30 March; Mo-Kan Day 1 vs. Sion (4-2)
Well, we opened Mo-Kan against a good Sion team, and we came away with a nice 4-2 victory. The fact that we were up 3-0 at the half made second half feel a little awkward.
We gave up two very bad goals (not that they were not good strikes). Early in the second half we got beat down the right flank. It happens, but we had no secondary defender, and really no tertiary either. This early breakdown in our defense by experienced players in our system surprised us. It was, as I said, a great strike by Cutrera.
The second goal came off a set piece from 25 or so out where we did not set up a wall. Seriously.
McEnroe did make a nice high save in the first half, and Calvert, playing high, broke up a difficult through ball in the first half as well. Corrigan came out pretty clean for the final 10 minutes as well. But overall we need more communication from the keepers and with the keepers from our defenders. It is key that we play high, and that we clear wide.
Jamie, the BWhite Player of the Match (with a big shoutout to Addie Denning as well), scored two great individual goals and then combined with Kwap and Gieger on two STA Balls for goals towards the end of the first half.
Meyers played well at defense center midfield for us as well with Jess Pasley getting some very good minutes for us at right back to help settle down that start we had to the second half.
We did see some growth offensively in the match from our first match although we barely took enough shots to score one goal let alone 4, but we also took a couple of steps backward defensively in this one.
We will take on a very good Lee's Summit North team in the semi-finals on Wednesday. We will need to generate more attacks and return to our stingy ways defensively.
STATS:
First Half:
Saints: Shots: 4 (3) Corners: 2 (Kwap, Reynolds)
38:16 Kutey (Holmes heads to Jamie's feet for the turn and go)
5:08 Geiger (Kutey goes base to generate a T-ball through Kwap)
3:33 Geiger (We do it once again, same as before)
Sion: 5 (2) Corners: 1
Second Half:
Saints: Shots 4 (2) Corners: 3 (Kutey, Denning, Geiger)
34:23 Kutey (Reynolds goes ground to Jamie checking down to key breakaway)
Sion: Shots: 3 (3) Corners: 2
37:20 Cutrera (breaks down our right back and we have no secondary coverage as she rips the long shot between Calvert's athletic jump and the top of the bar.)
23:54 Romano (set piece from 25 without a wall produces a low sinking strike that eats up Calvert).
