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Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
The Giants have done it again
The San Francisco Giants are once again World Series champions, winning 4-3 in extra innings. What an amazing end to an amazing season.
If you are still awake, be sure to tune in to Gameday at 11:30 pm tonight.
6th/7th graders surging into the playoffs
The 6th/7th graders played their best game of the year in the regular season finale, shutting out their opponent 5-0 Saturday at West Sunset.
Alan tied a St. Mary's soccer record for most goals in a season set by Eloy in 2011 by scoring four goals in the team's fifth win of the year.
And for the first time, Andre found the back of the net, when he closed the scoring late in the 4th quarter.
At (5-1-2), the 6th/7th graders secured the second seed in their division, and will play a team that they tied 1-1 earlier this season.
All season, the boys were knocking on the doorstep but were just off by a little bit, which really watered down the goals overall.
But Saturday, they had energy right off the opening kick, as Andre sent a beautiful cross into the box, which Alan healed into the net to begin his four goal game.
There's no doubt about it that Alan is the best goal scorer on the team, and the other forwards and mid-fielders put Alan in some great positions to come through.
Particularly The Twins, Joseph and Thomas, who have improved so much in their third season of soccer at St. Mary's, as they both set up Alan nicely for his goals on the afternoon.
Jeffrey and Andre also played some real strong games in the mid-field and attack zones.
The unsung heroes are the defense, who after two bad games, came back with two real good games. After giving up one goal last week, they pitched a shutout in the rematch of the season opener.
When these two teams last met, Alan scored a goal literally seconds before the game ended, and the 6th/7th grade won 1-0.
A little less than two months later, the same two teams played, but with such different results.
Now it's a one week break for the 6th/7th graders, as they have a bye in the last week of the regular season. Two weeks from Saturday, they will be playing in their first soccer playoff game.
For the St. Mary's boys, most who have been playing since 3rd grade, this is going to be a big first, as they have come a long way from the years where they would score a handful of goals all season at most.
Alan tied a St. Mary's soccer record for most goals in a season set by Eloy in 2011 by scoring four goals in the team's fifth win of the year.
And for the first time, Andre found the back of the net, when he closed the scoring late in the 4th quarter.
At (5-1-2), the 6th/7th graders secured the second seed in their division, and will play a team that they tied 1-1 earlier this season.
All season, the boys were knocking on the doorstep but were just off by a little bit, which really watered down the goals overall.
But Saturday, they had energy right off the opening kick, as Andre sent a beautiful cross into the box, which Alan healed into the net to begin his four goal game.
There's no doubt about it that Alan is the best goal scorer on the team, and the other forwards and mid-fielders put Alan in some great positions to come through.
Particularly The Twins, Joseph and Thomas, who have improved so much in their third season of soccer at St. Mary's, as they both set up Alan nicely for his goals on the afternoon.
Jeffrey and Andre also played some real strong games in the mid-field and attack zones.
The unsung heroes are the defense, who after two bad games, came back with two real good games. After giving up one goal last week, they pitched a shutout in the rematch of the season opener.
When these two teams last met, Alan scored a goal literally seconds before the game ended, and the 6th/7th grade won 1-0.
A little less than two months later, the same two teams played, but with such different results.
Now it's a one week break for the 6th/7th graders, as they have a bye in the last week of the regular season. Two weeks from Saturday, they will be playing in their first soccer playoff game.
For the St. Mary's boys, most who have been playing since 3rd grade, this is going to be a big first, as they have come a long way from the years where they would score a handful of goals all season at most.
Two goals in second half sink 7th/8th graders
The 7th/8th grade boys soccer team gave up two goals in the second half, and lost for the third time this season by a score of 3-1 in their penultimate game of the season.
Without two of their top defenders, Brendan and Alfonso, they were forced to play with no subs, and perhaps the defense wore down towards the end of the game.
They fell behind early when the team came out a little flat and right away they were behind the 8-ball, as the other team got on the board first with a goal.
Trailing 1-0 heading into the third, the 7th/8th graders got some luck when the other team scored on their own goal. With Matthew being the closest to the play, he was credited with his second goal of the year.
Despite being down two defenders, the defense played one of their best games of the year, but they couldn't hold up, as the offense was not clicking Saturday afternoon.
Junaid was thrust into goal in the second half, and played very well, but there were too many chances for the other team not to score, as they tacked on two in the latter stages of the game.
At (2-3-2 wins, losses, ties), the 7th/8th grade has already clinched a playoff spot, but their seeding will be determined by next week's contest.
They'll either be the third or fourth place team.
At this point, their two potential playoff opponents have both beaten the 7th/8th graders, so whichever card they draw, it's going to be in an underdog's role.
Luckily, they should have a full squad for the playoffs, and with all the teams playing each other twice already in the season, everyone will have a good idea how the other team plays.
One huge question mark will be who wears the different colored shirt in goal, as the team has used Matthew, Moises, Julian, Brendan and Junaid in goal this year.
In soccer, there needs to be some stability on the back end of the defense, and at this point, it's a big unknown going into the most crucial games of the season.
The offense definitely needed to make the most of their opportunities because the defense continued to fight off the other team until it eventually yielded some goals.
Saturday's opponent was the team the 7th/8th graders played to start the season, when they were shutout 6-0.
So even in the two goal loss, a lot of strides have been made in a short amount of time.
Without two of their top defenders, Brendan and Alfonso, they were forced to play with no subs, and perhaps the defense wore down towards the end of the game.
They fell behind early when the team came out a little flat and right away they were behind the 8-ball, as the other team got on the board first with a goal.
Trailing 1-0 heading into the third, the 7th/8th graders got some luck when the other team scored on their own goal. With Matthew being the closest to the play, he was credited with his second goal of the year.
Despite being down two defenders, the defense played one of their best games of the year, but they couldn't hold up, as the offense was not clicking Saturday afternoon.
Junaid was thrust into goal in the second half, and played very well, but there were too many chances for the other team not to score, as they tacked on two in the latter stages of the game.
At (2-3-2 wins, losses, ties), the 7th/8th grade has already clinched a playoff spot, but their seeding will be determined by next week's contest.
They'll either be the third or fourth place team.
At this point, their two potential playoff opponents have both beaten the 7th/8th graders, so whichever card they draw, it's going to be in an underdog's role.
Luckily, they should have a full squad for the playoffs, and with all the teams playing each other twice already in the season, everyone will have a good idea how the other team plays.
One huge question mark will be who wears the different colored shirt in goal, as the team has used Matthew, Moises, Julian, Brendan and Junaid in goal this year.
In soccer, there needs to be some stability on the back end of the defense, and at this point, it's a big unknown going into the most crucial games of the season.
The offense definitely needed to make the most of their opportunities because the defense continued to fight off the other team until it eventually yielded some goals.
Saturday's opponent was the team the 7th/8th graders played to start the season, when they were shutout 6-0.
So even in the two goal loss, a lot of strides have been made in a short amount of time.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Soccer Results from Saturday
The 6th/7th grade soccer team had their most impressive win of the year, a 5-0 shutout in their final regular season game.
Alan scored a career high 4 goals in a game, and Andre added his first of the year.
Their record now sits at (5-1-2), good enough for the second seed in the playoffs.
As for the 7th/8th graders, they gave up two goals in the second half, and lost 3-1. Matthew had the lone goal as the 7th/8th grade drop to (2-3-2).
Full recaps later tonight.
Alan scored a career high 4 goals in a game, and Andre added his first of the year.
Their record now sits at (5-1-2), good enough for the second seed in the playoffs.
