Salem Soccer - game #6 recap
The Salem Saints soccer team felt the woes of having a small team for Thursday's quarterfinal matchup against Good Shepherd of Burnsville. Going into the day, the number of available team members was only 10, while 11 people are needed to play on the field. Coach Collins had a feeling this could happen, so with Griffin and Gideon out of town and David's illness lingering, recruitment of teammates was in order on Thursday morning. Stepping in to fill these big shoes were Tessa, Ellie, McKenna, and Adeline. These brave young volleyball players brought their court training to the field.
Tessa, Addie, and McKenna, together with Reese and Noah H, were a formidable defense. Reese was a great 8th-grade leader with guidance for all the new players. Our other 8th grader, Zander, played his best game of the season in the net. He made some amazing saves. The powerful goal kicks by Zander & Reese made everyone move way down the field!
Our master midfielders, Birk & Eli, were joined by Ellie and gave a solid performance. Their energy and endurance were critical with our small team. Meanwhile, Isaac & Isaiah split their time with some defensive work and filling in as dependable midfielders when needed. The forwards, Lars, Alexis, and Noah R, with their fast feet, continued to push towards the net, taking accurate shots and awesome passing.
The Saints were first to get on the board at the end of the first half. Birk had a great pass to Noah, who sent the ball into the Panther's net to put the Saints up 1-0 at 29 minutes. But, the Panthers had a second-half surge and put up a matching goal halfway through the second half. Play battled on between the very evenly matched teams. The Panthers got one last minute goal in the second half, to end the Saints season with a 1-2 loss.
A huge thank you to all the players for giving it a valiant effort all season long, even if it was a one day season for a few! Coach Collins really enjoyed coaching this year. She hopes all the kids had fun, learned some new skills, and grew to appreciate the game. She enjoyed bonding with all the kids and thinks the future of Salem Soccer looks great!
Tessa, Addie, and McKenna, together with Reese and Noah H, were a formidable defense. Reese was a great 8th-grade leader with guidance for all the new players. Our other 8th grader, Zander, played his best game of the season in the net. He made some amazing saves. The powerful goal kicks by Zander & Reese made everyone move way down the field!
Our master midfielders, Birk & Eli, were joined by Ellie and gave a solid performance. Their energy and endurance were critical with our small team. Meanwhile, Isaac & Isaiah split their time with some defensive work and filling in as dependable midfielders when needed. The forwards, Lars, Alexis, and Noah R, with their fast feet, continued to push towards the net, taking accurate shots and awesome passing.
The Saints were first to get on the board at the end of the first half. Birk had a great pass to Noah, who sent the ball into the Panther's net to put the Saints up 1-0 at 29 minutes. But, the Panthers had a second-half surge and put up a matching goal halfway through the second half. Play battled on between the very evenly matched teams. The Panthers got one last minute goal in the second half, to end the Saints season with a 1-2 loss.
A huge thank you to all the players for giving it a valiant effort all season long, even if it was a one day season for a few! Coach Collins really enjoyed coaching this year. She hopes all the kids had fun, learned some new skills, and grew to appreciate the game. She enjoyed bonding with all the kids and thinks the future of Salem Soccer looks great!