For the last game of the MSPSP league season we faced the Troy Alliance...a co-champion from last year's league and winner of several pre-season tournaments. But we finally had our full roster available. In a pre-warmup discussion, we made it a priority to focus our efforts and properly prepare for the game. I also told the players to end this season like they started it...in control and with a "W". They did not disappoint.
The team came out from the opening whistle pressing the Alliance players back into their own half of the field while out-possessing them by keeping the ball on the ground and playing to feet and open spaces. For the game, the Warriors outshot Troy 18-2, with 11 shots in the first half alone. Things were a little frustrating to start as we racked up a number of shots...with no goals to show for them. Hannah Huff broke things open with a 20 yard strike from center to give us our first goal.
In the second half, the Alliance came out strong (as I coached the team they would) and made a couple of good attempts on our net. Katie Ging was subbed in at forward after playing the first half as the keeper...and the team keeper proceded to nail a low driven ball at the Troy net that resulted in our second goal. It quieted the Troy comeback to say the least. Erin Castillo weathered the attempted comeback by Troy as the keeper in the second half and played excellently.
Emily Loza pursued a ball all the way to the Troy endline, pulled it back, and sent a beautiful arcing cutback pass back into the six yard box. Kara Birrell was there to receive and made a very creative play on the ball - curling it up and over the keepers head and into the net with her back to the net. It was a good way to put a cap on the game and the outdoor season.
The defense, led by Kelsey Beach, denied all attempts by the Troy team to penetrate. Aimee Jackson, Emily Mayer, Faith Lieder, Lisa Zaffina, and Shellie Marentette cleared early in our own defensive third...but played the ball under control in the midfield as directed. They filled space and shaped their defensive line based on what the game was showing them. The maturity of this group was impressive.
The midfield contracted and expanded as needed, and played wide and long as the game developed. Jessica Cook had an impressive outing, battling for every ball and setting up several opportunities. Similarly, Emily Loza, Hannah Rhoades, and Erin Castillo all added strength on the outsides...playing the touchline and switch/flighted ball well. Emily Rozin and Hannah Huff owned the middle of the field allowing very little penetration while setting up a lot of our wide play and strikes from the middle.
As we played most of the game in a 4-4-2 shape to counteract Troy's midfield, our forwards had their work cut out for them as they had to work to avoid being stranded. To be most effective they would have to play within the width of the frame of the net and allow the midfield to wrap around them to develop the attack. For the most part that is how things evolved...but we have a very fast set of strikers in the grouping of Shelby Watts, Meggy McConkey, Andrea Dumais, Alyssa Bolling, and Kara Birrell, so it is tough for the midfield to catch up to them. A few well-placed chips and splits and the strikers found themselves in a couple of breakaways...which unfortunately were not finished. The forwards did combine very well with each other and set up some very good opportunities.
This was probably the most well-played game of the season for the team. We were able to make use of all of our weapons, stuck to the game plan, and executed when it really mattered. They made it look easy against a very good opponent. We need to carry this effort into our indoor and training season...and ultimately into their high school seasons.
The team ended the outdoor season 5-2-2, with only 2 goals separating us from the top team in the division. It was a competitive division with the top 4 teams being separated by one point between each. Officially, we had the most potent offense with 24 goals in the league and the second most effective defense giving up only 9 goals in 9 games. Every game, every goal, and every play ultimately matters in the MSPSP season...as we found out once again this year.
Congratulations on a solid season.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
MSPSP League Game #8 vs. Clarkston Shadows (Loss 1-0)
An extremely competitive and exciting game between cross town rivals is one way to describe this contest. Another way is to say this game is the reason they make heart medication. Once again, injuries and absences factored into the final result...but we definitely had our share of opportunities.
We took the offensive from the first whistle and played extremely good possession soccer for the first 10-15 minutes. The passing game set up several good runs and two very good scoring chances in the early minutes of the game. Everyone played with extra intensity due to the familiarity with the opponent. In particular, Andrea Dumais who is a Clarkston HS student, played a great game and gave the Clarkston defense a lot to contend with. Shelby Watts and Alyssa Bolling played aggressively in the midfield and in the attacking third, as well as Emily Rozin who had a tough assignment all afternoon with Clarkston's star midfielder.
After a few fruitless attempts on net, the momentum began to swing over to Clarkston as they mounted the attack. Their strikers up top displayed a lot of speed and good ball control. Our defense still contained them all afternoon with the exception of one run on the outside where the striker took the inside track and struck on net for the only goal of the game.
Katie Ging made some exciting saves during this period to keep us in the game, but even as we pressed the attack...we could not find the back of the net. Panic in front of the net and failure to force the opposing keeper to do the hard work cost us this game.
We took the offensive from the first whistle and played extremely good possession soccer for the first 10-15 minutes. The passing game set up several good runs and two very good scoring chances in the early minutes of the game. Everyone played with extra intensity due to the familiarity with the opponent. In particular, Andrea Dumais who is a Clarkston HS student, played a great game and gave the Clarkston defense a lot to contend with. Shelby Watts and Alyssa Bolling played aggressively in the midfield and in the attacking third, as well as Emily Rozin who had a tough assignment all afternoon with Clarkston's star midfielder.
After a few fruitless attempts on net, the momentum began to swing over to Clarkston as they mounted the attack. Their strikers up top displayed a lot of speed and good ball control. Our defense still contained them all afternoon with the exception of one run on the outside where the striker took the inside track and struck on net for the only goal of the game.
Katie Ging made some exciting saves during this period to keep us in the game, but even as we pressed the attack...we could not find the back of the net. Panic in front of the net and failure to force the opposing keeper to do the hard work cost us this game.
MSPSP League Game # 7 vs. Michigan Gators (Loss 3-2)
At this point in the season, this game was between the #1 and #2 teams in the division. Unfortunately, we came into this game with a series of unfortunate injuries and absences, half of which happened to be in the defense. We made several adjustments to bolster the defense while balancing the midfield and strikers. We had several individual standouts in the game, but just never seemed to click as a team on this cold gameday.
Alyssa Bolling aided the defense and played an extremely physical game on both ends. She added a goal off a well placed corner kick from Hannah Rhoades to give us the first lead. Shelby Watts made a good run into the attacking third and got dumped in the 18 yard box. Moments later, Hannah Huff would finish a penalty kick to give us our 2nd and last goal of the game. Kelsey Beach anchored the defense as we were forced to play a little more lean than normal under certain circumstances. Emily Loza played a physical game forcing several turnovers on the outside lane, while Hannah Rhoades contributed several flighted balls into the attacking third including one that rebounded off the crossbar and missed being a goal by mere inches.
Our main issue in this game came from the Gators star striker. Basically placing herself with the last defenders and waiting for thru-ball passes. The Gators only managed about 35% possession time with fewer than half the shots on goal as us...but they converted 3 of them into goals. It was a very competitive game overall...but definitely one we could have won. Tied 2-2, we got caught in transition between our 3-4-3 formation (to push for goal) and converting back to our 4-3-3 formation (to defend/balance). The Gators striker took the ball with a defender on her heels and finished one on us with minutes left in the game.
Alyssa Bolling aided the defense and played an extremely physical game on both ends. She added a goal off a well placed corner kick from Hannah Rhoades to give us the first lead. Shelby Watts made a good run into the attacking third and got dumped in the 18 yard box. Moments later, Hannah Huff would finish a penalty kick to give us our 2nd and last goal of the game. Kelsey Beach anchored the defense as we were forced to play a little more lean than normal under certain circumstances. Emily Loza played a physical game forcing several turnovers on the outside lane, while Hannah Rhoades contributed several flighted balls into the attacking third including one that rebounded off the crossbar and missed being a goal by mere inches.
