Tartans Snare Early Goal At Home

Morgan tracks down one of the Tartans
Photo: K. White

The Academy of Holy Cross used an early strike from their leading scorer in the 16th minute to hold off St. John's in league action at AHC's home pitch on Friday, September 24th. 

Kirsten snares a ball from an AHC attacker
Photo: K. White

Despite the Cadets outshooting the Tartans 10-5 and registering ten free kicks during the 80 minute match, they could not solve AHC's defense. SJC 'keeper Kirsten G. made four saves on the day and was rarely tested in the second half as St. John's applied pressure in the middle third to stymie the number six ranked team according to the Washington Post's rankings for the week of September 20th. 

Injuries and illnesses have hit the squad hard in the past week although the girls continue to show dedication and commitment to each other in training and match play. Head Athletic Trainer Mike Walker has dealt with more injured soccer players over a two-week period than all of last year combined.

"I can't wait until this injury spell ends", said Head Coach Colin Lennon. "Once we get everyone back and fit, we'll hit another gear and most teams will be dealing with the same circumstances we have. Mike is doing an amazing job getting our ladies fit and I appreciate the hard work he and his staff have put in over the course of the season." 

SJC returns to competitive action in the WCAC with two important fixtures for the week of September 27th:

Wednesday, September 29th @ Elizabeth Seton - 4PM (V); 5:30 PM (JV)
Friday, October 1st @ O'Connell - 4PM (V); 5:30 PM (JV)
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SJC Team Unity
Photo: K. White

SJC JV (1) vs. Holy Cross JV (2)


On Friday, September 24th, the JV girls travelled to Holy Cross to play an important WCAC FIXTURE.  Holy Cross struck first with two early goals as the Cadets' energy levels were lower than previous matches. 


At the intermission, Head Coach Angelo GRANGER talked to the team and inspired them to a better performance in the second half. Lizzie D. came out of the goal and scored on a wonderful strike from distance for SJC. 


Gina M. made several great saves as the team played with more energy and passion. Possession of the ball increased and helped spread the flow evenly between attackers and defenders, which was a noticeable improvement in the last 30 minutes of the match.

"I'm looking at a group of girls who are definitely making progress", said Granger. "We need to start each game with the same high intensity as we have ended the last couple of matches. If we start this way, we'll be able to win some games."


Granger went onto say that he anticipates improvement in the second half of the season provided that every member of the team remains healthy and works hard in training each week. 


"I hope that the girls have fun when they come to practice and games. They need to realize that this is a learning period so just do your best. I always say that hard work and fun together will allow for more wins in time. Enjoy it girls, don't be discouraged over our results - just stay positive!"

CADETS DRAW WITH PANTHERS AT HOME

St. John's played to a 3-3 draw with WCAC rival Paul VI at Quinn Field on Tuesday, September 21st. Junior midfielder Carli T. scored two, first-half goals to put the Cadets up 2-1 at the end of 40 minutes, but the Panthers responded with their second goal in the 55th minute following a defensive error in the SJC defensive third.

Sophomore defender Lis P. found the back of the net with a strike off of her left foot in the 59th minute - her second of the season - to give the Cadets a 3-2 lead with 10 minutes to play. The goal came from a set piece that junior forward Liz C. delivered from the left side of the pitch into the Panthers' goal mouth.

With less than 2 minutes remaining in injury time, the Panthers forced the tempo of the game and scrambled for a game-tying strike that eluded the SJC defense to even the match at three a piece.

SJC outshot the Panthers 13-5 and earned four corner kicks to the Panthers' one. Kirsten G. made two saves to increase her season total to 51 - currently first among high school goalkeepers according to statistics compiled by the Washington Post.

Several SJC players were injured during the course of play and will be out of action until the medical and athletic training staff determine that they are healthy to train and compete for the red and white. Best wishes to Kayla and Nia, along with Ally G., Lis P. and Shannon, as they undergo rehabilitation over the coming days with the goal of returning to full strength.

With the draw, SJC's overall record stands at 7-5-1 and 1-2-1 in conference action. The Cadets travel to Rockville on Friday, September 24th for a 4PM WCAC match at Holy Cross.

NAJLA SPARKS SJC TO VICTORY

Junior midfielder Najla M. scored her first career goal in the SJC red and white to lead her team to a 1-0 victory over visiting St. Pius X of New Mexico on Saturday, September 18th at Quinn Field.


Najla latched onto a header from sophomore Lis P. in the 12th minute and calmly buried her strike from six yards past the STPX 'keeper to record the game's only goal. The finish was the result of a long, arching corner from the right side that junior defender Allison S. hit to the back post where Lis was able to jump over her defender and re-direct the ball to the near post for Najla to deposit into the net for her first career goal.


