United Quest Blue '85 Athena (U-14) - Spring 2000 Game 3 - Won 1-0 vs. Roswell Santos Blue

This page was last updated on March 27, 2000.

Game 3 vs. Roswell Santos Blue:

• Saturday, March 25, 2000, 9:00 AM at Sweet Apple #2 in Roswell. Weather conditions: Sunny and warm with a very light breeze. The wide field (100 x 78) was in good condition.

The Santos Blue are the top U-14 team from the Roswell Soccer Club. We've played the Santos three times in the past. During our U-13 year, the Quest won 1-0 during the fall, while the Santos won 1-0 in game 2 of the spring season (the Quest's only loss during the spring). The Quest won 1-0 in the most recent match in game 8 of the U-14 fall season.

The Quest got off to a good start. The Quest controlled much of the play. The Santos played some hopeful long passes to their forwards, but the Quest defense won most of these loose balls. During one Quest attack, Rachael beat her defender on the right side, dribbled toward goal and hit a hard shot. The Santos keeper blocked it and gave up a rebound right in front of the goal, but the Quest center forward hadn't followed and wasn't in position to pounce on the loose ball.

In the 14th minute, the Quest started another attack. A Santos player fouled a Quest player, which resulted in a Quest free kick. The ball was spotted about 30 yards out from goal, a little left of center.

Alex took the kick. She sent it over the wall into the center of the penalty area. The Santos keeper came out and got her hands on the ball, but she dropped it and the ball bounced to her left. Meagan had been moving from the moment the ball was kicked, and she was in perfect position to knock the loose ball into the net before the Santos keeper could react. Meagan's alertness made this look like an easy play ... goal Quest and a 1-0 lead!

The Quest continued to dominate much of the possession. But they weren't able to create any more clear-cut scoring chances.

The Quest only had 1 substitute today. Fatigue started to hit late in the half, and the Santos took advantage to create some good chances. The Quest defense had to stop some Santos attacks in or near the penalty area. In one scary moment, two Quest defenders slipped and fell onto the ball in the penalty area, but they were able to recover and clear it away before the closest Santos players could capitalize. Big J came out strong to make a sliding save on a through ball. The Santos had two corner kicks in the final minute of the half, but the Quest defense cleared the balls out of danger.

Halftime came with the Quest leading 1-0.

The second half was similar to the first. The Quest had more of the play until the late stages when fatigue paid a return visit. The Quest had several good scoring chances, but couldn't find the net:

• Meagan hit a nice cross from the right side, and Lindsey was in perfect position on the far post, but the Santos keeper made a fingertip save to knock it out of Lindsey's path.

• Jessica beat her defender and had an open shot from the top left of the penalty area, but missed just wide.

• Meagan got open for a pass in left side of the penalty area. She beat the   onrushing Santos keeper with a nice move to the outside, but she ran out of space before she could hit a cross.

• Jessica worked her way open for another shot from the right side of the penalty area, but the keeper was in position to make the save.

The Santos made a charge in the final minutes. They started to win most of the loose balls, and they worked their way into the Quest penalty area for the first time all half. The Quest defense held tight though and refused to allow an open shot.

On one occasion, the Quest defense cleared a ball from the penalty area. A Santos midfielder was first to the loose ball. The Quest midfield hadn't recovered defensively, so no Quest players were close to pressure her, and the Santos player had a wide open shot from just outside the penalty area. She hit it high and hard, and it looked like it was going into the top of the net, but Big J was able to make the save with outstretched arms and fingertips. Whew!

The Quest players realized their good fortune and stepped it up a notch in the final moments. The Santos worked the ball in the Quest end several more times, but the Quest defense never let them get into scoring position again.

The final whistle came and the Quest celebrated a solid 1-0 win.

Goalies: Big J (full game). Jessica was tested a few times and played well. She made the save of the game when she cleanly stopped a high shot over her head in the final minutes. Go Big J!

With today's win, the Quest's spring regular season record is now 2 wins, 1 tie and 0 1osses. The Quest earns 5 points for the win and now has 12 points on the season.

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Created: 09/11/99 Revised: 03/27/00