Saturday, October 26, 2002
Fall 2002 Game 5
The Scotch Plains U11 Girls’ soccer team, the Gold Rush gave a performance,Saturday that was as sloppy as the field conditions. With recent storms turning the field at Terrill Middle School into a quagmire, the Gold Rush were able to turn two first half goals by leading scorer Laura Toffolo into a 2-1 victory over the Red Storm, a result which improved their record to 4-0-1 and clinched the regular season title.
If a vote were taken among soccer parents and players it would be almost unanimous against the late season 8:30 am game. But with soccer fields and daylight getting increasingly scarce there are only so many time slots that can be filled with games.
The thick mud in much of the field made the footing difficult and by the end of the game most of the Gold Rush players had brown dots of mud all over their gold uniforms. What made things more challenging was playing without their defensive leader, sweeper Shannon Reimers. Helping ease the loss of Reimers was the return from injury of speedy halfback Toni Ann Gattozzi.
With both teams slipping and sliding early in the game, nearly Caitlin Hoynes-O’Connor gave the Gold Rush the lead but her point blank shot was brilliantly saved by Red Storm goalie Tyler Andrews. After several more close calls, Toffolo connected on two goals within two minutes. The first came off pinpoint pass from fellow halfback Gina Pelosi. The second came off a rebound of a long pass from Neha Pannuri.
Although dominant most of the game the Gold Rush were unable to add to their lead and Andrews switched from her goal position to cut the lead in half with a breakaway goal late in the second half. Nikki Hodulik almost increased the lead back to two but her ten yard shot hit the post.
The Gold Rush, once again received solid goalkeeping from the quartet of Mary Beth Fiedler, Katie Gartner,Eve Rosenheck and Christine Murphy,. Making things easier for them was the defensive group of Pannuri, sweeper Caitlin Hoynes-O’Connor filling in for Reimers, Jessica Moore, Christina Bobyack and Sarah Lazarus.
As usual Pelosi,Toffolo and Toni Ann Gattozzi dominated the midfield with assistance from Amanda Rodriguez.
Providing excellent line play was Hodulik, Rosenheck,Murphy and Allison Staniec.
When the playoffs began next Saturday, the Gold Rush will again be playing the 8:30 game against the sixth place team.
.
If a vote were taken among soccer parents and players it would be almost unanimous against the late season 8:30 am game. But with soccer fields and daylight getting increasingly scarce there are only so many time slots that can be filled with games.
The thick mud in much of the field made the footing difficult and by the end of the game most of the Gold Rush players had brown dots of mud all over their gold uniforms. What made things more challenging was playing without their defensive leader, sweeper Shannon Reimers. Helping ease the loss of Reimers was the return from injury of speedy halfback Toni Ann Gattozzi.
With both teams slipping and sliding early in the game, nearly Caitlin Hoynes-O’Connor gave the Gold Rush the lead but her point blank shot was brilliantly saved by Red Storm goalie Tyler Andrews. After several more close calls, Toffolo connected on two goals within two minutes. The first came off pinpoint pass from fellow halfback Gina Pelosi. The second came off a rebound of a long pass from Neha Pannuri.
Although dominant most of the game the Gold Rush were unable to add to their lead and Andrews switched from her goal position to cut the lead in half with a breakaway goal late in the second half. Nikki Hodulik almost increased the lead back to two but her ten yard shot hit the post.
The Gold Rush, once again received solid goalkeeping from the quartet of Mary Beth Fiedler, Katie Gartner,Eve Rosenheck and Christine Murphy,. Making things easier for them was the defensive group of Pannuri, sweeper Caitlin Hoynes-O’Connor filling in for Reimers, Jessica Moore, Christina Bobyack and Sarah Lazarus.
As usual Pelosi,Toffolo and Toni Ann Gattozzi dominated the midfield with assistance from Amanda Rodriguez.
Providing excellent line play was Hodulik, Rosenheck,Murphy and Allison Staniec.
When the playoffs began next Saturday, the Gold Rush will again be playing the 8:30 game against the sixth place team.
.
Monday, October 14, 2002
Fall 2002 Game 4
The Scotch Plains U11 Girls’ soccer team, the Gold Rush showed their resilient side Saturday. Stung by a late first half goal that negated a dominant performance and tied the game, the Gold Rush erupted for three unanswered goals and produced their most balanced offensive performance of the year in a 4-1 victory over the White Sabres at Terrill Middle School.
Neha Pannuri moved up from her fullback position to deposit a loose ball into the net from fifteen yards late in the first half for the game winner. It came shortly after the Sabre goal which came on a breakaway. Earlier Nikki Hodulik alertly pounced on a rebound of a Laura Toffolo shot to open the scoring early in the first half.
In the second half the Gold Rush clicked on all cylinders and only some spectacular goal keeping kept the score down. Toffolo scored an insurance goal on a hard high shot from ten yards off a perfect pass from Gina Pelosi. Caitlin Hoynes-O’Connor was rewarded for her hustle by out fighting two defenders to score the final goal from short range.
The Gold rush, now 3-0-1 once again received solid goalkeeping from the trip of Mary Beth Fiedler, Katie Gartner and Eve Rosenheck. Making things easier for them was the defensive group of Pannuri, sweeper Shannon Reimers, Jessica Moore, Christina Bobyack and Sarah Lazarus.
As usual Pelosi,Toffolo and Hoyne-O’Connor dominated the midfield with assistance from fast improving Amanda Rodriguez.
Providing excellent line play was Hodulik,Christine Murphy and Allison Staniec.
With no game next week the Gold Rush are hoping to have the injured Toni Ann Gattozzi back in the lineup for their final regular season game on October 19.
Neha Pannuri moved up from her fullback position to deposit a loose ball into the net from fifteen yards late in the first half for the game winner. It came shortly after the Sabre goal which came on a breakaway. Earlier Nikki Hodulik alertly pounced on a rebound of a Laura Toffolo shot to open the scoring early in the first half.
In the second half the Gold Rush clicked on all cylinders and only some spectacular goal keeping kept the score down. Toffolo scored an insurance goal on a hard high shot from ten yards off a perfect pass from Gina Pelosi. Caitlin Hoynes-O’Connor was rewarded for her hustle by out fighting two defenders to score the final goal from short range.
The Gold rush, now 3-0-1 once again received solid goalkeeping from the trip of Mary Beth Fiedler, Katie Gartner and Eve Rosenheck. Making things easier for them was the defensive group of Pannuri, sweeper Shannon Reimers, Jessica Moore, Christina Bobyack and Sarah Lazarus.
As usual Pelosi,Toffolo and Hoyne-O’Connor dominated the midfield with assistance from fast improving Amanda Rodriguez.
Providing excellent line play was Hodulik,Christine Murphy and Allison Staniec.
With no game next week the Gold Rush are hoping to have the injured Toni Ann Gattozzi back in the lineup for their final regular season game on October 19.
