Saturday, September 27, 2003
Fall 2003 Game 3 (1-1)
Rain and ties. Ties and rain. The Gold Rush U11 Scotch Plains Girls soccer team can’t seem to escape both in the same week. In their opening game on September 13, they won 2-0 in a steady downpour. The following week was sunny but they could only tie 1-1. In their third game on Saturday Ocotber 4 at Memorial Field Scotch Plains they got a dose of both playing a 1-1 tie with the White Tigers in the rain.
Unlike the previous week’s game, the Gold Rush scored first this time. Amanda Rodriguez took a clearing pass from Sarah Lazarus and adroitly maneuvered around two defenders to deposit a left footed shot past the goalie ten minutes into the game. It didn’t take the Tigers long to equalize. Taking advantage of a wet slippery ball a shot took a nasty skip into the goal. Despite a wide territorial advantage the remainder of the game the Gold Rush were unable to pierce the collapsing White Tiger defense and the teams remained deadlocked.
Goalies Eve Rosenheck and Jaclyn Friedman were aided by the fine defensive play of fullbacks Donna Amore, Lazarus and Christina Bobyack. Jessica Moore moved from halfback to a new position sweeper and excelled playing behind the fullbacks.
The five halfback alignment of Caoimhe Harold , Allison Staniec Christine Murphy
Laura Wright, Brooke Bergenfeld, Rodriguez, Erica Tropp Anna McGuinness and Alyssa Laki were skillful in creating scoring chances and dropping back to aid the defense. The line play of Isabel Crystal kept the pressure on the opposition.
There will be no games scheduled Columbus Day weekend so the Gold Rush resume play on October 18.
Unlike the previous week’s game, the Gold Rush scored first this time. Amanda Rodriguez took a clearing pass from Sarah Lazarus and adroitly maneuvered around two defenders to deposit a left footed shot past the goalie ten minutes into the game. It didn’t take the Tigers long to equalize. Taking advantage of a wet slippery ball a shot took a nasty skip into the goal. Despite a wide territorial advantage the remainder of the game the Gold Rush were unable to pierce the collapsing White Tiger defense and the teams remained deadlocked.
Goalies Eve Rosenheck and Jaclyn Friedman were aided by the fine defensive play of fullbacks Donna Amore, Lazarus and Christina Bobyack. Jessica Moore moved from halfback to a new position sweeper and excelled playing behind the fullbacks.
The five halfback alignment of Caoimhe Harold , Allison Staniec Christine Murphy
Laura Wright, Brooke Bergenfeld, Rodriguez, Erica Tropp Anna McGuinness and Alyssa Laki were skillful in creating scoring chances and dropping back to aid the defense. The line play of Isabel Crystal kept the pressure on the opposition.
There will be no games scheduled Columbus Day weekend so the Gold Rush resume play on October 18.
Saturday, September 20, 2003
Fall 2003 Game 2 (1-1)
Some ties seem just right, some are like losses and others can almost be thought as wins. The Gold Rush’s 1-1 tie with the Black Cougars, Saturday September 20 at Memorial Field Scotch Plains could be categorized as a little of all three.
The “just right” nature could stem from the way each team seemed to have its dominant time – the Black Cougars owned much of the first half while the Gold Rush dominated the second half. The Gold Rush could feel short changed because they had two goals called back and another which should have been a goal not credited. But the over riding emotion was one of happiness and relief that they had managed to get a point out of the game and keep their regular season unbeaten streak intact at 12 games dating back to Spring 2002.
Caoimhe Harold ,who missed the teams’ first game, made her presence immediately felt with a clutch goal on a well placed shot from close range with 8 minutes left. The Black Cougars had made Alivia diMarie’s first half breakaway goal stand up, withstanding a flurry of Gold Rush offensive thrusts that resulted in a goal by Isabel Crystal that was clearly offside, an apparent game tying one by Brooke Bergenfeld that was definitely not offside and another shot by Bergenfeld that was caught by the goalie, except that the goalie was three feet beyond the goal line which should have resulted in another goal.
Before Harold’s clutch goal, some excellent goal keeping by Eve Rosenheck and Christine Murphy kept the game close. They were abetted by the defense of fullbacks Donna Amore, Sarah Lazarus, Christina Bobyack and Jaclyn Friedman and defensive halfbacks Erica Tropp, Jessica Moore, and Anna McGuinness. The team definitely missed the play of halfback Laura Wright who was away.
Along with halfbacks Harold,Bergenfeld and Crystal , Amanda Rodriguez played tirelessly in midfield. Allison Staniec, Alyssa Laki ,Rosenheck and Murphy guided the offense. The Gold Rush resume play on October 4.
