Metro Girls Vs Broadneck

So… Here we are again!

The opposition: Broadneck (won the league). The temp 75 degrees. The time: 6:30. The pitch: fancy turf + they had a speaker who introduced all the girls by number and then announced that we would sing happy birthday to Lynchy and Emily S who turned 15 yesterday. – HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLS!

Everyone arrived with lots of stories of how they spent the weekend. It is so fantastic to be on the tour hearing how the girls are having an amazing time off the field as well as on the field.

We heard that Broadneck were going to be the best team we were going to play. We started the first half and our instructions were to start strong. We had several opportunities on goal and could not put any of them away even though the goalie was only about 4 foot tall. It was frustrating to see the ball go up and down the field and each team lose possession but we could see why this team had been the champions as now we had met a team who were as fast as us and who could transition as well as us. I secretly think they had been eyeing us up in previous matches!

We started well with a goal from Jenni. They countered with another. We fought for the centre draw and it was not a given that it would go our way. Hayley did a cracking run to goal to score our second and this was followed by another individual goal by Dori. They had a time out and were worried. Our advice to our girls was play the ball around the goal. If the shot is not on- do not shoot! Keep possession and play like we know how. They scored a goal from a loose pass. 3-2. Hayley got one back and they scored again assisted by Jenni. Dori scored a good team goal helped by Fiona, Erin, Sarah C and Zoe. They got one back and right on the stroke of half time they were pressuring the goal, meg made an excellent save and we managed to run the clock down so the half time score was 6-4. The Defence had to work so hard in this half that everyone was exhausted. Everyone mentioned in the last report had a part to play in us keeping the Broadneck team out and away from the goal.

HALF TIME

The second half commenced and Jenni scored another (2 crucial goals at the start of each half!). They got 2 back. 7-6. This was going to be a close match. Ellie G then looked as if she was going to pass on the 8 and instead took her player and had a great shot on goal. I was jumping up and down as eventually Ellie had gotten that well deserved goal! They scored again and then another leveling things up for the first time in the match. 8-8. It was Ellie G who came to the rescue again after a lovely bit of attacking play to put us in the lead again. This was followed by 2 from Charl. We had 4 minutes to play and the Broadneck team decided to put on the floodlights. This left a period of about 5 minutes where our girls were cooling down. No excuses but our Defence was tested to the max. They were winning every centre. Every time we got possession they won it back again. They were fast and they were accurate, Mary made 3 good saves in this period. We got the ball down to our attacking end and our girls could not find the back of the net no matter how hard we tried. Excellent shots were made by Keely and Katy but again the goalie saved these too. I could not decide whether the goalie was great, our shooting was poor or the occasion was getting to the girls with the tight score. They scored one. They scored another and then they scored another tying the game at 11-11. One of their best players got possession and was heading straight to goal. She was checked by Lauren and then we got the ball and ran the length of the field. There were seconds left on the clock but we could not get a shot on goal. The whistle blew and the final score was 11-11.

I cannot help feeling that we should have won this one. I ask myself what we did wrong. The answer is nothing. We played like a team, attacked like a team and our girls did everything a coach would expect from a group of exceptional girls such as these Metros. Maybe we lacked some fighting spirit? Maybe we were unlucky? Whatever the reason I think these girls can only develop after such a hard fought match as this.

So… I now have to pick a player of the match. Well I am not going to pick 1. I am going to pick 4. First Dori. I know I gave it to her last match for being steady and just all round great to have in the team but today she was exceptional. Every time she had the ball she looked dangerous. She was played out of position for some of the game in D and also was strong. The second in Lauren. There were several comments on how fantastic a defender she was. Her checking as always was second to none and she showed fighting spirit when we were in the midst of losing the game. The third is Ellie G. I do not know whether it was her dad watching from the sideline that spurred her on but she is definitely playing lacrosse beyond her years. She listens to instruction well and kept us in the game when we were tied at 8-8. The last but no means least is Hayley. Hayley’s work rate today was more than we could have expected. She was all over the field pressuring the ball and assisting her team mates for the double. Her vision in midfield is excellent and she picks ground balls up and moves the ball on very intelligently and the 2 goals she scored were just a bonus.

Ok… another report done. Hershey Park tomorrow awaits and then the Friendship game on Wednesday. The Metros team have only won this once in 14 years. I for one think we have a great chance so watch this space. As usual pictures from the game are on the photos page.

Laura.