5/14/11 Game Recap (2-1 Win)

There are dramatic wins, and then there are games like last Saturday’s affair deep in the hills of Portola Valley that leave you speechless. With only seconds remaining on the clock, the Devils pulled off the unthinkable with a wild goal that helped push them back atop the CCSL U12G Silver Elite Standings.

Playing in the final road game of the Spring season, the Devils looked to hop-scotch past SF Athena by beating the host Alpine Bobcats at Russ Miller Town Center Field. Nestled in the hills west of Palo Alto, in what can only be described as slice of heaven on earth, the small field was surrounded by nothing but beautiful green trees and rolling hills.

The serenity that is Portola Valley was rocked by a goal late in the contest to give the Devils a 2-1 win. The game winning goal materialized after a mad scramble by the Devils to get the ball deep into the Alpine zone. Knowing that time was against them, the girls from Sunnyvale got the ball to the right corner, where Courtney sent a cross to the area in front of the small box.

Audrey got her forehead on the ball, sending a high arching volley back toward the right corner of the goal. Marlene was Johnny-on-the-spot for a chip-shot off her right foot that floated over the outstretched hands of the Bobcats goal keeper and over the goal line.

The center referee allowed the ensuing kickoff, then immediately blew his whistle, ending the heart-pounding game as time expired.

The finish setup the Devils with a chance to take the top spot in the league with a victory on Saturday when the girls faceoff against the Juventus Comos at Sunnyvale Soccer Complex. While the outcome was well deserved, it could have been a very different game.

Sunnyvale looked as if they would blitz the Alpine defense early, forcing the action in the Bobcats zone for the first 15 minutes of play. There was also not shortage of shots on net by the Devils, who created several scoring chances early.
Audrey got the first shot on goal in the 2nd minute of play, ringing a blast off the left post after streaking up the left side. Courtney setup another great scoring chance 5 minutes later with a pretty cross that Grace just missed tapping home from the doorstep.

The Devils took a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute, when Audrey chipped a rebound off the Bobcats keeper home from the center of the small box. Courtney setup the goal by lifting a cross from the right corner that was partially blocked by the goal keeper.

Alpine decided to kick things into gear midway through the opening half. They turned the tide with a flurry of shots. Karsyn helped the Devils retain the lead with a big deflection from inside the 18 right before half time.

The Devils tried to add to their lead early in the second half, when Courtney sent in a shot in the 34th minute that was gloved by the Alpine keeper. Marlene followed that up with a blast 6 minutes later.

Things started to turn south on the Sunnyvale girls in the 45th minute when Karsyn was issued her first yellow card, after colliding with a Bobcat player.

The Bobcats would create a prime scoring chance moments later, but Kelly made the save of the game, trapping the shot with her chest, before clearing it from the right side of the goal line after the ball was passed to a Bobcat forward on the right side.

Alpine capitalized on a Devils miscue in the 50th minute. Karsyn tried to head a high arching kick at the midline, but the ball deflected back toward the Devils goal. A Bobcats forward got a jump on Ruhi and she was off to the races. Hazel played the breakaway chance perfectly, coming off the line to challenge the shooter, but the Bobcat, chipped a shot to her right, knotting the game at 1-1.

The Devils would spend the next 9 minutes and 50 seconds trying to figure out a way to get a ball into the Alpine net. They cracked the problem with Marlene’s heroics late.

Game Positives—

The girls created scoring in the clutch when they needed it, never giving up on a chance to win the game. They also created several great chances early by really utilizing well-timed lead passes and combinations.

Development Areas—

After scoring the opening goal, the girls let their feet off the gas, allowing the opposing team to build momentum. A significant number of turnovers were created by Devils players kicking the ball to space with no recipient in the vicinity. The midfielders were also either under or over-committed, which exposed the middle of the field. This created far too many turnovers and subsequently, more offensive chances for Alpine.

5/8/11 Game Recap (1-1 Tie)

Sometimes you just have one of those games. Clinging to the points lead in the CCSL Bay Silver Elite Division for U12 girls, the Devils let a flurry of opportunities slip through their fingers on Sunday night, and with it the top spot in the standings. They didn’t lose, but failed to capture the win and the three points that goes with a victory, tying Santa Clara Sporting Green 1-1 at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex.

The Devils scored a goal with 5 minutes remaining in the game to avoid their first loss of the season. Ace’s heroics helped the Devils stave off defeat by punching home a goal from 25-feet, looping a shot over the Sporting goal keeper to help Sunnyvale rally late.

