Match play, Sept 10

The Force have learned -- or should have learned -- that any game against the Novi Jags Green 00 team will be unusually physical. Such was the case in the opener of the first week of match play.

The Novi Jags came out banging, as usual, and the Force got no help -- and was to get know help from the officials. To complicate things, the Jags have improved their ball control, and thus they were not only able to bump away in the corners to get opportunities but pass back and move the formation up field.

Kate came up big, though, to keep the game in reach. She stopped a point blank shot midway through the first half. And when the rebound trickled to the open side of the net Sophie made a nice play to clear.

Offensively, Christina had some terrific runs in the first half but the Force was pinned so far back that she had little help when she got down field.

But the pounding the Jags delivered finally drew some attention from the official.

Emmi lobbed a penalty kick from the right side, dropping it perfectly in front of the goal. Christina dug hard but was denied by Kate-like goalkeeping by the Jags. Grace had positioned herself perfectly, though, for the rebound and drilled it into the left corner to put the Force up 1-0.

In the second half Jill outdid her "pound for pound the toughest kid on the field" performances of earlier games by stopping up the Jags attack at midfield. She owned the left the side for the first 15 minutes of the half. And Kate continued with the great ball stopping, snagging two point blank drives -- without giving up a rebound (although, in fairness to the Jags, the second one was so hard it seemed to get stuck in Kate's gloves -- the only harder sound the ball made was when Lauren was taking her now vintage headers -- Abbey Wambaugh [sp?] to be).

Then, the official decided to insert himself into the game, calling a trip in the box on the Force (see earlier post on how women are learning to "dive" just like men in soccer). Kate read the play well and almost got a piece of what turned out to be a weak shot. But it spun in to the corner.

Seemingly demoralized by this turn of events -- and with the help of another penalty -- the Force quickly gave up another goal.

Final -- an infuriating 2-1 loss.

The Force came out sluggish in Game 2. This was a catastrophe in that the LSC Meteors turned out to be a very skilled and very well prepared team. They dominated play as the Force struggled to clear and then win balls at mid-field against the quicker well coached opponent. LSC forwards cut through Force defenders and ended up 3-0 15 minutes in.

The Force would hang tough though. Emmi continued to step up and make plays from the backline. Sending balls up to Rhea and Christina who gave the Force some offensive thrills with nifty give and gos and both forwards came up with goals.

5-2 loss.