Our main issue in this game came from the Gators star striker. Basically placing herself with the last defenders and waiting for thru-ball passes. The Gators only managed about 35% possession time with fewer than half the shots on goal as us...but they converted 3 of them into goals. It was a very competitive game overall...but definitely one we could have won. Tied 2-2, we got caught in transition between our 3-4-3 formation (to push for goal) and converting back to our 4-3-3 formation (to defend/balance). The Gators striker took the ball with a defender on her heels and finished one on us with minutes left in the game.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Change to Clarkston Game
We have a change to the 10/25 game versus Clarkston:
MSPSL Classic 2 League Game #8
Sunday October 25, 2009 @ 5:00pm vs. Clarkston Shadows away (Clintonwood)
It is now being played at 5pm due to daylight concerns.
MSPSL Classic 2 League Game #8
Sunday October 25, 2009 @ 5:00pm vs. Clarkston Shadows away (Clintonwood)
It is now being played at 5pm due to daylight concerns.
MSPSP League Game #6 vs. NMSC Lightning (Win 4-0)
We played this team 6 short weeks ago in the Midland Invitational tournament, with the result being a 1-1 tie. This is a solid team that has always been on par with us in all of our competitions.
As this new contest opened up, we spent the first five minutes settling down and giving NMSC a number of chances on goal. We made some early adjustments to move players around and account for missing players. After these tense moments passed and we settled into a possession game once more...things changed.
The next 75 minutes belonged to us, spanning the remainder of the first half and the entire second half. NMSC played hard throughout the contest and displayed a high level of skill...but they could not match our possession and finishing ability. Huff and Rozin continued to build on their central midfield play and setup some great possession and scoring opportunities. For the contest, we had 12 shots on goal...with 4 of them in the back of the net. We also had 4 corner kicks...the last one almost put in by Lisa Zaffina who struck the goalpost with her header attempt.
About 10 minutes into the contest, Shelby Watts broke the scoring deadlock by firing a shot on goal unassisted that had some wicked topspin on it. The goalkeeper actually got to the ball, but the topspin on the ball caused it to walk right up her body and into the goal. Not especially pretty, but it counted all the same.
Hannah Rhoades set up the second goal of the contest by utilizing her ball skills and beating first one, and then a second, defender on the ground. A nicely passed central ball put it at the foot of Shelby Watts right up the middle. A second later we were up 2-0 courtesy of Shelby's finish.
We went to the half 2-0. We had already seen dangerous midfield shots from Hannah Huff, Hannah Rhoades, and Emily Loza. Erin Castillo and Jessica Cook worked well on the field to maintain possession and challenge NMSC players. The strikers were working hard with Shelby's runs and goals, and also Meggy McConkey beating players up top to set up some good scoring opportunities. Kara Birrell excelled at offensive possession, keeping the ball on the field and setting up a number of central pass/run combinations with her teammates.
In the second half, Meggy McConkey turned up the heat on NMSC and worked herself deep into the attacking third several times. One of these runs with the ball put her on the far side of the net, where she turned and fired a great cross clear across the goal mouth...right to a waiting Shelby Watts who finished it for her third goal. Our final goal was setup by a series of passes deep in the NMSC attacking third, ending with a back support pass from Shelby to a running Emily Loza who nailed the ball for her first MSPSP League goal of the season. In the second half, Katie Ging was subbed in goal by Erin Castillo. Both Katie and Erin played great and allowed us to post the shutout. Katie got some playtime at forward and struck a ball that just missed the crossbar.
Our possession game was great and was finally capped by an equally impressive finishing game. The entire team was on the same page as far as possession, even utilizing the goalkeeper on a number of situations, and really working well together.
On the defensive end of the ball, we had a number of adjustments that had to be made early in the game. Aimee Jackson and Faith Lieder were both out for this game, so Lisa Zaffina was moved to central defender with Kelsey Beach. The rest of the defensive unit was Emily Mayer and Shellie Marantette. These four ladies played the entire 80 minutes and did a super job. They held their shape well, pushed players as the situation presented itself, shutdown runs, and even hustled to break up a couple of breakaways that NMSC worked themselves into. Kelsey provided great leadership to the unit and worked with Lisa, who had not played defense in quite a while. They worked things out in the back, and Lisa had a great game as a result. It actually added a dimension to our set plays (free kicks and corner kicks), as we could push Lisa in for a finish as the other three held the defensive space. I was very impressed by the play of the defensive unit during this game.
We are two-thirds of the way done with our MSPSP league schedule. We are currently the division leaders. We have three critical games ahead of us: Michigan Gators, Clarkston, and Troy. In each game, we will be the target and must be prepared to execute at the level we played on Sunday...or better. We are getting things together and peaking at the right time. Stay focused, practice hard, and play even harder.
Next game is Sunday 10/11 in Lenox township versus the 2nd place Michigan Gators.
As this new contest opened up, we spent the first five minutes settling down and giving NMSC a number of chances on goal. We made some early adjustments to move players around and account for missing players. After these tense moments passed and we settled into a possession game once more...things changed.
The next 75 minutes belonged to us, spanning the remainder of the first half and the entire second half. NMSC played hard throughout the contest and displayed a high level of skill...but they could not match our possession and finishing ability. Huff and Rozin continued to build on their central midfield play and setup some great possession and scoring opportunities. For the contest, we had 12 shots on goal...with 4 of them in the back of the net. We also had 4 corner kicks...the last one almost put in by Lisa Zaffina who struck the goalpost with her header attempt.
About 10 minutes into the contest, Shelby Watts broke the scoring deadlock by firing a shot on goal unassisted that had some wicked topspin on it. The goalkeeper actually got to the ball, but the topspin on the ball caused it to walk right up her body and into the goal. Not especially pretty, but it counted all the same.
Hannah Rhoades set up the second goal of the contest by utilizing her ball skills and beating first one, and then a second, defender on the ground. A nicely passed central ball put it at the foot of Shelby Watts right up the middle. A second later we were up 2-0 courtesy of Shelby's finish.
We went to the half 2-0. We had already seen dangerous midfield shots from Hannah Huff, Hannah Rhoades, and Emily Loza. Erin Castillo and Jessica Cook worked well on the field to maintain possession and challenge NMSC players. The strikers were working hard with Shelby's runs and goals, and also Meggy McConkey beating players up top to set up some good scoring opportunities. Kara Birrell excelled at offensive possession, keeping the ball on the field and setting up a number of central pass/run combinations with her teammates.
In the second half, Meggy McConkey turned up the heat on NMSC and worked herself deep into the attacking third several times. One of these runs with the ball put her on the far side of the net, where she turned and fired a great cross clear across the goal mouth...right to a waiting Shelby Watts who finished it for her third goal. Our final goal was setup by a series of passes deep in the NMSC attacking third, ending with a back support pass from Shelby to a running Emily Loza who nailed the ball for her first MSPSP League goal of the season. In the second half, Katie Ging was subbed in goal by Erin Castillo. Both Katie and Erin played great and allowed us to post the shutout. Katie got some playtime at forward and struck a ball that just missed the crossbar.
Our possession game was great and was finally capped by an equally impressive finishing game. The entire team was on the same page as far as possession, even utilizing the goalkeeper on a number of situations, and really working well together.
On the defensive end of the ball, we had a number of adjustments that had to be made early in the game. Aimee Jackson and Faith Lieder were both out for this game, so Lisa Zaffina was moved to central defender with Kelsey Beach. The rest of the defensive unit was Emily Mayer and Shellie Marantette. These four ladies played the entire 80 minutes and did a super job. They held their shape well, pushed players as the situation presented itself, shutdown runs, and even hustled to break up a couple of breakaways that NMSC worked themselves into. Kelsey provided great leadership to the unit and worked with Lisa, who had not played defense in quite a while. They worked things out in the back, and Lisa had a great game as a result. It actually added a dimension to our set plays (free kicks and corner kicks), as we could push Lisa in for a finish as the other three held the defensive space. I was very impressed by the play of the defensive unit during this game.
We are two-thirds of the way done with our MSPSP league schedule. We are currently the division leaders. We have three critical games ahead of us: Michigan Gators, Clarkston, and Troy. In each game, we will be the target and must be prepared to execute at the level we played on Sunday...or better. We are getting things together and peaking at the right time. Stay focused, practice hard, and play even harder.
