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SF Spikes :: 2007 Season Marin Team Game Report
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| 2007 Season
Marin Team :: Game Report | Game Date:
Opponent:
Final Score: | May 12, 2007
UCA
L 0-2
| | Report: | The Marin Spikes played their fifth game of the season at Redwood High School in Larkspur yesterday. It was a windy day, with the wind making things tricky for anyone trying to play a ball out of the air. Our opponent was UCA, a team we know well, having played them several times a year in the Marin league for many years. They are also a team that we generally view as one of the “nice” teams, that usually plays hard, but fair, and are one of the teams that we call up to arrange pre-season friendlies with. So, we have a bit of a relationship with them, usually leaving the field after games with smiles and warm handshakes. However, as we all know, with most close relationships in our lives, sometimes there are rough spots and minor spats. And yesterday there were several of those that marred an otherwise well-played and tightly contested match. We’ll have opportunities to kiss and make up later in the season.
Both teams entered the game having won all four of their games on the year, and each wanted to continue its streak. The Spikes fielded a strong squad of 14 players, but with several defenders missing. York filled in on defense for 90 strong minutes, and Karl played defense for a bit as well.
We had the wind at our backs for the first half, but it was UCA who attacked first, keeping the ball mainly in our end for most of the first 15 minutes, scoring an early goal by redirecting a shot with a fortunate flick of the foot by one of their forwards. This seemed to wake us up, as the game was much less one-sided from that point on, with long stretches where we controlled much of the play, and created many dangerous shots, that just didn’t quite go in. Right at the end of the first half UCA was awarded a free kick just outside of our goal box on a highly questionable call by the ref. UCA’s center midfielder put the free kick into the upper, far corner with a beautiful and blistering left footed shot. Half time score 2-0.
With the Spikes playing into the wind for the second half, things didn’t look good. However, we played with heart and emotion in the second half, battling for 50-50 balls and creating many strong scoring chances, with Chris, Lubos, Adel and Izzy streaking down the wings on many occasions. We pushed forward a lot, leaving us vulnerable to counter attacks by UCA, but the defense was able to fend off each one. Most of our runs at the goal were dangerous and had a lot of potential, but the wind made it difficult for us to get good shots on goal, often driving our shots above or away from the goal.
Tension and frustration mounted as each team squandered opportunities, with UCA wanting to put the game away, and the Spikes desperately fighting to get back into it. Eventually the whistle blew, with the final score in favor of UCA 2-0. We did not give up in the second half, fighting to the end, but at times spending energy and time fighting the wrong battles. We’ve seen other teams succumb to that temptation while losing to us this season, and we at times fell into that same trap of letting our emotions boil over. While we learned a few things that we need to work on, there was much to be proud of about this game. Being able to stay in the game while playing from behind, against the wind and against a strong opponent is an extremely important quality for a team.
Today’s players were: Adel, Barry, Bob, Bobby, Chris, Ed, Gil, Izzy, Karl, Lubos, Matt, Michael, Patrick J, York, and Gideon came to cheer us on while his hamstring heals. |
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