The game was a frustrating one for Sunnyvale, who dominated most of the contest, but failed to convert on a bundle of chances in front of the Santa Clara goal.
Jess Jess opened the affair with the games 1st shot in the 7th minute, a nice scoring opportunity that she sent up the middle. The sporting keeper gloved the shot with a diving stop to her right.

Marlene would follow up the scoring chance with an play in the 14th minute. Once again the Sporting keeper was up to the task.

The Devils midfielders controlled the centerline, preventing any serious chances from approaching the Sunnyvale goal. Clara, Darcie and Grace played an exceptional first half, moving the ball well laterally.

Sunnyvale generated a nice chance on net right before halftime, when Marlene split two defenders in the 24th minute and sent a shot on net that was stopped by a diving save.

The complexion of the game changed in the second half. Sporting created more offensive chances by playing aggressively to the ball. They would score in the 36th minute after a goal punt fell short. Sporting intercepted the ball just outside the 18 and floated a shot over Hazel for the easy tally.

The Devils would go to work in an attempt to draw even with Santa Clara. Audrey missed on a golden chance on a through ball in the 49th minute pushing a shot just wide of the right post.

Recognizing that they needed to gain control of the ball in order to create any offense, Kelly went on a rampage from her midfielder position, tracking down balls and bumping players off the ball for the better part of the half. She created the turnover that led to Grace’s goal.

With the clock ticking down, Sporting made one final push, generating a shot in the game’s final seconds that rang off the post. Hazel tracked back to the ball and swept it to safety as two Sporting forwards tried to collapse on the rebound. The whistle sounded, allowing the Devils to escape with a point.

Game Positives—

The girls showed great tenacity in their attempt to rally from the one-goal deficit late in the game. The play by the midfielders was exceptional in the last 20 minutes of the contest, which allowed the team to score the equalizer.

Development Areas—

The lack of focus in the final 2 minutes of the game could have proved costly. Trapping continues to be an area that is hurting the team. That skill allowed the opposition to penetrate as deeply as they did on the game’s final rush. The outcome of the game may have been much different had the forward line players taken more shots. There were several instances where the ball was held too long.

5/1/11 Game Recap (0-0 Tie)

The Devils battled to a hard fought 0-0 tie against the MVLA Typhoons Blue on Sunday at Hillview Park in Los Altos. The girls were looking to put together back-to-back win after their strong performance against the SCC Breakers a week earlier. The game came down to a battle of defenses, but neither team would buckle in the scoreless deadlock.
Both squads focused on ball possession during the opening minutes of the contest. MVLA used their exceptional ball handling skills to package a pair of attacks earlier in the game.

The Devils 1st big chance in the game came in the 24th min. The Devils midfielders moved the ball from left to right off a throw in, setting up a scoring chance. Audrey, Grace and Marlene worked a combination play to the top of the 18 for a shot that just missed wide right.

MVLA countered moments later, driving the Devils net. Hazel made a huge save in the 29th minute deflecting a rocket wide left with a lunging fist that punched the ball safely over the cross bar.

That play was the lone scoring chance that MVLA would have on the afternoon. The backline corps of Ruhi, Karsyn, Lindsay, Jess and Christene stymied the Typhoons most of the afternoon.

Marlene setup another Devils chance with a shot off her left foot in the 40th min that was gloved by the MVLA keeper.

Courtney followed that up with a with a blast in the 47th min that once again needed to be gloved.

Both defenses clamped down on the opposition as the game worn on. Neither of the teams could muster many offensive chances as the clock wound down. It was a great display of two very evenly matched teams.

Game Positives—

Combination plays were the theme of the afternoon, and the girls did a great job of working the ball to each other. They are becoming more and more confident with their passing, and have established a nice tempo when moving the ball into the attacking zone.

Development Areas—

Free giveaways off mishandled passes continues to be an area that needs plenty of supplemental attention. This is a team weakness that has nullified several attacks.

4/23/11 Game Recap (6-0 Win)

Jess carries the ball up field

The Devils extended their hot streak with a resounding 6-0 victory over the Santa Cruz County (SCC) Breakers on Saturday at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex. As the Bay Area weather begins to heat up, so goes the Devils offense, which was firing on all cylinders. Five different Devils contributed to the scoring in the goal-fest.

Early indications suggested that the field was tilted in the Devils favor. The offense pushed deep into the Breakers zone immediately after the opening whistle and created a pair of scoring chances that were suppressed by the visitors.

Audrey kicked off the scoring in the 8th minute after Courtney sent a diagonal pass from the right side. Audrey gathered the ball at the top of the 18 and rifled home her 4th goal of the season.

