Memorial Day Tournament Part 1 – An Xtreme Possession Clinic and a Breakdown

Xtreme 98 Red was excited to be back at the Bull Run Tournament this year, and although the field complex in Haymarket brought back bad memories for some, the girls were ready to play.

First up, one of two Maryland teams – MSC White Stallions.

Red very quickly took control of the game, moving the ball well and drawing blood early. Two minutes into the game guesting U11 player and Happy Feet's cousin, Maria, put on the first of many dazzling footwork displays, crossed to the Taxman who dished to Sunshine, who put the ball away for the first goal of the tournament – her second on the season.

The next nineteen minutes were 90% Red as the girls played keep away and probed the Stallion defenses. The Red defense "made like wall" and very effectively shut down the Stallions long ball fast break reliant offense – Sharky was only asked to make three saves in the half.

In the twenty second minute Happy Feet took a fantastic throw in that found Space Ghost at the far edge of the box. She dribbled in, passed two defenders and a sprawling keeper, and helped herself to her second goal of the season, first of the tournament.

But the Stallions fought back, and in the 27^th minute were rewarded for their speed. A fast break caught the Red defense high and the Stallion player took two excellent touches and was able to cut the Red lead in half. We'd be 2-1 at the half.

The second half began much the way the first one did – with Red possessing the ball and making the Stallions chase. And again, early in the half – at 33 minutes – Red struck. Maria connected with the Taxman again who put this one away herself for her fifth goal of the season.

But the Stallions responded almost immediately, playing a long ball into the mid-field and then launching a header around the Professor that caught her by surprise. She caught the Stallion player, but the girl was able to get her shot away and it beat Happy Feet on the far post.

The Stallions played hard for the rest of the game – pressing Red and taking the shots they were unable to muster in the first half. Happy Feet faced twice as many shots, and she turned most of them away with ease.

Red tried to add an insurance goal, but the Stallion defenders had gotten more aggressive as they were trying to even the score. At 55 minutes a direct kick was awarded to the Stallions from just over the half. They took their time setting up, and the Stallion made it look like she might go short. The other Stallion players sold the ruse – pulling all the Red players out. Then the Stallion specialist arced a nicely taken kick into the top corner of the goal over the head of the leaping Happy Feet – the score was tied at 3 with under five minutes to go.

Red pushed back hard, anxious to recapture the lead, and had the game been 70 minutes rather than 60, they likely would have. But it was not to be, the game ended in a tie, with each team taking a point. But that point would prove extremely important for Red.

During the long break between games a Stallion parent approached us to compliment Red on their passing and possession game. "We don't see a lot of Virginia teams, and what you guys were doing out there was really intimidating." He also told us that our next opponent, MSC Black Stallions, was the better of the two club teams – but that they were down four of their players who had just guested with the White team.

Indeed, the Black Stallions were a different beast entirely, and an old, hot, tired referee didn't help matters. During the Stallions first possession of the game they pressured and one of their players and the Professor went down together in the box. The lineswoman in the far corner waved her flag; the fans and other linesman thought it was offsides on the Stallions or a possible foul called on the Stallions. The referee lumbered over to the corner to consult with the lineswoman – it was as far from the center as he would get for the entire game. After a quick consultation, the referee decided to award a Penalty Kick to the Stallions for a handball he did not see.

Sharky set up on the line and did her best to distract the Stallion player and read her eyes. Sharky did correctly read the player and dove right, but the ball was just out of reach. Red now had a hole to climb out of.

But the combination of the late game, the heat, a more skilled opponent, and lackluster officiating all worked against Red, putting them off their game and making the hole deeper. Sharky would make 11 saves in the half, but the Stallions would add two more goals, at 12 minutes and 27 minutes to go into the half up 3-0.

Red was not able to get any real momentum started – they surrendered 13 more shots on goal in the second half – Sharky would turn all but one away. Red was awarded no corner kicks but gave up four; they were awarded no fouls but were charged with three. Red only mustered 80 passes and 9 shots on goal in the game, as opposed to the previous game where they notched 139 passes and 22 shots. Blocked shots was about the only stat that improved in the second Stallion game; Red players blocked three shots in the game against White, 12 in the game against Black.

Day One of the tournament ended on a bit of a down note – a sure win had slipped away to a tie and Red was dealt a bruising 4-0 loss in the second game. But Red doesn't ever quit – Day Two would be just that – another day.