As for the 7th/8th graders, they gave up two goals in the second half, and lost 3-1. Matthew had the lone goal as the 7th/8th grade drop to (2-3-2).
Full recaps later tonight.
Fall Festival is Today
10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. @ Old St. Mary's
Come by and also check out the Haunted House!
Come by and also check out the Haunted House!
Epic come from behind win for the 5th/6th graders
What played out for a set and a half Friday night at Mission Dolores happens countless times throughout the course of any CYO sport. The undefeated first place team against second place, with the first place team dominating.
But what happened with the 5th/6th grade girls volleyball team midway through the second set was nothing short of epic.
After losing the first set 25-16, the 5th/6th graders looked like they were toast, trailing 17-9 in the second set, 8 points away from suffering their second loss of the year.
During the timeout, their coaches Randy and Mitchell really let them have it for their lackluster play.
From that point on, a light bulb went on, and the girls never looked better, as they rallied from an 8-point deficit to win the second set in tie-breakers, 28-26, and then taking the decisive third and final set 15-11.
Kaela was at her finest, showing off her athletic prowess chasing volleyballs up and down the court, almost willing her team to victory.
She served several balls over for points and trimmed the other team's lead to 21-19 late in the second, before faulting on her last serve.
Down 24-20 with their backs against the wall, Naomi served 4 straight balls over and tied the game at 24-24. The teams then traded points until Shelvy stepped up to serve on set point.
After trading bumps, Kaela placed one in the back row which the other team could not handle and the girls won 28-26 to take the second set.
It was a see-saw battle in the final set, with both teams collecting a point at a time and then giving it right back.
But the 5th/6th graders (6-1) finally gave themselves some breathing room and stretched it out a little bit, thanks to an incredible effort by Naomi.
A few Kaela serves made it 7-4, and then Kaela passed a ball towards the net into no man's land. Out of nowhere, Naomi slid to her knees and just got enough on the ball, which sliced over the net and hit the floor on the other side.
Kaela followed that up with an ace to extend their lead to 9-4.
Up 14-11, the other team faulted on match point as their serve barely reached the net, and the celebration began.
Hugs, high fives, and the widest smiles you could imagine filled the winning huddle as the girls took down the undefeated first place team in their division.
Even though they lost the first set and were trailing by a wide margin in the second, the 5th/6th grade girls did not play all that bad, they just weren't as sharp as the other team was.
Neither team had a real aggressive arsenal of overhand hits, although the other team did have a girl who was quite tall for a 6th grader, who was able to slap and swat at balls like a basketball center. Besides her, the other team was just very fundamentally sound, calmly bumping balls over the net one after the other.
The 5th/6th graders did the same but when the two teams traded continuous bumps, sooner or later, more often than not, it was the St. Mary's girls who hit it either out of bounds or into the net.
But once the other team let their guard down just a bit, the 5th/6th graders took advantage and stunned the formerly undefeated team.
And as the teams shook hands after the game, the fans who came out led a chant of "St. Mary's" which echoed throughout the gym, because they had just witnessed incredible match that will go down as one of the most exciting volleyball games in recent memory.
But what happened with the 5th/6th grade girls volleyball team midway through the second set was nothing short of epic.
After losing the first set 25-16, the 5th/6th graders looked like they were toast, trailing 17-9 in the second set, 8 points away from suffering their second loss of the year.
During the timeout, their coaches Randy and Mitchell really let them have it for their lackluster play.
From that point on, a light bulb went on, and the girls never looked better, as they rallied from an 8-point deficit to win the second set in tie-breakers, 28-26, and then taking the decisive third and final set 15-11.
Kaela was at her finest, showing off her athletic prowess chasing volleyballs up and down the court, almost willing her team to victory.
She served several balls over for points and trimmed the other team's lead to 21-19 late in the second, before faulting on her last serve.
Down 24-20 with their backs against the wall, Naomi served 4 straight balls over and tied the game at 24-24. The teams then traded points until Shelvy stepped up to serve on set point.
After trading bumps, Kaela placed one in the back row which the other team could not handle and the girls won 28-26 to take the second set.
It was a see-saw battle in the final set, with both teams collecting a point at a time and then giving it right back.
But the 5th/6th graders (6-1) finally gave themselves some breathing room and stretched it out a little bit, thanks to an incredible effort by Naomi.
A few Kaela serves made it 7-4, and then Kaela passed a ball towards the net into no man's land. Out of nowhere, Naomi slid to her knees and just got enough on the ball, which sliced over the net and hit the floor on the other side.
Kaela followed that up with an ace to extend their lead to 9-4.
Up 14-11, the other team faulted on match point as their serve barely reached the net, and the celebration began.
Hugs, high fives, and the widest smiles you could imagine filled the winning huddle as the girls took down the undefeated first place team in their division.
Even though they lost the first set and were trailing by a wide margin in the second, the 5th/6th grade girls did not play all that bad, they just weren't as sharp as the other team was.
Neither team had a real aggressive arsenal of overhand hits, although the other team did have a girl who was quite tall for a 6th grader, who was able to slap and swat at balls like a basketball center. Besides her, the other team was just very fundamentally sound, calmly bumping balls over the net one after the other.
The 5th/6th graders did the same but when the two teams traded continuous bumps, sooner or later, more often than not, it was the St. Mary's girls who hit it either out of bounds or into the net.
But once the other team let their guard down just a bit, the 5th/6th graders took advantage and stunned the formerly undefeated team.
And as the teams shook hands after the game, the fans who came out led a chant of "St. Mary's" which echoed throughout the gym, because they had just witnessed incredible match that will go down as one of the most exciting volleyball games in recent memory.
3rd/4th graders win first set, but can't hang on
For the 3rd/4th grade girls volleyball team, Friday night was a measuring stick of how far they've come in less than two short months.
Playing against the first team they ever faced, the 3rd/4th grade girls won the first set, but could not close it out, and were dealt their toughest loss of the year in three sets.
After taking set one 25-20, the girls fell just short in the second 25-22, before getting beat decisively 15-4 in the third and deciding set.
Justina set the tone early in the game, getting her first four serves over, getting the girls out to an early lead.
The other team was not at their sharpest and had many faults on serve, and the 3rd/4th graders took advantage. Ariana had two fantastic serves that went over for points as the girls took the opening set.
Sofia and Annika both hit the four serve limit in the second set, but the other team did a good job on serve receive, which really was the difference in set number two. The girls, perhaps a little too over-anxious after getting the first set, did a little too much scoreboard watching and had the nerves get to them.
After dropping the second set, the girls had no shot in the third, as the other team brought out their best when they needed it the most.
Following the game, the girls were a little down to say the least, because they let an opportunity at a second win on the season slip away.
But this was the first real close game that they have played this year, win or lose. In tight games, every serve, every return is so crucial, and the margin of error so thin.
Nonetheless, there is a first for everything, and this pressure packed game will be so instrumental in their development as volleyball players.
Prior to Friday's contest, there was a strong feeling of who would win after the first set. This game was not the case.
In the bigger picture, it's been incredible to see the transformation of these girls, forcing a team that beat them earlier this season to the limit.
A lot of teams would've been content with just winning one set, but the emotion following the game showed how bad the girls wanted to taste victory once more, and it's that type of competitive drive that will make them stronger players for years to come.
Thanks to Ashley who contributed to this report.
Playing against the first team they ever faced, the 3rd/4th grade girls won the first set, but could not close it out, and were dealt their toughest loss of the year in three sets.
