Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Elsewhere around the league...

Saturday 9/27
Keizer Hotshots 1 vs LOSC Extreme 0 [yeah baby!]
OR Rush 95G Nike 3 vs EMFC 95 Magic 0
FC Portland Platinum 2 vs WSM Strikers 1

Sunday 9/28
OR Rush 95G Nike 6 vs ESUFC Arsenal 2
Keizer Hotshots 0 vs LOSC Extreme 3
EMFC 95 Magic 1 vs WSM Strikers 0

Current Points Standings
LOSC Extreme 16
THUSC Sodium 16
OR Rush 95G Nike 15
Keizer Hotshots 12
FC Portland Platinum 9
ESUFC Arsenal 4
EMFC 95 Magic 3
WSM Strikers 1

GO SODIUM!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Sodium Sweeps Weekend League Play

Sodium is firing on cylinders as the lady warriors roll through the 4th weekend of league play with a pair of wins.

vs ESUFC Arsenal
When it's working, it's working. Sodium is playing very well and when the lady warriors took to the turf at Gresham H.S. Saturday, you could just feel it was all business. Arsenal has always been a team that, if taken for granted, will bite you in the rear end. Not so today. In the first half, as in so many games, Sodium dominated. The play was confined to the Arsenal side of the field. And to prove she's a player, Katherine Kramer wanted her first goal of the season to be spectacular, and she didn't disappoint anyone! From Emmy Owens came a perfect lead pass that Katherine one touched just inside the 18-yard box. She took aim and blasted a perfect shot just out of reach of the Arsenal keeper that stung the upper left corner of the net! The crowd went nuts as the girls swarmed Katherine to show their appreciation! That proved to be all there was in the first half as Sodium took a 1-0 lead into the break. Midway into the second half Lexi Frey wasn't to be outdone. On a patented left footed corner kick Lexi 'Bent it like Beckham' just under the cross bar for a 2-0 lead! The corner kicks from Lexi and Laura Camp have proved that Sodium can score any time, from anywhere on the field. ESUFC made a late run and scored but it proved too little, too late as the final whistle blew giving Sodium a 2-1 victory!

vs FC Portland Platinum
The forward package dubbed The 180's [because their combined weight almost reaches 180 lbs] comprised of Marisa Reid, Elianna Beard and MAC Kearney caught fire against FC Portland this morning. These three warriors were responsible for all three goals scored in the match. The first goal against the big, physical Platinum team came in the midway point of the first half. Marisa Reid took a long lead pass deep down the right side, stopped, cut back and left the FC defender holding her shorts! Marisa took the ball cleanly to the goal where she rocketed a shot pasted the diving keeper! The crowd was totally awestruck by the move and filled the field with cheers!
The score remained 1-0 as the half concluded.
The second half started wild and woolly as Sodium controlled the ball, the tempo and the field position. Laura Nguyen chipped a ball into the 6-yard box where a driving Elianna Beard, after the first bounce, headed the ball over the outstretched arms of the FC keeper for a 2-0 Sodium lead! The crowd went nuts! But were The 180's finished? NO WAY! In the closing minutes the lady warriors had yet again penetrated the Platinum defense. An alert Elianna Beard found a crashing MAC Kearney who, after hurdling at least one defender, ripped the net with a close range missile! The crowd roared! Game, set, match as the final whistle blew and Sodium handed FC Portland a 3-0 beating on their home turf.

The girls are coming together and confidence is building as the team forges ahead in league play. You never know who the 'Hero' is going to be but with the talent spread amongst the entire team, it could be anyone of them as this weekend showed us. Tom has taken a team that, very easily, could have folded under the loss of so many players and, with the addition of equally talented superstars, turned them into a well oiled machine. The new players are playing awesome, the veterans have stepped up and never lost a step as Sodium continues to dominate and elevate their game. It is evident that these lady warriors are giving 100% every time they take the field. This team has crushed any rumors that weren't going to be just as tough, just as physical and just as emotionally charged as last year. They are definitely playing Sodium Style ball right now and have proved they are BACK IN BLACK!
I find myself barely able to sleep Friday nights in anticipation of the next game and to find out who will emerge to take charge.

Next up:
10/4/08 vs EMFC 95 Magic @ PCC - 1:30pm kick off
10/5/08 vs LOSC Extreme @ Lakeridge H.S. - 12:30 kick off [possibly for first place]

As The Stones 'Paint it Black' plays in the background we yell: GO SODIUM!

Monday, September 22, 2008

Around the league

In other matches here is how the rest of the games shaped up;

Saturday 9/20
LOSC 3 vs FC Portland 1
WSM 0 vs Arsenal 1
Hotshots 1 vs Magic 0

Sunday 9/21
Arsenal 0 vs WSM 0 [yes, they played twice]
LOSC 3 vs OR Rush 1 [woo hoo!]
Hotshots 2 vs FC Portland 1 [woo hoo #2!]

