Championship Trophies

The Devils finally claimed their 2009 Delgado League Championship trophies at a team get together last Saturday night. The team is preparing to kick off the 2010 Spring season this week with technical training starting on friday nights. Be sure to check the team schedule for more information on upcaoming team events.

2009 Fall Season Team Video

Here is a video recap of the Devils FANTASTIC 2009 Fall Season. Congratulations to all the players for such a great season!

SASC Devils 98 U11G 2009 Fall Season Video @ Yahoo! Video

D2 Cup Schedule

Here is the schedule for the upcoming CYSA Division 2 Cup, held on 11/21 & 11/22 at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex.

::: 11/21 (Saturday)

Game #1: Devils 98 vs. SJ Aftershocks
Field: SSC #1
Game Time: 8:15am
Warm up Time: 7:30am
Jersey: Red

Game #2: Almaden Quicksilver Green Vs. Devils 98
Field: SSC#1
Game Time: 12:00pm
Warm up Time: 11:15am
Jersey: White

::: 11/22 (Sunday)

Game #3: Devils 98 Vs. Burlingame Cyclones
Field: SSC#1
Game Time: 9:45am
Warm up Time: 9:00am
Jersey: Red

Consolation Final – 3rd Place
Team with 3rd highest points Vs 4th highest points
Game Time: 2:30pm

Championship Final
Team with highest points Vs. 2nd highest points
Game Time: 2:30pm

For tournament rules & details please click the links below:

   Tournament Rules

   Complete Tournament Schedule

Parents Volunteer Schedule

11/21 (Saturday) – Set up (please arrive at 7:30am)
Don C., Irene E., Mike L., Jon W., Mike G. & Daryl L.

11/22 (Sunday) – Clean up (please arrive at 3:30pm)
Kelly C., Efren H., Melvin H., Gopal S. & Karlo C.

11/14/09 Game Recap (5-1 Win)

Akayla celebrates a goal

The Devils capped their championship season with a resounding 5-1 victory over the Mount Hamilton Lightning at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex on Saturday. The win caped the second undefeated season in team history, and allowed the Devils to finish the season with a point margin over the second place Los Gatos Wildcats.

The margin of victory matched the Devils score in their win over the Lightning back in October. In both cases, the scoreboard didn’t reflect the strength of the Devils opponent, who came to play in the second meeting between the two teams.

As has been the case so many times this season, the Devils jumped on their opponent early. Akayla opened the games scoring with a 25-foot goal in the 3rd minute of the game. She took a feed from Clara right up the middle of the field, then dribbled toward the top of the arc before ripping a laser beam that sailed under the crossbar.

The Lightning would prove they were a formidable opponent by tying the game at the 8 minute mark, after a shot was deflected by Shivani, the Devils goal keeper. The deflection landed to her left, but the Lightning got a second shot off that found the back of the Devils goal.

The Devils would respond 4 minutes later, when Marlene chipped a crossing pass from Courtney past the Lightning keeper.

Clara powers through the middle

The midfield play was particularly exceptional on Saturday, led by Katrina, E, Sammie, Grace and Clara. It allowed the Devils to control the middle of the field, which kept the Lightning from generating many more chances in the first half.

Akayla would give the Devils some breathing room by lofting a shot from the top left of the box at the 20 minute mark that sailed over the Lightning keeper’s head.

Mount Hamilton narrowly missed converting at the 46 minute mark when a shot in the box was deflected wide by the Devils new keeper, Jess Jess. She challenged the shooter by coming out and cutting off the shot.

The Devils defense would clamp down Lightning, led by Ruhi’s control of the backline. Lindsay, Clara, Karsyn and Shivani would prevent any further attacks on the Devils net.

Christene would add to the lead at the 52 minute mark by chipping home a cross from the left side.

Ruhi clearing a ball

The game turned scary when a high kick sent the ball into Shivani’s face, knocking her momentarily out of the game. The referee would issue a yellow card for the play, but Shivani would rejoin the game after a brief rest on the bench.

