Sunday, September 28, 2008

Team Announcements - Week of 9/29

REMINDER: Picture day will be October 12 at the SSC complex. Our picture time is now 2:00pm (please note this new updated time). The girls will need to be there at 1:45pm.

UPCOMING GAMES: The weekend of Oct 11th and 12th we will have a game Saturday against the other U10 SASC team (the Blades), and Sunday against the West Valley team we scrimmaged first this season. Both games will likely be exciting.

PRACTICE: We will have practice as usual on Tuesdays and Thursdays 5pm to 6:30PM.

TEAM RECORDS: The girls met a major team goal last week. Every girl on the team has juggled the ball at least ten times. The girls juggling skills are greatly improving, and it is showing in their ball handling skills. Hats off to EVERY player!

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Fall 2008 Gryphons Scrimmage Photos

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Gryphons scrimmage a success

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Scrimmaging against an unknown team on Friday night, the Devils had a chance to keep in tune, rather than go three consecutive weeks without playing against a live opponent. The girls held their own during the regulation event at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex.

The San Andreas Youth Soccer Gryphons (San Mateo) trekked down from the peninsula in their team bus (yes, I said team bus), which got the attention of the Devils. The Gryphons pre-scrimmage drills also got the attention of the Devils who may have been a little intimidated by the whole thing.

When the opening whistle sounded however, the Devils were all business. The coaching staff used the event as an opportunity to move players around to positions they may not be totally comfortable with, in order to get those players more experience in the event they need to fill in at those spots.

The Devils played remarkably well, given many had not played against live competition at those off-positions before.

The first half was limited to a single Gryphons goal (which should have been called off-side), but Marlene and Shivani played impressively on the back line to keep the Gryphons from scoring on several chances early in the half.

The Devils opened the 2nd half with a goal when Audrey raced up the right wing from the center line and punched home a 25-foot rocket that sailed into the left corner of the net.

Things turned sour, when a Gryphon forward got a little aggressive on a play in the box. The Devils goaltender, Lindsay, scooped up a shot that fell short, but was knocked over by a Gryphon forward. The shin guard of the Gryphon player hit Lindsay in the head, leaving a bruise.

Tough as nails, Lindsay stayed in the game, but the ensuing goal kick landed right on the boot of a Gryphon player. With a one step toward the net and a big shot, the Gryphons re-took the lead.

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Ruhi almost converted on a breakaway 4 minutes later, but a Gryphons defender just got back in time to disrupt the shot. The ball dribbled clear of the net, but Kelly intercepted a pass to midfield and punched a shot that rang off the right post.

The Devils also narrowly missed on a beautiful corner kick from Marlene that sailed over the first line of defense, right to Ruhi’s boot. The Gryphons collapsed three defenders in the box to snuff out the scoring chance.

The Gryphons would add another goal later in the period after working the ball up the left side and chipping a shot off the goaltender’s glove.

Audrey would strike again with 3 minutes to play on a carbon copy of her first goal. Taking a centering pass along the right side line, she raced past the Grypons defense, then sent another laser past the Gryphons goaltender.

Two more late scoring chances by the Devils were turned aside late, after Sammie made two steals along the right sideline, setting up long range shots. Jessica and Christene also played very well in defensive situations, utilizing back passing exceptionally well. This was a focal point during practice the previous week, so it was great to see the fundamental applied in a game situation.

The event turned out to be a great success for both teams. Practice is no substitute for game experience, so getting the girls out and into a game situation was a great way to help maintain the momentum that they’ve built over the first three weeks of the season.

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Sunday, September 21, 2008

Fall 2008 Game 3 Photos

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9/20/08 Game Recap (2-1 Win)

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The Devils played their first road game of the year on Saturday, in sunny Aptos, California with a match up against the Aptos Tide. The level of competition was improved over the first two weeks of the season, but the Devils walked away with the third consecutive win in a 2-1 nail biter.

