Lady Gunners v. Franklin 4/24/22

 

Sunday April 24, 2022 | Princeton, MA

The Lady Gunners were defeated by Franklin 3-0 last season. The unsettling factor about it was the fact that Franklin played with 10 players that game. With a reminder of that result, the Lady Gunners had a statement to make about it.

1st Half

 Motivated by the loss last season, the Lady did a remarkable job pressuring the ball in midfield, while limiting their opponent's ability to get anything going offensively.  This facilitated the Gunners' ability to quickly transition to possession, and create scoring opportunities, which they converted for a 2-0 lead at the intermission. 

Half-Time Adjustments

At halftime, it was important to point out that the triangle in the middle really needed to remain organized. The only time Franklin showed signs of life, was when the unit was flat. Besides that, the Gunners needed to be clinical at finishing their opportunities. 

2nd Half- Final Result

The Lady Gunners came out ready to put the game away, based on the sharp possession, and determination to inject their pressure into their opponent's attack, causing paralysis to any threatening move Franklin attempted. In the end, it was a 3-1 final, with lots of credit going to their second-half goalie, who made numerous saves to keep things close.

Players of the Match

Saidi- had her breakout game today, showing signs of her consistent improvement.  Out on the wing, she was fluid with movement off the ball, sharp with her control, and sound with her decision-making.  Her memorable header saved by the keeper was exemplary of her performance today! 

Alexa- has continued to show her ability to improve when she receives the ball, with soft first touch, and patience while looking for her next option. Always aggressive and hungry, she found her first goal this season, off a set-piece. Great job from the youngster today! 

Aubrey- controlled the center of the park with her poised distribution and intelligent reading of the opponent's tendencies. When things were disorganized in the middle, it was her presence that stabilized the chaos. Capped off by her beautiful upper 90 shot, to put the game to bed for her team, Aubrey was phenomenal.

Congrats to all the Outstanding Performers Today! 

GAMES SCHEDULE LINK 

Lady Gunners v Juventus- 4/10/22

 

Sunday April 10th, 2022 | South Walpole, MA

The Lady Gunners are a depleted team, with lots of injuries to deal with. The Central Midfield was a hurting unit with Lydia's absence, Lexi's playing with a broken tibia, and Maddie playing at 70% with a leg injury of her own. 

1st Half

 As usual, no excuses were ever made, the healthy players simply had to step up to face the challenge. The game started off with Juventus doing well possessing, controlling play. The Gunners could not match the quality on that front. At the intermission, the Gunners had a 1-0 lead but were far from convincing in terms of performance level.

Half-Time Adjustments

At halftime, the plan was for the Gunners to actually improve their defensive discipline.  Juventus was actually picking the Ladies apart with triangle passing, give-n-goes, and sharp passing all over the pitch. 

2nd Half- Final Result

The second half was more of the same for the Lady Gunners. Much credit goes to Juventus, a team that has improved tremendously over the past year.  They were clinical with their passes, possession, patience, and creating scoring opportunities. In the end, it was a 1-1 final score, when Juventus finally converted a free-kick, from outside of the box. 

Players of the Match

Lilly- was pivotal in her role to help stabilize the Lady Gunners.  Moving her up to the center midfield proved to close lots of gaps in the middle of the pitch, especially in the absence of the usually reliable midfield trio.  

Bayley- for the second week in a row, Bayley was an outstanding performer for her side. She had to play in the center of defense to allow Lilly to step to midfield. As usual, Bayley played with controlled aggression, consistent key defensively plays and was a reliable source for her team.

Congrats to you both on a well-deserved Players of the Match Award!!

GAMES SCHEDULE LINK 

Lady Gunners v. Surf

Sunday April 3, 2022 | Fitchburg, MA

Season Opener

Always exciting to start the outdoor seasons after long winters. Sure, the indoor games help bridge that gap, but there is nothing like being on a full field with an opportunity to play. With just one training session outside and a couple of pre-season games, the Lady Gunners were hoping to come out sharp for this battle. 

Opening 

The game started off intense, physical, and aggressive on both sides. Since the referee seem to allow it, both teams found comfort in the physical nature of the match.  The Lady Gunners did well with possession at stretches of time but seemed to always to rush that final pass a bit too much. A couple of defensive mistakes allowed Surf to score their first goal. Shortly after, the Gunners equalized for a 1-1 score at the end of the first. 

Half-Time Adjustments

At halftime, we discussed improving the possession game, by not rushing the final passes. The Lady Gunners uncharacteristically got lost in a direct style of play, which favored their opponent.  

2nd Half- Final Result

Unfortunately, the plan to better execute the possession game never materialized. Although the Lady Gunners were able to control play in their own half, that quality never carried to the offensive third.  Consequently, very few corners, crosses, and shots were created.  With a couple of penalties called against the Lady Gunners, Surf was able to secure a 3-1 win. 

Players of the Match

Bayley- as the game progressed, Bayley seemed to generate more energy! Defensively, she continued to be aggressive, stepping up to close down players, and shutting down any dangerous penetration on her side. Late in the second half, she consistently made plays offensively, turning into a wing-back. Outstanding performance.  

Lilly- had a strong game overall in central defense. With her athleticism, Lilly was able to cover a lot of ground. Offensively, her ball control to transition into offense was pivotal for her squad. Awesome job.

Congrats to you both on a well-deserved Players of the Match Award!!