United
Quest Blue
'85 Athena (U-14)
- Fall 1999 Game 6 -
Won 1-0 vs. DSA Red Hots Red
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United
Quest Blue |
This page was last updated on October 19, 1999.
Game 6 vs. DSA Red Hots Red:
The DSA (Dekalb Soccer Association) Red Hots Red team is the top DSA U-14 team. This is the Quest's first game against this Red Hots team. (During our U-12 and U-13 years, the Quest won games against DSA's 3rd and 2nd teams.)
DSA had the advantage for most of the first half. When the Quest would win the ball, their passes weren't often able to find their own players upfield, and DSA would regain control. The Quest defense did its usual good job of shutting down attacks outside of shooting range, though, and kept DSA off the scoreboard.
But DSA had a few corner kicks, which are always tense moments for the Quest defense. A couple of these balls got loose in the penalty area, but the Quest defense was there first to clear the danger.
As the first half was winding down, DSA was controlling most of the play, with the Quest making an occasional attack.
With three minutes left in the half, the Quest won a ball and played it quickly into space behind the Red Hots' left defender. Alex, who was making a rare appearance at right wing, won the ball and hit a nice cross to the top of the 6-yard box. A DSA defender got there first, but her clearance was weak and rolled directly to Quest center forward Kaelen, who was even with the right goalpost about 8 yards out. Kaelen shot quickly toward the far (left) post and hit it perfectly. The ball glanced off the inside edge of the post and rolled into the goal.
Goal Quest (Kaelen's first as a Quest player) and a 1-0 lead! Halftime came soon afterwards.
The Quest's offense had looked anemic during the first half, and the Quest players recognized that they'd need to put more pressure on DSA to hold the lead. Before taking the field for the second half, the Quest did their "mirror mirror" cheer, which ends with the words "let's get ugly!"
The Quest started much stronger in the second half and controlled more of the early play. The Quest created some good attacks. On the most dangerous one, Amanda beat her defender on the right side and centered to Rachael, but the DSA goalie was in perfect position to save her first-time shot. Elisa also came close to getting a breakaway up the middle, but the DSA center defender did a good job of recovering to stop the attack. The Quest couldn't find a way to get goal #2.
As the half continued, DSA started to generate some attacks of their own. They had several more corner kicks. The Quest was having a hard time clearing these kicks, and on some of the plays, DSA players would win the ball back inside the Quest penalty area. But the Quest defenders were quick to apply pressure, so DSA was rarely able to get a clear "second chance" shot on these plays. The one shot they got looked good, as it headed high toward the Quest goal, but Charsley blocked it with her chest and Big J grabbed the ball as it dropped to the ground.
Pele once described soccer as "the beautiful game." Today's game never came close to that description. As the minutes ticked away, the game got more and more ugly. It wasn't "ugly" in the sense of rough play (both the DSA and Quest teams played clean and fair). It was "ugly" in the sense that neither team was playing with any sense of style. Players were tiring from the heat, and the rough field made it difficult to string passes, so the game became a game of "kick and chase."
As the final minutes played out, both teams were going all out. When DSA attacked, the Quest defense was still strong and prevented DSA from getting a shot. But the Quest defense was also still struggling with clearances.
With 30 seconds left, the Quest gave up another corner kick on the right side. This would likely be the last chance of the game.
DSA has a left-footed player who takes these kicks, and she swerves them dangerously toward the goal. As mentioned earlier, corner kicks are always tense moments for the Quest defense. This would be as tense as it can get.
If the Quest can clear the ball, they'll win the game. If DSA scores, it will be a dramatic last-minute goal to tie. Quest history buffs may have had a memory flash through their heads: the Quest scored a last-minute goal on this same field in this same goal just a year ago to win a game 1-0 (against DSA's 2nd team).
DSA sends most of their players into the penalty area. The Quest has 10 of their players in the penalty area to defend. The DSA left-footer strikes the ball. It's high, perfect length, swerving toward the Quest goal. The Quest keeper (Big J) jumps, but it's over her head and hands! The ball lands in the center of the goal area only a yard off the goal line.
This generates a mad scramble the likes of which you rarely see. Players from both teams attack the loose ball. (It was as if someone had thrown raw meat into a cage full of hungry wolves.) The ball disappears from sight as a mass of DSA players frantically try to knock it into the goal (only inches away) while a mass of Quest players form a human wall behind the ball. This continues for what seems like an eternity, then all of the sudden a cheer erupts from the goal mouth.
All of the players from both teams are closely packed together, so the game reporter can't tell who's cheering. The reporter sees a ball in the back of the Quest goal and assumes that DSA somehow found a way to knock the ball home. As the pack thins out, he then sees a ball in Big J's hands. It's the Quest players who are cheering! Big J punts the ball upfield and the clock runs out seconds later and the Quest holds on for the 1-0 win.
What a finish!
It turns out that the ball in the back of the Quest goal was a backup game ball that had been there all along. Quest players reported that at various moments during the scramble, Charlsey and Jillian both were on top of the ball. It's a mystery how Big J ever got control of the ball in midst of the "wolf pack," but she somehow pulled it off. Wow!
Goalies: Sally (1st half), Big J (2nd half). Both of them had some action, with Big J making what (so far) is the biggest save of the season.
With today's win, the Quest's fall regular season record is now 2 wins, 2 ties and 2 1osses. The Quest earns 5 big points for the win, and now has 14 points (5 for each win, 2 for each tie) in its quest to "stay in B."
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Created: 09/11/99 Revised: 10/19/99 |