She would score a minute later after Karsyn sent a long free kick from the Devils side of midfield. The Breakers had been called for a handball, and the lofting drive by the Devils stopper caught the Breakers back-liners off guard.

Hazel secures a shot

Courtney punched home the Devils 3rd goal in the 12th minute after Kelly carried the ball up the left sideline and sent a cross to the box.

The play of the game came right before half. Kelly and Audrey connected on a four-pass combination play along the left sideline that was a sight to behold. It was a great demonstration of the girl’s small ball skills, but more importantly it showed the maturity of the players as they unselfishly worked off each other to advance the ball.

The Devils picked up right where they left off to start the 2nd half. Marlene sent a blast from the right side in the 33rd min that was gloved by the Breakers keeper.
The Breakers regrouped to mount an offensive charge, but the defenders, led by Ruhi snuffed out the attack. Jess Jess used some deft ball handling to navigate around three attackers on one sequence to move the ball out of the Sunnyvale zone.

Darcie maintains possession

Clara chipped home her 1st goal of the season in the 44th min after Courtney bounced a shot of the keeper. The midfielder pinched from her spot on the left side, streaking past a Breakers defender before one-timing the shot into the SCC net.

Grace made it 5-0 after chipping a long rebound over the keeper from 45 feet out. The center midfielder intercepted a ball 10 yards inside the midfield line then sent a high arching shot on goal that sailed over the keeper’s outstretched hands for her 2nd goal of the season.

Christene capped the scoring in the 55th minute by chipping home a deflection from the left side. Darcie and Clara worked the ball into the box before creating a scoring chance that the SCC keeper was able to get a hand on. Christene followed it up to record her first goal of the season.

Getting a chance at forward, Lyndsay put together a nice scoring chance with a long breakaway that was followed by a shot on goal that just missed wide of the right post.

Game Positives—

Scoring was the name of the game, and the girls were relentless when given the opportunity. Putting shots on net paid dividends. This has been a point of contention early in the season, but they answered with a strong showing. The combination plays are becoming a more frequent occurrence, which is showing the development of the girls as soccer players. Much of the scoring was setup by very accurate passing, which is also starting to show great improvement.

Development Areas—

With the opportunity to move players around to different positions, it was apparent that some of the girls were out of their element. This led to a breakdown in fundamentals, like basic defensive positioning. As the girls advance to higher levels of play, they need to be prepared to take on any position, and with it the responsibility of maintaining basic fundamentals.

4/17/11 Game Recap (1-1 Tie)

Ace battles for the ball

The Devils played their second consecutive game on the road on Sunday and battled the Los Gatos Wildcats to an entertaining 1-1 tie. The Devils scored early in the opening half then surrendered a goal right before halftime, before trading plenty of scoring chances in the deadlock.

The big story of the day was Hazel, who made her Devils debut in goal. The Sunnyvale goalkeeper made an impressive first impression, making several big saves to help the Devils secure a point with the tie.

The Devils set the tone early in the contest, controlling the offensive zone for the better part of the opening half. A Wildcats handball was called 30 feet out in the 8th minute. Karsyn launched a high free kick that skipped through the small box before skipping wide left. Sunnyvale failed to put a body on the ball for a deflection.

Audrey would find the back of the net in the 11th minute after drilling a shot from the top of the 18 after Grace slid a pass to the slot from the left side of the field.

Kelly made a spot start at the sweeper position, playing the position for the first time in a while. She helped control the backline and quarterbacked the defense. Lindsay and Jess used their respective strengths to keep the Wildcat forwards in check on the outside for the majority of the opening half.

Hazels' BIG save

Los Gatos chipped the ball past the Sunnyvale backline to create a break in the 20th minute, but Hazel made a massive save, deflecting a chest-high shot by extending her left arm over the crossbar.

The Wildcats tied it in the 24th min after a pass similar to the one that netted the Devils their goal was slipped from left to right across the top of the 18. A Wildcats forward gathered the ball and ripped a shot inside the left post.

Both teams had a chance to go ahead in the 2nd half, but the defenses stood tall. The Devils best chance came in the 41st minute when a pin-balling chance found its way to Darcie who drilled a shot that barely cleared the crossbar.

The midfielders played an excellent controlled game, leaning on their small ball skills, especially under heavy pressure.

Grace and Courtney would team up for a nice wall pass sequence that created a scoring chance early in the half.

