Map)

Tuesday 11/11 4:30 to 6pm - Washington Park (840 Washington Ave - Map)

Thursday 11/13 4:30 to 6pm - Cupertino Middle School (Bernardo & Homestead - Map)

Fall 2008 Game 8 Photos

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11/2/08 Game Recap (7-1 Win)

What a difference a little dry weather can make. Playing for a second consecutive day, the Devils rung themselves out after a miserable rain soaked game on Saturday and picked up the offense on Sunday against the Milpitas Strikers in a 7-1 victory at Dixon Landing Park.

Five different Devils tallied goals, including Kelly, who recorded the team’s first hat trick in league play. A dry field allowed the Devils to open up the offense, for the first time in several weeks. The Devils hadn’t scored more than 2 goals in any of their last 5 games, even though they managed three wins and two ties during that stretch.

The win also helped the Devils keep pace in the tight U10 Girls Class 3 Division B race.

Kelly would score the first of her three goals on the afternoon just 3 minutes into the game. Playing at midfield, she took a shot from the top of the box after taking a feed from Maanasa on a free kick at mid-field.

She would follow that up with another goal 3 minutes later on a long shot that deflected off a Strikers defender. After ripping a shot from 30 feet, the ball sailed in on goal just above waist level. The Striker defender tried to control the ball with a high kick, but the ball glanced off the top of her shin. The change in the ball’s trajectory fooled the goal keeper enough to slip it home for the 2-0 lead.

Sammie pushed that lead to 3-0, when she chipped home her 1st goal of the season with a shot from the left wing. Marlene carried the ball up the right side before pushing the ball across the top of the box. Christene grabbed the loose ball and slid a pass to her left, where Sammie was parked.

The 2nd half would bring little relief to the Strikers defense.

Maanasa banged home the Devils 4th goal of the game after Ruhi put a shot on goal from the right side. The Strikers goal keeper couldn’t control the sizzling shot, allowing it to deflect off her hands, then continue over to the left side of the goal mouth. Maanasa beat a defender to the ball on the follow to make it 4-0.

Courtney would score her second goal in as any days 4 minutes later by lifting a pretty shot from a sever angle on the right side that tucked itself inside the left post.

The Strikers would fall victim to some questionable officiating midway through the half. The sequence started when Christene played the ball back to her own goal keeper, who didn’t realize it was kicked back by a teammate. Playing in goal, Audrey handled the ball, which resulted in a direct kick for the Strikers from the spot of the infraction. After putting the ensuing free kick into the Devils net, the apparent goal was disallowed, because it should have been called an indirect kick.

The Strikers should have been given another opportunity to take the free-kick, because it was called incorrectly by the referee.

After play resumed, the Devils picked up where they left off. Marlene buried a rocket 6 minutes later. Carrying the ball right up the middle, she boomed a shot from 35-feet that sailed into the net at eye level.

The Strikers finally broke through with 7 minutes to play on a shot that slipped inside the right post.

The only thing that remained was Kelly’s hat trick, which she bagged with a low line-drive shot that she drilled from long range.

Game Positives--

Passing: The passing improves every game and you can start to see the confidence beginning to build in the team’s ability. The girls are starting to make passes that are more difficult, threading the ball through traffic and in tight quarters.

Shooting: The girls put on a display in this game. Funny how firm footing can make such a big difference. Shots were snapping the net because of the velocity that was being generated on some of the goals.

Following Shots: Having run drills on following shots in the pre-game warm ups, the girls put this into action and it paid dividends. There was certainly evident in Maanasa’s goal. Shivani also had a nice opportunity after chasing the ball all the way into the goal keeper’s hands.

Areas of Improvement--

Dropping on Change of Possession: The mid-fielders were having trouble dropping back to cover their defensive assignments whenever the ball changed possession. This was exposed late in the game when the Strikers scored, then again in the waning minutes of the game.

Marking Assignments: The girls are much improved in their defensive marking, but more attention needs to be made on figuring out who to defend. There were several instances where marks were being left unattended.

Creating Movement: On inbound plays, free kicks, and corner kicks, the girls tend to be cemented into position. They need to be creating more movement in order to cross up the defense in these situations. This will be a focus in practice this week, as it’s not something we spent much time working on to date.