She would re-enter the game, and promptly send a 30-foot rocket with her left foot just inside the left post with 5 minutes to play to cap the scoring at 5-1.

The final whistle would sound and the Devils had once again finished the season without a loss. By winning the league with a resounding 8-0-2 record, the Devils may be eligible for advancement to the Abronzino Class 1 League in the spring. Given the league victory, the team should receive an invitation, as has been the case for most Class 3 league winners in the past.

11/7/09 Game Recap (1-1 Tie)

With the league championship on the line, the Devils squared off against the second place Los Gatos Wildcats on Saturday afternoon at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex in match that would determine the Delgado Class 3A title. The early morning affair pegged two teams that had tied each other 0-0 in their previous meeting back in September.

On a slick Sunnyvale field, the two teams would trade goals and complete the season series with a 1-1 tie. With a four point lead in the standings and one game remaining after the Saturday showdown, the tie secured the crown for the Devils.

The two teams probed tentatively in the opening two minutes of the game, but Akayla would send a crossing shot that was deflected by the Wildcats keeper in the opening minute.

The Devils would receive some assistance from lady luck just three minutes into the game when a shot attempt bounced out to the top of the box. Kelly was perfectly positioned for the rebound and sent a return shot that skipped off the wet grass, slipping past the Wildcat keeper on a tricky hop.

The goal seemed to jump start Los Gatos, who turned up the heat the remainder of the period. The Devils defense continued their solid play, anchored by Ruhi who calmly swept away several Wildcat chances before the intermission.

Los Gatos narrowly tied the game right before half on a shot that sailed over the crossbar.

That pressure continued in the second half, but this time Los Gatos would take advantage on a tricky hop that skipped over Karsyn’s head and through her hands at the 40 minute mark.

The momentum had clearly swung in Los Gatos favor, but the Devils paid particular focus on getting in front of shot attempts while in the defensive zone.

Katrina and E made a couple of nice plays to move the ball out of the Sunnyvale zone. E in particular used her speed to clear dangerous Los Gatos possessions after claiming ownership of the ball.

Karsyn made two diving saves later in the period to preserve the tie. She was forced to pounce on the ball deep in the goalie box with 6 minutes to play

Christene and Marlene teamed up to put one last run on the Los Gatos net, but the Wildcats speedy fullbacks denied another shot on net.

In an attempt to keep things loose, the coaches made no mention of the implications of a win, loss or tie, which seemed to allow the girls to play a more relaxed game. When the final whistle sounded, both teams congratulated each other on a second consecutive draw.

Both teams played extremely well, but the Devils would celebrate their first league championship in the team’s short history.

10/31/09 Game Recap (1-0 Win)

The Devils were treated to their own personal house of horrors on Halloween, courtesy of the coaching staff and their own tournament success. After winning the Medina Fall Classic the week prior, Coach Brad and Coach Mike were forced to make due on a bet they made with the girls prior to the tournament. That bet was to allow the girls to pick out their Halloween costumes, which also had to be worn on the sidelines during the Devils – MVLA Typhoons game on Saturday.

The coaches paid in full, and the girls obliged with another shutout victory. This time a 1-0 win over the Typhoons at Grant Park in Los Altos.

With all the distractions created by the coaches, the girls could have easily succumbed to the talented MVLA squad, but they did what they had to do, winning their 7th game of the season.

Coach Diabla goes over pre-game strategy

The first half was a back and forth exchange of chances for both sides, but neither team could cash in on offensive chances. Akayla provided two quality scoring opportunities in the first 10 minutes of the game, but the Typhoons keeper had a solid half.

The Devils defense continued their solid play with their 5th shutout of the season. Anchored by Ruhi’s rock-solid play at sweeper, the Typhoons were consistently repelled. Karsyn and Clara shared time at stopper and Lindsay and Jessica secured the outside fullback positions.

MVLA would make a push in the 20th minute with three chances deep in the Devils zone, but the fullbacks cleared each chance.

