The team came out with tremendous energy. Anastasia, Rhea, Sawyer and Christina kept things moving well up front for the first five minutes. Force defenders held the Meteors up just on their own side of midfield. When there were some breakdowns on the right side Kate came through with solid saves.
This increased energy and pressure forced a Meteor defender -- exposed the whole game, playing 15 yards in side midfield -- to kick back to the keeper from an uncomfortable distance. The pace was off on the pass back and Force forwards courageously pressured. Christina took the kick off her chest. The ball bounced to Sawyer who gave a nice touch pass to Anastasia who kept her head, got the goalie down, and then cut to the right to bury it in the back of the net. Some poetic justice there as Anastasia had her best game of the season: hustling, controlling the ball, giving sharp crossing passes, etc.
The Meteors came back hard though. Only two brilliant, athletic runs by Annabelle stopped breakaways. Sophia added another top notch defensive play, taking the ball away from a Meteor forward in the box in perfect scoring position. All three plays were highlight reel quality -- if anyone ever showed highlights of defensive plays.
The Force went into the half 1-1, and things looked very good indeed.
But, again, the Force found themselves pinned back under pressure and unable to maintain any of their own when they did get breaks. Their short passes were interrupted constantly by the Meteors and the Meteors slowly moved their defenders in from midfield to add to the pressure. The Force offense found itself limited to hoping a single forward at midfield could pop the ball by a defender.
The girls held very tough certainly. Yet they couldn't hold off the offensively skilled Meteors who finished a nice corner kick off and then, within 3 minutes, scored another with a throw-in from the corner area.
Good job girls. Great energy, great hustle.
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