Xtreme 98 Red Tryout Schedule Being Developed

With only three weekends of league play and one tournament remaining in the Spring 2010 season, Xtreme begins to look ahead to the Fall. All teams and clubs in the area will begin a massive outreach to attract new players and retain existing players, and we're no different.

Team staff are working with field assignors to reserve space and expect a formal tryout schedule to be announced soon.

In the meantime, if you are a player interested in possibly joining our squad, or you know of a potential player, our biweekly practices are always open. Email Michael Klein at xtreme98red@gmail.com for practice times and locations or more information.

Xtreme Stymied by Great Falls Long Ball Game

The wind was howling and the trees were swaying for a second straight day in Annandale as Xtreme 98 took on Great Falls Spirit for a Mother's Day Match-Up.

The eerie weather and lack of Mother's Day mimosas set an unsettling tone for the game, and when Great Falls scored two quick goals in the first 6 minutes of the game, Xtreme found itself once again with an uphill, upwind climb.

Xtreme battled back, valiantly in places, but was unable to string together a full game. Despite some good chances and a goal that was called back for offsides, Xtreme was unable to stay on offense long enough to make the come back, thanks to the Great Falls long ball game that cleared out their end. The match ended 0-3.

The high point of the game may have come before the game, when the girls presented the mother's in attendance with Gerber daisies – red, of course.

Next up, an away Saturday morning game versus the talented and deep VSA squad. Xtreme will be ready for the challenge.

Xtreme Blanked By SYC

A powerful and skilled SYC team literally blew into Annandale today, and with a strong wind at their backs, jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead over Xtreme. The first goal, just 4 minutes into the game, combined with the quick passing and impressive speed of several SYC players, seemed to knock Xtreme back on their heels, causing them to play somewhat tentatively.

They once again had a hard time getting their offense started, spending much of the first half in the defensive zone and ceding 3 more goals.

Guest Coaches Ann and Kim Germain made adjustments during the halftime and Xtreme was able to apply much more pressure on SYC during the second half and cut in half SYC's scoring chances, but in the end, SYC had built up too much of a lead – physical and mental – for the Xtreme girls to overcome. SYC would add two more goals in second half, including one in the closing minute.

Xtreme will take the field again this weekend, taking on Great Falls Spirit in a Mother's Day match-up at noon.

Xtreme Controls Game, Can’t Get Offense Started

Xtreme took on our old division rivals, CYA Freedom 98 Purple, this weekend. Last year we split our two games with them, losing at home and winning on the road. The win came on the last game of the season and was one in which the Xtreme girls so overwhelmed Freedom with ball control and controlled passing that the 1-0 win seemed like it wasn't enough. It was also the first game in which the girls broke the 100-pass mark established earlier in the season by Coach Lance.

But if that game was an indication of how far Xtreme had come during the season, the game this Saturday was an indication of how far they still have to go this season.

Xtreme picked up exactly where they left off, controlling the ball and playing a solid defense that stymied Freedom attacks. But as solid as Xtreme's defense and goal keeping was, her attack was somewhat anemic at times. The girls heavily outshot Freedom in general, but Freedom logged more quality scoring chances. Xtreme's 27 shots were spread amongst 11 players, and eight players had multiple shots.

The game was well-contested at both ends and ended in 0-0 draw, bringing our record this season to 1-2-2.

Xtreme looks ahead to another double-header weekend and two more chances to get her offense jump started and get some more players on the score sheet.

Xtreme Comes Up Short Against Vienna

In Xtreme's fourth league game in as many game days the girls showed signs of the wear and tear of a heavily front-loaded schedule. The girls took on the Vienna Comets, a team with which we've tangled in the past. The Xtreme roster is quite different today, but the outcome was not. Vienna dominated the first half, peppering Xtreme's keeper with shots and would go on to win the game 3-0.

However, our keeper, Amalia, should win the Xtreme Hard Hat of the game for her outstanding play. She faced more than 20 quality shots, turning the vast majority of them away in thrilling fashion as she threw herself from one side of the goal to the other and leaping up to punch shots over the crossbar (as in the photo at below).

Despite Amalia's fantastic performance, Vienna was able to find the back of the net 3 times in the first half while Xtreme mustered only one shot on goal – a free kick awarded to Reina, fouled as she led Xtreme's first attack of the game.

The second half was an entirely different game – Amalia remained in goal and continued to do cartwheels and stand on her head to blank Vienna in the half. Kendall, Caitlin, and Erin L tightened up our defense, severely limiting the number of shots Vienna was able to take in the half and keeping the ball out of our zone. But the Xtreme offense of Emma, Aiden, Teah, Audrey, and Madison was not able to jump start any meaningful attacks.

With a grueling open to the season and several players nursing injuries, Xtreme heads into the third week of the season with a much needed bye. A rejuvenated Xtreme will take the pitch Saturday, May 1 against old rivals, CYA Freedom 98 Purple, and a W is more than possible.

Xtreme Notches First Win of the Regular Season

They say revenge is a dish best served cold. How about served with a side of extreme wind? On Saturday, Xtreme 98 Red took a ride to the Prince William County home of the Junior Majestics, who only a week earlier had rudely scored a goal in the last minute of play to break a hard fought 2-2 tie. Xtreme was thinking about nailing down the W, and they had a fire lit under them.