The offense got things rolling right before half. Playing in her first game back since fracturing her arm at the Tall Trees Tournament, E had solid stints at forward, and parlayed the opportunity with several series that ended deep in Typhoon territory.

E made her return to the lineup

Grace got a rocket shot off right before half time, that the MVLA keeper was forced to glove.

Courtney would finally break the ice in the 33rd minute, after Akayla fired a bullet that bounced off the MVLA keeper’s hands. As the ball trickled to the right side of the small box, Courtney swooped in and deposited the rebound for the only tally of the game.

The midfield play of Kelly, Grace, Katrina, Shivani and Sammie controlled the center of the field for most of the second half. Marlene was only required to glove the ball three times from her keeper position, and calmly moved the ball back out to the midfield with her big punts.

The Typhoons one big chance in the second half came off a corner kick that was deflected across the box. An MVLA forward was perched on the far post, but the ball too a fortuitous hop over her outstretched leg. Grace was able to defend back from center-mid to clear it to safety.

Audrey and Christene used their speed to push the ball deep into the MVLA zone frequently, which kept the ball away from the Devils net. The offensive pressure would ensure that the ball rarely crossed back into evils territory over the final 30 minutes.

Post game ice cream

After the game, the team was treated to ice cream as a reward for the head ball goal Christene scored in the Medina Tournament. The coaches have a standing rule that all head-ball goals are rewarded with a treat of some sort. Players, siblings and parents all had an opportunity to enjoy the treat, even though they were forced eat in the presence of a mini-shirt that was much too short and a tutu big enough to serve as a team shade structure.

Game Positives—

Focus: With all the distractions that were present, it was a prime opportunity for the girls to let their guard down, but as has been the case so many times this season, they were focused once the play started.

Unselfishness: The passing continues to improve across the board. From the fullbacks to he midfielders to the forwards, everyone is stepping up the passing proficiency, which is resulting in solid defensive play and more offensive opportunities.

Timing: Several players have missed time recently due to injury or illness, so getting them back in the lineup was a welcome sight. Seeing there timing after missing some time was impressive to say the least. The girls were anything but tentative with the ball, which translated to better situational play.

Focus Areas—

Nightmares: Unfortunately, the liability insurance that CYSA provides, does not cover psychiatric care. If any of the girls complain of nightmares after seeing coach Brad in that mini-skirt, they’ll just have to work through those issues on their own.

Upset Stomach: Any parents who felt nauseous after seeing Coach Mike in that tutu, should consult their primary care physician.

Devils Capture Medina Tournament Title

Sugar and spice and everything…tough as nails, with a little grass and dirt rubbed in. That’s what some little girls are made of. If you were at the Sunnyvale Medina Tournament U11 Girls Final on Sunday, you can attest to that observation. After squeaking out a nail biting 2-1 shootout win in the tournament semi-finals over the San Carlos Blaze, the SASC Devils turned in a gutsy 3-1 win in the Championship Game over the Ukiah Pumas.

Celebrating Goal #1

Facing off in a tournament final for the second time this season, the Devils & Pumas rematch turned out to be every bit as entertaining as the initial showdown. The only difference was Sunday’s finale didn’t go into the nerve-racking shootout that ended the Soccer by the Bay Tournament back in August. The Medina Final was settled in the first 5-minutes of the game.

Sunnyvale opened the game with a barrage of goals in the opening minutes and never looked back. Three goals in a 5 minute span after the opening whistle blew decided this one.

The game’s first goal came at the 2 minute mark after Devils pushed the ball into the Ukiah half of the field. Courtney carried the ball up the right side, then sent a centering pass parallel to the goal line. The Ukiah keeper tried to pounce on the ball, but the pass slipped under her diving attempt. Playing at left forward, Christene was left unattended in front of the goal, where she easily gathered in the pass and buried the empty-net shot for the early lead.