SJC outshot the visitors from New Mexico 10-8 but conceeded two yellow card bookings in the 52nd minute that allowed STPX to challenge SJC 'keeper Kirsten G. from 25 yards. Fortunately, the attempt sailed wide right of the goal.


SJC kept its composure until the final whistle and preserved a clean sheet for the fifth time this season. SJC's Kirsten G. is among area leaders in saves, save percentage and shutouts.


With the victory, SJC improves to 7-5 overall and 3-1 in non-conference play. The week of September 20th features two important WCAC fixtures against PAUL VI (9/21, Home @ 4PM) and HOLY CROSS (9/24, Away @ 4PM).


WCAC STANDINGS (As of 9/20/10)


1. Good Counsel 3-0 20 GF, 5 GA
2. Ireton 3-0 8 GF, 2 GA
3. Holy Cross 2-0-1 7 GF, 2 GA
4. Seton 3-1-1 4 GF, 4 GA
5. O'Connell 1-2 5 GF, 5 GA
6. Ryken 1-2 4 GF, 5 GA
7. SJC 1-2, 2 GF, 5 GA
8. PVI 1-3, 6 GF, 13 GA
9. McNamara 0-5 1 GF, 16 GA


MATCH STATS


              SJC              STPX
Shots      10                8
Saves      3                 1
CK          1                 2
FK          2                 4
Fouls      7                 5


Cautions: Najla M. 52' (Dissent); Liz C. 52' (Dissent)


Goal: Najla M. 12' (1)


Assist: Lis P. (1)

JV ROLLS OVER CARROLL

The SJC junior varsity squad had its best overall performance in front of the net on Friday, September 17th as they easily defeated Archbishop Carroll, 9-0. Angela W. led the Cadets with a hat trick - her first career sombrero - while Raley H. and Sadie L. each netted a brace. Bridget P. and McKenna S. also scored their first goals in red and white as St. John's cruised to a commanding 8-0 lead after 35 minutes of play.


Head Coach Angelo GRANGER was delighted with the team's ability to combine in front of the goal and take shots. He also went on to praise the work rate of his midfield and defensive corps.

SJC returns to the home pitch on Tuesday, September 21st when they entertain PAUL VI in a WCAC league fixture. Kick off is slated for 5:30 PM.


     

NCS STEALS ONE FROM SJC AT HOME

ISL power National Cathedral School scored a late goal in the first half under wet and rainy conditions at Quinn Field to score a 1-0 upset over the 6th ranked St. John's College girls high school soccer team on Thursday, September 16th.

NCS created the game's lone finish in the 38th minute when they stole the ball in the SJC half and combined between their forwards before NCS's central midfielder unleashed a bullet strike from 28 yards that sailed into the upper left hand corner of the Cadets' goal.

"We gave away the ball and didn't step up to deny their player space to look up and create that chance", said SJC Head Coach Colin LENNON. "I know deep down that our players were disappointed with their performance in the first half and really wanted to prove that they could find a way back in the match with hustle and determined play in the second half."

The light rain and misty conditions actually helped St. John's get back into the game mentally as they won most 50-50 balls in the air and on the ground - a noticeable difference from how the team played in the first 40 minutes of the match.

Despite the absence of junior defender Ally G. and midfielder Shannon C., both who were lost to injury earlier in the week in the Cadets' WCAC duel with Good Counsel, juniors Becca V., Carli T., Maise M., Mimi R., Morgan T., Najla M., and freshman Alexis L. proved that they could fight for every ball that NCS tried to play through its midfield. 

"I thought our tactical switch in the second half gave us momentum and a bit of bite", said Lennon. "It was just enough to put NCS on their heels and we tried to seize every chance with our hustle and will."

Forwards Amara N., Lizzy C., Mary M., Nia S., and Sidi G. ran down poor clearances and balls played over the top of the NCS defense with grit and purpose, so much so that SJC earned three direct kicks in the final ten minutes that came close to producing quality scoring chances.

Defenders Allison S., Kat O., Lis P., and Kayla P. performed in sync throughout the second half and limited NCS to two shots, both of which rarely threatened SJC 'keeper Kirsten G., who made 5 saves between the posts.

Despite out shooting the hosts 9-6, NCS conceded 4 corner kicks to the Cadets - all in the second half - and was caught offsides on eleven occasions by the dual referee system.

SJC hosts St. Pius X of New Mexico on Saturday, September 18th at 2:00 pm. Earlier in the week, St. Pius drew 0-0 with Bishop Ireton and is anxious to get a good result against the Cadets at Quinn Field. Coach Lennon has arranged for several youth soccer teams to attend the game and serve as "ball kids" for the non-conference match up.