Heavy winds, blowing hard towards the Xtreme goal for the first half, added some extra danger to Majestic corners (2) and crossing shots. It also meant our defense had to tighten down on the Majestic's fastest player - #22, who liked to linger near the center line, waiting to be sprung on a breakaway.

It was just such a combination of Majestic speed, wind at their backs and an unfortunate bounce that had Xtreme knock in an own goal at the four minute mark. More damaging than the goal was that the play resulted in Erin G. "The Hammer" limping off the field with a hyper-extended knee. She would not return and would miss Xtreme's next match on Sunday.

But Xtreme – scrappy fighters that they are – don't mind clawing their way back into a game. And ten minutes later they answered the Majestics with a goal: Laura put a foot skills show on and sent a blistering cross to Emma at the far post. Emma tapped the ball home and it rolled across the line at an agonizingly slow pace.

Xtreme controlled the pace of the game, effectively moving the ball around the field to test the Majestic defense and keeper from all sides. Emma and Aiden both sent 4 shots at the goal, Madison and Audrey would each add a shot, but the player with the keeper's number was absolutely Laura. Not only did she distribute the ball nicely to her fellow forwards, she took 8 shots herself before the game was done.

Amalia played well in goal, turning away 4 quality Majestic shots and the half ended tied 1-1.

Kendall, who with partners Caitlin and Erin L "The Taxman", had built a wall in front of our goal, took the keeper's jersey for the second half. Caitlin and The Taxman were joined on defense by Elizabeth and Amalia who effectively shut down the Majestics fast-paced offense. The home team only mustered 2 shots in the second half, both of which were turned away by Kendall.

At the 46 minute mark, Xtreme put together another long passing sequence, playing keep-away from the Majestics. The sequence ended when The Taxman sent Aiden racing down the flank – she beat her players and sent a well-timed ball to Laura who was waiting in the box to blast the go-ahead goal home.

Despite great pressure from the Majestics during the final 10 minutes of the game, Xtreme was able to protect their lead, blocking shots, and pressing for a third goal themselves.

The entire squad had an impressive game, everyone contributing and playing their game. Which goes to show what the girls can do when they put their mind to it. But would they be able to keep up the intensity for a game against old WAGS rival, VYS Comets on Sunday? We shall see.

Xtreme and Freedom Draw in Interclub Match

The Red took on one of their sister teams from ABGC, Freedom 98, on Sunday in the second match of the season. Many of the players know each other well, having played rec soccer together or on basketball teams together. The teams also shared players last season and occasionally during the last several winter indoor season. As a result, or perhaps because of the game the day before and the severe heat on Sunday, this match moved at a slower pace.

The teams felt each other out, alternating games of keep-away. Erin L. started in goal and successfully turned away four shots, including one that had her sprawling across the goal mouth to pounce on a rebound. Both teams quickly realized that with solid goal keeping at both ends, this was going to be a game that would be won in the trenches – a war of attrition to see who would make the first mistake. The level of physical play intensified in both directions, with our defense, led by Erin G., Kendall, and Caitlin collapsing in on Freedom attackers to limit their chances, but with Freedom pushing right back – and hard.

The game was plagued by inconsistent officiating that focused more on throw ins than the increasing physicality of the game, something that would come back to take a toll on both teams later in the game.

Emma, Aiden, and visiting Teah combined for five quality shots on the Freedom keeper – all were saved. Madison would add a shot as well, but saw limited playing time due to her sore knee and allergies that were bothering her. The first half ended as it had started, 0-0.

There was more of the same deliberate play in the second half, until the 45 minute mark when Caitlin, once again, reclaimed the ball deep in her end, and charged past Freedom attackers and mid-fielders only to be fouled in the Freedom half. The referee called a direct kick, and Caitlin, as we all knew she could, bent the ball around the Freedom wall slamming it into the back of the net from 30 yards out.

The failure of the referee to warn the girls effectively on physical play finally resulted in injuries to players on both sides. "The Hammer" and the very aggressive Freedom player she had been battling all day, collided hard and both players went down. True to form, "The Hammer" popped up first, but both players took a breather. Megan went in at defense, and despite nursing an injured angle, was able to hold her gorund admirably, helping Erin L and Caitlin protect our one goal lead. Kendall turned away five Freedom shots, including a rising shot that she was just able to get her fingers on to send over the crossbar.

At the 52 minute mark Freedom tallied the tying goal from what seemed to be an impossible angle to our keepers' left, and the teams would fight hard in the final 8 minutes for a winning goal. So hard, in fact, that we saw, for what may have been the first time in team history, a yellow card come out for an opponent.

Audrey "Space Ghost" had the best opportunity to break the tie when our defense sent her ahead with a beautiful ball. The Freedom keeper misread the pass and found herself woefully out of position. "Space Ghost" took two touches and fired right on net, but the bumpy field said "no," and a large divot slowed the ball down and redirected it just enough for the keeper to turn it aside. It was Audrey's third quality shot of the game.

The game would end in a 1-1 draw, and although a win was certainly possible, it was nice to face an opponent against whom the team is more evenly matched. Next up, a rematch against the Junior Majestics and the Vienna Comets.