Marlene battles

Akayla would setup the next goal a minute later, by dropping a pass back to Grace near the top right corner of the box. Grace left no doubt where the ball was headed as she ripped the 30-foot shot into the left corner of the goal.

The goal of the tournament would come a mere two minutes later, when Courtney once again found herself with the ball in the right corner. She carried the ball toward the goal and lofted a pass into the box to Christene, who redirected the pass with her head into the Ukiah goal. Just like that, the Devils had a 3-0 lead.

The Devils got a scare later in the half when Shivani tried to cover a shot attempt for her goalkeeper position. A Ukiah player made a run on the ball and collided with the Devils keeper, forcing her out of the game with an injured arm and knee. Audrey would replace her in net, and fall victim to a crazy bounce right before halftime.

War Paint

A Puma forward would send a lofting ball into the box from 40 feet, where it landed and took a big hop over the Devils keeper, cutting Sunnyvale’s lead to 3-1. That’s as close as Ukiah would get.

The second half was a draining exchange of back and forth runs by both teams. With emotions running high, the game turned physical with a number of fouls called. Clara assumed control of the net, directing the Devils backline. The midfielders and fullbacks would turn in one of their better games of the season to close out the victory, securing their second tournament championship this season.

Semi-Finals vs San Carlos Blaze

Kelly blasts the ball

In Sunday’s first game, the Devils walked away with a narrow win over a well prepared San Carlos Blaze team. Sunnyvale got the early jump after controlling most of the first half.

Grace would put the Devils up 1-0 on a low line drive after the ball pin-balled through the box. Marlene would rocket a shot right before half that was knocked down by an diving save by the Blaze goal keeper.

The Blaze would knot the game at 1-1 at the 31st minute on a one-touch pass in the middle of the box. The Blaze kept the pressure up and narrowly missed on taking the lead late in the contest.

Shootout!

In the shootout Akayla came up huge, stopping 3 of 6 Blaze penalty kicks. Her biggest stop came on the 5th shooter, when she reached up high to knock down a shot that was headed for the bottom of the crossbar.

Courtney, Marlene and Grace converted for the Devils in the first round of five shooter, but both teams were still deadlocked after that initial wave of shooters. Akayla stopped the first shooter in sudden-death, and Kelly would end things with a shot that split the Blaze keeper’s hands for the win.

Bracket Play vs Piedmont Highlanders

Shivani celebrates her goal

In the opening game for Sunnyvale, the Devils easily dispatched the Piedmont Highlanders 7-0. Grace opened the scoring with a shot from the top of the box at the 3 minute mark.

Akayla made it 2-0 with a turnaround blast a minute later on a feed from Kelly up the gut. Jess Jess would setup the next goal with a booming centering ball at the 18 minute mark. Audrey would gather the pass and send a shot over the crossbar moments later.

She would make it 3-0 right 8 minutes later on a shot from just outside the left post after carrying the ball around the Piedmont stopper. Christene chipped home a pass from Audrey right before half time, after Ruhi pushed the ball up to the right post.

Shivani would open the second half with her first goal of the tournament a minute in. Kelly punched home another goal at the 29 min mark for the 6-0 lead. Piedmont made a run moments later, but Jess made a dive on a loose ball to snuff out the chance. Shivani would cap the scoring by sliding another ball past the keeper with 10 minutes to play.

Bracket Play vs Alameda Islanders

Lindsay sweeps the ball

The Devils would advance to the semi-finals with a 4-0 win over the Alameda Islanders in Saturday’s nightap. Grace opened the game with a goal a minute in. She would take a lead pass up the left side before sending in a long diagonal shot that found net.

Audrey chipped a looping shot over two defenders and into the back of the net at the 12 minute mark after Courtney sent a corner through the box. Lindsay made it 3-0 on a shot from the right side at the 35 min mark, after carrying the ball up the right side and sending a 25 foot shot just past the Alameda keeper.

Kelley scooped up the ball in the offensive zone at the 40 min mark before looping around the top left corner of the box and roofing a goal to cap the scoring.

