Colder than yesterday for sure as the cloud cover wasn't allowing the sun to shine, and more than a hint of rain in the air. I hate being cold AND wet.
I arrived to NSC early to pass by and say hi to the U12s and U13s, then go catch the first part of the 9AM U14 White team against Dakota Rev.
Around 9:20AM I started to make my way over to the 8v8 fields to watch part of the Silver Flight match up between VSA Green and STMA United. This was VSA's crossover match up. They had beaten the other team in our 3-team group 4-0 yesterday, and since our White team had won 4-1, the VSA team was ahead in goal differential. Our chances of advancing would hinge a bit on VSA's result this morning.
I watched for about 10 minutes as VSA completely dominated the game. They finished well on off a cross, and I picked up my things to head to our field. It was apparent to me that VSA was well in control of the game and I was sure they were up by a number of goals, making it difficult for us to advance. I made my way behind the STMA goal to the other side of the field. The ball was out of play at the other end, so I asked the STMA GK what the score was. "4 to 1" I thought I head her say. "4-1?" I replied. "No, 1-1!" she replied with that couldn't-you-hear-me-the-first-time-you-old-fart look. 1-1? Wow. Nice.
So, I waved at the White team girls across the other field to come over and watch the rest of the VSA game. It ended up tied 1-1, which was a great result for us. If VSA beat Chan/Chaska 4-0, I was fairly confident that we could get the result we'd need to ensure us of a second game today.
Rach (CF) opened up the morning's scoring in the 11th minute after a nice give and go with Ash (CM). Rach beat a defender 1v1 at the top of the box and hit a low hard shot past the Chan/Chaska GK.
Five minutes later, Viv (CM) played a great diagonal ball through to Syd (RM) who took a great shot into the far post netting. The smile on Syd's face was priceless. She had been stuck in a more defensive role on her last year's team, and this was the first goal she had scored in a year and a half. How did I know that? Well, she made it clear over and over again for the rest of the game! :)
Three minutes before the halftime whistle, Syd doubled her goal scoring tally for the last 18 months by finishing off a loose ball in the chaos after a corner kick was played into the box.
Twelve minutes into the second half, E (CF) hammered a breakaway into the upper netting to give us 4, then Rach (RM) capped off a good performance with a fifth on a another breakaway.
Off to the finals this afternoon.
Bangu Tsunami 5 - Chan/Chaska 1
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Next up at noon, the Blues came up against the Central Wisconsin Stars from Wausau. The Stars had beaten Edina 8-3 yesterday, so they must have had some dangerous players. I had a feeling that this game would likely be the championship, as I didn't feel threatened by any of the teams in the other bracket. Overconfident? Maybe.
Of the 4 teams in Group B, NSSA led the North Fall District, Dakota Rev was #2 in the South, Mahtomedi was #3 in the East, and Centennial was mid-table in the North.
The Dakota Rev team beat our girls in the Woodbury Tournament last year as U10s. But we don't keep score at the U10 age group! Yeah, right. What planet are you on? Everyone and their mother knows the score of a U6 rec game, let alone a U10 competitive match. Anyway, I wasn't there, but I think the score was 1-0. A few weeks later in the Burnsville Tournament, the Goo Girls were looking for some revenge as they came up against the Rev team again. I was there for that game, but the end result was the same. 1-0 bad guys. I've never seen an opposing parent group go as ballistic about the win as I saw that morning from the Rev sidelines. But it's comes with the territory as people have begun to know who we are as a club. There's always that "We have to beat Bangu" mentality out there and I love it. Why? Because it helps ensure that we see our opponents at their best, helping our girls develop through competitive games.
Anyway, the girls were beat up after the second loss, and I think the parents were disappointed as well. I didn't like losing, but I could see the writing on the wall. The goal scored in Burnsville was a high, hopefully kick at goal (not even a shot) that almost came down vertically over our GK's outstretched hands. The whole entire game was played in the other half of the field, and was peppered the opposing goal. When we next see these guys on a larger field with a larger goal, it's an 8-0 game. I told this to the group after the game, but I think it was lost on the girls at that time. I was looking forward to maybe seeing if this prediction was right this weekend.
Things didn't really work out as planned as NSSA beat Rev in the group play yesterday 3-1. So, with a win this morning for the Blues, we'd likely face NSSA this afternoon.
It was wet out so my notes got smeared, but here's what I remember about the goals.
In the third minute, B-Money (RF) sent in a high corner kick that Maddog (LF) volleyed home for the opener.
