GO KES Soccer Girls!

Let’s face it, we all like it when a plan comes together. Teachers, coaches, parents… it doesn’t matter who, we all like it when something we have carefully thought through, and considered as many impacting factors as possible, all come together the way we wanted it. This rarely happens in sports as the opposition always wants to spoil the party. Rightfully so. Well, that’s exactly what happened for the Senior Girls’ Soccer team last Thursday when we traveled down highway 101 to play Middleton High School, in our final league game of the season. We wanted to get the early lead, we wanted to play an up-tempo style all game long, we wanted all of our players playing the same way, and we were hoping to spread out the goal scoring.

 

 

 

KES started the game on a very positive note, playing a series of many consecutive passes deep in the Middleton end and close to their goal. This sustained pressure pinned Middleton back and allowed our attackers to start opening up shooting lanes and finding the back of the Middleton net. Grade 10 midfielder Jill Griffith led the charge as her first three shots all hit mesh, and all in the first 15 minutes of play! Lily Gale, dynamic in the striker’s position, deftly turned, faced the goal and finished with an excellent shot to give KES a 4-0 lead at the 25 minute mark. What a memorable goal it was for Lily, who recorded her first goal of the year. At 35 minutes, centre-back Neila MacDonald, with her first goal of the season, let go a wicked drive from about 40-yards that the helpless Middleton keeper could only flail at, as MacDonald’s shot was still rising when it crashed into the back of the net. KES was in the lead 5-0 at the half.

 

In the second stanza, our KES lineup was almost totally revamped with many players finding themselves in somewhat unfamiliar playing positions. No matter. The girls wearing red continued to play the same brand of up tempo, quick, quality passes, and movement into good supporting space that produced more great scoring chances. The energy and effort our girls expended in the second half was really a fun thing to watch, especially for Tammy Lazo de la Vega’s mom, Laura. Laura flew into Halifax from Mexico on Thursday, travelled to KES, jumped on the bus and accompanied the team to Middleton to watch Tammy play! Tammy was excited – we were all excited! And get this…in the 70^th minute Tammy made a slick play in the Middleton penalty area only to be fouled and taken down. The referee whistled and then pointed to the penalty spot for a KES penalty kick. So, who is summoned to take the free shot from 12 yards? Tammy. And, what did Tammy do? She stepped up to the ball and hammered it into the top left-hand corner leaving the opposing keeper with no chance for a save. The screams of delight from the bench, and from Laura, were loud and raucous. Tammy scored her first-ever goal, and her mom was there to see and capture it on video, no less! KES completed the scoring in the 83^rd minute when Grade 12 striker Laura Arenburg, centrally located with her back to goal, received a pass from midfield, turned her first touch toward the net, and then calmly slotted the ball low and inside the near post for a picture-perfect example of quality technique under pressure. What-a-finish for your first goal of the year, Laura! It wasn’t the busiest game of the season for goalkeeper Maya Faucher, who collected her 5^th shutout of the season, but her passing and igniting the attack was high quality as has become her trademark. Final score: KES 7 – Middleton 0.  Well done, girls, our plan came together!

 

Next up: KES at the NSSAF Regional tournament hosted by Forest Heights High School, October 18^th & 19^th. Game 1 versus Barrington HS - 9:30am, Friday, October 18^th.

 

GO KES!