Medina Tournament Schedule

Here is the schedule for this weekend's Medina Tournament, being held at our own Sunnyvale Soccer Complex:

10/24 (Sat) – Two Games

Game #1 - Devils 98 Vs. Piedmont Highlanders 98G
Game Time: 12:45pm
Warm-up Time: Noon
Field: SASC Complex Field 1
Jersey: Red (bring both)

Game#2 – Alameda Islanders 98G Vs. Devils 98
Game Time: 4:30pm
Warm-up Time: 3:45pm
Field: SASC Complex Field 1
Jersey: White (bring both)


10/25 (Sun) - Sunday’s schedule depends on Saturday’s results

Game Time: TBA
Warm-up Time: TBA
Jersey: Bring Both

The tournament match schedule is posted at the following link :-
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tEdXi5_u-6veEhyqq0sNWYg&output=html

Fall 2009 Game 7 Photos

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10/18/09 Game Recap (2-0 Win)

Getting fired up

Playing morning games has never been a strong suit for the Devils, but the girls shook off the fog to beat host Santa Clara Sporting 2-0 at the Santa Clara Youth Soccer Park on Sunday. The win helps the Devils maintain their slim lead in the Delgado Class3A standings with three games to play.

The girls turned in one of their better performances of the season, pushing the offensive pressure for the majority of the game.

Katrina would get thins rolling with a nice shot attempt from the right side in the first minute of the game. The focus of the game was to get more shots on net, and the outside midfielder filled the order early.

After controlling the play for the first 12 minutes of the game, Sporting took advantage of a through ball that turned into a partial breakaway. The Sporting forward worked her way around 2 devil defenders then made a beeline for the goal. Shivani challenged the shot and deflected it with a leg to preserve the 0-0 tie.

Lindsay sweeps wide

The Devils keeper came up big, challenging the shooter on the play.
Sticking to the plan, the Devils would get on the board less than two minutes later Courtney converted after Akayla sent a cross from left to right that split the top of the box and the goal line. The Devils forward one-timed the pass for the 1-0 lead.

Kelly put a big shot on goal that was knocked away by the SC keeper, but the ball remained in play. Akayla worked the ball right in front of the net where Audrey put a one-timer on goal. Once again the Santa Clara keeper gloved the ball to squelch the chance.

Audrey would keep the balls flying in the direction of the Santa Clara goal, taking a shot on goal 2 minutes later that sailed wide left.

Courtney would score her 4th consecutive goal with seven minutes to play in the half by sliding a shot just inside the right post.

The defense would stand tall in the second half, preventing any shots from reaching the Devils goal keeper. Lindsay turned in her 4th consecutive solid performance at fullback, utilizing her speed to suppress the opposition.

Karsyn shoots through the fog

Getting some playing time at midfield, Ruhi, Sammie, Katrina and Karsyn made good use of their opportunities, working several balls to center forward, generating multiple scoring chances. Jessica, Shivani and Grace solidified the back line in the last 30 minutes.

The forwards frequently kept the ball pinned deep in the sporting zone, influenced by Christene, Audrey and Marlene, who did a great job of cycling the ball.

Notes: Sporting donned pink jerseys in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A big thumbs up from the Devils family for supporting this noble cause.

Game Positives--

Mid Play: The midfielders played a strong game, controlling the tempo of the game by preventing the Santa Clara offense from penetrating, and also working the ball to the forward line.

Defensive Poise: The defense was especially impressive in calmly diffusing almost every chance that came their way. The defensive corps turned in their 4th shutout of the season.

Short Passing: The short passing was phenomenal, continuing from a major strength on Saturday. The girls are starting to read each other very well, which is apparent from the pass selections that they are making. They are anticipating where their partners will be, and are succeeding at finding those passing targets.

Development Areas--

Shots from the Box: The opportunities were plenty, but holding the ball too long in shooting zones prevented some serious scoring chances. Some of the forwards and mids are trying to setup the perfect shot.

