Devils are 2009 Soccer by the Bay Champions!

Just another ho hum weekend of kids soccer…NOT! The Devils won all four games to take the 2009 Soccer by the Bay – Bronze Division U11 Girls Championship, capped by an exciting shootout victory in the championship game. The Devils outscored their opponents 9-1 in the four games, and finished things off with arguably the most exciting game in team history.

After scoring maximum tournament points in the pool play portion of the two-day tournament, the Devils squared off against the Ukiah Pumas for the tournament crown. By virtue of wining all three pool play games and scoring at least three goals in those games, the Devils led all 12 teams after the qualifying round and earned a spot in the championship game.

The game wasn’t the first time the devils had squared off against the Pumas. Ukiah steam-rolled the Devils in last year’s Soccer by the Bay tournament, in a 6-1 pool-play game. They would go on to win the 2008 tournament.

Kelly fights for position

The Devils have grown up a lot in the last year. This year’s contest would come down to shear will power. The Pumas were gifted with big and fast players that controlled much of the tempo early in the game. With Akayla in goal to open the first half, the Devils kept things close by clogging up the middle of the field and leaning on strong goaltending. The Devils would just miss on a scoring opportunity from 15 feet out, after Courtney put a shot on goal that was gobbled up by the Pumas imposing keeper.

The action started to heat up in the second half, with the play taking on more of a physical tone. Ukiah pushed the play deep into the Devils end of the field and missed on their best chance of the games, when Audrey deflected aside a diagonal shot from her keeper position on what appeared to be a certain goal.

Kelly and Grace helped control the middle of the field, which prevented the speedy Pumas from springing in any breaks.

Akayla dribbles through traffic

Akayla would setup a cross at the 38 minute mark, that Marlene just missed connecting on, and the deadlocked game continued. Things turned sour moments later when a hard tackle by a Ukiah player resulted in a yellow card for the offending Puma.

Regulation would end, forcing two 5-minute overtime periods.

In the first overtime period, the physicality turned to carelessness, when a Puma player tackled Christene, from behind, drawing the game’s second yellow card for Ukiah. Both team's had single scoring opportunities, but the goaltending stood tall.

In the second overtime period, Akayla was re-inserted in goal after aggravating her knee. Her limp was noticeable on the field, but the move was made in anticipation of the shootout. That move would prove key.

With the top score in pool play, the Devils were allowed to defend the goal first in the shootout, which consisted of a best-of-5 round, followed by sudden death rounds. Akayla easily handled the first shot, which was followed by a Ukiah save on Grace’s opening round shot.

The second Ukiah shooter would push a shot wide of the right post, but Courtney would deliver on her attempt with a shot that snapped just inside the left post. Akayla almost stopped the Puma’s third shot, which chipped off her right foot to knot the shootout at 1-1.

Marlene's Tournament Winner

Karsyn took the Devils third shot, which was stopped by the Ukiah keeper, who was ruled to have started her move across the goal line too soon. Karsyn wouldn’t miss on her second attempt, punching a shot in the same location as Courtney’s goal. Akayla would come up big again with a save on a chest-high shot that forced the keeper to move to her right.

The Devils would take the tournament title when Marlene fired another shot to the left side. The Ukiah keeper dove to her right and got a glove on the shot, but the momentum carried the ball across the goal line, and the celebration began.

Game 1 – Devils Tame Gryphons

In Saturday’s tournament opener, the Devils got to work early in their 3-1 win over the Gryphons 98 Black, scoring just 2 minutes into the game on an Audrey put back from 3 feet. Grace created the chance by bouncing a shot off the goal tender in close. Audrey would make it 2-0 early in the 2nd half of the game by redirecting a shot from Christene into the goal.

The Gryphons were whistled for a hand-ball in the box at the 40 minute mark, and Grace would convert on the ensuing penalty shot for the 3-0 lead.

The Gryphons would score the only goal of the tournament allowed by the Devils with 3 minutes remaining in the contest on a ship shot from 10 feet.

Game 2 – Defense rules the Day versus Vipers

Lindsay turns on the jets

In Saturday’s second game, the Devils put a defensive stranglehold on the NV San Jose Vipers, limiting their opponent to few offensive chances. The Devils staked themselves to a 1-0 lead on a Courtney goal at the 5 minute mark after Marlene fired a shot on goal from 15 feet.

The mid play of E, Shivani, Sammi and Katrina bottled up the Vipers, which led to two important transitions in the game.

Grace made it 2-0 at the 11 minute mark with a pretty shot from 20 feet, after Shivani sent a cross from the right side. Kelly cleaned up on a feed from Christene that ran parallel to the goal line in the 30th minute.

Game 3 – Getting the Job Done Against San Mateo

Courtney drives to the goal

In the final pool play game for the Devils, defense once again played a huge roll in the outcome of the game. Lindsay, Jessica, Clara and Karsyn turned in a fantastic performance all tournament, but this game was a stand out showing. It was the second of three shutouts in the tournament for the defensive corps, but their play was stifling.

As was the case in the previous two pool play game, the Devils scored early. Akayla redirected a pass from Courtney knocking it out of the air from just inside the right post in the 4th minute to stake the Devils to the 1-0 lead.

Courtney made it 2-0 with a lofting shot from the right side that glanced over the keeper's fingertips in the 20th minute. Audrey would cap the scoring with 5 minutes to play, when she took a pass at the mid-line and raced up field before chipping a shot past the keeper from 15 feet.

Here are [Tournament Photos] | [Slideshow]