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May 11th - Morning Game

The United Quest '88 Athena White players have figured out that long soccer weekends are more fun when they play well as a team. With three matches on this weekend, the girls arrived early for warm-ups to partly compensate for a weather-induced practice cancellation earlier in the week. These girls have always found morning matches to their liking, but after conceding an early goal off of a slow roller the entire squad would have to step up their effort to put things right for the remainder of their match against the visiting GSA Phoenix White. That goal, the only one that would come for GSA this match, was the result of a wet ball simply rolling, quite uncharacteristically, through the properly positioned Quest keeper's hands and getting behind her where a lurking Phoenix forward easily tapped it into the net. The score stood at 1-0 with a big assist going to the dew-soaked turf. However, it wasn't long before the United girls turned up the energy level to produce an equalizer in a somewhat similar fashion against the GSA keeper. Carolyn Craddock, running out of midfield, closed on a ball that had the opposing keeper's name all over it, but as the two players converged the United midfielder got a touch on the ball to send it through the keeper's legs and on goal. Both Carolyn and Amanda Masters raced onto the ball and after a few unnerving seconds of "You take it, no, You take it" between the two players, Miss Craddock cracked it into the back of the net to tie the score. The Quest defense, anchored once again by solid play from Alena Reich, was through being generous for the match and GSA wouldn't seriously threaten but a couple of times for the rest of the half. Each time the ball was played on the United Goal, keeper Ana Trujillo smothered the ball for clean saves. The always-energetic Ali Schultz was causing trouble for the Phoenix defenders, but got little help on two promising runs on the GSA goal and went unrewarded for her hard work. Lauren Dodd contributed some solid minutes to help run time off the clock near the end of the half. Madison Porter made several nice runs into the attacking third and dropped passes back to her midfielders to create Quest chances, but the half would ultimately end tied. In the second half, the United defense was even better, and outside back Estela Negron-Flores helped set the tone for her team with hustle plays and clean tackles. Her throw-ins began several impressive United sequences. Sierra Green played with her usual fire and delivered several well-placed crosses into the area before Amanda Masters finally got a touch on a ball to redirect it into the GSA goal. United was up 2-1. The United midfield was heating up and their fine passing began to consistently breakdown the GSA defense. Meagan Dilbeck actively called for the ball on several throw-ins and quickly started Quest attacks. Heather Dougherty's scrappy play controlled one side of the field and helped push the GSA players back toward their own goal. Apparently still feeling the adrenaline of playing on her birthday, Carolyn Craddock took a pass and dribbled through two challenges before lining up a magnificent strike that beat the keeper easily to push the score to 3-1. Kim Shriver and Meagan Wood ran down balls up top to keep the Phoenix defenders busy, and Caroline Poirier and Jasmine Noel prowled the central defense late to help control the GSA attack. Kylie Foley decided that one more goal couldn't hurt the Quest cause. She lofted a high shot that cleared the keeper's outstretched arms and settled into the net for the final score of a 4-1 United victory.