With the comfort of home absent from this contest, the girls got off to a slow start, chasing the ball, rather than playing the wide passing style that made so effective in their first two games. In what could have easily been a lopsided victory for the Devils, they were forced to play catch up after the Tide took an early 1-0 lead.

After controlling the tempo early, the Devils made several mistakes in their own end, which led to a rocket off the foot of a Tide forward that founds its way to the back of the net. The shot sailed about a foot under the cross bar, giving the Devils goaltender Christene no chance to even make a save attempt.

The Devils regrouped two minutes later to knot the score at 1-1, when Marlene deftly intercepted a goal kick about 40 feet out, then carried the ball in and lifted a shot that easily found the net.

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Maanasa would give the Devils the lead with about 5 minutes remaining in the period. After racing up the right sideline from the mid position, she sent a shot in on goal from just outside the right post. The ball hit the goaltender’s arm, then caromed off the post, dribbling back toward the center of the net. As Courtney began to bear down on the ball, the goaltender tried to react to the oncoming pressure, and the loose ball, but ended up batting it into the net. One last diving attempt to save the ball fell short, and both goaltender and ball landed in a mud puddle behind the goal line.

Shivani had a scoring chance miss just wide left of the goal in the final minutes before the half time whistle sounded.

The first half momentum disappeared faster than the half time snacks after the Tide came out firing to open the second period. Midfield pressure subsided, allowing the Tide to keep the ball in the Devils zone for most of the first 10 minutes of the period.

Outstanding back line play by Ruhi and Marlene helped preserve the slim one-goal lead. Several rushes by the speedy Tide forward crew were diverted to the outside by the defensive corps.

Kelly played her strongest game at midfield to date, almost single handedly controlling the middle in the last 7 minutes of the game. That wouldn’t be any more obvious than on a play with the game on the line.

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She took a pass along the left sideline, then cut past two defenders deep in the left corner, before ripping a shot past the Tide goaltender. The linesman on the far side of the field erroneously called off-sides when Kelly took the initial pass, then communicated this to the referee well after the goal had been scored. Unfortunately for Kelly her second goal of the season will have to wait another week.

The no-goal was irrelevant in the end as the Devils would close out the final minute of play with the 2-1 victory.

Proof Positives—

Comeback: This was the first deficit the girls have faced this season, and they responded well early in the game. The Tide’s goal could have been demoralizing, since the girls controlled the flow early, and then fell behind after what looked like would be a blow out in favor of the Devils.

Consistency at Forward: This team has an abundance of forward talent. Problem is, the Devils play a 2-3-2 system, which means you can only have 2 forwards on the field at any one time. The coaching staff will be working to channel that forward mentality into stronger play with the outside mids.

Stingy Defense: Through three games, the Devils are averaging 1.00 goals against per game. The second half of this game was proof that defense is as (if not most) important, when it comes to building a strong team. The Tide was a fast team, but the girls managed to corral them, albeit a little more close for comfort than the coaching staff would have liked. “Defense” is a team philosophy, not just a position two girls play at any one time!

Areas to Develop—

Initiative to the Ball: If one player fails to fight for the ball, the effects ripple toward the goal. There were too many instances where the girls took the passive approach to the ball, and a faster, more determined opponent took advantage. This was especially the case in the 2nd half of the game.

Stick to the Game Plan When Pressured: The Tide upped the pressure in the 2nd half of the game and the girls didn't counter that pressure allowing the play to stay in the Devils defensive zone for the first 10 minutes of the half. That will prove more costly as the team enters the portion of the schedule against much more talented opposition.

Playing with a Slim Lead: If you look back to the Spring season, two of the teams losses and one tie came after they had held a small lead in the 2nd half of the respective games. This is something the girls need to recognize and to learn to step up the intensity. The absence of goal side marks and loose defense allowed the Tide to pressure with several scoring chances on Saturday. Teams like the Sparks, Rampage and Surefire will punish any opponent that affords them that advantage.