Next game is Sunday 10/11 in Lenox township versus the 2nd place Michigan Gators.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
MSPSP League Game #5 vs. Michigan Sting (Tie 1-1)
This was a cold night that saw the availability of daylight quickly evaporate. The fact that our referees showed up 20 minutes late did not help either, especially since we were forced to call the game 10 minutes early. It is what it is. This game now places us more than halfway done with our MSPSP fall league schedule (game #5 of 9). At this point, we are the first place team in our division with a 2 point lead over the Michigan Gators. We still have a lot of tough games ahead of us, but we are positioned well to compete for the title. Our division is very close...with a number of ties occurring throughout (7 in the month of September).
The game stats: 14 shots on goal, versus 7 against. 4 corner kicks for us, versus 0 against us. 60-70% possession.
Bottomline: we walked away with a tie (1-1).
We definitely improved in the area of possession and accuracy of simple passing options. I saw a lot better focus on getting heads up and finding players. We used the central midfield a lot more effectively than in past games. The Michigan Sting tended to play a long ball game, and I was happy to see that we did not really get sucked into that. We kept the ball on the ground and played possession. Hannah Huff and Emily Rozin worked very hard to control the midfield and set the wide and central attack options up. Their work in the center of the field was a good example of how we should be setting up the attack.
So...what happened? Simply, we lacked a coordinated attack. We possessed well, but there was no urgency in the attacking third to finish on the net until the last 10-15 minutes of the game. We had isolated individual efforts that were notable (Meggy, Shelby, Hannah Rhoades, etc) throughout the game. But not until the last 10-15 minutes of the game did the whole team decide to attack the net as a team. The result of that coordinated attack was a goal by Shelby (off a nice centering pass from Kara), 3 corner kick opportunities, forced the Sting to play 6 defenders in the back, and at least 6 shots on net. The urgency we showed in the last 10-15 minutes of this game is the level of intensity and coordination that we need to be displaying from the beginning of every game. We made adjustments (converting to 3-5-2 to flood the midfield) but the real issue was one of urgency and desire to score.
We had a rare turnover in our own defensive third that resulted in a goal by the Sting, allowing them to score on one of their few opportunities. We worked through a slight breakdown in shape and spacing in the defense...that we will attribute to the cold weather conditions slowing down our adjustements. Basically, the defense needs to ensure that we start compact in our shape and force plays to the outside or funnel into other defenders to help.
We will be concentrating on the finishing and combination aspects that should follow the build up of possession in the next few training sessions. We should see our efforts to possess the ball followed up by dangerous strikes on net, otherwise we are just playing a big game of keep-away.
The game stats: 14 shots on goal, versus 7 against. 4 corner kicks for us, versus 0 against us. 60-70% possession.
Bottomline: we walked away with a tie (1-1).
We definitely improved in the area of possession and accuracy of simple passing options. I saw a lot better focus on getting heads up and finding players. We used the central midfield a lot more effectively than in past games. The Michigan Sting tended to play a long ball game, and I was happy to see that we did not really get sucked into that. We kept the ball on the ground and played possession. Hannah Huff and Emily Rozin worked very hard to control the midfield and set the wide and central attack options up. Their work in the center of the field was a good example of how we should be setting up the attack.
So...what happened? Simply, we lacked a coordinated attack. We possessed well, but there was no urgency in the attacking third to finish on the net until the last 10-15 minutes of the game. We had isolated individual efforts that were notable (Meggy, Shelby, Hannah Rhoades, etc) throughout the game. But not until the last 10-15 minutes of the game did the whole team decide to attack the net as a team. The result of that coordinated attack was a goal by Shelby (off a nice centering pass from Kara), 3 corner kick opportunities, forced the Sting to play 6 defenders in the back, and at least 6 shots on net. The urgency we showed in the last 10-15 minutes of this game is the level of intensity and coordination that we need to be displaying from the beginning of every game. We made adjustments (converting to 3-5-2 to flood the midfield) but the real issue was one of urgency and desire to score.
We had a rare turnover in our own defensive third that resulted in a goal by the Sting, allowing them to score on one of their few opportunities. We worked through a slight breakdown in shape and spacing in the defense...that we will attribute to the cold weather conditions slowing down our adjustements. Basically, the defense needs to ensure that we start compact in our shape and force plays to the outside or funnel into other defenders to help.
We will be concentrating on the finishing and combination aspects that should follow the build up of possession in the next few training sessions. We should see our efforts to possess the ball followed up by dangerous strikes on net, otherwise we are just playing a big game of keep-away.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
MSPSP League Game #4 vs. Huron Valley Lightning (Win 1-0)
Awesome job Katie! Shut-out, stopped PK, solid play all night long!
Before I describe this game, I wanted to recognize Katie for her outstanding performance tonight...worthy of upfront recognition. Katie had an answer for everything Huron Valley threw at her (and even the things the officials tossed her way). Good job.
A very frustrating game to say the least. We played very well in the first half...almost too well it would seem. 11 shots on goal with 5 of them being 1-on-1 with the keeper or quality shots. While the HV goalkeeper (a former Warrior) played well, we made her look better by putting shots right to her or by missing open net opportunities after we had beat the defense and the keeper in some instances. Control of simple passing options hurt from time to time, but there were solid stretches of good ball control and well set up strikes on net. Unbelievably, we went to the half 0-0.
We decided to unbalance the HV defense and concentrate on sewing up the middle of the field (which is where HV had set up the few counterstrikes they put together on us). We switched to a 4-2-4 formation putting a big emphasis on outnumbering the defense and consolidating the midfield with the outside defenders forming their shape (by pushing a player on the strong side) to fill in for the wide midfielder. We ran this formation for about 10 minutes and then worked back into the 4-3-3 when we saw them drop a forward back into the defensive midfield spot to try and counter the number of attacking players. In the midst of them switching again to adjust, Shelby Watts made a great run into the box with the ball unassisted and struck on net. The goalkeeper actually saved the first attempt, but Shelby stayed with the attack and put the rebound in.
This was an aggressive and physical game on both sides. In and of itself, that is fine. We can handle a rougher game...and even tend to like it. Huron Valley was getting desparate to score a goal and we were conversely stepping up to prevent that. However, the official starting calling a tight game...but mainly against us (in my opinion). Even though HV racked up an impressive number of yellow cards (2), it paled in comparison to the obvious focus he was placing on us (3 yellow cards and 1 red). He also awarded an unusually high number of free kicks, corner kicks, and even a PK for what most at this level would consider incidental contact. I want to thank everyone for keeping their cool (as much as possible) and gritting it out. It was getting way too predictable. I did stay after the game and have a very lengthy discussion with the officials. While I am not sure how much of my feedback got through, I do plan to let the state know about how this game was called.
Lesson learned from this game relating to officals for the players. When you are on the field, you are a player not a referee. You are encouraged to question calls in a respectful manner when you do not understand...but do not get emotional or talk back to the referee. In this case, this main official considers that unsporting behavior and it continued to color his calls against us for most of the night. You have to continue to play hard, but when we have the lead...settle down, focus on possession and controlling the clock. Don't do anything to put the fate of the game in the official's hands. Even incidental contact becomes a penalty when the focus is on you (especially certain players that he can point out by number). HV was awarded a PK on a defensive battle in the far end of the 18 yard box for exactly this issue. As stated previously however, Katie had the answer to this PK in the form of a punch over the crossbar (yay).
This game saw the return of Meggy McConkey to the line-up for those that having been following her progress. We are glad to have Meggy back from her injury. The rest did her well and she looks game fit once again.
We will close out our September schedule this Wednesday against the Michigan Sting, and look to finish the second half of the season in October in similar statistical fashion as the first half.
Go Warriors!
Before I describe this game, I wanted to recognize Katie for her outstanding performance tonight...worthy of upfront recognition. Katie had an answer for everything Huron Valley threw at her (and even the things the officials tossed her way). Good job.
A very frustrating game to say the least. We played very well in the first half...almost too well it would seem. 11 shots on goal with 5 of them being 1-on-1 with the keeper or quality shots. While the HV goalkeeper (a former Warrior) played well, we made her look better by putting shots right to her or by missing open net opportunities after we had beat the defense and the keeper in some instances. Control of simple passing options hurt from time to time, but there were solid stretches of good ball control and well set up strikes on net. Unbelievably, we went to the half 0-0.