Current Points Standings:
LOSC 13
Sodium 10
OR Rush 9
Hotshots 9
FC Portland 6
Arsenal 4
Strikers 1 [ 2 yellow cards?? ]
Magic 0

GO SODIUM!

Sodium Splits Weekend Contests

"Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining"

vs OR Rush 95G Nike
Sodium knew going in it was going to be a war, and what a battle it was. Rush always has given Sodium problems. Even though the Lady Warriors elevated their game, the final score was 3-0. Don't get discouraged, they played great! Even the Rush coach approached Tom and said; "You guys kicked the crap out of us, sorry." With that said, Sodium kept their heads up. We will see this team many more times and into the post season. What is important is not the score but what we learned. Playing Rush is about finishing. Yes, they scored 3 goals on about 6 shots. We scored 0 on about 20 shots. The opportunities will present themselves, we just need to take advantage. The passing is there, the ball movement and communication are there. The defense played well and, by sheer shot count, the mids and forwards played well. We just need to find the net. Plain and simple. This chapter is far from over vs OR Rush. But the next installment will be up to you.

vs EMFC 95 Magic
After a long drive South on a drizzly, cold morning the lady warriors took the field against Magic, a much improved Eugene team. In typical Sodium Style they cut the field of play in half and never left the Magic side. What could have been a double digit game turned into a 1-0 victory for Sodium. The same situation plagued them as the game before, finishing. How many balls went right to the Magic keeper or off the post before Laura Camp's corner kick [which has turned into a great weapon for Sodium!] was headed in by Hannah Lautenbach? Sodium was patient, communicating, passing and attacking when the opportunity was right. A sign of greatness. A sign of a great team.

The main points here, in my humble opinion, are that we don't get discouraged. Look at the last 2 seasons and how they ended. Look at where we are now in comparison. The Fall, indoor and Spring seasons will have peaks and valleys but in comparison, we are ahead of where we were those last two years. If we can confront the finishing hurdle now and deal with it, the rest of the year will consist of refining greatness. Last year, if you recall, we just conquered the finishing phobia right before State Cup. This year we are addressing it in the Fall! Nothing to worry about. If you get a chance, go back and read the 2008 season blog. Sodium didn't win a game in October!! So ladies, keep you heads up, keep practicing hard and giving 100% at game time and we will be in the hunt come State Cup time.
This season has just begun and there is a ton of soccer ahead. You have a great coach and an extremely talent packed team. From here on it's about work. It's about working harder to get better than the other teams are. It's about what you do off the field that will make you better. OR Rush, LOSC, FC, none of them are as dedicated, passionate and willing to sacrifice as you are. We are able to run these teams into the ground late in the games because we condition harder. Remember playing the Strikers and how their team was standing around exhausted the last 8 minutes of the game? We win with our hearts, our minds and our feet. We may not always have the biggest team, but we have the biggest hearts filled with dedication and commitment to our team. You can't teach that lady warriors.

If it is to be, it's up to me.

From under the umbrella's we yell: GO SODIUM!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Tomorrow

Tomorrow you will take the field against a worthy adversary. A team Sodium has never beat. A big, physical team that will come at you all game long. Tomorrow our defense will be called upon to elevate their game to untold levels. Our mids will have the battle of their careers and the forwards will be asked to give everything they have. Tomorrow lady warriors, will be a war.
The OR Rush team will be coming to our house, the 'House of Pain' for many teams, and tomorrow, they will join the ranks.
This is a game that needs no introductions. You know what to do. Motivation will be the key. You will need to look across field 5 and see RED. They are coming into our house to take this game away from us on the same field we won the State Championship. If that doesn't get you motivated, get your blood boiling, make you mad as heck, then I don't know what will. Tomorrow will be a huge test of our will to win. This OR Rush team has never stepped foot on the field with the New Sodium team, and they're in for a rude awakening. If ever a league game will be watched, it's this one. Everyone will be waiting to hear the outcome. This game will set the precedence for the rest of league play. A win will establish Sodium as a contender, a position we know well, and OR Rush as a beatable team.
Tomorrow you will be called upon to dig deep, to bring out the passion you have for the game, for your team. Tomorrow you will elevate your play to the level of true champions. Like the scene when the Spartans [300] were facing the army of the Immortals [thousands]. They were smaller, fewer in numbers but they had heart, anger, the will to win and a never give up attitude. The same attributes I've seen played out by this team time and time again.
Tomorrow you will asked to give 100% for 60 minutes. To leave everything you have on the field, to be a hero. You will have 10 others on the field who will have your back. The time is now to cut loose, to take it to the limits. I know you can do it, I've seen it many times before.

Tomorrow, as you walk on the field of battle, ask yourself, "Who will be the hero?" Every game has one.

As I write this the song, "Fear of the Dark" just came on. How appropriate.

If it is to be, it's up to me
To read the origin of this saying, click here.

GO SODIUM!

