Junior Girls Soccer
SG Soccer White: That Perfect Boarding School Day
You can’t ask for much more than what happened this past Saturday. First away game vs our oldest rival from BCS. Blue skies, a few wispy white clouds, the smell of freshly mown grass (so fresh we had to keep banging grass off our cleats), bright white lines, trees just beginning to turn colour. As the players started their warmup, looking sharp and together, I couldn’t help but think, “Yep, I’m a little jealous…I wish I was player today.”
And the game itself did not disappoint! Our new formation, along with improved possession and creativity in the midfield – led by Gloria Riddell, Siena Webster and (newly elected captain!) Camryn Moore – immediately created exciting scoring chances, while some aggressive play by the back line – especially Sara Paquette and Player of the Game Avah St-Pierre – kept the ball in our opponents’ end. We also did a good job “stealing” BCS’s goal kicks and punts, which kept the pressure on.
After a couple near misses by Camryn and Ana Nieto, your Spartans were rewarded 10 minutes in with the first goal of the game when ever-improving Bernadette von Campenhausen got in close and poked one by the BCS keeper. But despite constant pressure – Lana Peasley, then Jimena Sanchez, then Bernadette again, then Charlotte Hughes, then Camryn all had chances, and then we hit a crossbar, and there was a madscrambleandsomehowtheballstayedout – we couldn’t notch that all-important second goal. And when goalie (and newly elected captain!) Maddie Lippmann bailed us out by stopping BCS’s best player on a long partial breakaway against the run of play, I started getting nervous. Soccer’s like that. A few bad bounces and you can lose, no matter how much you’re dominating.
But then Siena swooped in from the left side and buried one low – you can actually see the goal on Instachat or whateveryoucallit – finally making it 2-0, giving us breathing room, and opening the floodgates from that point on. Camryn coolly converted a penalty shot 5 minutes later to make it 3-0. Then Charlotte Hughes tucked one under the crossbar for her first goal of the season. And then Camryn and Bernadette combined for Play of the Game #2 when Camryn won a ball in midfield, turned it upfield, then fed Bernadette a short through ball that she took perfectly, created separation, and finished clinically bottom corner. What a goal!
But you may be wondering, if that was Play of the Game #2, then what was Play of the Game #1? None other than Maddie’s sensational diving penalty kick save with 20 min left – I honestly can’t believe she stopped it, I wish THAT was on Snapface so I could see it again!
Final score 5-0 for the Red & White, which meant big smiles at Subway and Valentine afterwards. But this game also clearly showed things we need to work on – yet another reason it was a “perfect” day – so be prepared the next few practices to work on first touches, supporting positioning, finishing and communication COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION.
But before those practices we have probably our toughest game of the season this Monday vs the Stanstead Senior Girls Red team, who have been absolutely routing every team they’ve faced this season. They are athletic, fast, aggressive and talented. This will be the biggest test of the year.
You can’t ask for more than that – here we go!
Coaches Van Dyke & Kirby
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