We decided to unbalance the HV defense and concentrate on sewing up the middle of the field (which is where HV had set up the few counterstrikes they put together on us). We switched to a 4-2-4 formation putting a big emphasis on outnumbering the defense and consolidating the midfield with the outside defenders forming their shape (by pushing a player on the strong side) to fill in for the wide midfielder. We ran this formation for about 10 minutes and then worked back into the 4-3-3 when we saw them drop a forward back into the defensive midfield spot to try and counter the number of attacking players. In the midst of them switching again to adjust, Shelby Watts made a great run into the box with the ball unassisted and struck on net. The goalkeeper actually saved the first attempt, but Shelby stayed with the attack and put the rebound in.
This was an aggressive and physical game on both sides. In and of itself, that is fine. We can handle a rougher game...and even tend to like it. Huron Valley was getting desparate to score a goal and we were conversely stepping up to prevent that. However, the official starting calling a tight game...but mainly against us (in my opinion). Even though HV racked up an impressive number of yellow cards (2), it paled in comparison to the obvious focus he was placing on us (3 yellow cards and 1 red). He also awarded an unusually high number of free kicks, corner kicks, and even a PK for what most at this level would consider incidental contact. I want to thank everyone for keeping their cool (as much as possible) and gritting it out. It was getting way too predictable. I did stay after the game and have a very lengthy discussion with the officials. While I am not sure how much of my feedback got through, I do plan to let the state know about how this game was called.
Lesson learned from this game relating to officals for the players. When you are on the field, you are a player not a referee. You are encouraged to question calls in a respectful manner when you do not understand...but do not get emotional or talk back to the referee. In this case, this main official considers that unsporting behavior and it continued to color his calls against us for most of the night. You have to continue to play hard, but when we have the lead...settle down, focus on possession and controlling the clock. Don't do anything to put the fate of the game in the official's hands. Even incidental contact becomes a penalty when the focus is on you (especially certain players that he can point out by number). HV was awarded a PK on a defensive battle in the far end of the 18 yard box for exactly this issue. As stated previously however, Katie had the answer to this PK in the form of a punch over the crossbar (yay).
This game saw the return of Meggy McConkey to the line-up for those that having been following her progress. We are glad to have Meggy back from her injury. The rest did her well and she looks game fit once again.
We will close out our September schedule this Wednesday against the Michigan Sting, and look to finish the second half of the season in October in similar statistical fashion as the first half.
Go Warriors!
MSPSP League Game #3 vs. Metrostars (Win 3-2)
(I was not at this game, but I did review the recap with Rob and several of the players. Thanks to Rob for covering this game as myself and Jonathon could not attend.)
First of all, I would like to say congratulations and good job to the players. They proved that they can come back and play solid soccer when they are behind in the score.
The first half of this game could not have started off any worse. We were very flat in our play and allowed one of the Metrostar players to take control of the attacking third. Down 2-0 in the first ten minutes and looking for ways to get control...versus being in control. Defensive adjustments accounted for shutting down the troublesome player. A spark of life was brought to the team in the form on an unassisted goal by Andrea Dumais that literally rolled into the net as the keeper struggled to scramble after it. It was not pretty (by Andrea's own description) but it counts all the same.
The team would build on this spark of life in the form of a finish off a corner kick by Kara Birrell...set up by Aimee Jackson's excellent strike into the 6yard box. The game was now tied 2-2 and all bets were off. Each team was looking for the game winner as the momentum swung back and forth several times. Shelby Watts would come up with the answer to dilemna with a good run and shot into the 18 yard box...that put us up 3-2. In her own words, "omg...I still can't feel my stomach I was soo excited!!!"
There were some more tense moments in the closing seconds, but the girls hung on to get the win.
First of all, I would like to say congratulations and good job to the players. They proved that they can come back and play solid soccer when they are behind in the score.
The first half of this game could not have started off any worse. We were very flat in our play and allowed one of the Metrostar players to take control of the attacking third. Down 2-0 in the first ten minutes and looking for ways to get control...versus being in control. Defensive adjustments accounted for shutting down the troublesome player. A spark of life was brought to the team in the form on an unassisted goal by Andrea Dumais that literally rolled into the net as the keeper struggled to scramble after it. It was not pretty (by Andrea's own description) but it counts all the same.
The team would build on this spark of life in the form of a finish off a corner kick by Kara Birrell...set up by Aimee Jackson's excellent strike into the 6yard box. The game was now tied 2-2 and all bets were off. Each team was looking for the game winner as the momentum swung back and forth several times. Shelby Watts would come up with the answer to dilemna with a good run and shot into the 18 yard box...that put us up 3-2. In her own words, "omg...I still can't feel my stomach I was soo excited!!!"
There were some more tense moments in the closing seconds, but the girls hung on to get the win.
MSPSP League Game #2 vs. Northville Rush (Tie 2-2)
(Catching up on my posts, sorry I was out of town on business following this game)
This was a pretty well played game on both sides, though we pulled our control together in the second half. Our first half play was mixed. We were communicating well as a team, but our first touch plagued us for much of the first 40 minutes. I attribute this to our poor effort in the warm-up. As the old saying goes, "You will play the way you practice"...and in this case I would say that applies to how you warm up. Mental focus and preparation for competition is just as important as physical preparation.
Our first goal was scored by Hannah Rhoades before the half on a perfectly placed ball in the upper 90 of the goal. The keeper had no chance. Kara Birrell played the ball to Hannah on a nice wide lead pass just outside the 18...and the strike was right on. Our second goal came from a great second effort by Alyssa Bolling, who was playing striker, when she harrassed the opposing sweeper and stripped the ball. A nice strike on the ground and the keeper was beat. We had a third goal called back...that would have been scored by Hannah Huff on a PK. The assistant referee displayed an uncanny knowledge and attention to the game and caught a player encroaching into the penalty arc before the ball was struck...negating the score. A tough lesson learned that I think no player will ever forget.
Northville scored their first goal on mis-marking by us on a free kick. Players in the wall have to have the inside run closed off and after the ball is struck...keep the inside in order to be first to the ball for the clear. The ball was struck and no one in our wall moved...putting the keeper in a 2-on-1 situation.
Northville's 2nd goal was a heartbreaker...and very hard to swallow since the player was clearly 10 yards offside. Unfortunately, the assistant referee was 15 yards out of position and unable to make the call.
Erin Castillo played well in net, as Katie was out sick. Erin made a lot of great saves and distributed the ball well, mixing things up with a combination of punts and controlled restarts (throws and rolls) to open players.
Better preparation and focus before games...coupled with completion of simple passes...will be the keys to improvement for the season. It is difficult to focus on strategy when these types of things are taking us 40 minutes to get under control. I have confidence in the girls...and challenge them to address these items for future games.
This was a pretty well played game on both sides, though we pulled our control together in the second half. Our first half play was mixed. We were communicating well as a team, but our first touch plagued us for much of the first 40 minutes. I attribute this to our poor effort in the warm-up. As the old saying goes, "You will play the way you practice"...and in this case I would say that applies to how you warm up. Mental focus and preparation for competition is just as important as physical preparation.
Our first goal was scored by Hannah Rhoades before the half on a perfectly placed ball in the upper 90 of the goal. The keeper had no chance. Kara Birrell played the ball to Hannah on a nice wide lead pass just outside the 18...and the strike was right on. Our second goal came from a great second effort by Alyssa Bolling, who was playing striker, when she harrassed the opposing sweeper and stripped the ball. A nice strike on the ground and the keeper was beat. We had a third goal called back...that would have been scored by Hannah Huff on a PK. The assistant referee displayed an uncanny knowledge and attention to the game and caught a player encroaching into the penalty arc before the ball was struck...negating the score. A tough lesson learned that I think no player will ever forget.