After taking set one 25-20, the girls fell just short in the second 25-22, before getting beat decisively 15-4 in the third and deciding set.
Justina set the tone early in the game, getting her first four serves over, getting the girls out to an early lead.
The other team was not at their sharpest and had many faults on serve, and the 3rd/4th graders took advantage. Ariana had two fantastic serves that went over for points as the girls took the opening set.
Sofia and Annika both hit the four serve limit in the second set, but the other team did a good job on serve receive, which really was the difference in set number two. The girls, perhaps a little too over-anxious after getting the first set, did a little too much scoreboard watching and had the nerves get to them.
After dropping the second set, the girls had no shot in the third, as the other team brought out their best when they needed it the most.
Following the game, the girls were a little down to say the least, because they let an opportunity at a second win on the season slip away.
But this was the first real close game that they have played this year, win or lose. In tight games, every serve, every return is so crucial, and the margin of error so thin.
Nonetheless, there is a first for everything, and this pressure packed game will be so instrumental in their development as volleyball players.
Prior to Friday's contest, there was a strong feeling of who would win after the first set. This game was not the case.
In the bigger picture, it's been incredible to see the transformation of these girls, forcing a team that beat them earlier this season to the limit.
A lot of teams would've been content with just winning one set, but the emotion following the game showed how bad the girls wanted to taste victory once more, and it's that type of competitive drive that will make them stronger players for years to come.
Thanks to Ashley who contributed to this report.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Friday Night Recap
Great volleyball matches tonight that both went to three sets.
First the 3rd/4th graders won the first set 25-20, but dropped the next two, 25-22, 15-4.
The 5th/6th graders made an emphatic statement tonight at Mission Dolores, beating the first place team in a three set thriller. After losing the first set 25-16, they pulled out a 28-26 come from behind victory in set two, and finished it off 15-11 in the final set. Remarkable games tonight, full recaps to come later.
First the 3rd/4th graders won the first set 25-20, but dropped the next two, 25-22, 15-4.
The 5th/6th graders made an emphatic statement tonight at Mission Dolores, beating the first place team in a three set thriller. After losing the first set 25-16, they pulled out a 28-26 come from behind victory in set two, and finished it off 15-11 in the final set. Remarkable games tonight, full recaps to come later.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
5th/6th graders win number five
It's hard to notice but the 5th/6th graders haven't even played a full year of volleyball. In fact, they've been playing for a little less than two months.
But in a short amount of time, these 7 girls have shown that they have what it takes to make a serious run in the playoffs as they notched win number five Saturday afternoon in straight sets, 25-16, 25-14.
Serving has been one of their strong points all season long, and even from day one.
A lot of teams in their first year struggle with consistency getting the ball over the net, but these girls do not have that problem.
In fact, they are already in the beginning stages of placing their serves where they want, which will be crucial when they have to face some of the tougher teams in their division, starting this Friday in a showdown for first place.
When the girls can rattle off a string of serves, the momentum stays on their side and so does a winning score.
After taking the first set, Karina stepped up to start the second and got them going in a big way. Doing her best Edwena impression, Karina served 10 straight balls over, reaching the serve limit, and gave the girls a 10-0 lead in set two.
Little by little, the girls are gaining some confidence and are beginning to work on their three hit approach. Vivianna capped this off in the first set when she had her first overhand kill of the season.
It's a good thing they are hitting their stride, because they are going to need their best effort in the final two games of the season, as they face two of the best teams in the division to close out the regular season.
Big thanks to coach Mitchell for contributing to this report.
Big thanks to coach Mitchell for contributing to this report.
6th/7th grade squeaks out a win
The 6th/7th graders snapped out of their two game winless streak and got a much needed 2-1 victory late Saturday afternoon..
After playing sloppy to start the game, and giving up the first goal, the 6th/7th graders rebounded and scored two unanswered goals in the first half, and held the lead the entire second.
Alan tied the game on a penalty kick with his eighth goal of the season in the 1st quarter, and Jaime picked up his first career goal off a corner kick from Joseph in the second.
They had some good opportunities to add on but a lot of their shots towards the goal were not good contact and the one goal lead stood for the duration of the entire game.
Their record is now (4-1-2).
After playing sloppy to start the game, and giving up the first goal, the 6th/7th graders rebounded and scored two unanswered goals in the first half, and held the lead the entire second.
Alan tied the game on a penalty kick with his eighth goal of the season in the 1st quarter, and Jaime picked up his first career goal off a corner kick from Joseph in the second.
They had some good opportunities to add on but a lot of their shots towards the goal were not good contact and the one goal lead stood for the duration of the entire game.
Their record is now (4-1-2).
Saturday, October 20, 2012
7th/8th grade overlooks opponent, settles for a tie
Two of the 7th/8th grade players were looking forward to Saturday's game because they thought they could replicate their 5-0 win the last time these two teams met.
But the other team wasn't going to oblige.
A questionable call late in the game set up a penalty kick by the other team, which resulted in the game tying goal, and the 7th/8th graders played to a 2-2 draw in one of their most disappointing showings of the year.
Even before the game started, it was bad news. Only 10 of the 13 players were at the field when the teams huddled at midfield for the opening player. Two showed up late in the first half, and one never appeared.
Brendan was forced into goal duties, and surrendered a goal midway through the first quarter. It wasn't all his fault as the defense was unable to clear the ball when they had several chances to do so. Brendan overran the ball a little bit, and the other team slipped it the opposite direction past him to take a 1-0 lead.
Minutes later, the 7th/8th graders answered back, as Moises set up Khaliq nicely right atop the penalty box, where he boomed a kick into the corner of the net evening the score at 1-1.
With Christian and Julian inserted into the lineup to start the second half, the offense came alive as Christian took the ball strong at an angle to the right side of the net. He then curled the ball to the front of the goal where Matthew kicked the ball into the net for his first goal of the year off of a messy scrum, giving the boys a 2-1 lead.
They had numerous opportunities the rest of the way to pad their one goal lead, but failed to do so and it cost them in the end.
While the 7th/8th graders had control of the ball in their own zone, a member of the other team was injured and the referee signaled for a stoppage in play.
Instead of giving the possession back to the 7th/8th graders, the referee awarded the other team the ball.
Off that costly call, the other team took a shot in the box, which hit one of the St. Mary's defenders in the stomach. The referee piled it on and then called the 7th/8th graders for a handball, setting up a penalty kick.
The rest was history as the penalty kick evened the scored at 2-2, which was the eventual final.
It would be easy to point a finger at the officiating blunders as to why this game ended in a tie, but the first place the team needs to look is at themselves.
On paper, this was a victory, an easy one. In their previous meeting, the 7th/8th graders played their best game to date and dominated. Saturday was a complete 180 and in some ways, they were lucky to escape with a tie.
What the 7th/8th grade did was nothing new as so many teams take their opponents likely after beating them the first time.
They fail to realize that when a team gets beat, they want revenge and don't want to be beaten the same way the second time around.
The 7th/8th graders (2-2-2) need to bring their best to every single game and play each game at a high level or else they'll be kicking themselves for their inability to win the games that should be theirs.
Alfonso, who did not get on the scoresheet, did play his best game of the year, as he was very good in the offensive attack zone, filling in for missing players.
But the other team wasn't going to oblige.
A questionable call late in the game set up a penalty kick by the other team, which resulted in the game tying goal, and the 7th/8th graders played to a 2-2 draw in one of their most disappointing showings of the year.
