Pali Blues News Release -- www.bluessoccerclub.com
Thursday, May 26, 2011
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. – The Pali Blues remained undefeated, but were unable to find the back of the net as they drew 0-0 with the Santa Clarita Blue Heat on Thursday evening at Stadium-by-the-Sea on the campus of Pali High. The draw also kept the Blue Heat undefeated.
“It was a really tough game. It was like a light bulb, on at times, off at times,” Pali Blues Head Coach Jacob Tudela said on the match. “Our players were sloppy. The small stuff wasn’t being done right- the simple passes and simple receiving. In the second half, they got it together; they transitioned well, and played with heart.”
Santa Clarita started the game on the attack, holding the Blues inside their own half. In the seventh minute, Pali goalkeeper Anna Picarelli was called on to make a save from a Hannah Beard shot on the left side of the box. It was headed towards the goal, but Picarelli dove and deflected the ball out for a corner kick.
In the 15th minute, a ball was played into the Blues’ penalty area by the Blue Heat and took an unpredicted bounce on the turf field. Picarelli was forced to punch the ball over the crossbar.
The Blues finally gained some positive momentum shortly after and got their first chance of the game in the 18th minute when Courtney Joyner took shot from outside the box, but it sailed just wide. The momentum started going the Blues’ way and in the 24th minute Anisa Guajardo received a ball from Jamia Fields, turned and shot it, but it went high and wide of the goal.
The next chance for the Blues came three minutes later as Guajardo placed a corner kick low and short to Tiffany McCarty who dummied it. The ball got to Ashley Bowyer who played it to captain Christie Shaner, but her shot was saved by Blue Heat goalkeeper Cynthia Jacobo.
Santa Clarita had its next opportunity in the 35th minute when Anne Marie Tangorra went one-on-one with Picarelli, but she miss-hit the ball and her shot went wide right.
After the halftime break, the Blues came out on the right side of the ball and dominated the first 10 minutes of the second half.
“I would say that first of all we needed to clean it up. A lot of the chances they had in the first half were ones we were creating for them,” Shaner said. “We weren’t connecting passes; we weren’t putting them to feet. We just told everyone ‘it’s a new half, new game, it’s our home field, let’s pick it up. Let’s find the energy for 45 minutes and dig deep.’ ”
And it seemed to work as five minutes into the second half, Jamia Fields took a shot from top of the box, but Jacobo was there to save it. Jacobo once again came up big for Blue Heat in the 55th minute when McCarty took a shot and she tipped it over the bar.
The Blue Heat had their first chance of the second half in the 62nd minute. Holly Hein took a shot from outside the box that was deflected by a Pali player. Picarelli was able to quickly change direction and made a diving save to keep the ball from going into the net, while also managing to subsequently grab the rebound.
Momentum shifted again as the Blues came up with a series of opportunities in the middle of the second half. In the 65th minute, Shaner headed a corner kick on goal but it fell right into Jacobo’s hands. A minute later, Bowyer headed a long ball from Joyner, but it went just wide of the back post. Then two minutes later, McCarty was doubled-teamed but managed to play a square ball to Guajardo whose shot went wide right.
Santa Clarita’s Elizabeth Franco released on a breakaway in the 67th minute, but Pali defender Sasha Andrews proved why she was named to the W-League Team of the Week when she was able to recover and close down Franco, while Picarelli cut down her angle forcing her to shoot wide right into the side netting.
In the 77th minute, Andrews was at the end of a great throw-in by Jessica Price. Her header was on frame, but it was saved at the line by a defender.
As the ball was played up the field in the counter-attack, Franco took a shot on Picarelli, who was caught slightly out of position, but she made another great save and grabbed the ball in mid-air.
As the game was winding down, both teams pushed for a game-winner. In the 80th minute, Price brought a lobbed ball down nicely, and turned to face the goal, but her shot went wide. The next minute, Fernandez had a dangerous shot from outside the box following throw-in. Picarelli just got to the ball and avoided the left post to keep the game scoreless.
The final minutes of the game wound down with a battle in the midfield.
“We had a lot of unforced errors. We need to clean that up, but it’s early in the season and I think it’ll get much better,” said Andrews.
Defensive midfielder Ashley Bowyer echoed the sentiments of Coach Tudela.
“We came out a little slow in the first half. We weren’t playing our game and keeping the ball. But in the second half we came out hard, we had a lot of opportunities that we just couldn’t put away. There were three or four on the line, so it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t finish,” Bower said.
The Blues will square up against the also undefeated Vancouver Whitecap women next Wednesday, June 1st, 7pm at Pali High.