CONFERENCE CHAMPS! CONFERENCE CHAMPS!
Okay, that feels like a good way to start the next post. Well done Abes. Undefeated in league play (so far, don’t want to jinx them) Conference Champs is even better.
Memorial Cruises Past Chippewa Falls
As we discussed in the last post, we expected Memorial to come out firing on all cylinders after the tough weekend. We got what we expected. With only one day rest, but likely a little fire brewing in their bellies, the Abes took on a competitive Chippewa Falls team. The first meeting was a battle that was not decided until late, a 2-1 win at Chippewa Falls. This one was over early. With a key player returning to the line up, the Abes looked confident, played with a swag, loose and easy and dominated the play from beginning to end. The rotations looked a little different; a combination of returning players, and rotating the squad a bit to keep players rested with all the games lately. Goals by Stow (2) , L. Carmody (2), and Bowe (welcome back) had Memorial leading 5-0 at the half. The solid confident play continued into the second half with goals by Stow (2), Beaudrie, Barstad ( a screaming rocket!) and Madsion Etzel to finish this one off 10-0. Back at home, back in the BRC and Back on track for the Abes. It was a nice way to ease back into the final stretch after a tough weekend. A new win streak started, players back and confidence restored.
Abes Stay Hot As They Take Down Hudson
The first game against Hudson was maybe the best half of the season I have seen. A really strong display of possession, midfield dominance and ball movement showed the Abes were the real deal. That seemed a long time ago but the replay again showed Memorial is ready for a deep run this year. Long stretches of possession in the Hudson half and pressure on the back four made the first half a near repeat of the first game. First half goals by Olivia Pasch and Stow had the Abes up 2-0. The first goal is one of my favorites so far this year. Check it out! A great strike by Stow is stopped by an excellent save by the Hudson GK. Stow stays calm, and plays a nice square pass across the box to Pasch. Pasch had a few options and you kind of expect a hard drive, low on the ground to try to beat the GK…..but oh no, that would be the easy play. OLIVIA ELECTS TO DROP A FLOATING LOFTED BALL OVER THE TOP OF THE GK AND INTO THE NET….what….and she pulls it off. Very nice!!
The Abes kept pressing for a second goal and earned a 2-0 lead on a nice hustle goal from Stow. A ball the GK could not contain and Stow pounced, right place at the right time. Later in the half she almost extended the lead with a nice trap, turn and shot.
So 2-0 at the half and everything under control. Not so fast…..and much like the first half, Hudson finds some energy and has a nice spell to open the half. A long ball into space and a 1 v 1 battle down the field leads to a nice finish and a 2-1 lead. Game On! As has happened a few times this year, Memorial responds. The game in the balance, would 2-1 slip away….or would Memorial respond. Respond they did. Just Six minutes later, and who better than Stow to answer.
A great pass by Sorensen leads Stow into the box and Stow calmly puts its past the GK.
Two goal lead restored and Memorial back in control. Memorial controlled the game the rest of the way and continued to press for a 4th while limiting Hudson opportunities. And then at the 69th minute mark something special happened. I have to call myself out first though. Big time rookie blogger mistake when you forget to make sure your phone is charged. And then you run out of power in the middle of the second half. And then you miss maybe the best goal of the season. Dumb, I know. My bad Ali. A penalty and direct kick are awarded near the Memorial 18, probably about 25 yards out. I make a comment to another fan nearby that this is a really dangerous spot for a direct kick. Ali Bowe steps up behind the ball, the whistle blows, she approaches the shot and ….bam….a rocket shot over the wall and headed to goal. GK is ready but the ball is on a perfect trajectory and headed toward the bar. The GK jumps and stretches for the ball but the shot is just outside her reach…and just under the bar, a target area with only a few inches to spare. The ball hits the bar, goes bar down, deflects off the GK and into the net. How did that happen. The perfect shot. Bar down and into the net. Wow! Really bummed I didn’t get it on tape. But….in honor of Ali, I did find this on YouTube. So just replace Marc Burch with Ali, make it a right footed shot…and you get the idea what happened.
One more conference game and them the real season starts! Go Abes!