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Sodium crushes WSM 5-0

In the morning game the lady warriors pinned theirs ears back and were off to the races. The play was, literally all game, on Striker's side of the field. The scoring onslaught began when a drop back pass to Lexi Frey was drilled in from 20+ yards. At about the mid way point Hannah Lautenbach took a pass at the top of the 18-yard box, sliced and diced her way passed 3 WSM defenders before sizzling the back of the net. The crowed cheered as the half came to a close.
The second half started as the first had ended. a midfield pass was taken by Emmy Owens who broke through the Srtiker defenders on her way to the goal. A couple quick touches and Emmy ripped the net. A little past the mid point Hannah again penetrated the WSM defense down the left side. Instead of playing defense the Strikers resorted to getting physical. On this instance, even though she had to leave the game, Hannnah wouldn't take it. On her way to the turf she blasted a rocket off the near post and IN! A little salt with that wound?
Later, just before the final whistle Mac Kearney put the icing on the cake when she took a pass from Laura Nguyen and rifled it passed the WSM goalie. This win was just what the doctor ordered for Sodium after a tough tie the night before.

A great weekend for the lady warriors!


Next up;
The beast from the East; OR Rush 95G Nike on 9/20/08 @ 3:00pm - REC #5


GO SODIUM!

Sodium takes it to LOSC

What a battle! I can't say much more. When LOSC comes to town you always know the lady warriors are going to bring it! And Saturday was no exception.
The scoreless first half was controlled by the Sodium offense who was relentless in their attack. Midway through, a questionable offsides call negated what would later prove a crucial goal. In the second half it fell on the defense to prove what they were made of. After Sodium took a 1-0 lead off a Lexi Frey free kick from 25 yards out that scorched the far post net, the LOSC offense took fire.
As the Sodium defense will attest, this was nothing shy of a smash-mouth, in your face, second half battle. Bodies flew, whistles blew and the LOSC fans got ugly. By the end of the game the defense had nothing left. Bleeding, bruised and exhausted, the Sodium defense held Extreme to one goal and took home a 1-1 tie.

I am very proud of the team. They pushed themselves to the limit. And even though the score was 1-1 the Sodium team should hold their heads high and know that they gave it their all.


Next up;
WSM Strikers @ REC #2 - 9:00am


GO SODIUM!

Congratulations to Emmy Owens

A heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS goes out to Emmy for being selected onto the USClub Regional Player Identification Program for promising young players. She will travel to Los Angeles in October and participate at the National Training Center home of the LA Galaxy.

WAY TO GO EMMY!

We are very proud of all our Sodium players and when one of them gets some well deserved special recognition, we should all revel in their accomplishments.

We have a special group here and the chemistry is starting to happen. You can feel it on the field. The communication, the passing to a spot you know your teammate will be without thinking about it. The subtle little things that we don't see up in the stands. This sort of thing didn't start to happen really until after the fall season for the team last year. And boy is it fun to watch!!


Next Up;
Sodium vs LOSC Extreme @ PCC #2 - $:30PM kick off.


GO SODIUM!

Monday, September 8, 2008

Sodium starts league play with a victory!

The lady warriors faced a tough competitor Sunday in the Keizer Hotshots but crisp passing and total ball control proved to be too much for them.
Sodium hadn't faced the Hotshots since last years semi-finals of the State Cup but the outcome proved to be the same.
Sodium controlled the tempo and the ball as the Keizer team, known for their "kick and chase" style never could mount an attack. With shots bouncing off their goalie, the cross bar and everything else, the Keizer team couldn't handle the quickness and stamina of the improved Sodium team.
With the first half ending scoreless Sodium came out of the blocks in attack mode. The forwards penetrated the Hotshot defense from both the left and right sides. In one of the attacks, originated by Laura Camp, Hannah Lautenbach drove hard down the left side into the box. Her rocket nearly knocked the Keizer goalie down and was just too hot to handle as Emmy Owens was right there to clean up with a goal! If Emmy hadn't finished Payten Sonnen was there, literally in the net, to make sure this one wasn't going anywhere but in!
The defense and mids had another outstanding game shutting the Hotshots down all morning.

An outstanding effort by the entire team as every player contributed to the victory!

In other games:
LOSC-Extreme defeated ESUFC Arsenal 1-0
FC Portland defeated WSM Strikers 2-0

Next Up:
Sodium vs LOSC-Extreme @ PCC #2. 4:30pm on 9/13/08

Proudly we're scream'n: GO SODIUM!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Fall League is upon us!

Sodium opens the fall league this Sunday against Keizer Hotshots at 10:30AM @ REC #1.
Sodium hasn't seen Keizer since the semi finals of last years State Cup. Playing on turf has always favored the lady warriors but this year they haven't played a game on turf since, well, forever!

After a little rest since the Chinook Cup and a holiday weekend, Sodium is back on the practice field hot & heavy this week getting back into game shape.

The defense will have their work cut out for them because because Keizer is big and always plays a physical game. Their style is more of a "boot-ball" game where they send the ball towards the goal in hopes their forwards can run it down. Didn't work last year, probably won't work this year but they have beat some good teams. Either way, we'll be there screaming for our sodium!!

From the stands we'll yell: GO SODIUM!