Northville scored their first goal on mis-marking by us on a free kick. Players in the wall have to have the inside run closed off and after the ball is struck...keep the inside in order to be first to the ball for the clear. The ball was struck and no one in our wall moved...putting the keeper in a 2-on-1 situation.
Northville's 2nd goal was a heartbreaker...and very hard to swallow since the player was clearly 10 yards offside. Unfortunately, the assistant referee was 15 yards out of position and unable to make the call.
Erin Castillo played well in net, as Katie was out sick. Erin made a lot of great saves and distributed the ball well, mixing things up with a combination of punts and controlled restarts (throws and rolls) to open players.
Better preparation and focus before games...coupled with completion of simple passes...will be the keys to improvement for the season. It is difficult to focus on strategy when these types of things are taking us 40 minutes to get under control. I have confidence in the girls...and challenge them to address these items for future games.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
MSPSP League Game #1 vs. CW3 Extreme (Win 8-0)
Congratulations to the Lady Warriors on winning their first MSPSP league game of the season in an impressive manner: 8-0 over the CW3 Extreme. Three practices per week, four summer full-team tournaments, various small sided 3v3 tournaments, and summer training camps paid dividends on Sunday evening. While our schedule is designed to get progressively tougher with each competition, it was a good way to open the league season.
From the opening whistle the team pressed CW3 back into their own half of the field as they worked to build the attack through possession and dangerous strikes at net. The effort was rewarded about 5 minutes into the game as Alyssa Bolling played a nice ball across the goal mouth to Erin Castillo that had completed her far-post run for the first goal of the game. That first goal gave the team confidence and proceeded to break things open. We would be treated to the "Shelby Watts Show" for the next 15 minutes or so as our scoring leader suceeded in putting three more balls in the back of the net on an assist from Andrea Dumais, an unassisted strike on net up the middle, and a well slotted ball from Aimee Jackson (at midfield) respectably. Kelsey Beach maintained control of the ball as she pushed up from defense to fill the space (Thank You Kelsey) and make the best use of it...which was to accept a pass from Andrea Dumais and drill a ball into the upper 90 of the goal to send us to the half. Midway through the 1st half, we adjusted our formation to provide more in terms of midfield control and offensive presence and it paid off. The defense held well when we converted to three in the back with a defensive center midfielder, but identified a change in the lineup by CW3 where they started posting 4 strikers against us. The defense adjusted, converted to man-marking, and performed all of the changes on the fly. I was very pleased by the identification and adjustment that occurred. Kelsey, Shellie, Faith, Aimee, and Emily Mayer worked very well as a unit during this entire game.
The second half saw us make several adjustments to allow for playing time and positions...including Katie Ging's spotlight at striker. Katie actually made 2 very solid attempts at the goal, missing narrowly each time. Erin took up the goalkeeping mantle and made several good saves to preserve the shutout. It took us a little while to settle down in the second half, but we turned it back up led by a nice corner kick from Hannah Rhoades that sailed right into Emily Loza's head...only to be blocked by a CW3 player with her hand. The result was a PK. Hannah Huff was awarded the kick and put the ball in the back of the net...only to have it called back due to encroachment in the penalty arc space by a team member before the ball was touched. Instant education moment that no one will ever forget...especially Hannah. Andrea would answer back in mere minutes with an unassisted run through the defense ending in a nicely placed ball in the back of the net. Hannah Huff tried on a couple of occassions to chip the goalkeeper (who was playing a little farther off her line than advisable) to no avail, and finally kept the ball on the ground and finished around the keeper on a good penetrating run and pass from Hannah Rhoades. Andrea Dumais would end the game in style and finish a shot on net assisted by Emily Rozin.
While CW3 is not the toughest team in our division, we did see a few items that we needed to work on. CW3 converted to the offside trap in the second half. It took us longer than it should of to adjust to this aggressive use of space. They managed to catch us off on 2-3 runs before we adjusted. We made runs back toward the ball, slotted balls better between players, and used our dribbling skills to penetrate. While they were good adjustments, it took too long to make them. Identification needs to occur much quicker. The midfield contracted and expanded its shape pretty well during the game, adjusting to whether we were in possession of the ball or trying to win it. Taking a lesson from our defensive unit, the midfield still needs to transition between offense and defense much quicker and fall back to support or push up to fill new spaces as the game presents them.
Update on Meggy McConkey. Meggy is still being harrassed by an upper leg muscle pull/tear. She will be taking some time off to rest and heal, with a regiment of RICE and elliptical use. She is estimated to return to practice on 9/23 and 9/24 and be evaluated for play in our 9/27 contest versus the HV Lightning.
Next game is on Thursday night at 8:00pm (under the lights) in Northville versus the Rush.
From the opening whistle the team pressed CW3 back into their own half of the field as they worked to build the attack through possession and dangerous strikes at net. The effort was rewarded about 5 minutes into the game as Alyssa Bolling played a nice ball across the goal mouth to Erin Castillo that had completed her far-post run for the first goal of the game. That first goal gave the team confidence and proceeded to break things open. We would be treated to the "Shelby Watts Show" for the next 15 minutes or so as our scoring leader suceeded in putting three more balls in the back of the net on an assist from Andrea Dumais, an unassisted strike on net up the middle, and a well slotted ball from Aimee Jackson (at midfield) respectably. Kelsey Beach maintained control of the ball as she pushed up from defense to fill the space (Thank You Kelsey) and make the best use of it...which was to accept a pass from Andrea Dumais and drill a ball into the upper 90 of the goal to send us to the half. Midway through the 1st half, we adjusted our formation to provide more in terms of midfield control and offensive presence and it paid off. The defense held well when we converted to three in the back with a defensive center midfielder, but identified a change in the lineup by CW3 where they started posting 4 strikers against us. The defense adjusted, converted to man-marking, and performed all of the changes on the fly. I was very pleased by the identification and adjustment that occurred. Kelsey, Shellie, Faith, Aimee, and Emily Mayer worked very well as a unit during this entire game.
The second half saw us make several adjustments to allow for playing time and positions...including Katie Ging's spotlight at striker. Katie actually made 2 very solid attempts at the goal, missing narrowly each time. Erin took up the goalkeeping mantle and made several good saves to preserve the shutout. It took us a little while to settle down in the second half, but we turned it back up led by a nice corner kick from Hannah Rhoades that sailed right into Emily Loza's head...only to be blocked by a CW3 player with her hand. The result was a PK. Hannah Huff was awarded the kick and put the ball in the back of the net...only to have it called back due to encroachment in the penalty arc space by a team member before the ball was touched. Instant education moment that no one will ever forget...especially Hannah. Andrea would answer back in mere minutes with an unassisted run through the defense ending in a nicely placed ball in the back of the net. Hannah Huff tried on a couple of occassions to chip the goalkeeper (who was playing a little farther off her line than advisable) to no avail, and finally kept the ball on the ground and finished around the keeper on a good penetrating run and pass from Hannah Rhoades. Andrea Dumais would end the game in style and finish a shot on net assisted by Emily Rozin.
While CW3 is not the toughest team in our division, we did see a few items that we needed to work on. CW3 converted to the offside trap in the second half. It took us longer than it should of to adjust to this aggressive use of space. They managed to catch us off on 2-3 runs before we adjusted. We made runs back toward the ball, slotted balls better between players, and used our dribbling skills to penetrate. While they were good adjustments, it took too long to make them. Identification needs to occur much quicker. The midfield contracted and expanded its shape pretty well during the game, adjusting to whether we were in possession of the ball or trying to win it. Taking a lesson from our defensive unit, the midfield still needs to transition between offense and defense much quicker and fall back to support or push up to fill new spaces as the game presents them.
Update on Meggy McConkey. Meggy is still being harrassed by an upper leg muscle pull/tear. She will be taking some time off to rest and heal, with a regiment of RICE and elliptical use. She is estimated to return to practice on 9/23 and 9/24 and be evaluated for play in our 9/27 contest versus the HV Lightning.
Next game is on Thursday night at 8:00pm (under the lights) in Northville versus the Rush.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Romeo Peachfest Results
Once again the quality of the opponents in this tournament was good. They tested us throughout the weekend, and I would have to say we passed. Congratulations to the team on a well played weekend of soccer.
