The Falcons went into the game knowing the Mariners were going to be good and fast. The Mariners have one of the best forwards, Emily Murrer in the SCCAL. The Mariners had an impressive preseason pounding their opposition but the Falcons played a very tough preseason ourselves which prepared us for the game. The first half started out as expected with both teams playing in the middle of the field trying to control the ball and mount an attack. The play was physical and demanding with several hard tackles and good defensive play. The Mariners had the upper hand with ball possession and put pressure on the Falcon players. The Falcons stayed strong and showed their character by playing toe to toe with the Mariners. Junior captain Madison Black put the first Falcon shot on the Mariners goal but the goalkeeper handled the shot with no problem. A second shot was put on frame by senior forward Taylor Rohde but again it was handled with very little threat. The Mariners were able to put two shots on the Falcons goal but junior captain goalkeeper Emily Johnson easily handled the shots. The half ended after a hard fought battle, Falcons 0 to the Mariners 0.

At half time several adjustments were made and players were inspired to raise their level of play. The Falcons immediately chose to build more energy and effort in their game. The Falcons went out in the second half with a relentless intensity to manage the ball, build an attack and distribute the ball. Both the Mariners and Falcons played with heart and pride trying to make something happen. The game went back in forth with the Falcons increasing their pressure and will to compete. Every ball was challenged by both teams on the ground and in the air. Physical play was evident with both teams receiving numerous fouls. Minor injuries plagued both sides of the ball. In the 76th minute of the game senior midfielder Ranae Maloney received a through ball down the right sidelines. Ranae crossed the ball over to the middle and was not handled but went out of bounds on the left sidelines. Junior defensive back Kacey Lilly took the throw in and passed a great pass into the center of the field. Sophomore Lena Gustafsson handled the pass to her foot and fired a hard 25 yard shot to the right of the Mariners goal past the diving goalkeeper. The ball struck the right goal post and bounced back onto the field of play. Senior forward Taylor Rohde took the deflected shot, settled the ball and with her left foot powered a shot into the left side of the Mariners net for a goal. The Falcon players and fans enjoyed the goal but quickly regrouped and went back to business. The Falcons went into a defensive mode and battled the surging Mariners for the rest of the game. The second half of the game saw the Falcons with 3 more shots on goal while the Mariners put 2 more shots on goal. The game ended with the score being, Falcons 1 to the Mariners 0.

The Falcon goalkeeping was again incredible. Junior captain Emily Johnson had a strong and fantastic game. Emily directed the defense and made some great decisions. Emily took the wind out of the Mariners attack several times by aggressively attacking the ball away from the goal and stopping loose balls before a Mariner could reach the ball. Emily showed her athletic ability, good hands, quick feet and strong kicking abilities to neutralize the Mariners. Emily's competitive spirit and desire to shut everybody down is a cornerstone to our all around good defense. Emily ended up having 4 saves on the game but impacted the game greatly by her goalkeeping play.

Our defense once again has to be complimented for bending a little but never breaking. The defense routinely intercepted and stole Mariner passes to thwart their speedy attack. The defense kept the talented Mariner forwards a little off their game and prevented them from scoring. The defense was once again led by senior captain Jordin Carlson who had a solid game. Jordin's strong kicks, athletic abilities and strong tackles were crucial to stopping many Mariner attacks. Jordin is the leader on the defense reading the oppositions attacks and directing her defense to work together. Having a strong game also was senior captain Kalynn Morano, junior Kacey Lilly, sophomore Megan Keating and junior Rachel DuBridge. The entire defense did a commendable job keeping in check the powerful Mariner offense.

The Falcon midfielders also had a strong game competing with the talented Mariners. The midfielders stamina and endurance was crucial to keep up with Mariners offensively and defensively. The middle midfielders played courageously, physically and battled on the turf and in the air for every ball. The outside midfielders made numerous runs trying to put pressure on the Mariners defense then raced back on defense. The inside midfielders were led by junior captain Madison Black, sophomore Lena Gustafsson, junior Rachel DuBridge and senior Shanan McFall. The outside midfielders were led by senior Ranae Maloney, senior Jessica Romeo, junior Rachel DuBridge and senior Kathryn Balch.

The Falcon forwards again used their speed and athletic abilities to build several attacks on the Mariner defense. The forwards heart was evident when they ignored pain and fatigue to make consistent runs on the Mariner defense. The forwards routinely settled the ball and distributed to one another causing the Mariners defense to adjust and react. The Falcon forwards were led by senior Taylor Rohde, senior Sonja Gustafsson and sophomore Darby McFall.

Special kudos goes to the lady Mariners for their sportsmanship and competitive game. The Mariners have a special team that will compete with anyone they face.

Our next game will be on January 12th, 2012, 7PM, against the Santa Cruz Cardinals at Aptos High School.