Rochester Pride - RSC Lightning '96

Thunder Open The Season Strong - And Then Get Stronger. On 2 picture perfect days, Thunder opened their season up with a home & home weekend against North Macomb Fireballs. [Saturday, 26 April – Bordon Park] Saturdays match presented it’s own unique challenges. Opening our season on the heels of the Easter Break may have been a schedule error on my part. With players still vacationing, we played the match with only eleven players. Yet, from the first Thunder looked strong and did a nice job of moving the ball and looking for each other. Things got even tougher when, in the 12th minute, Sara got hurt and Had to sub out for the remainder of the half. Adjusting to a 2 forward front and playing 10 v 11 for the rest of the first half, Thunder did a nice job of limiting the Fireballs’ opportunities. On two or three chances that were allowed, goalkeeper Emily Liles proved rock solid and made truly excellent saves look simple. During the second half, back to our full compliment of 11 players, Thunder adjusted a bit and began doing a better job of looking for chances to play the ball through or behind defense resulting in several outstanding scoring chances. In particular, Hillary after neatly winning a 1v1 on the left flank, took a few more touches toward goal and then served a lovely ball across the face of the net for an onrushing Alyssa. The scoring touch was only missed by mere inches. 10 minutes later, a nearly identical setup was created by Sandi and again just barely missed by Alyssa, who is beginning to show a great sense of how and when to crash onto the goal. Finally, as the last 15 minutes of the match descended, the fatigue factor began to kick in and proved to be too much to overcome. Yet, for all their fatigue, the team never allowed any major errors and, in fact, allow even fewer and lesser quality scoring chances to the opponent than they had in the 1st half. They game was very well played and the result a highly satisfying draw. One left the field with the distinct feeling that with just 2 or 3 extra players to keep the team fresh, the results could have been very different. Well, happily, that theory was able to be put to the test the very next afternoon, when… [Sunday, 26 April – Washington Fields] Squaring off for the 2nd time in two days, Thunder came to the field better focused, more settled, and more complete as 3 more players having now returned from spring vacation were dress for play. Play look sharper from the onset and in only the 6th minute Thunder capitalized on that effort with Sandi D’Alimonte scoring from about 16 yards out after a fancy bit of dribbling through traffic. Much to the credit of Olivia, Hillary & Alyssa in support, who kept sliding wide, wide, wide as Sandi began her run, drawing defenders and creating space for Sandi to pick her way through. And as a result what may have looked like a singular effort, was truly the best sort of example of team play. It was a very heartening sight and I’m proud to see how you girls are gaining such a nice understanding of the big picture. Play continued to go our way for most of the half. But just when it seemed as though we would take a lead into halftime, one little error in not using support correctly, resulted in Fireball pressure and finally a goal for them in the last minute of the half. With no need for panic, and every reason to feel good about the match thus far, Thunder came out determined to clean up the little mistakes and keep up the same style of play as the 1st half. In short order, a flurry of activity and pressure resulted in Sandi scoring her 2nd of the day 10 minutes into the 2nd half. The bulk of play continued to center in the attacking half, and it must be noted that defenders Kelly Noren, Tenealle Tenwolde, & Christina Winkler were magnificent in keeping the ball contained for Great stretches of time, and denying the opponent any true quality chances at goal when they were able to work their way into our defensive third. Thunder’s 3rd goal came off the foot of Chelsea McGee. At the near corner of the six-yard box, Chelsea got on the end of a corner kick, got her body sideways on to redirect the serve, and finished most picturesque full volley one-timer you can imagine. It was a thing of beauty and especially nice for Chelsea to score against her old team. Finally, with about 4 minutes remaining, Sandi was taken down hard in the penalty area on a run that after beating that last defender would have bee a clean breakaway. Shaken a bit from the hard fall – but not rattled in the least from her focus or determination, Sandi finished the PK neatly and closed the scoring for the afternoon. It was a very good showing for Thunder all in all. We have some very nice things happening for us that we will be able to build on, and yet, there is plenty for us to work on so we may once again make this a season of great growth and improvement. I am extremely proud of you all. Let’s use this as the springboard to a great season of hard work and the rewards that are gained by that hard work.