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Thursday, September 18, 2008

Scrimmage Set for 9/26

We have secured the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex field for our scrimmage on 9/26. The team will need some help getting the goals in place and putting them back at the end of the scrimmage.

Scrimmage will run from 5:30-6:30pm. Players should be at the complex by 5:00pm.

Participation responses--

YES (8): Lindsay, Audrey, Shivani, Courtney, Karsyn, Ruhi, Marlene, Jessica
NO (0):
MAYBE (3): Kelly, Maanasa, Sammie
??? (1): Christene

Please let Coach Sonya know now that we are confirmed. A guest goaltender may be used if the team is short on subs. There will be a two week break from league play after this Saturday's game, so the scrimmage will be nice way to keep the girls soccer skills active.

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Sunday, September 14, 2008

Fall 2008 Game 2 Photos

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9/13/08 Game Recap (6-0 Win)

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Two games into the season and the Devils have already amassed 11 goals, en route to a 2-0 record in league play. A six goal outburst on Saturday helped propel the Devils past the visiting SCC Mid County Surf at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex. A stingy defense also held the visitors scoreless in a decisive 6-0 shutout.

Shots came early and often for the Devils, who set the pace with constant pressure on the Surf goaltenders. Sammi got things started with a nifty left-footed bomb from 30 feet, that the Surf goaltender had to leap to stop. Exceptional play from the Devil midfielders setup several scoring chances in the first 5 minutes of the game.

Kelly would break the ice with a chip shot from 10 feet out in the 12th minute of the game. The Devils midfielder pushed up after two other scoring chances were turned back by the Surf defense.

Ball movement and nice passing kept the Devils in the offensive zone for most of the half. Maanasa would give the Devils a 2-0 lead just before half-time with a 25-foot laser from outside the box.

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After spending the first 20 minutes of the game in goal, Marlene unleashed her boot in the second half. Playing at the left forward position, she took a pass in the 22nd minute along the left sideline then dribbled in on goal. Her first attempt was rebuffed by the Surf goaltender, but she gathered the rebound and punched home the Devils 3rd goal of the game.

Playing forward herself later in contest, Ruhi sent a crossing pass from the left wing later in the period. The ball ended up on Maanasa’s foot, for the easy deposit just inside the right post.

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The Devils passing seemed to get better throughout the game, which kept the Surf chasing the ball. That prevented the Surf from establishing any offensive chances. So much in fact, that they recorded zero shots on goal in the 2nd half. The ball never got passed the Devils full backs over the final 20 minutes of the game.

After a Surf hand-ball was called inside the box, the Devils had a direct kick from the dot. Maanasa took the free-kick and just missed after the Surf goaltender punched the shot over the net. The ensuing corner-kick demonstrated just how much foot-strength is beginning to blossom on this team. The Devils failed to score on the chance, but that was just delaying the goals that were yet to come.

Courtney had two chances chip just wide in the half, but she wouldn’t be denied on her third chance after Maanasa fired another ball off the Surf goaltender. Courtney swooped in to tap in her first of the game, extending the Devils lead to 5-0.

Marlene would record her second goal of the contest on another crossing pass from Maanasa, this time from right to left. The goal would cap the scoring.

Positive Takeaways from the Game –-

Big Shots/Passes: This more than anything was what decided this game. The girls have focused more attention on this facet of the game, and it’s paid dividends. Strong passing and shooting will help create offense and suppress charges by the opposition.

Switching: As one player carries the ball into another positional zone, the player within that zone is responsible for doubling back to the position that was just vacated by the ball carrier. It was impressive to see the level of positional switching that was being conducted on the field throughout the game. This was covered briefly in practice, but the girls applied the concept very well in their first chance during live play.

Positional Play: The team would get itself into trouble last season because players were having trouble grasping the concept of positional play. This would expose areas of the field, because a player was caught out of position. This is one of the areas that the team has demonstrated improvement each week.