At the 18th minute, Meg (RD) played a great ball from our defensive third down the line for B-Money to run onto to and head to goal. She took a low, hard, far post shot from a tight angle that the Stars GK did well to parry, but Maddog (LF) pounced on the deflection to double our lead.
A few minutes from the end of the half, Gia (RD) made a nice play in our box to stop a Stars attack and found Rooney (LM) with a good outlet pass up field. Rooney passed up to Phi Phi (LF) who touched the ball one time to Emi (RF) sending her into goal on a breakaway. Again, as I mentioned about other girls this fall, if we don't do the work on slotting home breakaways, Emi likely hammers the ball hard and hopeful at goal. This time, she took great prep touched at speed, got her head up, and struck the ball with the inside of her foot into the lower left corner. Great finish, exactly what I'm looking for from the girls.
Second half was much like the first. Bargsy (LM) finished another well-worked goal five minutes into the second half. Rooney (CD) found Sophie (LF) with an outlet pass at midfield. Sophie ran up the left flank, turned out of trouble in the left corner, and found B-Money (RM) with a nifty cross field pass across the top of the box. B took a touch and sent in a low cross to Bargsy at the top of the six to redirect home.
Three more goals from Rooney (2) and an absolute laser shot by Normy from 16 yards out gave us the 7-0 win. Off to the finals.
Bangu Tsunami 7 - Central Wisconsin Stars 0
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The Whites came up against STMA in the Silver Flight final. STMA was a feisty bunch with 3 or 4 very athletic and solid players.
Rach (CF) got us on the board early after receiving a great pass from Jordan (LM), beating a defender 1v1, and hitting a low shot far post.
That's the way the half ended, though I felt we controlled most of the play.
Two minutes into the second half, Rach, now at right midfield, found Viv (CF) with a through ball that Viv was able to calmly slot home.
Three minutes later, we scored one of the best goals of the weekend for us. Neve (LD) found Viv (CF) with a long pass up the left sidelines. Viv used an Inside Spin Off to turn her marking defender in the left corner and pulled a pass back to E (CM) at the top of the box. E took a good prep touch and shot/passed to Rach (RM) at the far post area. The STMA GK came to cut out the pass, but spilled the ball. Rach reacted quickly and finished with a tap in.
Viv got our fourth a few minutes later.
Bangu Tsunami 4 - STMA 1
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The Blues had NSSA for the last game of the weekend. Call it cocky, arrogant, confident, or knowledgeable, I didn't think the Blues would have much trouble in the final. Though disappointed not to be seeing Dakota Rev, I could still possibly get the same end result with a good showing against NSSA. What result is that, you ask? Well, I wanted to prove a point to the girls and to the parents that I knew what I was talking about when I claimed last July that we (as a team) were in a good place and stronger that a team that had beaten us twice that summer. I knew I knew what I was talking about, but it's important that the parents trust me when I say things. This will help when I have to make decisions in what I think is in the best interest of the girls, though parents may not initially agree with me. I do believe the parents at this age group trust me and the soccer decisions I make for both teams, else many of them might not be here. But it doesn't hurt to continue to try and find opportunities to remind them of why they are with me.
The game wasn't a good one... if you were wearing an NSSA jersey. With first half goals from Raley, B-Money, and Sophie, the game was well in hand 15 minutes in.
With restrictions on beating players 1v1 (no dribbling by players, only combining with teammates and passes to pass opponents) and a 3 touch or less restriction in the attacking half of the field, one would expect us to not be as effective. Wrong.
In other games I've put restrictions on to blunt our attack as well as changed formations to pull girls back. I didn't change formations this half, and didn't ask the girls not to go forward. I just wanted them to go forward in a different manner, more as a team and not as individual, more due to brains and cooperation less to sheer athletic advantage. It was a wonderful half of soccer to watch.
I just sat in my chair shaking my head at the ball movement and combination play that the girls showed. Now granted the game was done and the other team knew it, but it was still a competitive environment for our girls to be challenged in and work on stuff.
The girls came off the field exclaiming that they were playing like the pros today, knocking the ball around and keeping possession, watching the other team run around chasing them. The knowing smiles on their faces about what they were doing were precious.
We scored 4 goals in the second half, all off combination play. Phi Phi, Rooney, Mallory, and Maddog, all applied finishing touches and the girls ended the tournament in convincing style.
Bangu Tsunami 7 - NSSA 1
Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 10:45AM 