E setup another scoring chance by applying an aggressive dose of pressure in the left corner after the Devils pushed a ball deep. She would force a turnover before sending a centering pass to Grace near the top left corner of the big box.

Audrey with the pull-back

Darcie and Christene would send a constant stream of through balls to Courtney on the right side all game long. The trio teamed up for tree nice offensive chances in the 2nd half.

A centering feed from the Wildcats midfield setup another scoring chance late in the game. Once again, Hazel came up big, deflecting a ball safely out of bounds with a sliding tackle after a Los Gatos forward got a step on the Devils defense.

Clara got a big foot on the ensuing Wildcat corner kick to steer the ball safely out of the Devils end.

Game Positives—

The girls applied plenty of pressure in the opening half, which resulted in an early goal. They generated most of their offense by stringing together short, accurate passes. The midfielders led the way, utilizing some nifty dribbling to keep possession of the ball. The goalkeeping was super!

Development Areas—

Defensive positioning allowed several scoring chances for the opposition. Some of this was caused by an urgency to overload one side of the field, and forget about forwards on the weak side of the field.

4/9/11 Game Recap (2-0 Win)

The Devils played another strong game on Saturday, taking their second consecutive win to open the Spring season. Sunnyvale scored a goal in each half and held off a feisty West Valley Surefire squad 2-0 at the Prospect High School turf field.

The Devils played a very impressive game, focusing on ball control and combination plays. There was no shortage of offensive chances on either side of the halftime break, as the Devils pressed in the offensive zone in 30 minute segments.

Courtney put on a shooting display, sending a series of balls on goal from her forward position. Her first chance came on a through ball from Katrina in the 4th minute. She took the feed up the right side before snapping a shot that was gloved by the Surefire goalkeeper.

She would take another shot from 15 feet less than three minutes later that was headed to the upper right corner before being gloved again by the West Valley keeper.

Darcie and E turned in very strong games from the midfield. Darcie showed off her ball handling skills on several occasions, dribbling around defenders before setting up several combinations. E was a force on the left side, applying an up-tempo performance that caused several turnovers. She showed off her diversity by finishing the afternoon on the back line.

The Devils would crack the scoring deadlock in the 23rd minute, when Grace pumped a pass from the left sideline past the keeper for her first goal of the season. The center-midfielder received the ball at the top of the 18, before squaring herself to the goal and firing the shot home.

Sunnyvale began to employ more back passing as the Surefire forwards began to press. Lindsay and goaltender Akayla teamed up to safely clear a threat with a back pass to the box.

The shots would continue to come in the 2nd half. Courtney ripped another shot that sailed just wide right of the goal 2 minutes in.

Jess and Ruhi came up big in the 40th minute when they snuffed out an offensive chance by the Surefire deep in the Devils zone. Jess trapped a crossing attempt inside the box, pushing the ball out with several Surefire players circling her. Ruhi would sweep a return feed out to the right side, before lifting is safely to midfield.

The Devils would cap the scoring with a goal in the 45th minute. Once again, Courtney fired a shot from the right side that the Surefire keeper deflected into the small box. Audrey swooped in from the off forward position and beat a defender to the ball with a sliding shot that found the back of the net.

Game Positives—

The combinations are starting to become a strength of the team. They employed several passing sequences that created plenty of offensive chances throughout the afternoon. A lack of shots on goal was an issue in the fall season. This was a direct result of the absence of extended passing sequences. Saturday’s game showed how multiple passes can create offensive chances.

Development Areas—

Trapping continues to be an area that requires more attention. The girls surrendered the ball on too many occasions because trap attempts bounced away. High balls were a specific trouble spot.

4/3/11 Game Recap (3-1 Win)

Darcy makes her Devils debut

The Devils kicked off the 2011 CCSL Spring Season with an impressive 3-1 win over the defending CCSL Silver Elite Champion MP Strikers on Sunday at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex. The Devils shrugged off an early 1-0 deficit and stormed back with three unanswered goals to kick off the spring season in impressive fashion.

The team welcomed new midfielder Darcie to the lineup, who played a great game, controlling the right side for most of the afternoon. Her Mom tells us she was a little nervous about making her Devils debut, but she looked as cool as a cucumber whenever she had the ball at her feet.

Overall, the girls looked fantastic out of the gate. Having a reputation as notoriously slow starters, the off-season running program that was managed by Mike Gallagher paid immediate dividends for the team. Endurance was a non-factor the entire afternoon and team speed played a role in the victory.