Fall 2009 Game 6 Photos

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10/17/09 Game Recap (2-1 Win)

Grace sweeps the ball

Playing the first half of their double header weekend, the Devils turned in a hard fought 2-1 win over the visiting Hollister Spirit at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex on Saturday. Timely scoring combined with a solid defensive performance helped pace the Devils to their 5th win of the season, and second one-goal victory over the Spirit.

The Devils took the early initiative, pressing in the offensive zone with a series of nice passes. Akayla setup the Devils first scoring chance with a pretty diagonal feed to the right side, where Courtney chipped a shot to the Hollister keeper.

Courtney would get the Devils on the board at the 16 minute mark after Kelly slid a centering pass to her from the just past midfield. She would take the feed outside the box and cut toward the right post before shooting across her body and roofing the ball for the 1-0 lead.

The offense would put together another run 4 minutes later a pretty through ball that Courtney collected on the right side and sent another shot that was gloved by the Hollister keeper.

Ruhi at sweeper

The remainder of the half would be played in the Devils zone and Hollister would capitalize. The Spirit would turn up the heat, and convert on a play in the box right before half time. A series of passes ended with a cross along the top of the box that was slipped inside the left box.

Courtney put the Devils right back on top to start the 2nd half. Akayla sent a feed up the right side, where Courtney sent a rocket that caught the back of the Spirit net.

She would almost make it 3-0 seven minutes later by ringing a shot off the right post.

Marlene puts a shot on goal

The Devils backline was put to the test the last 15 minutes of the game. First, a Hollister forward would send a high arching shot in on net from 30 feet, that Audrey knocked down and was forced to pounce on in front of the goal.

That would be followed by a Wild exchange in front of Devils net with 5 to play. The Sunnyvale backs would weather the storm by clearing two chances.

The Spirit would get one final shot on goal with 3 minutes to play that sailed over the cross bar. A Hollister forward would get a huge foot on the ball, missing the crossbar by less than 3 feet.

Game Positives--

Head Balls: The midfielders and backs cleared several precarious situations with a series of solid head balls. On one sequence, the ball was headed three times before touching the ground. The girls are becoming more confident on directing the ball, especially with pressure.

Goal Kicks: One development area that the team has been steadily improving on is to generate some distance on their goal kicks.

Passing Combinations: Stringing together multiple passes, especially in tight quarters was very impressive during the game. The girls continue to improve on their passing, and are beginning to read each other well, which is translating in to better anticipation in terms of where to pass, and where to receive those passes.

Development Areas--

Clearing in Traffic: There was a dangerous tendency to try and dribble the ball out of danger when the ball was deep in the defensive zone. There is a need to work on situational ball handling / clearing.

Reacting to Off-side Traps: The Spirit setup defensive offside traps very well, and sucked the offense into several offside calls as a result. The forwards need to recognize this defensive strategy and better react.

Fall 2009 Game 5 Photos

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10/11/09 Game Recap (5-1 Win)

Christene fights for the ball

The Devils capped the weekend with a commanding 5-1 victory over the host MTH Lightning at Evergreen College on Sunday. The win kept the Devils at the head of the Class3A standings, maintaining a slim 2 point lead over the Los Gatos Wildcats.

Sunnyvale applied a steady stream of pressure in the offensive zone in the first half, which resulted in a flurry of scoring. The Devils uncorked their first shot on goal just 2 minutes into the game, setting the tone for a grand offensive display.

The first goal would come in the 4th minute after Akayla sent a centering pass to Marlene at center forward from the left side. Marlene took the feed and sent a rocket from 30 feet that deflected off the crossbar and into the Lightning goal.

Marlene's shot heads for the goal

Christene would make it 2-0 on a chip shot from the front of the goal 4 minutes later. Clara started the scoring sequence by beating a defender up the right side, before passing to Courtney in the corner. Courtney carried the ball toward the goal before sending a cross to Christene for the easy tap in.