11/1/08 Game Recap (1-0 Win)

“Memorable” isn’t typically synonymous with 1-0 soccer games, but Saturday’s lone-goal game between the Devils and MCFC Blizzards may go down as one of those “remember that time” games in the annals of Devils soccer. Not even a rain soaked day could dampen the Devils winning ways, as they continued their hot streak to stay unbeaten this season.

With a constant stream of water falling on the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex, it would have been easy for the girls to find lots of reasons not to bring their A game. Facing an unknown opponent was also another challenge for the girls, but they put a defensive clamp on the Blizzards.

Courtney would provide the Devils with all the offense they would need early in the 1st half. After accepting a centering pass from Kelly, she raced up the right wing then popped a shot that sailed over the Blizzard goaltender’s head.

Kelly would almost score herself on the next possession, ringing a shot off the right post.

Defensively, the girls put on the most impressive performance of the season on that side of the ball. The stranglehold resulted in zero shots on goal the entire game. The weather certainly played a role in that statistic, but it was impressive nonetheless. Jessica was only required to handle the ball once in the second half after a centering attempt sputtered into the box. Lindsay didn’t need to handle the ball at all in the first half as the goal keeper.

Offensively, the shots were plentiful. Time after time, the ball would find itself perched in the Blizzards box, but the shots were sailing wide. On one sequence, the Devils squeezed off 5 shots that bounced off the goaltender or post before finally get pushed over the end line.

If the girls convert on 1 in 10 of those shots, the score would have been much higher. Credit the Blizzard defense for clogging the lanes and clearing many attempts in or around the box. It would have been interesting to see how this gamer played out on a dry field.

Game Positives--

Defensive Clampdown: impressive play on the defensive side of the ball was spectacular. Zero shots on goal by the opposition speaks for itself.

Pass Backs: Very nice use of back passing helped control the ball. It was great to see the poise that many of the girls were showing, especially given the field conditions. You have to trust that a) you will make a good pass, and b) the player you’re passing to is prepared to receive the pass. If those two things don’t synch, it’s off to the races for the other team.

Defensive Switching: Clearing space while trying to move the ball out of the defensive zone was something the team has started to work on in practice, and was used in game a several occasions.

Areas of Improvement--

Quick releases: The girls were holding the ball far too long on many occasions, especially as they zeroed in on the opponent’s goal. This was giving the Blizzard defense too much time to react and anticipate the play.

Too Many Touches: Similar to the length of time the ball was being held, many of the forwards were taking too many touches on the ball in order to setup the perfect shot. In a game where the footing is poor and the ball is slippery, you just need to unleash the shot. Putting a wet ball on goal is difficult for a goal keeper to handle, and we failed to capitalize on that advantage.

Vision: There is still a tendency for some players to try and drive the ball through a defender rather than making square passes over to a teammate.

How to: Dribbling

Another great instructional quick hit video. This time on dribbling:

Fall 2008 Jaguars Scrimmage Photos

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Devils keep rolling in Jaguars scrimmage

The Devils returned to the field where it all started on Saturday afternoon in a friendly scrimmage with the CV Jaguars, a Group A team from the Delgado Tier 3 pool. It was only last spring when the Devils defeated the Jaguars in their first game as an organized competitive team, winning 2-0 against the same Jaguars. That would be the only game the Jaguars lost during the spring season, which elevated them to Group A.

This time, the game was an opportunity for both teams to stay focused during a long break in between regular league games. The Devils turned in another strong performance, in the modified contest, which featured three 25-minute running periods.

The Devils coaching staff also used it as an opportunity to rotate the girls through all positions. This provided everyone with a chance to show their stuff in areas they don’t normally play.

After a scoreless initial period, the rotations began to open things up. Marlene would break the ice with a breakaway goal three minutes in. Shivani setup the goal with a pretty lead pass from the right mid position. Drawing a defender away from the center full spot, she feathered a pass up the slot to Marlene, who slipped a shot past the Jaguars goaltender.

With the confidence of that early goal, the Devils began to press more on offense. Another breakaway chance was thwarted four minutes later when a whistle sounded on a neighboring field just as Courtney slipped past two Jaguars defenders at the top of the box. Thinking play had been whistled dead, all three players slowed down. When the referee indicated that play was still live, the goaltender cleared the ball to safety.

Courtney would exact some revenge with two minutes to play in the period. After the Devls defense pushed the ball up the right sideline, Courtney streaked up the line, then drew the goaltender out to defend the right side of the net. Displaying great patience, Courtney then sent a crossing shot that slipped inside the left post for the 2-0 lead.