Areas of Improvement--

Right of Way: There are still some issues with players not “yielding the right-of-way”. This means that players are competing against each other for the ball in some cases. Rather than work together to give each other passing options, they are helping the defense by slowing the progress of an offensive opportunity and limiting the escape options for the offense when the opposing team collapses on the ball.

Physical Play: This will become more of an issue over the next few weeks. The teams that the team will be playing are bigger and more physical. This team is more successful against those types of teams when they match the physical play. This applies to the entire roster.

Fitness: As the level of competition increases, fitness will also play a more prominent role in the success of this team. Carrying four substitutes on the roster has helped to offset that in the first two games, but players need to be prepared to play an entire game. Even though midfielders carry the most responsibility both offensively and defensively, forwards and fullbacks need to be ready to face the conditioning challenges that a full contest brings.

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Sunday, September 7, 2008

Fall 2008 Game 1 Photos

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9/6/08 Game Recap (5-2 Win)

Devils Open the Fall 2008 Season HOT!

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The Devils kicked off the 2008 Fall U10 season with a solid 5-2 win over the Monterey County FC Wolverines on Saturday. Mother Nature unleashed one of the warmest days of the summer, and the Devils responded with a hot hand, scoring three unanswered goals in the 2nd half to break a 2-2 deadlock to take their season opener.

The visiting Wolverines were playing with a roster of 8, which included one player who wasn’t feeling well. They were forced to play more than 10 minutes of the game down a player. To make things worse, they lost another player to injury with 5 minutes to play in the game.

The Devils took advantage of the Wolverines misfortunes by taking control of the game early in the 2nd period.

The girls opened the games scoring on a beautiful free kick that Marlene launched from 40 feet, tucking the ball inside the right post with a shot that sailed from left to right across the face of the goal.

DSC_0719MCFC tied the game three minutes later on a series of deflection that ended up in the back of the Devils net. Lindsay would help the Devils retake the lead at the 10 minute mark with a bomb from 60 feet that floated over the Wolverine goaltender. The Devil stood in stunned silence after booming the shot into the net.

MCFC would tie the game again late in the 1st half on a nice play after stealing the ball in the offensive zone and racing up field to put a laser into the back of the net. Several Devils stepped up their game, including Jessica who had several steals from the left mid position. She also teamed up with Courtney on several pretty give-and-go plays that resulted in scoring chances from the left side.

Steady midfield play by Maanasa and Kelly calmed things down and kept the ball in the offensive zone for much of the 2nd half. So much in fact, that Sammie faced no shots on goal the entire period.

Christene would give the Devils the lead for good two minutes into the 2nd half after she whipped around the left end and chipped a shot past the Wolverines goaltender. That goaltender would leave the game, giving the Devils a one-player advantage.

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A minute later, Audrey narrowly missed on a shot from outside the box that rang off the left post. She wouldn’t miss on her next opportunity, working around a defender just outside the right post, then punching a 25-foot shot home for the 4-2 lead.
Ruhi anchored a solid defensive corps, stopping several breakaway chances after the Devils had established their two-goal lead. Her ability to stay calm under fire, along with great balling-handling skills secured the back line the entire second half of the game.

The Wolverines luck went from bad to worse with about four minutes to play. With the ball deep in their own zone, the MCFC goaltender tried clearing the ball, but it struck one of their own players in the face, dropping her near the penalty dot. Shivani scooped up the deflection then tucked a shot inside the left post for the final goal of the game.

Positive Takeaways from the Game --

Passing: This was one of the more consistent games the girls have played in terms of moving the ball. That in turn created more scoring chances and it forced the under-manned Wolverines to chase the play. Ball movement plays a more pronounced importance at this level, so it was great to see the girls putting these fundamentals into action.

Communication: The benefits we saw from the great passing, was a result of clearer communication on the field. We’ve been seeing more and more of this progression over time, but it really stood out in this game. The next step in evolving this skill is to make sure everyone on the roster, from goal-keeper to striker, employs this each and every play.