Game #1 vs. NMSC Thundercats (MSPSPL Premier 1, State ranked #10 at U16)
http://www.nationalsoccerranking.com/michigan.htm
Lady Warriors 0 NMSC Thundercats 2
This game was planned from the very start as a defensive match requiring strict adherence to shape and patience. The Thundercats are a state ranked premier team. The last time we played this team (in Midland last fall) we were not prepared for what they were bringing to the game...and they subsequently handed us a rare butt whoopin'. This time was a much different story. We planned a patient 4-4-2 formation with a 4-back flat defensive unit playing tight conservative soccer, a midfield that expanded and contracted based on possession, and forwards that created time when the ball was played up top to allow the team to fill in behind them and attack as a group. We knew that we would only get a few counterstrike chances and we would need to push and play hard for those couple of minutes that each opportunity provided. The team was patient and stuck to the game plan except for the last 90 seconds of the first half and a short 5 minute section of the second half...in which NMSC turned those breakdowns into goals each time. Their first goal with time running out in the first half was really caused by our own decision making. We failed to recognize the best passing option and subsequently allowed our defense to be isolated 1v1 against a very good ball handler. Their second goal was really caused by our collpase of shape in our own defensive third, where we became too "flat" and their roving attacker found the gap and put a good strike on net.
Having said all of that, I consider this game really a victory for us. The girls proved to me (and everyone else) that they can play a defensive/counterstrike game and adhere to a strict game plan when needed (valuable for high school play against the Avondales, Lake Orions, and similar teams). The defensive lineup of this game was intentionally modified - Kelsey Beach, Shellie Marentette, Aimee Jackson, Emily Mayer, and Faith Lieder continued in the rotation...but Hannah Huff and Meggy McConkey were also added to give us speed and control to counter the NMSC depth of attack. The forwards (Alyssa, Andrea, Shelby) executed on the "delay" mechanism of the game plan most of the time and we got a few very good attempts in on net.
An unfortunate turn of events occurred when Meggy McConkey pulled her upper quad muscle (a result of an even earlier "charlie horse" she was sporting) early in the first half and she subsequently had to miss the remainder of the tournament. We all wish Meggy a speedy recovery and plan to see her back in action later this week.
Game #2 vs. LOBOS 94
Lady Warriors 1 LOBOS 0
After the earlier game against NMSC, it was nice to transition back to a style of play where we could dictate the play. From the beginning we pressed the LOBOS back into their own half and had several early opportunities off of flighted balls from Hannah Rhoades or dangerous runs from Alyssa, Andrea, and Shelby. Hannah Huff pushed from the central mid spot and split their defenders on a nice run but her shot went wide. Through a combination of hurried finish attepmts and pure bad luck, we weren't able to find the back of the net for all of the pressure we were putting on them and subsequently it gave the LOBOS team confidence. They started to build up their attack and pressed our defensive unit more frequently and possession started to even out. Our defensive unit was up to the task and repelled all of their attempts. Katie Ging made a couple of good saves during this period of mounting pressure from the LOBOS.
Just before the half, Andrea Dumais crossed the ball into the 18 yard box and Shelby Watts put the ball in the net by redirecting it over the keepers outstretched hands. It would be the only goal of the game. We had several more chances off set plays (corners and free kicks) but we continue to need to work on meeting the ball as it arrives in the box rather than finding ourselves standing and waiting for it. We will continue to put focus on this aspect of our game...the ability to convert on "free shots on net" is paramount.
This game saw the return of Emily Loza to normal playing minutes after being sidelined for the majority of recent games due to a lower leg injury. Emily made the most of her time by roughing up the LOBOS midfield, both on the outside and centrally, based on need. Her ability to flight the ball and complement the attack generated by Hannah Rhoades on the other side is a major advantage to us.
Game #3 vs. Westside Soccer Club (Lapeer)
Lady Warriors 1 WSC 0
For our final game of the tournament we drew the Westside Soccer Club, which is really just the Lapeer West HS team competing together in the offseason. The real story of this game though was the environment. This was a 7:45am game where the fog had really rolled in and settled down into the bowl shaped playing pitch that we were competing on. You literally could not see more than 20-30 yards in any direction...but the officials deemed the conditions playable and we started on-time. Realizing that a long play style would get us in trouble due to visibility, we played in smaller groups throughout most of the match and looked for ways to isolate their defenders and make runs into their attacking third. Even though we pressed WSC pretty hard throughout the first half, especially on some very aggressive play from Alyssa Bolling and Emily Rozin, we just were not connecting on enough short/simple passes to establish the kind of rhytmn needed to build up a cohesive attack. Our passing decisions were very "north" based, meaning that we were looking to go forward too much, versus using much simpler central or even backward support passes. We did have a well executed trick play in the first half between Hannah Rhoades and Emily Mayer off a corner kick, where the fog aided us in decieving the Lapeer team. The resulting exchange between Hannah and Emily allowed Hannah to dribble practically to the goal where her strike just happened to find a piece of the aluminum pole versus the back of the net. We had a goal by Shelby Watts called back off of a corner kick by Hannah Rhoades where the goalkeeper juggled the ball in the air like a circus performer before it went in...but the official deemed that she had possession (uh ok).
The second half was much of the same, except that instead of the sunlight burning off the fog it actually seemed to get thicker on the Lapeer end of the field (we will blame the fact that we could not see the goal for some of our issues LOL). Ten minutes into the half, Hannah Huff and Andrea Dumais treated us to some exciting soccer and supplied the only goal of the match. Hannah had been moved up into the forward role along with Andrea and Alyssa during this rotation, and stripped the ball from a WSC defender deep in their own defending third. Huff put a good cross into the box and Andrea's hard run through the center of the box was rewarded with a spectacular header goal. A good finish executed with authority. WSC would not recover and we put this game away.
Summary
The team as a whole is shaping up well in expectation of our first MSPSL league game next Sunday versus CW3 Extreme. The focus for the next couple of training sessions will really be on identifying the simple passing options and creating attack through possession (in addition to more set play work). Confidence and momentum are important elements of this game. Stringing together a few simple passes, or getting a couple of quick low pressure saves for a goalkeeper, helps a team build confidence in themselves. Confidence turns into momentum when your team as a whole has found a rhythmn that forces the other team to play "reactive" soccer...where they are reacting to our attack and unable to formulate a cohesive one of their own. When the transition from defending to attacking occurs, it is important not to panic. How we handle the ball after we have won it is actually more important than the act of winning it in the first place. Settle down, let your training take over, and build up an attack based on possession. Like I have said before..."I do not remember ever having a training session where I asked you to just blindly kick the ball away or to pass the ball to a waiting defender". We spend so much time in training sessions on possession for a reason.
Next events:
Game #1 vs. NMSC Thundercats (MSPSPL Premier 1, State ranked #10 at U16)
http://www.nationalsoccerranking.com/michigan.htm
Lady Warriors 0 NMSC Thundercats 2
This game was planned from the very start as a defensive match requiring strict adherence to shape and patience. The Thundercats are a state ranked premier team. The last time we played this team (in Midland last fall) we were not prepared for what they were bringing to the game...and they subsequently handed us a rare butt whoopin'. This time was a much different story. We planned a patient 4-4-2 formation with a 4-back flat defensive unit playing tight conservative soccer, a midfield that expanded and contracted based on possession, and forwards that created time when the ball was played up top to allow the team to fill in behind them and attack as a group. We knew that we would only get a few counterstrike chances and we would need to push and play hard for those couple of minutes that each opportunity provided. The team was patient and stuck to the game plan except for the last 90 seconds of the first half and a short 5 minute section of the second half...in which NMSC turned those breakdowns into goals each time. Their first goal with time running out in the first half was really caused by our own decision making. We failed to recognize the best passing option and subsequently allowed our defense to be isolated 1v1 against a very good ball handler. Their second goal was really caused by our collpase of shape in our own defensive third, where we became too "flat" and their roving attacker found the gap and put a good strike on net.