The “just right” nature could stem from the way each team seemed to have its dominant time – the Black Cougars owned much of the first half while the Gold Rush dominated the second half. The Gold Rush could feel short changed because they had two goals called back and another which should have been a goal not credited. But the over riding emotion was one of happiness and relief that they had managed to get a point out of the game and keep their regular season unbeaten streak intact at 12 games dating back to Spring 2002.
Caoimhe Harold ,who missed the teams’ first game, made her presence immediately felt with a clutch goal on a well placed shot from close range with 8 minutes left. The Black Cougars had made Alivia diMarie’s first half breakaway goal stand up, withstanding a flurry of Gold Rush offensive thrusts that resulted in a goal by Isabel Crystal that was clearly offside, an apparent game tying one by Brooke Bergenfeld that was definitely not offside and another shot by Bergenfeld that was caught by the goalie, except that the goalie was three feet beyond the goal line which should have resulted in another goal.
Before Harold’s clutch goal, some excellent goal keeping by Eve Rosenheck and Christine Murphy kept the game close. They were abetted by the defense of fullbacks Donna Amore, Sarah Lazarus, Christina Bobyack and Jaclyn Friedman and defensive halfbacks Erica Tropp, Jessica Moore, and Anna McGuinness. The team definitely missed the play of halfback Laura Wright who was away.
Along with halfbacks Harold,Bergenfeld and Crystal , Amanda Rodriguez played tirelessly in midfield. Allison Staniec, Alyssa Laki ,Rosenheck and Murphy guided the offense. The Gold Rush resume play on October 4.
Sunday, September 14, 2003
Fall 2003 Game 1 (2-0)
The first U11 girls soccer game ever played at Memorial Field in Scotch plains on Saturday September 13 was far from an artistic success. A steady rain and poor drainage made footing treacherous for the players and watching uncomfortable for the spectators but the result was satisfying for last years’ top team the Gold Rush as they extended their regular season unbeaten streak to 13 games with a 2-0 victory over the green machine.
Playing in light green uniforms that were the same as last spring and with a revamped lineup that included only seven players from last years’ powerhouse, the Gold Rush used their usual formula of airtight defense and opportunistic offense. Brooke Bergenfeld, who played two years ago was welcomed back by her old teammates and initiated the scoring with hard shot from 10 yards away. Isabel Crystal almost made it 2-0 but her shot was nabbed by the goalie just before going in.
In the second half, Crystal made a perfect pass across the front of the goal to fellow fourth grader Laura Wright who put a right footed shot past the beaten goalie. After that the Gold Rush managed t o hold off the Green Machine through tough defense.
Goalies Eve Rosenheck, Christine Murphy both returnees combined with Jaclyn Friedman on the shutout with Friedman stopping a penalty shot. The fullbacks Donna Amore and returnees Sarah Lazarus and Christina Bobyack were unyielding. The five halfback alignment of Crystal, Wright, Bergenfeld, returnee Amanda Rodriguez, Erica Tropp Anna McGuinness and returnee Jessica Moore were skillful in creating scoring chances and dropping back to aid the defense. The line play of Alyssa Laki, Murphy, and returnee Allison Staniec kept the pressure on the opposition.
If Hurricane Isabel stays away the Gold Rush will play their next gamer on Saturday at 11 am.
Playing in light green uniforms that were the same as last spring and with a revamped lineup that included only seven players from last years’ powerhouse, the Gold Rush used their usual formula of airtight defense and opportunistic offense. Brooke Bergenfeld, who played two years ago was welcomed back by her old teammates and initiated the scoring with hard shot from 10 yards away. Isabel Crystal almost made it 2-0 but her shot was nabbed by the goalie just before going in.
In the second half, Crystal made a perfect pass across the front of the goal to fellow fourth grader Laura Wright who put a right footed shot past the beaten goalie. After that the Gold Rush managed t o hold off the Green Machine through tough defense.
Goalies Eve Rosenheck, Christine Murphy both returnees combined with Jaclyn Friedman on the shutout with Friedman stopping a penalty shot. The fullbacks Donna Amore and returnees Sarah Lazarus and Christina Bobyack were unyielding. The five halfback alignment of Crystal, Wright, Bergenfeld, returnee Amanda Rodriguez, Erica Tropp Anna McGuinness and returnee Jessica Moore were skillful in creating scoring chances and dropping back to aid the defense. The line play of Alyssa Laki, Murphy, and returnee Allison Staniec kept the pressure on the opposition.
If Hurricane Isabel stays away the Gold Rush will play their next gamer on Saturday at 11 am.
