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.