Game 19: 22 May, State Quarters at BVSW (0-4)
We have played Southwest umpteen times over the past 8-9 years, and except for the very first year (5-0 in the state finals) and tonight, every game has been close and pretty much in doubt until it was actually over.
I don't want to make excuses, but having been on the sideline for each and every match this year we lacked some zipity and some do-da—and yet this was our most important match of the year.
We weren't nearly as bad as the score suggests as I thought we were actually pretty good in the first half. And if Maggie's corner goes in instead of almost knocking the goal over, perhaps things might have played out, at least, more competitively.
We were down 2-0 after just 8 minutes—that does take some wind out of your sails—so that might explain a little of it. Southwest earned back-to-back corners, their only ones of the half, early—and we did not defend the second very well at all. That corner was the first moment I noticed Kate Goza on her crutches and wearing her brace.
Minutes later when we did not deny a corner cross, I thought of Kate as well. Losing her just last night had to have some emotional and some practical effect on the match. Who knows how much.
And Southwest was very opportunistic. They didn't have a lot of opportunities, but virtually each and every time they did, they capitalized. I would say that one characteristic is the true sign of a great team. I think this Southwest team is a great team.
This is just a great senior class we had. I know this is not the match they wanted on their exit resume, but all of us will remember what they gave to our program, not just this year, the year we had 16 players not return to our program (graduation, DA, and such) when they had to demonstrate the Aquinas standards and to pass them on to so many new players, but in all of those years they represented us.
What a group: Alex Moss, Mallory Heying, Marge Pigott, Madison Janky, Nicole McEnroe, and Allyiah Calvert, varsity, it seems, forever; Kat Miller and Olivia Chalabi full-year varsity their senior year. That's a great class of great people.
Hopefully, enough of Aquinas soccer has rubbed off on those left to defend the shield that Kate Goza and the rest of us will be back with some new recruits in 2019 to take back some land.
STATS:
First Half:
Saints: Shots: 3 (2) Corners: 2 (Smith, Bryson)
T-Wolves
First Half: Shots: 4 (3) Corners: 2
33:19 Forcellini (We give up an early corner, knocking the first one out for a second one, then not getting up and parrying the second away).
31:19 Briley (Hartweger hits the big cross that we are unable to clear before Schechinger pushes it across the box)
Second Half:
Saints: 4 (0) Corners: 5 (Bryson 2, O'Keefe 2, Heying)
T-Wolves: Shots: 5 (3) Corners: 1
33:45 Minard (the only corner for Southwest of the second half gets bent left, but we don't show a lot of energy or urgency in getting it cleared)
22:21 M. Ruffalo (We allow Briley to slide the ball forward)