Ruhi, Christene, Karsyn, Lindsay and Jessica teamed up to anchor a stingy defense which allowed few scoring chances.

The Jaguars would score in the 3rd period on a break after Karsyn misread the line a Jaguar forward was taking.

The momentum could have easily shifted back to the Jaguars, but Audrey, Kelly and Ruhi kept the ball in the Jaguars zone for a stretch of about 4 minutes with great ball handling near the right corner. This setup multiple corner opportunities, and several Jaguar goal kicks.

Marlene would push the Devils lead back to two goals by sending in a shot from 45-feet that tucked just inside the left post.

The scrimmage ended as a success, keeping the Devils momentum rolling and building on the girls confidence

The day was capped off with a couple notables. Each player presented a Jaguars player with a treat bag after the game as a thank you for hosting the scrimmage. Special thanks to Judy C. the Devils Team Manager for arranging the gifts. Karsyn also celebrated her 9th birthday with a round of cupcakes, that were in the words of her brother Ryan, “jy-nan-tic”!

Jaguars Scrimmage Update

Details regarding a scrimmage against the CV Jaguars Blue on Saturday (10/25) are still being worked out. If it does happen, it looks as if the event will take place on Saturday afternoon at a CV field.

More details will be posted once they become available.

10/18/08 Game Recap (2-1 Win)

The Devils got back into the win column on Saturday with a tightly contested 2-1 road win over Real Salinas GFC at the Constitution Soccer Complex. Coming off one of the best games of the season, the Devils had to renew their focus in order to come away with the victory.

Things didn’t quite start the way they had planned, falling behind early. Playing off a throw in from the left corner, a Real Salinas forward traversed through the Devils defense before putting a shot past Audrey for the 1-0 lead.

The speed of the Real Salinas forwards had the Devils on their heels, but the defense buckled down and kept the opposition off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game.

The Devils would knot things up at 1-1 after Christene powered a shot past the Real Salinas goaltender. The play started with a long booming shot attempt from Marlene from midfield that drifted toward the left corner. Christene gathered the ball in and worked the ball around two defenders before pumping a shot that was partially blocked by the goaltender. The shot had enough velocity to find the back of the net.

The score remained deadlocked at 1-1 entering the break.

Anchored by solid defense that consistently shut down attempt to drive the ball up the middle of the field, the Devils preserved the tie and set themselves up for the opportunity to win.

That opportunity would surface on a pretty play that evolved with some very unselfish play.

Audrey would setup the game winner by carrying the ball up field, drawing two defenders to her. With a gap opening in the Real Salinas defense, she slipped a pass to the center forward spot, where Christene was perfectly positioned. All that remained was Christene’s deposit into the net with a shot from 20 yards.

The victory propelled the Devils into 2nd place in the Delgado Class 3 standings, just 2 points behind the West Valley Surefire.

Positives from the Game--

Resilience: The girls once again overcame a deficit, which is a testament to their composure. They’ve shown consistently this season that an early deficit is not something that will rattle them.

Energy: The effort in the 2nd half of the game was very impressive. They came on strong, and were rewarded with a goal. They also pressed the other team’s offense, which prevented many scoring chances by the opposition.

Defensive Teamwork: Real Salinas had several quick forwards that worked the ball well. That became moot because of the team defense the girls played, consistently stopping drives down the middle of the field. An honorable mention to Ruhi for her defensive play. Jessica, Karsyn, and Maanasa all stepped up their defensive game to control a very fast opponent.

Areas of Development--

Marking: The midfielders were consistently pulling back to mark the other teams forwards leaving the other teams midfielders open for attack. The girls also got caught double marking opposing players on the line, which resulted in unmarked opponents in the center of the field.

Understanding Switches: Real Salinas provided a great example of how positional switching can work to your advantage. The girls need to find their marks quickly in order to prevent easy opportunities to strike by the opposition.

Capitalizing on the Advantage: While it’s been a focus in practice, the girls need to recognize the advantage of indirect kicks when they are within shooting range. Confusion on one sequence prevented the Devils from capitalizing on a prime scoring opportunity. This will continue to be addressed in practice. The need for quick and decisive action when we are given the advantage will be stressed.