Big Foots: It was certainly obvious that the first two goals of the game for the Devils came as a result of big kicks, but the passing was also a benefactor of the increased velocity that the girls were getting on the ball. That was a focus area in practice leading up to this game, and will continue to be incorporated into training. We have a long way to go, but it was very encouraging to see the balls moving as they were.

Areas of Improvement--

Goal Side Marks: The first goal scored on the girls was a result of the opposition being allowed to roam in the box without clear coverage on the goal side of the ball. This is a fundamental skill that we’ll need to really drive home with everyone on the roster.

Transition to Defense at the Midfield Position: Midfield is arguably the toughest position to play in soccer, but it’s important to have a defensive minded approach, especially during transitions. We’re didn’t respond as well as we should have when the ball changed hands. This left the full backs in odd-man situations several times during the game.

Following Shots: Scoring opportunities can be few and far between in soccer, so it’s important to take full advantage of any chance you have. Chasing a ball that is already its way to the goal is not an innate skill that most players have, but if you learn to follow up on these chances, it will pay dividends from time-to-time.

All in all, a great start to the season. CYSA keeps league standings for all divisions including ours (Delgado Class 3 GU10), so be sure to follow them all season here. There is also a link to these standings in the links section of this team blog.

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Thursday, September 4, 2008

Fall 2008 Schedule

9/06 (2:00 pm) vs MCFC Wolverines - W 5-2 (goals: Marlene, Lindsay, Christene, Shivani, Audrey)
9/13 (4:30 pm) vs SCC3 Mid County Surf G98 - W 6-0 (goals: Kelly, Maanasa (2), Marlene (2), Courtney)
9/20 (1:00 pm) @ SCC3 Aptos Tide 98 - W 2-1 (goals: Marlene, Maanasa)
10/11 (2:00pm) vs SASC Blades 98 - T 1-1 (goals: Christene)
10/12 (TBD) @ West Valley Surefire - T 1-1 (goals: Maanasa)
10/18 (2:30 pm) @ Real Salinas G.F.C - W 2-1 (goals: Christene (2))
11/1 (3:15 pm) vs MCFC Blizzards - W 1-0 (goals: Courtney)
11/2 (2:00pm) @ NV Milpitas Strikers 98 - W 7-1 (goals: Kelly (3), Sammie, Maanasa, Courtney, Marlene)
11/8 (3:15 pm) vs OV Sparks - W 3-2 (goals: Audrey, Marlene (2))
11/15 (1:30 pm) @ OV Rampage - W 5-1 (goals: Audrey (3), Christene, Shivani)


Team Stats
Season Record: 8W-0L-2T (26 points)
Team Goals Scored: 33 (3.30 GFA)
Team Goals Allowed: 10 (1.00 GAA)
Team Shutouts: 2

Individual Stats
Goals Scored:
Marlene - 7
Audrey - 5
Christene - 5
Maanasa - 5
Kelly - 4
Courtney - 3
Shivani - 2
Lindsay - 1
Sammie - 1

Goals Allowed (Goaltending):
Karsyn - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 1.0 games
Marlene - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.75 games
Maanasa - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Ruhi - 0 (0.00 GAA) - 0.5 games
Jessica - 1 (0.66 GAA) - 1.5 games
Christene - 1 (1.00 GAA) - 1.0 games
Sammi - 2 (1.33 GAA) - 1.5 games
Shivani - 2 (1.60 GAA) - 1.25 games
Lindsay - 2 (2.00 GAA) - 1.0 games
Audrey - 2 (2.00 GAA) - 1.0 games

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Fall 2008 Snack Schedule

Here is the Fall 2008 snack schedule.

9/06 (2:00 pm) - Ruhi
9/13 (4:30 pm) - Kelly
9/20 (1:00 pm) - Courtney
10/11 (2:00 pm) - Audrey
10/12 (Time TBD) - Marlene
10/18 (2:30 pm) - Christene
11/01 (3:15 pm) - Maanasa
11/02 (2:00 pm) - Jessica
11/08 (3:15 pm) - Shivani
11/15 (Time TBD) - Sammi

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