(Coach Bateson's weekly comments/email to the Soccer Parents. Recent updates from the players will be posted shortly.)
Hey all-
I realized last night that I did not send you all an email last week...I'm really sorry! I hope everything is well on your end of things. I'll try to recap as best I can everything going on here on campus / with the team.
So, since I last emailed we've played four games - Berry (GA), Emory & Henry (VA), Covenant (GA) and Emory (GA). I'm sure you all know the results, but here's what we've been talking about here.
Berry - We had a bit of a slow start to the game. Perhaps it was the fact that it was a Sunday afternoon game, perhaps it was because it was pretty hot on the turf, or maybe it was because we had team pictures right before the game. Whatever the reason, we started slower than we wanted. Berry was able to get a goal 1/2 way through the first half (hand ball?!!? - I think so). We did our best to get even before 1/2 time, but we unsuccessful in doing so. Fr the most part, we weren't following the game plan as written before the game. With a reiteration of what needed to be done, we played a much better second half, spreading them out and getting in behind the defense. 2 second half goals by Freddy Gomez and Greg Carnovale brought us home a 2-0 win over a very good Berry team. After the game, the players and parents in attendance feasted on quite a lot of food - I know the players enjoyed it as they talked about it for a couple of days after. THANKS to all of you that were able to help put this together. (W 2-1)
Emory & Henry - They were a better team than they have been in the past. They were certainly better than the scouting reports I was given. And they deserved to win the game on the night. That being said, we didn't just give in. However, we didn't do what was asked from the beginning and had to play catch-up for the rest of the game. Unfortunately we weren't able to catch up with either clock or Emory & Henry. (L 1-2)
Convenant - The goals for the weekend trip to GA were: Successful Soccer & Tea Camaraderie. First, the first...although we did not come away with the win against Covenant, I believe we played pretty good soccer. Their first goal was unlucky for us as the player was definitely and obviously offside. But those tings happen, and you keep playing the game. The second was our mistake for not clearing the ball properly. So - to explain why I thought we still played successful soccer - being down 2-0 early in the second 1/2, the team didn't panic. We didn't just heave the ball in over top and try to play long ball. We still continued to play on the ground and keep the ball. We did, however, make attacking the end line and the goal more important in the final 40 minutes. We got a great service across the goal by Freddy Gomez that ended up deflecting off a Covenant player for our (own) goal. We had 2 excellent opportunities on corners late in the game that said just over and wide of the goal...just one of those would have given us (a deserved?) tie.
Second, the team comaraderie component was made a success by two different things. 1, we held a roommate draft on the bus for rooming assignments. The seniors were room captains and were able to draft who they wanted for their roommates in the hotel that night. I have to say, if I ever need a GM for a draft, I may have to give Chris Matteo a call...2, we had dinner at the Olive Garden Saturday night. I asked that the players put their cell phones away for dinner and actually talk to each other. MOST did a good job, but the freshman group got a little shakey toward the end of dinner. It was only after dinner that many of the players realized that their texts and Facebook accounts didn't go away for the hour during dinner. I was fun to see how much fun the players had with each other at dinner...and a bit disturbing (I have to say) as to how much they ate - never ending pasta bowls...WOW). I also NEED to say THANK YOU to the parents who were able to send their support for dinner that night. I - and the players - REALLY APPRECIATE the support.
Emory - We played a very good and solid first 1/2. We were both dangerous in their end and good in our end during the first 1/2. Peter Truitt made 2 excellent saves in the first, keeping the score tied at 0-0. In the second 1/2 we changed our game plan a bit and decided we needed to stretch them out a bit. We spent the first 15-20 minutes looking to play fairly direct, making the CB's and MF's move further into their end. Thankfully, with excellent play from our players, it worked. We scored 3 very good goals within the final 30 minutes of the game, giving us our first-ever win against Emory - a historically excellent program. The Successful Soccer and Team Comaraderie came through in superb fashion during the game, hopefully spurning us forward into ODAC play this weekend.
Lynchburg this weekend at their place. I'm sure Lynchburg will be ready to see us as they feel they owe us from last year...we beat them late in the season to ruin their perfect ODAC run. It's always a great atmosphere there...hope many of you can make it.
-Jeff
