United
Quest Blue
'85 Athena (U-14)
- Fall 1999 Game 3 -
Won 6-0 vs. Central Ga. Strikers
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United
Quest Blue |
This page was last updated on October 19, 1999.
Game 3 vs. Central Ga. Strikers:
The Central Georgia Strikers team is from Warner Robins, near Macon. We played them once before, winning 2-1 this past spring. The Strikers have had some downs and ups the last few seasons. They were in the "A" division in the spring of 1998, then dropped down to "B" in the fall, then down again to "C" in the spring of 1999, then they won the "C" division to move back up into the "B" division. (Their record was 8 wins and 1 loss, with that loss coming against the Quest.) The Strikers beat the very tough IAYMCA Eagles team just two weeks ago, so we knew they had the potential to be a challenging opponent.
The Strikers had the opening kickoff and immediately went on the attack. They kept the ball in the Quest end for the first several minutes of the game, but the Quest defense was able to prevent any dangerous chances.
The Quest started to get their bearings, and soon the game was even. The Strikers had some attacks and the Quest had some attacks. Amanda created a good chance for the Quest, beating a defender and crossing from the right side, but the Striker keeper barely beat Elisa to the ball to prevent an excellent goal-scoring chance.
The Strikers came close themselves with a high shot. Jessica B ("Big J") jumped up and got her fingers on the ball, tipping it straight up in the air. Two Strikers hustled in, but Big J was first to the rebound. A close call!
After 23 minutes of scoreless soccer, the Quest struck. Rachael was fouled while dribbling near the left side of the Strikers penalty area. This earned the Quest a free kick just outside the left edge of the box, about 8 yards off the goal line. This isn't normally the best shooting angle, but Alex was going to take the kick, and nothing seems too difficult when she's over the ball. Sure enough, she hit another "Sparky special," clearing the Strikers wall and putting the ball just under the crossbar. The Strikers keeper made a good effort and got her fingertips on the ball, but Alex's kick was too powerful for her and carried into the goal. Goal Quest and a 1-0 lead.
Alex has scored a number of beautiful free kick goals over the last two seasons, winning several games in the process. But now it was time to see if the team could start scoring goals "from the run of play."
Six minutes later, Alex received a pass in midfield and played a quick long pass to Elisa, who was running from her center forward position toward the right side of the Striker penalty area. Alex's pass had taken most of the Striker defense out of the play, and now Elisa was in a 1v1 situation with the Striker sweeper. Elisa was first to the ball and cut it inside, just outside the right corner of the Strikers goal area. As the sweeper recovered, Elisa had only one "quick play" option, and that was a lunging left-footed "toe poke." She hit it perfectly, hitting her shot hard and low past the keeper into the left side netting.
The "toe poke" isn't the most elegant play in soccer, but every opportunistic striker needs to use it on occasion. Elisa deserves credit for recognizing that this was the proper time and place for this skill, then performing it flawlessly. Goal Quest and a 2-0 lead, which held until halftime.
The Quest was playing with confidence, but the Strikers had looked dangerous at times. The Quest defenders (Charlsey, Christina, Lauren and Meagan) had played excellent defense in the first half, though, to keep the Strikers off the scoreboard.
The team that scored next would gain a big momentum boost. The Strikers have a player who has such a strong leg that she can score from 50 yards out. With this weapon on the other side, the Quest couldn't afford any defensive lapses.
As mentioned above, the team that scored next would gain a big momentum boost. Elisa took this to heart and scored in the very first minute of the second half! She intercepted a Striker pass, took a touch and unleashed a rocket shot from just outside the Striker penalty area. The keeper didn't have a chance, and this goal gave the Quest a 3-0 lead.
This goal marked a turning point, and now the Quest began to dominate the game. Minutes later, Alex hit a well-placed far post pass (shot?) from her center midfield position. This is the type of ball that puts the other team's defense and keeper under all sorts of pressure. The back side was open, so the keeper had to scramble over to cover. But Elisa and Jillian were both charging in from that side. All three converged on the ball at the corner of the goal. The keeper couldn't handle it, and the ball squirted in to give the Quest a 4-0 lead.
Alex got credit for the goal, but this one would have never happened without Elisa and Jillian going all out for the ball. Credit Alex for a very well-placed shot (pass?), and credit Elisa and Jillian for pressuring the keeper and forcing her to misplay the ball.
Amanda set up the next goal with an excellent centering pass from the right side. Kaelen settled the ball in the center and touched it out toward the left to Meagan, who was now playing left forward. Meagan absolutely hammered her shot, driving it inside the post to give the Quest a 5-0 lead.
Jessica D finished the scoring with three minutes left. Alex (who had two goals and two assists) played a "dream ball" back-pass to Jessica, who was open on the right just outside the Striker penalty area. Jessica hit a beautiful first-time shot, driving the ball low and hard into the far side netting. Wow!
Jessica's goal put an exclamation point on the game, as this was Quest goal #6, which set a new team scoring record. Way back in the spring of 1998 (U-12 Athena "D"), the Quest had scored 5 goals against a team that didn't win a game all season. But now the Quest had broken that record, and they did it in the Athena "B" division against a team that won 8 games just last season. Wow again!
Goalies: Jessica B (1st half), Sally (2nd half). Jessica had some action, making one nice save on a high shot. Sally had very little action.
The Quest's fall regular season record is now 1 win, 1 tie and 1 1oss.
The Quest is in their first season in the tougher Athena "B" division. The two lowest-finishing teams in the division will get bounced down to Athena "C" for the spring. The Quest's quest this fall is to "stay in B." Today's win was a good step toward that goal.
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Created: 09/11/99 Revised: 10/19/99 |