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SKYHAWKS CONTINUE TO IMPROVE WITH 5-0 WIN OVER ELITE STING!

Box Score

Apr. 25, 2012

Sunday, April 22 - On what turned out to be a blustery day, the Skyhawks looked to run their record to 3-0 to open the season.  To do so, they would need to overcome a strong Ray-Pec Elite Sting squad that tied the Skyhawks in their only contest last fall.  However, this day would belong to the Skyhawks as they put together their most complete game to date.  The result: a 5-0 victory that included a number of exciting highlights.

Early in the contest, the teams battled fiercely to gain any sort of momentum.  Kennedy provided a much-needed spark for the Skyhawks as her midfield play helped keep the pressure on the Sting.  She made strong, strategic runs upfield that created a number of shots for her and her teammates, while at the same time using her positioning to minimize any potential drives by the Sting.  With improved passing as a focus for the game, the Skyhawks showed promise on multiple occasions throughout the game.  Specifically, in the 11th minute, good ball movement created the opportunity for Hannah H to put the Skyhawks on the board first.  Her beautiful score helped create energy that the team used to continue their aggressive play.  In the next four minutes Megan H scored two goals, while Abby H and Jo Jo displayed impressive assertiveness on both offense and defense.  Katie continued to show her skills in both passing (one a beautiful left-footed touch!) and carrying the ball upfield.

Although they held a 3-0 lead, the Skyhawks knew they would be battling the ferocious wind and a game Elite Sting squad in the second half.  To counter those obstacles, the Skyhawks employed better spacing and ball control to both keep the Sting at bay and extend their lead.  Britta played her best game of the year as she controlled the midfield and barely missed two different scoring opportunities (when Sting players made great plays to deter her at the last second).  Lilli continued to show her increased comfort and improved skills by carrying the ball upfield and crossing the ball to teammates on the run.  Despite playing an increased number of minutes at the defender position, Abby K found the back of the net on a nice drive up the left side which extended the Skyhawks lead to 4-0 in the 29th minute.  Kennedy finished off the scoring on a powerful kick-in from the left side that deflected sharply off the goalie for the Skyhawks' final score.  Aadyn took care of the goalkeeping duties for the duration and secured her first-ever shutout by corralling each ball that entered the box!

Hoping to build off of this momentum and continue to improve, the Skyhawks return to practice to prepare for next week's game against the same Legacy Lady Fireballs who took the title this past indoor season.  The coaches look to focus on ball skills, positioning, and transitioning more quickly between offense and defense in game situations.