Even before the game started, it was bad news. Only 10 of the 13 players were at the field when the teams huddled at midfield for the opening player. Two showed up late in the first half, and one never appeared.
Brendan was forced into goal duties, and surrendered a goal midway through the first quarter. It wasn't all his fault as the defense was unable to clear the ball when they had several chances to do so. Brendan overran the ball a little bit, and the other team slipped it the opposite direction past him to take a 1-0 lead.
Minutes later, the 7th/8th graders answered back, as Moises set up Khaliq nicely right atop the penalty box, where he boomed a kick into the corner of the net evening the score at 1-1.
With Christian and Julian inserted into the lineup to start the second half, the offense came alive as Christian took the ball strong at an angle to the right side of the net. He then curled the ball to the front of the goal where Matthew kicked the ball into the net for his first goal of the year off of a messy scrum, giving the boys a 2-1 lead.
They had numerous opportunities the rest of the way to pad their one goal lead, but failed to do so and it cost them in the end.
While the 7th/8th graders had control of the ball in their own zone, a member of the other team was injured and the referee signaled for a stoppage in play.
Instead of giving the possession back to the 7th/8th graders, the referee awarded the other team the ball.
Off that costly call, the other team took a shot in the box, which hit one of the St. Mary's defenders in the stomach. The referee piled it on and then called the 7th/8th graders for a handball, setting up a penalty kick.
The rest was history as the penalty kick evened the scored at 2-2, which was the eventual final.
It would be easy to point a finger at the officiating blunders as to why this game ended in a tie, but the first place the team needs to look is at themselves.
On paper, this was a victory, an easy one. In their previous meeting, the 7th/8th graders played their best game to date and dominated. Saturday was a complete 180 and in some ways, they were lucky to escape with a tie.
What the 7th/8th grade did was nothing new as so many teams take their opponents likely after beating them the first time.
They fail to realize that when a team gets beat, they want revenge and don't want to be beaten the same way the second time around.
The 7th/8th graders (2-2-2) need to bring their best to every single game and play each game at a high level or else they'll be kicking themselves for their inability to win the games that should be theirs.
Alfonso, who did not get on the scoresheet, did play his best game of the year, as he was very good in the offensive attack zone, filling in for missing players.
3rd/4th grade girls bounce back in second set, but not enough
The last time the 3rd/4th grade girls had a good game, they followed it with their worst.
So after winning for the first time last week, how they would respond Saturday was very intriguing.
At the start, not so well, as they had a rough first set, losing 25-7, showing shades of repeating their performance from last time.
However, they bounced back strong in the second set, when they started getting their serves over consistently and were even able to return a few balls of their own.
Avalon continued her streak of strong serves, and got the girls within two points in the second set, 16-14.
But the other team was able to return a ball and then go on a run, putting the game away, as the girls fell in the second set 25-17.
As a team, their serving is much more consistent and dependable than it was a few weeks ago. However, their biggest problem right now is returning the ball on serve receive. If the other team has a girl who can serve the ball over consistently, it usually puts the 3rd/4th graders in a bind.
Even when they get to the balls, they are usually not low enough to the ground and end up bumping the ball right into the net.
Or another favorite is they tend to hit the ball awkwardly since they don't move their feet, and the ball goes flying out of bounds.
With two games left in the season, they'll try to improve in these two areas, as they seek another victory before the season comes to a close.
So after winning for the first time last week, how they would respond Saturday was very intriguing.
At the start, not so well, as they had a rough first set, losing 25-7, showing shades of repeating their performance from last time.
However, they bounced back strong in the second set, when they started getting their serves over consistently and were even able to return a few balls of their own.
Avalon continued her streak of strong serves, and got the girls within two points in the second set, 16-14.
But the other team was able to return a ball and then go on a run, putting the game away, as the girls fell in the second set 25-17.
As a team, their serving is much more consistent and dependable than it was a few weeks ago. However, their biggest problem right now is returning the ball on serve receive. If the other team has a girl who can serve the ball over consistently, it usually puts the 3rd/4th graders in a bind.
Even when they get to the balls, they are usually not low enough to the ground and end up bumping the ball right into the net.
Or another favorite is they tend to hit the ball awkwardly since they don't move their feet, and the ball goes flying out of bounds.
With two games left in the season, they'll try to improve in these two areas, as they seek another victory before the season comes to a close.
Saturday Recap
The lone bright spot in an otherwise not so good day so far today for St. Mary's sports was the 5th/6th grade who improved to (5-1) on the year with a 25-16, 25-14 win.
The 7th/8th grade soccer team caught a bad break at the end as an official ruled a handball late in the game. The other team capitalized on a penalty kick and tied it at 2-2, which was the final score.
On paper, this was a game they should've won. They beat this team 5-0 in their previous matchup, but the boys came into this game thinking it was going to be the same result. It didn't, and they were lucky they tied and didn't lose. Lesson learned we hope.
The 3rd/4th grade girls lost their game 25-11, 25-16. They were flat in the first set but had a good showing in the second set, even trailing by as little as 16-14, before eventually dropping the set.
The 6th/7th grade soccer team came back from a 1-0 deficit early on and prevailed for a 2-1 victory. Alan netted another goal and Jaime found the back of the net for the first time this season. Their record is now (4-1-2).
The 7th/8th grade soccer team caught a bad break at the end as an official ruled a handball late in the game. The other team capitalized on a penalty kick and tied it at 2-2, which was the final score.
On paper, this was a game they should've won. They beat this team 5-0 in their previous matchup, but the boys came into this game thinking it was going to be the same result. It didn't, and they were lucky they tied and didn't lose. Lesson learned we hope.
The 3rd/4th grade girls lost their game 25-11, 25-16. They were flat in the first set but had a good showing in the second set, even trailing by as little as 16-14, before eventually dropping the set.
The 6th/7th grade soccer team came back from a 1-0 deficit early on and prevailed for a 2-1 victory. Alan netted another goal and Jaime found the back of the net for the first time this season. Their record is now (4-1-2).
Friday, October 19, 2012
Cynthia leads the charge in the 7th/8th grade win
Communication is key in every sport, but especially volleyball, so having someone on your team like Cynthia will make things a lot easier.
Cynthia, who is probably the most vocal player on the court in this rebirth of St. Mary's volleyball, led the way in a 25-7, 25-17 win Friday night for the 7th/8th grade girls.
In the last few games, including tonight, Cynthia directs traffic on the court and even when she is watching from the bench. She has a good eye for the balls that are over, and the ones that are out of bounds.
Leading by example, a lot of the girls also begin to talk when they see someone like Cynthia doing the same.
The girls began to pull away in the first set off of serves from Fiona and Tiffany, then closed it out with a bunch of serves from Isabella.
A late arriving Fiona had a very nice jump spike in the first set, as the girls won 25-7.
The other team jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead off of some powerful serves by one of their best players. But the girls regrouped and were able to string together some points in spurts, which eventually got them the 25-17 second set win.
Cynthia made a real nice play at the net midway through the second when she jumped up and nicely tipped a ball at the net for a point.
Also, on a ball that was hit pretty deep to the girls, Cynthia, in the back row, passed the ball up to Jamie, who then eased it across for another point.
For the second straight week, Isabella fisted a ball over on the third hit.
With two games left, the girls record sits at (5-1), still with a shot at first place in their division. Currently they are in second.
Their serves have been solid all year, so the one part of their game they need to try and improve on is their third hit.
They are slowly getting to the point where they are able to control where they want to put the ball on their side of the net, and it will be very important they can do so the rest of the way.