Having said all of that, I consider this game really a victory for us. The girls proved to me (and everyone else) that they can play a defensive/counterstrike game and adhere to a strict game plan when needed (valuable for high school play against the Avondales, Lake Orions, and similar teams). The defensive lineup of this game was intentionally modified - Kelsey Beach, Shellie Marentette, Aimee Jackson, Emily Mayer, and Faith Lieder continued in the rotation...but Hannah Huff and Meggy McConkey were also added to give us speed and control to counter the NMSC depth of attack. The forwards (Alyssa, Andrea, Shelby) executed on the "delay" mechanism of the game plan most of the time and we got a few very good attempts in on net.
An unfortunate turn of events occurred when Meggy McConkey pulled her upper quad muscle (a result of an even earlier "charlie horse" she was sporting) early in the first half and she subsequently had to miss the remainder of the tournament. We all wish Meggy a speedy recovery and plan to see her back in action later this week.
Game #2 vs. LOBOS 94
Lady Warriors 1 LOBOS 0
After the earlier game against NMSC, it was nice to transition back to a style of play where we could dictate the play. From the beginning we pressed the LOBOS back into their own half and had several early opportunities off of flighted balls from Hannah Rhoades or dangerous runs from Alyssa, Andrea, and Shelby. Hannah Huff pushed from the central mid spot and split their defenders on a nice run but her shot went wide. Through a combination of hurried finish attepmts and pure bad luck, we weren't able to find the back of the net for all of the pressure we were putting on them and subsequently it gave the LOBOS team confidence. They started to build up their attack and pressed our defensive unit more frequently and possession started to even out. Our defensive unit was up to the task and repelled all of their attempts. Katie Ging made a couple of good saves during this period of mounting pressure from the LOBOS.
Just before the half, Andrea Dumais crossed the ball into the 18 yard box and Shelby Watts put the ball in the net by redirecting it over the keepers outstretched hands. It would be the only goal of the game. We had several more chances off set plays (corners and free kicks) but we continue to need to work on meeting the ball as it arrives in the box rather than finding ourselves standing and waiting for it. We will continue to put focus on this aspect of our game...the ability to convert on "free shots on net" is paramount.
This game saw the return of Emily Loza to normal playing minutes after being sidelined for the majority of recent games due to a lower leg injury. Emily made the most of her time by roughing up the LOBOS midfield, both on the outside and centrally, based on need. Her ability to flight the ball and complement the attack generated by Hannah Rhoades on the other side is a major advantage to us.
Game #3 vs. Westside Soccer Club (Lapeer)
Lady Warriors 1 WSC 0
For our final game of the tournament we drew the Westside Soccer Club, which is really just the Lapeer West HS team competing together in the offseason. The real story of this game though was the environment. This was a 7:45am game where the fog had really rolled in and settled down into the bowl shaped playing pitch that we were competing on. You literally could not see more than 20-30 yards in any direction...but the officials deemed the conditions playable and we started on-time. Realizing that a long play style would get us in trouble due to visibility, we played in smaller groups throughout most of the match and looked for ways to isolate their defenders and make runs into their attacking third. Even though we pressed WSC pretty hard throughout the first half, especially on some very aggressive play from Alyssa Bolling and Emily Rozin, we just were not connecting on enough short/simple passes to establish the kind of rhytmn needed to build up a cohesive attack. Our passing decisions were very "north" based, meaning that we were looking to go forward too much, versus using much simpler central or even backward support passes. We did have a well executed trick play in the first half between Hannah Rhoades and Emily Mayer off a corner kick, where the fog aided us in decieving the Lapeer team. The resulting exchange between Hannah and Emily allowed Hannah to dribble practically to the goal where her strike just happened to find a piece of the aluminum pole versus the back of the net. We had a goal by Shelby Watts called back off of a corner kick by Hannah Rhoades where the goalkeeper juggled the ball in the air like a circus performer before it went in...but the official deemed that she had possession (uh ok).
The second half was much of the same, except that instead of the sunlight burning off the fog it actually seemed to get thicker on the Lapeer end of the field (we will blame the fact that we could not see the goal for some of our issues LOL). Ten minutes into the half, Hannah Huff and Andrea Dumais treated us to some exciting soccer and supplied the only goal of the match. Hannah had been moved up into the forward role along with Andrea and Alyssa during this rotation, and stripped the ball from a WSC defender deep in their own defending third. Huff put a good cross into the box and Andrea's hard run through the center of the box was rewarded with a spectacular header goal. A good finish executed with authority. WSC would not recover and we put this game away.
Summary
The team as a whole is shaping up well in expectation of our first MSPSL league game next Sunday versus CW3 Extreme. The focus for the next couple of training sessions will really be on identifying the simple passing options and creating attack through possession (in addition to more set play work). Confidence and momentum are important elements of this game. Stringing together a few simple passes, or getting a couple of quick low pressure saves for a goalkeeper, helps a team build confidence in themselves. Confidence turns into momentum when your team as a whole has found a rhythmn that forces the other team to play "reactive" soccer...where they are reacting to our attack and unable to formulate a cohesive one of their own. When the transition from defending to attacking occurs, it is important not to panic. How we handle the ball after we have won it is actually more important than the act of winning it in the first place. Settle down, let your training take over, and build up an attack based on possession. Like I have said before..."I do not remember ever having a training session where I asked you to just blindly kick the ball away or to pass the ball to a waiting defender". We spend so much time in training sessions on possession for a reason.
Next events:
- Scrimmage versus the Dexter Soccer Club in Dexter. 6:30pm Wednesday night 9/9. Email with directions forthcoming.
- Thursday night training at Rotary Park 6:30pm - 8:00pm.
- First MSPSL league game on Sunday at 6:00pm vs. CW3 Extreme at home (Civic Center)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Midland Tournament Results
The Midland tournament was a good proving ground for us. All four opponents are MSPSL premier league A teams. The quality of the matches was excellent and I think we demonstrated a high caliber of competence at this early stage of the season, though there were some lessons learned also.
Game # 1 vs. Midland Fusion (Home team)
Lady Warriors 1 Fusion 0
This game was excellent from beginning to end. 70 minutes of skill, determination, and team work. We played this team last year in a heated contest that ended in some player ejections. Alyssa Bolling scored the winning goal in last year's game...and opened this year's game in similar fashion, beating their keeper with a nice rip when she framed the net off a pass from Meggy. We adjusted several times to keep their star player in check, and played the remainder of the game as a good balance between patient defense and well setup attacks built on possession. Finishing continued to plague us in this contest though...we registered 19 shots on goal (7 of them quality shots) and 4 corner kicks but only walked away with 1 in the net.
Game #2 vs. RSSC Lightning
Lady Warriors 0 Lightning 3
This is a game I would like to rewind time and play again. We played 60 minutes of good soccer and made intelligent adjustments to counteract a very speedy and skilled front line that RSSC had. Unfortunately, the games are 70 minutes long. We allowed penetration on two central runs early in the first half by the forwards on the RSSC team that setup shots on net. The shots were not neccessarily that good, but we had some obvious screening of the keeper issues that resulted in us being down 2-0 fairly early. The keeper must take control of the goalbox and set the tempo for the rest of the team in these situations. The second half of the game saw us take control. We controlled possession, out shot the RSSC team, and built up an attack throughout the half based on controlled possession and dangerous runs. We were a very different team in the second half.
