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!! 

Lady Gunners vs Juventus

 

Sunday Nov. 7th, 2021 | South Walpole, MA

Season Ending Game

A beautiful warm November morning is bonus-weather in the North East region, and a perfect day to get an early game in! The Lady Gunners had this opportunity, though without any substitutes, with a few players missing due to injuries. No excuses made, the 11 who are challenged with the task must deliver. 

Opening 

The original plan was for the Lady Gunners to control the tempo from the start, and make the ball do most of the work, in order to sustain and manage playing without substitutes. What actually got executed was a slow, lethargic play, with many players stagnant all around. As the first half progressed, the performance improved, but never really launched into dominance.  Despite a sub-par performance, the Ladies were able to establish a 3-1 lead at the half.

Half-Time Adjustments

At halftime, we discussed tightening up the defensive work in central midfield.  Juventus is a much-improved team, with the ability to move the ball. That can be dangerous if not dealt with properly, by disrupting their combination and their flow through the middle of the park. 

2nd Half- Final Result

The second half was actually better managed by the Lady Gunners, by disrupting any type of rhythm Juventus attempted to generate, especially through midfield.  With such sound work from the Lady Gunners, it deflated their opponents' ability to close the gap. In the end, the Lady Gunners closed out the season with a 6-1 win. A gutsy performance with all 11 players running for the full 80 minutes! 

Players of the Match
Aurore- was phenomenal in goal, especially for her full outstretched penalty save she pushed away, got up, and recovered. This was during a pivotal point of the match when Juventus could have gained momentum and made things difficult.  

Maddie- from start to end, consistently provided composed ball distribution, poise tempo control, and kept everyone involved.  On a day when the entire unit was not clicking as well, her outstanding performance made up for any lacking chemistry.

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

GAME HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

Lady Gunners vs Scorpions FC

 

Sunday Oct. 31, 2021 | Princeton, MA

Happy Holloween

Rain has been pouring down as if it's late Spring this past week, putting our game at risk of not being played due to field conditions. With an early morning field check, a determined manager with a leaf blower backpack drying out certain areas, all agreed to make it happen! 

Opening 

Playing on a very narrow field, the Lady Gunners were suffocating the opposition with pressure all over the field.  Once they won the ball, the Ladies attacked with purpose.  Several opportunities were created with quality shots taken.  At halftime, a commanding 4-0 lead was reflective of their overall performance.

2nd Half- Final Result

At halftime, our discussion addressed the success from the hard work of the center mids, which disrupted most potential build-ups from the Scorpions. However, a bit of concern for silly mistakes out of the back needed to be cleaned up. 

The second half actually was more challenging than the first, with the Scorpions' determination to be more physical, and apply more pressure on the ball.  As usual, the Lady Gunners being a resilient bunch, responded well with equal intensity and physicality.  In the end, it was a 7-0 victory for the Lady Gunners, which honestly did not feel that way, because the Scorpions were way more competitive than the score showed...(to their defense, they played without a goalie). 

Players of the Match
Our first outstanding performer has no statistics to measure her effort, simply our recognition for their tireless contribution.  Aubrey- limitless resilience, effective wing play, and consistency on both ends of the ball earn her the honors this game!  Courtney- who has worked so hard to improve her play, asked inquiring questions, then executed her far post-run as instructed, and was rewarded with a goal.    

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

GAME HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

Lady Gunners vs MA Rush

 Sunday Oct. 24, 2021 | Newbury, MA

Opening 

A far drive on an early Sunday morning game showed serious commitment from all involved here. Let's face it, that's a tough ride out to almost New Hampshire. The Lady Gunners were definitely up to the task as they jumped out to an early 2-0 lead.  Surprisingly, the Gunners were never playing up to their potential. At the half, it was a 3-1 which did not feel like a lead based on the Ladies' lethargic performance. 

2nd Half- Final Result

At halftime, the coaching staff had a concern about the Lady Gunners' lack of intensity. Though leading 3-1, there was definitely a lack of desire to outwork their opponent, especially in the center of the park.  

The entire second proved to be a struggle for the Gunners. Though they had moments of brilliance, they never established consistent control of the game. Ultimately, MA Rush outplayed them on all facets of the game, specifically in the center midfield. In the end, the Lady Gunners walked away with a 3-3, which honestly was a generous result based on performance. 

Players of the Match
Without questions, the two outstanding players were the most lively one who matched the opposition intensity from the start.  Lydia- was a live wire, with relentless energy in midfield, which honestly managed MA Rush's potential damage. Gabby- scored 2 goals, early on to help cushion a lead, which ultimately preserved a result at the end. 

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

 absence. 

GAME HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

Lady Gunners vs. Franklin SC

 Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021 | Princeton, MA 

COVID 

 An unfortunate infection of COVID kept the head coach away from the sidelines for this match. This game's perspective is based on watching it on film after it was played. 

Opening 

This game started off a bit shaky for the Lady Gunners because Franklin simply had more intensity and confidence. It seems as if there was an immediate disadvantage for that simple reason. The other aspect is Franklin is opportunistic, and clinical at finishing those. At the half a 2-0 deficit for the Gunners with some questions to answer. 

2nd Half- Final Result

At halftime, concern was regarding Gunner's ability to respond. Although down 2-0, the game was far from being over.  As the Lady Gunners got back out, the game got away from them. The single most prevalent aspect was Franklin's physicality!  They basically man-handled the Lady Gunners, and stamped a 3-0 win out of sheer desire and devotion to win. 

Players of the Match
From this game's review, there were two players who had outstanding performances. Gabby: live wire, full of energy, provide a spark and hope for her team to stay in with her consistent runs on the wing, and creativity around the goal. Lilly: stood strong in the middle of park, was able to simply establish a dominant presence with her physical play, and ability to launch attacks for her team. 

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

GAME HIGHLIGHT VIDEO