Monday, June 07, 2004
Soccerfest
The Scotch Plains U14 intercounty girls soccer team the “Wild Things” took time off from their rampage through league play to participate in the Darwinistic Soccerfest held at St. Josephs Metuchen the weekend of June 5-6. Despite keeping their unbeaten record intact, a 2-2 tie with Rahway managed to keep Scotch Plains out of the championship
round. Unlike most tournaments Soccerfest is immediately flighted so the top teams are all put in the same division and the survival of the fittest makeup often means that the best teams don’t make it through.
Depleted by injuries and missing several key players who had a dance recital, the “Wild Things” were unable to maintain a 2-1 second half lead against Rahway and had their first close game of the season end in a tie.
Playing Union for the second time in three weeks, the “Wild Things” repeated their
earlier success with a 2-0 victory. Although impressive the margin of victory fell short of what was needed to advance as Rahway had scored three goals in their game.
In the Westfield game, which started under threatening skies, Jegede broke the
scoreless tie on a bizarre play in which a Westfield players had a clear
handball that was not whistled by the referee. While the Westfield players
stopped to anticipate the whistle, Jegede continued playing and deposited the
loose ball into the net. With the thunder getting louder, some scary lightening
encouraged the referee to stop the game just before halftime and the teams
waited out the storm under the shelter of Scotch Plains High School. When the
game finally resumed 40 minutes later, the teams took several minutes to get
accustomed to the slick ball, resulting in sloppy play. The “Wild Things” got
some breathing room when Jegede scored again off a scramble in front of the
goal. Krista Ciecura completed the scoring with a hard low shot. Cassie
Berwick was the unsung hero as the absence of starting goalie Allie Thek forced
her to play the entire game. The defense combination of Lauryn Adams,
Christina Dokopoulos, Kaitlyn Denker,
Amanda Curcie and Kathleen Yan kept Westfield attacks to a minimum.
The midfield of Katelyn Cavanagh, Jillian Murphy, Whitney Adams, Debra
DelleDonne, Ciecura, and Jaclyn Lazarus dominated the game. . The
line combination of Rebecca Von Langen, Mary Kate Feury, Magan Mauro
Danielle Sette and Jegede advanced the ball skillfully and put continual
pressure on the Westfield goal.
The Springfield game was threatened all day by damp weather. When the teams
arrived
and saw the condition of the field it was questionable whether a game could be
played. As it was the game started almost 30 minutes late with shortened halves
and a Springfield soccer coach as referee. With all that against them, the
“Wild Things” took a long time to acclimate their strategy to the field
conditions. Jegede finally broke the scoreless tie with
a nice move in the penalty area and deposited the ball into the corner. Despite
dominating, the “Wild Things” were only able to breathe easier when Jegede took
a pinpoint pass down the middle from Katelyn Cavanagh and scored on a
breakaway.
Jaclyn Lazarus played the entire game in goal and was rarely tested as the
defense
combination of Lauryn Adams, Dokopoulos, Denker, Curcie and Yan kept
Springfield attacks to a minimum. The midfield of Cavanagh, DelleDonne,
Ciecura and Mauro were dominant, while the line combination of Berwick,
Whitney Adams, Sette and Jegede advanced the ball skillfully and put continual
pressure on the Springfield goal.
round. Unlike most tournaments Soccerfest is immediately flighted so the top teams are all put in the same division and the survival of the fittest makeup often means that the best teams don’t make it through.
Depleted by injuries and missing several key players who had a dance recital, the “Wild Things” were unable to maintain a 2-1 second half lead against Rahway and had their first close game of the season end in a tie.
Playing Union for the second time in three weeks, the “Wild Things” repeated their
earlier success with a 2-0 victory. Although impressive the margin of victory fell short of what was needed to advance as Rahway had scored three goals in their game.
In the Westfield game, which started under threatening skies, Jegede broke the
scoreless tie on a bizarre play in which a Westfield players had a clear
handball that was not whistled by the referee. While the Westfield players
stopped to anticipate the whistle, Jegede continued playing and deposited the
loose ball into the net. With the thunder getting louder, some scary lightening
encouraged the referee to stop the game just before halftime and the teams
waited out the storm under the shelter of Scotch Plains High School. When the
game finally resumed 40 minutes later, the teams took several minutes to get
accustomed to the slick ball, resulting in sloppy play. The “Wild Things” got
some breathing room when Jegede scored again off a scramble in front of the
goal. Krista Ciecura completed the scoring with a hard low shot. Cassie
Berwick was the unsung hero as the absence of starting goalie Allie Thek forced
her to play the entire game. The defense combination of Lauryn Adams,
Christina Dokopoulos, Kaitlyn Denker,
Amanda Curcie and Kathleen Yan kept Westfield attacks to a minimum.
The midfield of Katelyn Cavanagh, Jillian Murphy, Whitney Adams, Debra
DelleDonne, Ciecura, and Jaclyn Lazarus dominated the game. . The
line combination of Rebecca Von Langen, Mary Kate Feury, Magan Mauro
Danielle Sette and Jegede advanced the ball skillfully and put continual
pressure on the Westfield goal.
The Springfield game was threatened all day by damp weather. When the teams
arrived
and saw the condition of the field it was questionable whether a game could be
played. As it was the game started almost 30 minutes late with shortened halves
and a Springfield soccer coach as referee. With all that against them, the
“Wild Things” took a long time to acclimate their strategy to the field
conditions. Jegede finally broke the scoreless tie with
a nice move in the penalty area and deposited the ball into the corner. Despite
dominating, the “Wild Things” were only able to breathe easier when Jegede took
a pinpoint pass down the middle from Katelyn Cavanagh and scored on a
breakaway.
Jaclyn Lazarus played the entire game in goal and was rarely tested as the
defense
combination of Lauryn Adams, Dokopoulos, Denker, Curcie and Yan kept
Springfield attacks to a minimum. The midfield of Cavanagh, DelleDonne,
Ciecura and Mauro were dominant, while the line combination of Berwick,
Whitney Adams, Sette and Jegede advanced the ball skillfully and put continual
pressure on the Springfield goal.
# posted by David Lazarus @ 9:07 PM 