Things got off to a rocky start when the Strikers converted in just the 8th minute of play. The Devils opponent put a shot on net from the top left corner of the 18, that deflected off a Devils defender. Akayla, the Devils goalkeeper, was in position to make the save on the initial shot, but the deflection made a stop an impossibility. It would be the only Devils blemish on the afternoon.

Audrey celebrates her goal

Sunnyvale would counter 6 minutes later when Audrey slipped past the MP defense off a long free kick by Karsyn from midfield. Beating two defenders, Audrey gathered the pass outside the 18, cut left and slipped a shot past the Strikers keeper to tie the game

Courtney made it 2-1 in the 21st minute, after Grace sent a pretty corner in from the left side. The speedy forward used her ball skills rather than her speed to convert the goal, chipping a shot on goal before the ball could hit the ground. Kelly positioned herself perfectly in front of the Strikers keeper, screening her view. By the time the keeper picked up the shot, it was through legs.

The Strikers showed why they were league champions later in the period, stringing together a series of attacks on the Devils net. Akayla made a big save right before half by stopping a 15 foot rocket with a big chest save.

The Devils backline would suppress the Strikers offense, led by Ruhi who calmly swept a handful of through-balls safely to the sidelines. Her defensive timing was spot on as usual.

Christene starts the attack

The outside defenders forced the Strikers to focus on central attacks, because they took away the outside lanes. Lindsay and Christene used their speed to track down equally quick Striker forwards.

Audrey added a second goal in the 46th minute after Courtney sent a cross from the right side. The MP keeper got both hands on the ball but couldn't contain it. Audrey swooped in from the left side punching it home with a sliding stab at the ball.
Clara, E and Katrina all had strong games in the middle, tying up the Strikers attack and moving the ball well.

The Devils keeper came up big at the end of the game, stopping a series of shots from a variety of distances.

Game Positives—-

The girls did a great job capitalizing on their opportunities in front of the net. That was a problem area last season, but they showed great improvement by getting the ball into the attacking zone and putting shots on net. Overall, team hustle was very evident. The girls are improving on attacking the ball and moving to space. They also consistently improve on their decision making, especially under pressure. As the girls transition to a new offensive format, they are coming along well in interpreting how that format can be used to beat opposing defenses. Making that adjustment is no easy task, especially since they’ve played a different format for so long.

Development Areas--

There was a tendency to kick the ball forward when there was no pressure. This would result in unnecessary turnovers. Through ball passes could also use some work. Receiving the ball in the air continues to be an area that the team can improve on as a whole. The Strikers used this skill to great advantage.

Spring 2011 Game Schedule

4/3/11 (9:00am) League Game #1: vs MP Strikers 98 Blue - @ Sunnyvale Soccer Complex [MAP] 3-1 W (Goals: Audrey (2), Courtney. GK: Akayla (1))

4/9/11 (4:00pm) League Game #2: @ West Valley Surefire 98 - Location: Prospect High School [MAP] 2-0 W (Goals: Courtney, Grace)

4/17/118 (9:00am) League Game #3: @ Los Gatos Wildcats - Location: Fisher Middle School [MAP] 1-1 T (Goals: Audrey)

4/23/11 (11:30am) League Game #4: SCC Breakers 98 - @ Sunnyvale Soccer Complex [MAP] 6-0 Win (Goals; Audrey (2), Christene, Clara, Courtney, Grace)

5/1/11 (5:30pm) League Game #5: @ MVLA Typhoons Blue - Location: Hillview Field [MAP] 0-0 Tie (Goals: None)

5/8/11 (6:00pm) League Game #6: Sporting 99 Green - @ Sunnyvale Soccer Complex [MAP] 1-1 Tie (Goals: Grace)

5/14/11 (10:30am) League Game #7: @ Alpine Bobcats 98 Red - Location: Russ Miller Town Center Field[MAP] 2-1 Win (Goals: Audrey, Marlene)

5/21/11 (1:30pm) League Game #8: Juventus Cosmos - @ Sunnyvale Soccer Complex [MAP] 1-1 Tie (Goals: Audrey)


CCSL Bay Silver Elite League [Standings]


Team Stats
Season Record: 4W-0L-4T (16 points) - 3rd Place
Team Goals Scored: 16 (2.00 GFA)
Team Goals Allowed: 5 (0.62 GAA)
Team Shutouts: 3

Individual Stats
Goals Scored:
Audrey - 7
Courtney - 3
Grace - 3
Christene - 1
Clara - 1
Marlene - 1

Goals Allowed (Goaltending):
Akayla - 1 (0.50 GAA) - 2.00 games
Hazel - 4 (0.66 GAA) - 6.00 games