In one of the lighter moments of the night, Isabella served up an ace which went directly to her father, who was doing lines. And in a precious father daughter moment, he rolled it right back to her.
Briefly: St. Mary's alumni Jerry Lee, Tiffy and Brett were all at tonight's game.
Cynthia, who is probably the most vocal player on the court in this rebirth of St. Mary's volleyball, led the way in a 25-7, 25-17 win Friday night for the 7th/8th grade girls.
In the last few games, including tonight, Cynthia directs traffic on the court and even when she is watching from the bench. She has a good eye for the balls that are over, and the ones that are out of bounds.
Leading by example, a lot of the girls also begin to talk when they see someone like Cynthia doing the same.
The girls began to pull away in the first set off of serves from Fiona and Tiffany, then closed it out with a bunch of serves from Isabella.
A late arriving Fiona had a very nice jump spike in the first set, as the girls won 25-7.
The other team jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead off of some powerful serves by one of their best players. But the girls regrouped and were able to string together some points in spurts, which eventually got them the 25-17 second set win.
Cynthia made a real nice play at the net midway through the second when she jumped up and nicely tipped a ball at the net for a point.
Also, on a ball that was hit pretty deep to the girls, Cynthia, in the back row, passed the ball up to Jamie, who then eased it across for another point.
For the second straight week, Isabella fisted a ball over on the third hit.
With two games left, the girls record sits at (5-1), still with a shot at first place in their division. Currently they are in second.
Their serves have been solid all year, so the one part of their game they need to try and improve on is their third hit.
They are slowly getting to the point where they are able to control where they want to put the ball on their side of the net, and it will be very important they can do so the rest of the way.
In one of the lighter moments of the night, Isabella served up an ace which went directly to her father, who was doing lines. And in a precious father daughter moment, he rolled it right back to her.
Briefly: St. Mary's alumni Jerry Lee, Tiffy and Brett were all at tonight's game.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Monday RAW Video
After all three Bay Area professional sports teams, the 49ers, Raiders and Giants, lost Sunday, we are here to spread some good news. So here is the RAW video of the 3rd/4th grade girls first volleyball win from Friday night.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
5th/6th grade girls make it two straight
They don't look like newbies anymore.
The 5th/6th graders won their fourth game of the season in straight sets, 25-15, 25-15.
On a team where six of the seven girls never played a volleyball game before this year, they aren't doing too shabby.
Shelvy, Kaela and Emily all strung together consecutive points for serves in the first set.
In the second set, Karina and Naomi continued where their teammates left off as Karina served over 6 straight balls for points, and Naomi did the same, one-upping Karina by one, serving 7 straight over the net.
One of the more impressive feats of this team so far is their consistency with serving. Many new teams struggle with serving the ball over, but these girls don't seem to have that problem.
They are also controlling their bumps and passes a lot more, and because of that, Kaela was able to get her first overhand kill of the season.
Court awareness is also a lot better and their coach Mitchell attributes it to Kaela's leadership where she encourages all her teammates to touch the floor before each point. That type of spark gets the girls ready every single time the ball is put in play.
They are now (4-1) on the season and look to be a lock for the playoffs in only their first year.
Thanks to Mitchell for contributing to this report.
The 5th/6th graders won their fourth game of the season in straight sets, 25-15, 25-15.
On a team where six of the seven girls never played a volleyball game before this year, they aren't doing too shabby.
Shelvy, Kaela and Emily all strung together consecutive points for serves in the first set.
In the second set, Karina and Naomi continued where their teammates left off as Karina served over 6 straight balls for points, and Naomi did the same, one-upping Karina by one, serving 7 straight over the net.
One of the more impressive feats of this team so far is their consistency with serving. Many new teams struggle with serving the ball over, but these girls don't seem to have that problem.
They are also controlling their bumps and passes a lot more, and because of that, Kaela was able to get her first overhand kill of the season.
Court awareness is also a lot better and their coach Mitchell attributes it to Kaela's leadership where she encourages all her teammates to touch the floor before each point. That type of spark gets the girls ready every single time the ball is put in play.
They are now (4-1) on the season and look to be a lock for the playoffs in only their first year.
Thanks to Mitchell for contributing to this report.
6th/7th graders shutout in first loss
The 6th/7th graders laid an egg against the top team in the division Saturday afternoon as they were shutout for the first time all season in a 4-0 loss.
After their best game two weeks ago, the boys have had two straight weeks where they left the soccer pitch at West Sunset disappointed, tying 2-2 last week and then getting blanked on Saturday.
From the start, they were not ready to play as the other team headed in a corner kick just minutes into the game. The defense stood around and the other team crept in easily and put a nice head onto the ball, and into the net past Oscar, who was making the start in goal.
The other team added another goal before halftime to make it 2-0.
From top to bottom, it was an all around bad day as the scorers couldn't score, the defenders couldn't defend.
They had a few good opportunities including one in the first half when Alan just missed on connecting for a goal that would've cut the deficit in half.
In the 3rd quarter, they had a golden chance to put it in the net, but instead failed to capitalize The play went the other way and the first place team didn't squander their opportunity, scoring their third goal of the game, which pretty much sealed the 6th/7th grade's fate.
Another goal on a corner kick in the fourth rounded out the scoring.
There were no real bright spots on this day, as the 6th/7th graders had a first hand look at the best team in the division.
Coming into the game, they knew they were playing the first place team and in ways it messed with their psyche, as they looked a little more timid than usual.
With two games left in the season, they still control their own destiny to make the playoffs. Winning out will guarantee them a post-season spot.
But at this point, there are no guarantees with their play because they have looked sluggish in the last six quarters.
The other team was able to move the ball under control and put the ball where they want to -- the 6th/7th graders did not.
Too many times when nobody was within a St. Mary's player, the pass or shot was rushed, or not taken at all. It was a little bit of a flashback to how the team played in the last few years where they just tried to boot the ball as far as they could.
Against a solid opponent, they needed to be crisp in the passing game and execute at a higher level.
They didn't Saturday and it should serve as a wake up call at what needs to be done the rest of the way if they want to make a serious run in the playoffs.
After their best game two weeks ago, the boys have had two straight weeks where they left the soccer pitch at West Sunset disappointed, tying 2-2 last week and then getting blanked on Saturday.
From the start, they were not ready to play as the other team headed in a corner kick just minutes into the game. The defense stood around and the other team crept in easily and put a nice head onto the ball, and into the net past Oscar, who was making the start in goal.
The other team added another goal before halftime to make it 2-0.
From top to bottom, it was an all around bad day as the scorers couldn't score, the defenders couldn't defend.
They had a few good opportunities including one in the first half when Alan just missed on connecting for a goal that would've cut the deficit in half.
In the 3rd quarter, they had a golden chance to put it in the net, but instead failed to capitalize The play went the other way and the first place team didn't squander their opportunity, scoring their third goal of the game, which pretty much sealed the 6th/7th grade's fate.
Another goal on a corner kick in the fourth rounded out the scoring.
There were no real bright spots on this day, as the 6th/7th graders had a first hand look at the best team in the division.
Coming into the game, they knew they were playing the first place team and in ways it messed with their psyche, as they looked a little more timid than usual.
With two games left in the season, they still control their own destiny to make the playoffs. Winning out will guarantee them a post-season spot.
But at this point, there are no guarantees with their play because they have looked sluggish in the last six quarters.
The other team was able to move the ball under control and put the ball where they want to -- the 6th/7th graders did not.