FINAL STATS

            SJC            NCS
Shots    6                9
Saves    5                3
CK        4                3
FK        3                1
Fouls    6                10
Offside 1                11

NCS Goal: #14 38' (unassisted)

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SJC JV (1) - NCS JV (1)

In the JV match that followed the senior team, freshman midfielder Yoselin scored her team-leading third goal of the season to propel her team to a 1-1 draw with visiting National Cathedral School.

Photography by K. White

Yoselin converted a penalty kick early in the first half after one of her teammates was fouled inside the box as she attempted to shoot on the visitors' goal.

SJC played a complete match from top to bottom and battled well against the Purple Pride from start to finish. The team spirit displayed was infectious as every member of the squad pushed and prodded for opportunities on both sides of the ball.

NCS was able to find the equalizer late in the second half but could not sneak their strikes past SJC 'netminder Gina who made several key saves to preserve the point for the Cadets.

Well done, SJC!

Behind The Scenes with Taylor

As told to the WE ARE ST. JOHN'S blog by Taylor W., a freshman defender on the SJC Women's Junior Varsity team.

On Tuesday, September 7th the JV girls played against Bishop Ireton. Both teams took the field with enthusiasm. In the first half Bishop Ireton managed to score 2 goals against SJC. In the second half, after a pep talk from our coach our energy levels were higher and the passing become noticeably stronger. The SJC girls did a much better job of marking, and communicating in the second half, however the Bishop Ireton girls dominated our side of the field and kept our goalie, Gina Macahilig, busy. Unfortunately Bishop Ireton took the win with 2 more goals.




On Thursday, September 9th,we played against Saint Mary’s of Ryken. After the long bus ride down our energy levels were high, and we were ready to begin playing. 10 min into the match, SJC’s midfielder Sadie L. scored a goal on Ryken's goalie. In the last 5 minutes of the first half there where 2 mistakes made by our defense and 2 goals scored by Ryken. In the second half we brought our game up but didn't manage to score any other goals, making the final score 2-1. Over all the game was a well-played and evenly matched game.

FALCONS DEFEAT CADETS IN WCAC MARQUEE MATCH

Kat O. in action
 Photo: K.White

The rivalry between St. John's and Good Counsel High Schools has intensified over the past three years, particularly with the Falcons' winning performance over the Cadets in the '09 WCAC championship match last November.


Both teams have traditionally been at the helm of the conference for the past five seasons although the likes of O'Connell and Holy Cross have been knocking on the door anxious to get into the regional and national spotlight as well.


SJC knew that the first real test of the league fixtures would come against the talented Falcons - currently the #5 ranked girls squad in the nation according to the NSCAA.  Good Counsel also holds the honor of number one in this week's Washington Post Girls High School Soccer poll.

Photo: K. White

"We knew that tonight's match would be a stiff test of character", said Head Coach Colin Lennon. "You don't get to a high national ranking without hard work, perseverance and a willingness to find ways to win - qualities that exemplify how Good Counsel is at the moment."


From the moment that the Cadets arrived for their pre-game meal on campus, they were focused on maintaining their concentration for the duration of the marquee match. A wonderful food court was put together by parent liasion Lori Taylor, who enlisted the assistance of many faithful soccer mom's and dad's, much to the delight of the players and coaches. Kudos to all for your efforts and support on this special match day.

2010 St. John's College HS Varsity Girls Soccer Team

Following the meal, the Cadets made their way over to Ludwig Field on the University of Maryland's main campus in College Park for a 7:00 pm kick off against the visitors from Olney. Pre-game activities were festive and lively thanks to an upbeat mix of current R&B, soul and top 40 hits on the public address system.


SJC's starting XI held its shape well over the first 30 minutes despite the Falcons' deliberate tactics to find the feet of leading scorer Midge Purce in the SJC defensive third. Good Counsel was disrupted by the Cadets' offsides trap on four separate occasions in the first half, but found a solution behind the Cadets' back four in the 31st minute when Purce outmuscled Kat C. for a loose ball outside of the 18 and fired a hard shot to the far post that eluded an oncoming Kirsten G. to open the scoring.


"Their first goal was disappointing", noted Lennon. "We lost Shannon to injury minutes before and they still were able to re-gain the momentum with Midge's first goal."


Both teams battled for possession in the waning minutes of the half but neither could produce quality scoring chances as the referee whistled for halftime. Score: GC (1) - SJC (0).


In the second stanza, Lennon inserted Demi and Sidi into the XI as SJC adjusted to a lineup without Shannon, who left the match in the 28th minute with considerable pain and swelling in her ankle following the challenge.

Good Counsel kept the pressure high from their front runners and pounced on a poor pass in the 42nd minute from the SJC back four that Imani Dorsey slipped across the front of the SJC goal mouth for Purce to finish easily for her second goal of the match.


