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.Labels: 2008 Fall Season, league play, Orchard Valley Rampage