Too many times when nobody was within a St. Mary's player, the pass or shot was rushed, or not taken at all. It was a little bit of a flashback to how the team played in the last few years where they just tried to boot the ball as far as they could.
Against a solid opponent, they needed to be crisp in the passing game and execute at a higher level.
They didn't Saturday and it should serve as a wake up call at what needs to be done the rest of the way if they want to make a serious run in the playoffs.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Quick Saturday Recap
The 5th/6th grade girls won their second straight game in two sets, 25-15, 25-15 to improve to (4-1).
The 6th/7th grade soccer team was handed its first loss of the season and was shut out 4-0. They are now (3-1-2).
Full recaps to come later tonight.
The 6th/7th grade soccer team was handed its first loss of the season and was shut out 4-0. They are now (3-1-2).
Full recaps to come later tonight.
Friday, October 12, 2012
It's a win for the 3rd/4th graders
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| The 3rd/4th graders won their first volleyball game Friday night. From left to right, back row: Ashley, Sofia, Annika, Sara, Ariana. Bottom row: Samantha, Justina, Amy, Avalon. |
The 3rd/4th grade girls have won a volleyball game.
It happened Friday night at CYO Serramonte, when the girls played their best game to date, and had a dominating 25-12, 25-11 win to show for it.
Following their toughest loss of the season, the girls re-grouped and improved immensely on their serves, which was the major reason for the victory.
6 of the 8 girls served the ball over the net multiple times, and they were able to string together consecutive serves to get momentum.
Justina started it off strong with three straight serves and everybody continued the trend.
Avalon had her best game to date, as she put together a hoard of strong serves, showing great power for a 3rd grader.
Ariana, in only her second game, served her first ball over this season.
The other team only returned one serve the entire game.
On set point, Sofia rocketed a serve over the net which could not be returned and the girls took the first set 25-12.
Set two was very similar as the girls were just fantastic on the serve.
Up 23-11, Amy stepped up and rocketed two lasers over the net. When the referee blew the whistle to signal the match had ended, the girls were on delay and didn't celebrate until a few seconds after they realized they had won their first game.
The eight girls began jumping up and down, mobbing their coach Ashley, before the postgame handshake.
Screaming and yelling continued outside as the girls were ecstatic, as they should be. After all, they finally got their first win in their young careers.
From start to finish, the girls stepped up to serve with confidence, and the success was contagious. One after another, the girls continued to get the ball over the net. And when they can get the ball over the net, it usually results in some points.
A big congratulations to the entire team as well as their coaches as the 3rd/4th graders go to sleep Friday night, winners of a volleyball game, for the first time.
7th/8th graders rebound for fourth win
So it begins, as the girls begin playing teams in their division for the second time.
After beating the team they played tonight in straight sets their previous match-up, the girls were a little sluggish in the first set before they finally took off.
Edwena had a powerful serve to start the match when the volleyball hit the opposing team's girl right in the face. She was okay.
Isabella had a sluggish set in the first when she botched her lone serve attempt and had some trouble with her bumps.
Communication also wasn't the best when a few of the girls both converged on the same ball, with a total of four arms swinging at it.
The teams then traded points back and forth until Tiffany served the girls out to a sizable lead midway through the first and they led 17-11.
Up 24-20 on set point, Cynthia bumped one up to Jamie who then set it up back for Cynthia, who then spiked it towards the other team. Their return went long and the first set belonged to the 7th/8th graders 25-20.
The second set was a little bit easier. After exchanging points to start the set, the girls then pulled away again, thanks to serves by Tiffany, which put them up 14-8.
Her serves are very casual, and it doesn't look like she puts too much power behind them, which could be deceptive to the other team. The balls off her hand usually end up in the back row, making it harder for the other team to return.
Jamie and Fiona had their best games to date, both very solid on their serves, as well as making a lot of plays that gave the girls points. Fiona has become very consistent and is one of the team's best hitters, and Jamie is very good around the net and quick to some difficult balls.
There were two very nice tips towards the latter of the second set, one by Edwena who raced from her spot in the middle and back handed a tip for a point, and then Isabella who got her fist on a ball coming at her at an awkward angle.
Cynthia made a nice play as well to disrupt the streak of one of the powerful servers on the other team, returning a very difficult ball.
Up 23-16, Fiona closed it out with two straight serves and gave the girls their fourth victory of the year. The second set final was 25-16.
The other team was no slouch, and was much better the second time around. There were a few times when they amazed everybody when they returned Edwena's hard serves as well as some hard spikes by the girls.
This could be a possible playoff preview.
Marissa did lines for the game and Tiffy attended her first volleyball game of the year.
After beating the team they played tonight in straight sets their previous match-up, the girls were a little sluggish in the first set before they finally took off.
Edwena had a powerful serve to start the match when the volleyball hit the opposing team's girl right in the face. She was okay.
Isabella had a sluggish set in the first when she botched her lone serve attempt and had some trouble with her bumps.
Communication also wasn't the best when a few of the girls both converged on the same ball, with a total of four arms swinging at it.
The teams then traded points back and forth until Tiffany served the girls out to a sizable lead midway through the first and they led 17-11.
Up 24-20 on set point, Cynthia bumped one up to Jamie who then set it up back for Cynthia, who then spiked it towards the other team. Their return went long and the first set belonged to the 7th/8th graders 25-20.
The second set was a little bit easier. After exchanging points to start the set, the girls then pulled away again, thanks to serves by Tiffany, which put them up 14-8.
Her serves are very casual, and it doesn't look like she puts too much power behind them, which could be deceptive to the other team. The balls off her hand usually end up in the back row, making it harder for the other team to return.
Jamie and Fiona had their best games to date, both very solid on their serves, as well as making a lot of plays that gave the girls points. Fiona has become very consistent and is one of the team's best hitters, and Jamie is very good around the net and quick to some difficult balls.
There were two very nice tips towards the latter of the second set, one by Edwena who raced from her spot in the middle and back handed a tip for a point, and then Isabella who got her fist on a ball coming at her at an awkward angle.
Cynthia made a nice play as well to disrupt the streak of one of the powerful servers on the other team, returning a very difficult ball.
Up 23-16, Fiona closed it out with two straight serves and gave the girls their fourth victory of the year. The second set final was 25-16.
The other team was no slouch, and was much better the second time around. There were a few times when they amazed everybody when they returned Edwena's hard serves as well as some hard spikes by the girls.
This could be a possible playoff preview.
Marissa did lines for the game and Tiffy attended her first volleyball game of the year.
Friday Night Results, 3rd/4th Grade Girls Win!
On a historic Friday night, the 3rd/4th graders won their first volleyball game ever in a straight set 25-12, 25-11 victory.
The 7th/8th grade bounced back from their first loss last week and won in straight sets 25-20, 25-16.
Full recaps to come later tonight.
The 7th/8th grade bounced back from their first loss last week and won in straight sets 25-20, 25-16.
Full recaps to come later tonight.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Sunday, October 7, 2012
5th/6th grade girls prevail in epic match
In a game that nobody seemed to want to win, or lose for that matter, the 5th/6th grade girls outlasted their opponent in an epic 28-26, 36-34, straight set victory.
Karina got the winning serve in set one, which was back and forth the entire way -- a set that took close to 25 minutes.
Set two was no different, except it was even more intense, exciting and frustrating than the first.
The 5th/6th graders (3-1) could only push out to a 16-13 lead midway through the second, and from that point forward, it was back and forth, and into the tiebreakers.
Deadlocked at 24-24, that's when the fun, or misery, began. Both teams traded serves, set points, side-outs, in a vicious cycle.