Game #3 vs. Gross Pointe Breakers
Lady Warriors 1 GPSA Breakers 2 (PK)
This was a well fought contest by both teams...unfortunately it was decided in the end by the referee instead of the players on the field. GPSA came out very aggressive and determined in the first half. Their front line sported one player that required several adjustments by us to counteract (switching between speed with Meggy and muscle with Alyssa to mark her). GPSA had a slight advantage in possession in the first half and got a number of strikes on our net (outshot us 8-2 in the first half). However, our defensive rotation led by Kelsey Beach and including Shellie Marentette, Emily Mayer, Faith Lieder, and Aimee Jackson (along with the marking players of Meggy or Alyssa) held them off. Katie Ging made some spectacular early saves in the game to help keep the GPSA attack at bay. Hannah Huff and Shelby Watts combined before the half to put us up going into the break on a nice strike from Hannah. The second half was much more even and a true pleasure to behold. The offense pressed the back line of the Breakers relentlessly... long runs by Shelby Watts, deep penetration and goaline crosses by Andrea Dumais, central penetration by Meggy McConkey, flighted balls into the danger zone by Hannah Rhoades, and longer driven shots from outside the 18 by Hannah Huff. As beautiful as it was to behold...it did not result in a single goal. GPSA setup a counterattack, caught us out of position, forced us to chase them into our own 18...and just like that it was tied. The remaining 15 minutes or so were pretty balanced between us. The final two minutes of the game a penalty was called just outside of our 18 yard box...however the referee allowed the dive and landing spot of the GPSA player to set the point of the foul and they were awarded a penalty kick in the waning moments of the game. It was a very disappointing way to end a great contest on both sides.
Game #4 vs. NMSC Lightning (Rivalry game...lol)
Lady Warriors 1 Lightning 1
We have had so many well played and heated games with this team, that aside from Clarkston, we consider them our rivals. We showed up ready to send these guys home with a whooping. Funny thing about whoopings...you actually have to follow through on them. We out possessed this team by about 90-10 in the first 35 minutes, recorded 8 shots on goal in addition to 5 corner kicks, and just outplayed them in general. Hannah Huff registered our only goal for the half on an unassisted finish in front of the net after winning the ball on a failed corner kick attempt. Even the NMSC coaches admit they have no idea how they survived the barrage...but they did. The second half was much more balanced and more akin to our past contests. NMSC built their confidence on some early saves by their GK, connected some passes, and then started turning up field and striking on us. Our defense continued to prove their mettle and turned away most attacks. A turnover deep in our defending third led to NMSC's only goal...but it was the only one they needed to dig out a tie in a game they know they should have lost.
Summary
Like I said in the beginning, it was a good competitive weekend. Finishing our shot attempts, mainly by placement choices, and working more aggressively to finish set play opportunities (corner kicks and free kicks) are the keys to putting more goals on the board. We worked so hard to lockdown the defensive third, control the midfield, and setup opportunities...that when we fail to finish the ball it becomes a drag on our confidence. Jonathon and I are working on some more finishing activities...but like I've said before...scoring is more of an attitude...knowing that you are going to put the ball in the net and placing the responsibility of stopping you on the defenders and goalkeepers of the opposing teams is the key.
A standout player from the weekend that did not get mentioned in the game recaps was Erin Castillo. She played with intensity all weekend long at the outside midfield spot, winning several balls and combining with team members on some exciting plays. She even contributed half a game as goalkeeper in our RSSC encounter...registering a shutout in her 35 minutes of play in the second half.
Next weekend is the Romeo Peachfest. Practices are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at Rotary Park from 6:30pm - 8:00pm.
Game # 1 vs. Midland Fusion (Home team)
Lady Warriors 1 Fusion 0
This game was excellent from beginning to end. 70 minutes of skill, determination, and team work. We played this team last year in a heated contest that ended in some player ejections. Alyssa Bolling scored the winning goal in last year's game...and opened this year's game in similar fashion, beating their keeper with a nice rip when she framed the net off a pass from Meggy. We adjusted several times to keep their star player in check, and played the remainder of the game as a good balance between patient defense and well setup attacks built on possession. Finishing continued to plague us in this contest though...we registered 19 shots on goal (7 of them quality shots) and 4 corner kicks but only walked away with 1 in the net.
Game #2 vs. RSSC Lightning
Lady Warriors 0 Lightning 3
This is a game I would like to rewind time and play again. We played 60 minutes of good soccer and made intelligent adjustments to counteract a very speedy and skilled front line that RSSC had. Unfortunately, the games are 70 minutes long. We allowed penetration on two central runs early in the first half by the forwards on the RSSC team that setup shots on net. The shots were not neccessarily that good, but we had some obvious screening of the keeper issues that resulted in us being down 2-0 fairly early. The keeper must take control of the goalbox and set the tempo for the rest of the team in these situations. The second half of the game saw us take control. We controlled possession, out shot the RSSC team, and built up an attack throughout the half based on controlled possession and dangerous runs. We were a very different team in the second half.
Game #3 vs. Gross Pointe Breakers
Lady Warriors 1 GPSA Breakers 2 (PK)
This was a well fought contest by both teams...unfortunately it was decided in the end by the referee instead of the players on the field. GPSA came out very aggressive and determined in the first half. Their front line sported one player that required several adjustments by us to counteract (switching between speed with Meggy and muscle with Alyssa to mark her). GPSA had a slight advantage in possession in the first half and got a number of strikes on our net (outshot us 8-2 in the first half). However, our defensive rotation led by Kelsey Beach and including Shellie Marentette, Emily Mayer, Faith Lieder, and Aimee Jackson (along with the marking players of Meggy or Alyssa) held them off. Katie Ging made some spectacular early saves in the game to help keep the GPSA attack at bay. Hannah Huff and Shelby Watts combined before the half to put us up going into the break on a nice strike from Hannah. The second half was much more even and a true pleasure to behold. The offense pressed the back line of the Breakers relentlessly... long runs by Shelby Watts, deep penetration and goaline crosses by Andrea Dumais, central penetration by Meggy McConkey, flighted balls into the danger zone by Hannah Rhoades, and longer driven shots from outside the 18 by Hannah Huff. As beautiful as it was to behold...it did not result in a single goal. GPSA setup a counterattack, caught us out of position, forced us to chase them into our own 18...and just like that it was tied. The remaining 15 minutes or so were pretty balanced between us. The final two minutes of the game a penalty was called just outside of our 18 yard box...however the referee allowed the dive and landing spot of the GPSA player to set the point of the foul and they were awarded a penalty kick in the waning moments of the game. It was a very disappointing way to end a great contest on both sides.
Game #4 vs. NMSC Lightning (Rivalry game...lol)
Lady Warriors 1 Lightning 1
We have had so many well played and heated games with this team, that aside from Clarkston, we consider them our rivals. We showed up ready to send these guys home with a whooping. Funny thing about whoopings...you actually have to follow through on them. We out possessed this team by about 90-10 in the first 35 minutes, recorded 8 shots on goal in addition to 5 corner kicks, and just outplayed them in general. Hannah Huff registered our only goal for the half on an unassisted finish in front of the net after winning the ball on a failed corner kick attempt. Even the NMSC coaches admit they have no idea how they survived the barrage...but they did. The second half was much more balanced and more akin to our past contests. NMSC built their confidence on some early saves by their GK, connected some passes, and then started turning up field and striking on us. Our defense continued to prove their mettle and turned away most attacks. A turnover deep in our defending third led to NMSC's only goal...but it was the only one they needed to dig out a tie in a game they know they should have lost.
Summary
Like I said in the beginning, it was a good competitive weekend. Finishing our shot attempts, mainly by placement choices, and working more aggressively to finish set play opportunities (corner kicks and free kicks) are the keys to putting more goals on the board. We worked so hard to lockdown the defensive third, control the midfield, and setup opportunities...that when we fail to finish the ball it becomes a drag on our confidence. Jonathon and I are working on some more finishing activities...but like I've said before...scoring is more of an attitude...knowing that you are going to put the ball in the net and placing the responsibility of stopping you on the defenders and goalkeepers of the opposing teams is the key.
A standout player from the weekend that did not get mentioned in the game recaps was Erin Castillo. She played with intensity all weekend long at the outside midfield spot, winning several balls and combining with team members on some exciting plays. She even contributed half a game as goalkeeper in our RSSC encounter...registering a shutout in her 35 minutes of play in the second half.
Next weekend is the Romeo Peachfest. Practices are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at Rotary Park from 6:30pm - 8:00pm.
Welcome
Welcome to the new team site. Modifications will continue to be made to further enhance its usefulness. In conjunction with the direction some of the high school coaches have been moving, I have opted to sync up with their formats to provide the same data and provide the ability to follow along with the players in their "off seasons".
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