Devils take 4th at Spring D2 Cup - Gold Division

The Devils wrapped up the Spring soccer season with an impressive showing at the D2 Cup Tournament this past weekend, taking 4th place. The girls landed a spot in the Consolation Final on Sunday night and would battle to a 2-2 draw with the Alpine Bobcats, before losing 3-2 in the shootout on a dark Mountain View High School field.

The Devils seemed poised to make a dent in the Gold flight of the U13 Girls tournament, but a rough start prevented the girls from qualifying for the Championship game. Sunnyvale dominated play in the tournament opener against the Los Gatos Wildcats, but they couldn’t capitalize on several chances in front of the Los Gatos goal.

Courtney missed what should have been a gimee in the fifth minute of the game after a shot slipped past the Los Gatos keeper, but her shot on an empty net sailed wide of the goal. Audrey missed on another golden chance in the 18th min putting a shot from the top of the box into the keepers chest.

Los Gatos scored in the 45th minute on a free kick from just outside the 18 after the Devils were whistled for a foul.

The girls would bounce back in Saturday’s nightcap, taking a 2-0 decision over the Santa Cruz Breakers. Audrey chipped home a deflection in the 45th min after E started a run on the left side to provide the Devils with all the scoring they would need.

Christene punched home a second goal in the 54th min after a throw in. Audrey worked the ball from right to left, slipping a pass to Christene near the top of the 6. The subsequent shot hit the diving Breakers keeper in the hands before deflecting in to the goal.

The Devils secured their spot in the Consolation Final with an exciting 1-0 win over the MVLA Typhoons on a late goal.

The scoreless opening half was controlled by MVLA, but the game was reminiscent of the Devils opening round loss 24 hours earlier. The Devils started to turn things on at the 40 min mark, creating a series of scoring chances.

Marlene deposited the game’s lone goal off a corner kick in the 58th minute, after the ball was chipped across the middle of the big box.

The Devils were forced to play an abridged game to decide who would take the 3rd spot in the tournament after the Championship game ran late. With darkness approaching, the Devils and Bobcats played two 20-minute halves.

Sunnyvale took the early lead after Courtney ripped a shot from 15-feet out after chipping the ball past a defender past midfield and racing in on net. Alpine countered in the 2nd half streaking past the Devils defense before chipping a break into the net in the 31st minute.

It looked as if Sunnyvale would take the game in regulation, when Audrey punched home a goal with under 5 minutes to play, but the Bobcats converted a long shot with 2 minutes left in regulation.

Overcast skies and a setting sun denied the two teams from setting things in an overtime session, so the two teams immediately went to the shootout, where the Bobcats converted on 4 of 5 shots. The Devils converted on 3 of 4, before their final shot hit the crossbar to end the tournament.

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.

Spring 2010 Game 3 Photos

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4/10/10 Game Recap (4-0 Win)

Marlene had a monster game

With storm clouds brewing over Sunnyvale Soccer Complex on Saturday the Devils squared off against an undermanned Alpine Bobcats team for the first time The clouds held back, but the Devils stormed to a 4-0 win on the strength of a hat-trick by Marlene and solid defense.

The girls got off to a hot start, pushing the ball into the Bobcat’s zone at the opening kick-off and pressed the issue early. The Devils would strike shortly thereafter. Marlene deposited a deflection off a corner kick in the 3rd minute. Courtney sent the corner into the box where it was partially cleared to Marlene who ripped a 15 foot shot, deflecting it off the Alpine keeper and into the goal.

Kelly narrowly missed on a chance three minutes later, drilling a shot through the left side where the keeper had to make a diving stop. That was just a taste of what was to come. Marlene put another shot wide of the right post a minute later, then Grace uncorked a shot from the top of the box that just missed wide right at the 13 min mark.

Audrey knocks a ball down

Marlene would zero in on her second goal of the afternoon in the 19th minute, tucking a shot just inside the left post for the 2-0 lead. The Devils had held the ball in the offensive zone for a good 5 minutes, in part from the outstanding play in the middle. Grace, Kelly, E, and Katrina kept the Bobcats from generating much offensive momentum by keeping the ball from the midline.

When it did get through, Ruhi, Karsyn, Lindsay, Christene and Jess Jess swept things back into the offensive zone.

The Bobcat’s best chance came right before half time, but Veriche knocked down a shot attempt from her keeper position and grabbed the loose ball for one of two saves on the afternoon.

Ruhi keeps the backline clear

The Devils were awarded a penalty shot 30 second into the 2nd half for a handball in the box. The Alpine keeper would preserve the 2-0 score by snaring Marlene’s shot to the right side.

Courtney would add to the shot parade, just missing on a shot from the right corner of the box in the 42nd minute. Getting a stint at the right mid position, Veriche sent a pretty cross a minute later that Audrey one timed but the keeper got back to grab the shot.

Marlene would make it 3-0 in the 47th minute on a wild sequence. Courtney pushed the ball across the box from right to left, before Audrey put a shot on goal that clanked off the left post. The ball would find its way to Marlene, who drilled home the shot from point blank range.

Celebrating Grace's goal

The Devils would find more iron three minutes later, when Courtey bounced another shot off a post, this time from the right side.

Grace would cap the scoring in the 53rd minute by taking advantage of a tired Bobcats defense. The midfielder carried the ball right down the center of the field, splitting two defenders before ripping an 18 foot shot that hit the twine.

Game Positives—

Celebrate!

Ball control: The girls continue to improve their small ball skills every game. The highlight of the afternoon was play where Marlene put four touches on the ball in a row…without letting it hit the ground.

Head balls: The girls employed back passes from a head ball, which is something that was worked on during Thursday’s practice. Using it as a new weapon in their repertoire, the Devils generated at least two chances on goal with the move.