Facing their sister team the SASC Blades for the first time in league competition, sickness and injury left the Devils at less than 100% on Saturday. Throw in a player absence, the cards were already stacked against the Devils, but they battled back from a 1-0 deficit to tie the Blades 1-1 at the Sunnyvale Soccer Complex.
With one bout of bronchitis, a case of the stomach flu, an eye infection and one player gone for the weekend, the Devils still turned in a yeoman’s effort to salvage a point in the standings.
Playing with initiative in the first ten minutes of the game, the Devils generated several scoring chances, only to be stifled by the Blades defense. Courtney came inches from an early 1-0 lead when she rang a 25-foot shot off the crossbar.
Ball control and a steady game plan kept the ball in the Blades zone for several minutes. With the rash of medical maladies inflicting the roster, the tide began to turn midway through the half.
Former Devil Akayla put the Blades up 1-0 after intercepting a goal kick that fell short of its mark. Racing into the box from the right wing, she fired a shot rocketed to the upper left corner.
The start of the 2nd half was still controlled by the Blades who kept a steady dose of shots targeted on the Devils goal.
With a dwindling clock, the Devils began to play with more urgency late in the game. The play began to lean in the direction of the Blades net, and the Devils would soon capitalize.
First, Kelly missed on a chance from the top of the box that sailed wide left, but the Devils persistence kept the ball deep. After a Blade cleared the ball behind her own end line, the Devils had a chance on a corner kick.
Marlene took the corner and misfired on a shot that fell short, but was again cleared by a Blades defender. This setup a second chance from the corner, and this time Marlene would get a big foot on the ball.
The ball sailed toward the box, and a pin-balled between three or four players before landing on Christene’s boot. With a true shot, the ball found the back of the net to knot the game at 1-1.
Positive Takeaways from the Game—Team Work: A couple girls stepped up during practice this week to emphasize the importance of playing as a team. It was a pretty impressive display from a group of kids that are more mature than we sometimes give them credit.
Dedication: Given all the medical issues that the team faced, everyone was there to provide support as a team. The weather was not that great, but everyone showed their commitment to the team.
No Quit: Even down a goal, the girls stayed persistent, and that paid off for them late in the game. Trailing in the game also setup an opportunity for them to have to fight to get back in the game.
Areas of Improvement—Psychology: As can be expected from 8 & 9 year old kids, past experiences play too big a role in what lies ahead. This was certainly the case leading up to this game. The scrimmage against the Blades earlier this season planted a seed that evolved into something bigger than it should have. The coaching staff also needed to downplay the relevance of the opponent in order to counter any doubts that had sprouted leading up to the game.
Missed Opportunities: As can happen from time to time, the rec player resurfaces and attention to fundamentals can slip. Finding a passing target is something that could have been better in this game. Emphasis on moving the ball to a teammate in order to retain possession is an important fundamental that we need to build on.
Labels: 2008 Fall Season, SASC Blades