SASC Fun Day

For those that stayed to partake in some of the SASC Fun Day festivities after team pictures were taken on Sunday, you may have seen a couple of very un-dry coaches after their stint in the dunk tank. After Coach Sonya and Coach Brad took dips in the tank, it begs the question, where was Coach VK???

Checkout the [ PHOTOS | SLIDESHOW ] of some of the happenings.

Fall 2008 Game 5 Photos

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10/12/08 Game Recap (1-1 Tie)

What a difference a day makes. Coming off a frustrating tie to the SASC Blades on Saturday, the Devils played what may have been their best game of the season on Sunday in San Jose. Facing off against the West Valley Surefire (arguably the best opponent in the league), the Devils came within minutes of laying claim to the best record in the standings, but still battled to a 1-1 tie.

So the question remains, who is the best team in the division? The Devils performance on Sunday certainly makes them worthy of consideration.

The effects of the illnesses that plagued the Devils all week seemed to be as far behind them as the 6-1 drubbing that the Surefire handed the Devils during their pre-season scrimmage back in September.

The Devils played true to the game plan the coaches drew up for the match, sticking to positional play and getting a strong performance from the backs. The Surefire are loaded with big shooters, but the Devils defense prevented any big shots by stepping up and taking away the initiative.

Ruhi once again played a huge part in shutting down the opposing offense. Shivani, Lindsay, Jessica and Karsyn also rotated on the back line to help suppress the Surefire.

Neither team dominated on the offensive side of the ball in the first half, so the chess match would be decided in the second stanza.

Consistently using the mids to move the ball to the forwards, the Devils kept the ball away from the Surefire forwards, which contributed heavily to the low scoring game.

The Devils capitalized on a huge opportunity at the 40 minute mark, when Maanasa sent a high arching shot from 50 feet out that landed in front of the Surefire goaltender, then hopped over on a trajectory over her head. The goaltender got a hand on the ball to slow it down, but it continued to head toward the net, trickling over for the goal.

With time winding down, the Surefire moved the ball into the Devils zone and created their own scoring opportunity with a corner kick. Almost identical to the Devils goal against the Blades a day earlier, the Surefire punted the ball into the box, where a wild scrum ended with a shot that found its way into the goal.

With less than three minutes to play, Surefire had one more golden opportunity to steal the win, when the ball landed even with the right post and nothing but daylight between a Surefire shooter and the goal. With the inevitable go ahead goal sitting perched for the shot, Jessica came flying across the field and cleared it to safety along the left sideline. You could feel the air pressure return to normal as the 15 or so parents in attendance exhaled after the close call.

Positive Takeaways from the Game—

A+ for Effort: The team’s tie the day before could have easily affected the way the Devils came out on Sunday, but they continue to demonstrate how resilient they are. The effort was fantastic up and down the lineup.

Physicality: The Devils are not a physically domineering team, but they played with more emphasis on contact against a team that can kill you with speed and sure footed shooters. That resulted in fewer turnovers for the Devils and fewer scoring opportunities for the opposition.

Stick to the Plan: The girls continue to stay with the general game philosophy that is being worked on in practice. The more trust they establish in that plan and each other, the better they will become at anticipating where their teammates will be. This is a work in progress, but it was fun to see it in action against a very strong opponent.

Practical Application: There were two situational drills that the girls have been working on in practice the last two weeks. 1) quick set ups for direct & indirect kicks and 2) establishing a defensive wall when facing a direct or indirect kick. It was great to see both put into action on Sunday. There was a Devils direct kick that just missed finding the back of the net. There was also a defensive situation that delayed (by design) the opposition from getting a kick shot on goal.

Areas of Improvement—

Vision: We had several situations where there were opportunities to pass to teammates that were wide open, but the blinders prevented the ball handlers from seeing those chances develop. This was especially true of the forwards who were holding the ball and allowing the opposing defense to collapse on them. That leaves the other forwards wide open.

Too Much Initiative: Each player has strengths, but also specific positional assignments. Playing with too much initiative can negatively impact the overall objective. As an example, if players that should be moving up field on an out-of-bounds play decides to take the throw in because they are closest to the ball, it eliminates one prime target for the trailing teammate who should be taking the throw. Another example is taking a corner kick, when there is a stronger foot in the vicinity. We recognize that it’s fun to take a corner kick from time to time, but if you increase the chances of scoring by deferring to a bigger foot on the field, the player should recognize that.

Fall 2008 Game 4 Photos

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