Game 15: BVNW

5 May at SwiDAC vs.  BVNW (2-2) 2 OT's. 

It was the old Tale of Two Cities: there was the first half, and there was the second half, with the overtimes. 

We were relatively disorganized in the back without Crow the first half it seemed. Granted, Northwest did finish 2 balls nicely, but the first goal we offered up a weak clear up the middle of the field, then got beat at defensive center midfield with neither centerback in good secondary position. She did strike it nicely. 

And the second goal basically came as a counter to our throw-in where two defenders each waited for the other to play the ball back on. When that didn't happen, Northwest was able to connect on a nice overlapping run that ended with another nice finish. 

Second half, we were an entirely different team. One reason is that Crow put her uniform on. We had decided to rest her for the match, but she basically said after the half that both she could play and that she wanted to play. And boy did she. 

And Addie Denning was so good second half that BWhite named her the Co-BWhite Player of the match. She had a special 60 minutes. 

Hallie did what Hallie does: she bent a low left-footed deadball in for a Jackson head-in to get us back within one, and she took a ball from Marge, beat the keeper before finding twine. Hallie posted 6 shots in half 2, and she created 5 corners. Wow. She joined Addie Denning as BWhite Players of the Match. 

And yes we created many more opportunities that we just could not finish. We were playing some of our best soccer of the year during those last 60 minutes. Second half we generated 17 shots and 7 corners—that's an attack.  We had many near misses before Hallie got forward on a breakaway that looked like Goodnight. Watching the play live, we thought Hallie got knocked down from behind in the box before she could shoot, but after seeing it a few times on video, it was close enough to a no call that we basically can't fault the ref for not making a call that would probably have ended the match. You make the call!

It was Senior Night at Northwest, and that first half they certainly outplayed us, building that 2-0 lead. After intermission, we were a different squad. But we just could not get that go-ahead, third goal. So it looks like that EKL title now rests on Southwest beating West, a result that would let Southwest and us share the title. Go Timberwolves. (Of course we would need to beat the Tigers on Monday.)

We stand 10-3-2. 

Stats:

First Half: Saints: Shots: 5 (3). Corners: 2 (K. Heying, Pigott)

Huskies:  Shots: 5 (4) Corners. 1


32:04 Reid (picks off the clear, turns and shoots)

12:37 Beuschel (overlaps to goal)

Second Half:  Saints:  Shots: 17 (4). Corners:  7 (Klanke 5, Pigott, K. Heying)

34:10 Jackson (Klanke bends the low deadball in)

14:14 Klanke (Marge finds Hallie through)