MNJYSA game #9 (our 10th)
We knew that this game was not going to be an easy one, and to add a little extra pressure, we were in the midst of the fall teachers' convention break, we had missed a practice due to bad weather on Friday, we were without Liz, a few others were just back after trips, and Mattie was feeling under the weather at game time. Fortunately, the standings and schedule was in our favor; but unless the girls had checked the web-site and had done some deducting reasoning, they still thought they had to win to be flight champs.
We had prepped Mattie to fill in for Liz at sweeper for this game, but due to her pre-game illness we needed someone to step up. With Lin in goal in the first half we had 4 regular outside defenders available, so we asked Rachel give sweeping a shot.. and she stepped up to the challenge. We started with the ball, and led Amy down the wing with the goal of keeping the ball in East Brunswick end as we had done so well against Readington.
East Brunswick, in our first meeting, kept four defenders back and had a well skilled mid-field whose first touches on the ball were usually very good, and they were able to move the ball around with short passes pretty well. On their home field (another 120 yard long turf field) they again held numbers back in defense, and when attacked were calm in directly balls outside to their awaiting middies. We were trying to move the ball through the mid-field, but were being stifled by EB's containment, that caused harried passes and bad touches and loss of possession.
They weren't having much success progressing past their mid-field either, as our defense was stronger faster and more physical to the ball. Our physical style was being judged too physical at times by the referee, who awarded a DFK to the right side about 5 yards outside our penalty area. The kick was on goal, but didn't appear to be much danger, until it went under a defender's leg and through Lin for a 1-0 EB lead.
The first half ended with EB having one shot on goal, and leading 1-0. At half-time we adjusted the attacking strategy to better challenge the EB defense... Knowing that we were faster and stronger to the ball, we instructed the defense and middies to float some ball diagonally over the defense for the wings and forwards to run onto. Then once deep, we wanted the middies to compact up more to cut off the EB defensive outlets. It took a little bit of time to learn how to best lift the ball over the top, but after a drop pass or two the girls figured out that it's easier to lift a ball coming onto you rather than running away. Once they got it, Bri, Syd, Chelsea and Reb were floating some nice ball forward, and we were really putting pressure on their back line.
In the ninth minute EB's right full back got the ball and tried to turn and distribute the ball out, but Amy read her move and took the ball right off her feet and dribbled into the box and fired in the tying goal. The mid-field struggle continued, but our strategy caused EB to work harder each time to bring the ball up. They hadn't mustered much pressure in our box, but did try to bang some longer ball in.. one such service was mishandled in our box and the ref awaded a spot kick, which was converted nicely to put EB up 2-1.
I don't know if they were mad at being down a goal, or whether they knew it was the last 10 minutes of the season and they needed to get a result, or what it was, but the girls just poured on the pressure. It was like a heavy weight boxer pummeling a welterweight on the ropes. Surge after surge moving forward, fighting for every 50/50 ball, running through balls (and opponents). I would say that it was the Wildcats most dominent soccer of the season.. they really wanted it... and were rewared in the 27th minute when Paige fed a ball across the top of the 18 to Reb who took one step towards the ball, and hit it first time.. it went high, and I think everyone thought it was over, but it dropped down just under the bar and over the keeper. 2-2 with seven minutes to play, and the Wildcats kept pounding and pounding, but it wasn't to be.
The girls hustled off the field, shook their opponents' and the referees' hands, and gathered with the coaches. That was when we told them that they were outright flight champs .... and the SCREAMS & CHEERS insued !!
Congratulations Wildcats on a great season !!!!