When either team had a chance to close out the set, they didn't. Some girls faulted, some girls missed bumps, and on many occasions each team just made a nice play to keep themselves alive.
Each girl went through the entire rotation and everyone at one point or another served for match point.
So the points began to climb little by little until the score was even at 34-34.
Kaela, who had her share of chances to win the match earlier, finally took the bull by its horns, and served two balls over, which gave the girls two points, and their third win of the year.
Everybody on the St. Mary's side echoed a huge sigh of relief because one of the most stressful and epic games in St. Mary's volleyball history, ended with a St. Mary's win.
It was a nice bounce back game for the girls, who lost for the last time a week ago. They've played in some very tight pressure packed games, and they've come out with pretty good results so far.
Under pressure, a lot of the girls were executing their serve and bumps.
However, there were still a some mistakes that need to be worked on, so they don't have to plat an hour and five minutes, and into two tiebreakers to win a match.
The team played with only six girls.
Karina got the winning serve in set one, which was back and forth the entire way -- a set that took close to 25 minutes.
Set two was no different, except it was even more intense, exciting and frustrating than the first.
The 5th/6th graders (3-1) could only push out to a 16-13 lead midway through the second, and from that point forward, it was back and forth, and into the tiebreakers.
Deadlocked at 24-24, that's when the fun, or misery, began. Both teams traded serves, set points, side-outs, in a vicious cycle.
When either team had a chance to close out the set, they didn't. Some girls faulted, some girls missed bumps, and on many occasions each team just made a nice play to keep themselves alive.
Each girl went through the entire rotation and everyone at one point or another served for match point.
So the points began to climb little by little until the score was even at 34-34.
Kaela, who had her share of chances to win the match earlier, finally took the bull by its horns, and served two balls over, which gave the girls two points, and their third win of the year.
Everybody on the St. Mary's side echoed a huge sigh of relief because one of the most stressful and epic games in St. Mary's volleyball history, ended with a St. Mary's win.
It was a nice bounce back game for the girls, who lost for the last time a week ago. They've played in some very tight pressure packed games, and they've come out with pretty good results so far.
Under pressure, a lot of the girls were executing their serve and bumps.
However, there were still a some mistakes that need to be worked on, so they don't have to plat an hour and five minutes, and into two tiebreakers to win a match.
The team played with only six girls.
7th/8th graders score four unanswered goals, blow lead, then tie
The last time the 7th/8th graders locked up with the team they played Saturday afternoon, they had only nine players for the bulk of the game and lost 3-0.
With a full lineup Saturday, they erased a 2-0 halftime deficit with a four goal outburst in the second half, only to see their two goal lead disappear in a 4-4 tie.
One who looks at this game with the glass half full will point to how the 7th/8th graders (2-2-1) exploded in the second half with a four goal barrage.
Christian netted a hat trick as he put three into the net, and Moises added one as well for his third goal of the year.
In a span of a few minutes, Christian used his game changing speed and raced past the other team's defense in a flash, giving the team a much needed boost with his first two goals.
Momentum was clearly on the 7th/8th graders side and they needed to play strong on defense the rest of the way.
And that's where the person who looks at this game as the glass half empty comes in to play.
Just like the 6th/7th graders, the 7th/8th graders would blow a two goal lead.
Perhaps they used all their energy to jump out by two goals and didn't have enough left in the tank to hang on at the end.
One thing definitely preventable was the game tying goal, which came off of a free kick right outside the box.
The boys set up a wall, which is called a wall for a reason.
After the other team took the free kick, the wall disappeared, as some of the players, scared of the ball, ducked away from it, giving it a clear path past Julian, who gave up two goals early in the game that he should've saved.
It is not easy to take a soccer ball to any part of the body, but if you don't block the shot, your left with the consequences, which in this case was the game tying goal.
These two teams will likely meet a third and final time in the playoffs, and when the time comes, the wall needs to be a wall.
With a full lineup Saturday, they erased a 2-0 halftime deficit with a four goal outburst in the second half, only to see their two goal lead disappear in a 4-4 tie.
One who looks at this game with the glass half full will point to how the 7th/8th graders (2-2-1) exploded in the second half with a four goal barrage.
Christian netted a hat trick as he put three into the net, and Moises added one as well for his third goal of the year.
In a span of a few minutes, Christian used his game changing speed and raced past the other team's defense in a flash, giving the team a much needed boost with his first two goals.
Momentum was clearly on the 7th/8th graders side and they needed to play strong on defense the rest of the way.
And that's where the person who looks at this game as the glass half empty comes in to play.
Just like the 6th/7th graders, the 7th/8th graders would blow a two goal lead.
Perhaps they used all their energy to jump out by two goals and didn't have enough left in the tank to hang on at the end.
One thing definitely preventable was the game tying goal, which came off of a free kick right outside the box.
The boys set up a wall, which is called a wall for a reason.
After the other team took the free kick, the wall disappeared, as some of the players, scared of the ball, ducked away from it, giving it a clear path past Julian, who gave up two goals early in the game that he should've saved.
It is not easy to take a soccer ball to any part of the body, but if you don't block the shot, your left with the consequences, which in this case was the game tying goal.
These two teams will likely meet a third and final time in the playoffs, and when the time comes, the wall needs to be a wall.
6th/7th grade soccer team blows two goal lead in tie
For the second straight week, the 6th/7th grade soccer team scored two goals before halftime. Except on Saturday, there was a very different feel to the game.
Interestingly enough, last week, they held only a 2-1 lead going into the break, whereas this week, they led 2-0.
But the tide changed early in the third quarter.
Thomas had a shot on goal blocked by a defender, and the ball went quickly the other way.
The other team chipped the ball by the defense, which was slow the entire afternoon, and a big shot top shelf beat the outstretched arms of Garrick for the first goal of the game by the other team, cutting the lead down to 2-1.
Offensively, it was the worst game the 6th/7th graders (3-0-2) played all season, as they failed to have any quality scoring chances the entire second half.
They were outplayed on defense, in the midfield and at the forward positions, so in some ways they were lucky to escape with a tie.
Midway through the fourth, the other team picked up a ball at midfield and had a lot of room to operate. The defense should've been playing up a little more, so the other team would not have as much room to pick up speed into the attack zone.
Instead, they played very passive and waited for the other team to attack and it burned them.
A forward on the other team got a good running start and just went by the defense. Garrick did not have a great angle on the shot, and left a little too much room shortside, as the shot went right past him and into the net, tying the game at 2-2.
Not much was decided after that goal and the game ended in a draw.
Following a 4-1 win and a 2-0 halftime lead, the boys certainly took their gas off the pedal.
The opponent Saturday was definitely better than the one last week, but the energy level and execution all around was not crisp.
Last week, everybody on the team, top to bottom played at a high level, which earned the team their finest victory of the year.
Saturday was the exact opposite, as everybody on the team could've played a much smarter, and better game.
Alan did add to his goal total for the year by scoring two in the first half, giving him 7 goals on the season.
Interestingly enough, last week, they held only a 2-1 lead going into the break, whereas this week, they led 2-0.
But the tide changed early in the third quarter.
Thomas had a shot on goal blocked by a defender, and the ball went quickly the other way.
The other team chipped the ball by the defense, which was slow the entire afternoon, and a big shot top shelf beat the outstretched arms of Garrick for the first goal of the game by the other team, cutting the lead down to 2-1.
Offensively, it was the worst game the 6th/7th graders (3-0-2) played all season, as they failed to have any quality scoring chances the entire second half.
