MNJYSA game #1
Our first game of the spring season was postponed from it's original winter date of 3/16, to the balmy date and time of 3/19 at 11am. The weather forecast called for sunny skies, but a high of only 45 degrees, so we knew conditions were going to be tough. The girls were anxious and excited to get the season started, and the coaches were aware of our tendancy to start off slowly in games and season openers.
We recalled the last time we played Hillside.. we were U11's, they were flight-4 champs and we were flight-3 champs, it was the single elimination divisional play-offs at Harrington, the assigned referee didn't show up so Lin's brother Dan refereed the game.. The Wildcats went up 2-0 early, but didn't close out the game with that third goal, and Hillside fought back to tie it up, only to have their hopes dashed with a late winner for the Wildcats.
Today's game started off similarly.. the assigned referee didn't show up, so we agreed to have the Hillside trainer (a certified referee) officiate the game. At the opening whistle the sun was shining, the wind was blowing and the wind chill felt like it was below zero. The Wildcats lost the toss and kicked off into the wind and took the ball towards the Hillside box. It quickly became apparent that the blustery conditions, hard ground, lack of grass and narrow field would make it difficult to keep the ball from running out of bounds.
The game went back and forth from 18 to 18, without many scoring chances, until the 20 minute mark when Hillside's best ball-handler, #8, received the ball close the right sideline just before the halfway line and fed a beautiful ball diagonally forward to the middle of the field, which was touched on through to their left wing who touched the ball forward into the left side of our box and shot low far post putting the Storm up 1-0. After their goal the Wildcats applied more pressure and created a few scoring chances that should have resulted in at least one goal. However, the first half ended with Hillside up 1-0.
By half-time the butterflies had subsided and the Wildcats were more focused on the task at hand, and the coaches emphasized the need for more communication and to test the Hillside keeper more. The second half began with the Wildcats having the subsided wind at their backs, but they began playing like it was gusting. Winning the ball back soon after the kick off the Wildcats brought the ball into the Hillside end and were determined to keep it there. Unlike the flow in the first half, when Hillside got the ball back in the second half (through goal kicks, throw-ins or tackles) we contained, stifled and won the ball back, and put pressure back on them deep in their defensive third.
Even though the ball had only left the Hillside end of the field two or three times all half, we were still down a goals and time was ticking away. The Wildcats had created pressure, but not really tested the Storm in front of goal. With about 6 minutes to go the ball was worked nicely across the top of the box and Bri smashed a shot on target that resulted in their keeper's save of the match. Tick, tick, tick... we were piling on the pressure now and the Storm was on their heels.. Amy took the ball to the goal-line and hit a low acute angle near post shot that hit the post and the keeper and rebounded to Jules who was there to tap the ball in for the tying goal with two minutes left on the clock.
Tick tick tick... Hillside kicked off and back-passed their midfielder, but Hannah read the play and darted in to intercept the ball right off the middy's foot and played it up to Amy making a run up the left again. Amy shot hard, the keeper couldn't handle cleanly and a defender couldn't get her foot on a clearance, and Jules was there again to knock in the rebound with less than 15 seconds to go in the game.
What a thriller !!!! A true team effort where everyone kept fighing to the end; never giving up, never losing hope !!!
GO WILDCATS !!!!