Akayla scored the 3rd goal of the half on a blast from 25 feet 12 minutes into the game. Pinching from the center-mid position, she intercepted a clearing attempt, before beating the Lightning goal keeper with a big boot that sailed inside the left post.

The Lightning would turn up the offensive pressure late in the half, but Sammie would come up big from the keeper position, gloving a big shot from the left side. She would follow that up with another huge stop 4 minutes later. The Lightning would rip a shot from 15 feet that she was forced to pounce on.

Celebrating Akayla's second goal

The Devils would counter on a break that allowed Akayla to walk in on goal and rip a shot from the top of the box for the 4-0 lead. Marlene made a drop after receiving the centering feed, which crossed up the lightning keeper.

The lightning would cut into the Devils lead with a shot from the right side that slipped just inside the left post. The officials originally called the ball wide, but after querying the Devils keeper and checking the net they overruled their own call and awarded the Lightning a goal.

Sammie gains possession of the ball

Defense was the focus of the second half. The Devils were forced to defend against offensive pressure from the outside. The Lightning would move the ball down the wings and then lob passes to the middle. This was a new look for the defense, who responded well by clearing several attempts.

Grace would cap the game’s scoring by throwing a shot on goal from 30 feet, that weaved through the defense for the 5-1 lead.

Finishing up the half at forward, Ruhi, Sammie and Lindsay put together a string of chances that just missed converting a 6th tally. Jess, Karsyn and Katrina dictated play from midfield, serving up those chances.

1st Half Keeper: Sammie
2nd Half Keeper: Courtney

Fall 2009 Game 3 Photos

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9/20/09 Game Recap (3-1 Win)

Clara clears the ball

The girls had so much fun on Saturday, that they decided to do it all over again on Sunday. This time the offense was as hot as the blistering heat. The Devils opened things up against the MVLA Typhoons and stormed to a 3-1 win at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex.

With a pre-game emphasis on putting more shots on goal, the girls did exactly that, and it would pay off for them. Christene would set the tone on the opening possession with a booming shot that sailed over the crossbar. The play didn’t result in a tally, but the message was clear that they Devils had come to play.

Courtney would score the first of two goals on the day in the 7th minute, by taking a diagonal feed from Grace at the center line, then racing up field and slipping a shot just inside the right post.

Katrina turned up the heat on Sunday

She would make it 2-0 just four minutes later, after Shivani sent a booming through ball up the right side. Courtney grabbed the lead pass in the right corner than carried it toward the goal sliding a shot from right to left that just slipped past the MVLA goal keeper.

Audrey would get in on the action in the 20th minute by taking a feed from Katrina up the left side and punching home a 25-footer from outside the left post.

The defense played another smothering game, restricting the shots on their own net. MVLA would get a serious chance on net, when they were awarded a direct kick 6-yards outside the box. The ensuing shot would be gloved by Lindsay, but not before it bounced off her chest and back into the air. The Devils keeper did a great job of preventing rebound chance while the box was filled with blue jerseys.

Forming a wall

The Typhoons would get on the board right before half-time, when the Devils keeper challenged a shooter near the right post. Taking the shot away, the Typhoons right forward slid a pass from right to left, parallel with the goal line to a trailing forward. The Devils let the trailer slip underneath for the easy tap in goal.

The second half became more of an up-and-down game, with both teams clogging up the middle of the field. Courtney had one more chance at a hat-trick in the 34th minute, when a breakaway chance was pushed just wide of the right post.

With Ruhi in net for the 2nd half, the Devils dodged a bullet when she made a big save off a corner in the 38th minute.

The one blemish on the day came with 3 minutes left in the contest. Playing stopper, Grace took a big ball square off her nose, stopping play as the coaches attended to her. The play proved that these kids can generate some velocity on the ball, as was evident by the bloody nose Grace was sporting after the game.

Katrina would cap one last push with a booming shot in the 59th minute from 20 yards out. After deeking a defender with her back to the goal, the Devils forward, reversed her direction and put a solid strike on the ball, that had to be snared by the MVLA keeper at eye level.