They were outplayed on defense, in the midfield and at the forward positions, so in some ways they were lucky to escape with a tie.
Midway through the fourth, the other team picked up a ball at midfield and had a lot of room to operate. The defense should've been playing up a little more, so the other team would not have as much room to pick up speed into the attack zone.
Instead, they played very passive and waited for the other team to attack and it burned them.
A forward on the other team got a good running start and just went by the defense. Garrick did not have a great angle on the shot, and left a little too much room shortside, as the shot went right past him and into the net, tying the game at 2-2.
Not much was decided after that goal and the game ended in a draw.
Following a 4-1 win and a 2-0 halftime lead, the boys certainly took their gas off the pedal.
The opponent Saturday was definitely better than the one last week, but the energy level and execution all around was not crisp.
Last week, everybody on the team, top to bottom played at a high level, which earned the team their finest victory of the year.
Saturday was the exact opposite, as everybody on the team could've played a much smarter, and better game.
Alan did add to his goal total for the year by scoring two in the first half, giving him 7 goals on the season.
7th/8th grade girls beaten for the first time
The 7th/8th graders did not pass their first big test of the season, as they were beaten in a battle of undefeated teams Saturday in straight sets 25-21, 25-12.
After winning their first three games in two sets, a first set loss seemed to rattle them and they never recovered from it.
Edwena was able to serve the girls out to leads in the first three games but the other team started returning her serves, something the team wasn't used to. They simply weren't ready for the ball to come back.
They trailed in the first set until Tiffany served the girls back within striking distance and even tied the game. But from there it all unraveled, as the girls began to let balls drop in between them as well as bump their balls in a very uncontrolled manner.
The second set was an absolute disaster to say the least.
With their confidence shaken, the girls never regrouped and instead got lazy, and just played out the string, and the 13 point differential in the second set was no joke.
At one point, it got so bad the girls were trailing 17-3.
One girl on the team used only one arm to bump the ball, and a few others were just a step slow to the ball. When these girls have bad things happen to them on the court, they don't do a good job of letting things go and they carry it with them for the rest of the match.
If everything falls into place the rest of the season, these two teams will meet once again in the playoffs. Furthermore, the two teams still have a date with each other in the regular season.
But the 7th/8th graders (3-1) can use this game as a wake up call and measuring stick of where they need to be if they are serious about contending for the title.
You learn a lot more from losing than you do winning, and hopefully the girls learned something.
After winning their first three games in two sets, a first set loss seemed to rattle them and they never recovered from it.
Edwena was able to serve the girls out to leads in the first three games but the other team started returning her serves, something the team wasn't used to. They simply weren't ready for the ball to come back.
They trailed in the first set until Tiffany served the girls back within striking distance and even tied the game. But from there it all unraveled, as the girls began to let balls drop in between them as well as bump their balls in a very uncontrolled manner.
The second set was an absolute disaster to say the least.
With their confidence shaken, the girls never regrouped and instead got lazy, and just played out the string, and the 13 point differential in the second set was no joke.
At one point, it got so bad the girls were trailing 17-3.
One girl on the team used only one arm to bump the ball, and a few others were just a step slow to the ball. When these girls have bad things happen to them on the court, they don't do a good job of letting things go and they carry it with them for the rest of the match.
If everything falls into place the rest of the season, these two teams will meet once again in the playoffs. Furthermore, the two teams still have a date with each other in the regular season.
But the 7th/8th graders (3-1) can use this game as a wake up call and measuring stick of where they need to be if they are serious about contending for the title.
You learn a lot more from losing than you do winning, and hopefully the girls learned something.
3rd/4th graders take step back in latest loss
After their best game last Friday night, the 3rd/4th grade girls could not carry their momentum into Saturday afternoon's match, as they were handed their most lopsided defeat of the season in two sets, 25-10, 25-8.
It was not a good sight to see as the girls were faulting on almost every serve and unable to return many balls on serve receive.
Right from the get go, the girls were already behind the eight ball, faulting on the first serve, which set the tone for the entire match.
Justina and Amy had their small bright spots in the first set when they both served a few balls consecutively over the net, however that's as positive as it got for the girls.
A lot of it comes down to inexperience, but midway through the season, a better effort and outcome was expected on Saturday.
Many teams fall into the trap of playing a good game, and then forgetting the hard work they put in to get to where they were. So the game after, their performance is lackluster, as evident by not only the 3rd/4th grade Saturday, but many of the other teams around the school as well.
Just because you do good in one game, doesn't automatically translate to the next, and unfortunately, some of the St. Mary's teams, such as the 3rd/4th graders had to learn it the hard way.
Ariana did make her debut and played in her first volleyball game.
It was not a good sight to see as the girls were faulting on almost every serve and unable to return many balls on serve receive.
Right from the get go, the girls were already behind the eight ball, faulting on the first serve, which set the tone for the entire match.
Justina and Amy had their small bright spots in the first set when they both served a few balls consecutively over the net, however that's as positive as it got for the girls.
A lot of it comes down to inexperience, but midway through the season, a better effort and outcome was expected on Saturday.
Many teams fall into the trap of playing a good game, and then forgetting the hard work they put in to get to where they were. So the game after, their performance is lackluster, as evident by not only the 3rd/4th grade Saturday, but many of the other teams around the school as well.
Just because you do good in one game, doesn't automatically translate to the next, and unfortunately, some of the St. Mary's teams, such as the 3rd/4th graders had to learn it the hard way.
Ariana did make her debut and played in her first volleyball game.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Saturday Recap
Some teams took a step back from their performances last week, but we'll start with the good stuff first.
After trailing 2-0 at halftime, the 7th/8th graders erupted for 4 goals in the second half and settled for a 4-4 tie. Christian scored 3 goals and Moises added one, they are now (2-2-1).
The 5th/6th graders played an epic two set match, both which went to tiebreakers. The girls prevailed 28-26, and 36-34 in an incredible second set, that nobody wanted to lose, or win for that matter. Kaela finally ended it with one of her serves.
The 6th/7th grade soccer team played to a disappointing 2-2. They led 2-0 at halftime but gave up a goal in the third and fourth quarter and settled for the draw. Alan scored both goals. It was not a good performance by the boys this morning.
The 7th/8th grade was handed their first loss 25-21, and 25-12. This was their first test of the year, and they were unable to come out victorious.
The 3rd/4th grade girls were beaten 25-10. 25-8. Not a good game considering the momentum they build last week in their last set.
Full recaps to come later tonight.
After trailing 2-0 at halftime, the 7th/8th graders erupted for 4 goals in the second half and settled for a 4-4 tie. Christian scored 3 goals and Moises added one, they are now (2-2-1).
The 5th/6th graders played an epic two set match, both which went to tiebreakers. The girls prevailed 28-26, and 36-34 in an incredible second set, that nobody wanted to lose, or win for that matter. Kaela finally ended it with one of her serves.
The 6th/7th grade soccer team played to a disappointing 2-2. They led 2-0 at halftime but gave up a goal in the third and fourth quarter and settled for the draw. Alan scored both goals. It was not a good performance by the boys this morning.
The 7th/8th grade was handed their first loss 25-21, and 25-12. This was their first test of the year, and they were unable to come out victorious.
The 3rd/4th grade girls were beaten 25-10. 25-8. Not a good game considering the momentum they build last week in their last set.
Full recaps to come later tonight.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Highlights from 9/28 - 9/29
Highlights from this past weekend and an exclusive look inside the A's celebration from earlier this week, this is a must see if there was ever a must see!
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
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