The duo of Dorsey and Purce connected again in the 60th minute when Purce stole the ball and fed Dorsey in front of the SJC goal from a wide position that increased the Falcons lead to three with 20 minutes remaining.


SJC defender Ally G. left the match with a slight strain late in the second half which impacted the team further although junior Najla M. performed admirably as centre back alongside Lis P., Alison S., Kayla P., and Kat O.


SJC's Kirsten G. had a stellar night in between the posts as she recorded 12 saves from a Good Counsel attack that outshot SJC 15-2 and held a 3-2 advantage in corner kicks.


With the loss, SJC falls to 1-2 in the conference and 6-4 overall. The Cadets return to the pitch on Thursday, September 16th when they host NATIONAL CATHEDRAL at Quinn Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 4pm with the JV team to follow at 5:30 pm.

VARSITY FINAL STATS


            SJC      GCHS
Shots     2         15
Saves     12        1
CK         2          3
FK         3          2
Fouls     5          9
Offside  1          7


GCHS Goals:  Purce 31', 42, Dorsey 60'
Assists: Dorsey (2), Purce

CADETS CRACK POST TOP 10

Amara N. in action for SJC - Photo: K. White

Cadets Earn 6th place ranking for the week of September 13

The SJC performance at the recent McDonogh School Invitational this past weekend in Owings Mills proved to be just enough to earn the Cadets a place in the Washington Post Girls High School soccer top 10 ranking poll.

This marks the first time since the fall 2008 season that St. John's has appeared in the top 10 rankings. The Cadets were atop the rankings for most of the 2008 season and concluded the campaign as the top team win their 2-1 victory over O'Connell in the WCAC Tournament final.

SJC's 2-0 victory over Archbishop Spalding on 9/10/10 was just enough to gain consideration from the Post's ranking committee although that may be short lived following the team's performance on 9/14 against Good Counsel, which the Falcons won 3-0 in a match that was played at Ludwig Field on the University of Maryland campus.

The Cadets return to action on Thursday, September 16th when they host ISL power National Cathedral School. Varsity kickoff is slated for 4pm while the JV follow shortly thereafter at 5:30 pm.

CADETS FINISH THIRD AT MCDONOGH

The Saint John's College HS Girls Varsity Soccer team finished in third place at the McDonogh School Invitational this weekend after defeating Archbishop Spalding (2-0) and Maryvale Catholic (2-1).

The Cadets took on host McDonogh in the first semi-final on a cool, autumn Saturday morning with everything to prove against one of the top teams in the NSCAA Regional Poll. McDonogh cruised in their opener defeating WCAC member, Paul VI, 6-0, and had everything to play for in front of their home fans and supporters.

The hosts found a stiff challenge for the first 30 minutes from a determined SJC XI. The Cadets found early success in the middle third through juniors Becca, Demi, Najla and Shannon, but McDonogh adjusted its tactics and broke through in the 31st minute when their central midfielder ran straight through the heart of the Cadets' defense to open the scoring.

McDonogh broke through in the 45th minute once again when SJC 'keeper Kirsten misplayed a back pass that McDonogh's forward blocked and easily deposited into the goal for a commanding 2-0 lead.

"We just couldn't respond after defeating nationally ranked Spalding," remarked Coach Lennon.  "We made two early defensive mistakes against a tough McDonogh team who took full advantage.  We simply weren't mentally prepared to compete at a higher level today."

McDonogh scored its third and final tally of the day in the 72nd minute when they finished a through ball in the box from eight yards out.

After a short break, SJC re-grouped mentally and played its best soccer of the day with a commanding 2-1 victory over Maryvale Catholic to earn third place honors. Junior forward Mimi R. scored her second goal of the season in the first minute when fellow strike partner Nia S. caused havoc in the visitors' goal mouth with her consistent pressure.

The Cadets second tally came in the 32nd minute off the head of sophomore defender Lis P., who separated from her marker in the box to nod in a corner from junior midfielder Shannon C.

"Lis has become a dominant player in the air for us. She has an uncanny ability to win balls for us in the back, and now she is also becoming a distinct threat for us on set pieces. Still only a sophomore, she is putting herself in a position to be a true leader on the field."

Maryvale earned a free kick 19 yards from the SJC goal in the 65th minute which they were able to convert with a powerful strike to the lower left -hand corner that SJC's Lizzy C. tried to deflect with the palm of her right hand.

After a late arrival from her native Jamaica, Sidi G. provided valuable minutes for the SJC attack from her striking position. Mary M., Amara N., Nia S., and Najla M. also had strong outings against Maryvale.

SJC returns to WCAC action on Tuesday night against Good Counsel HS with the match to be played at Ludwig Field on the campus of the University of Maryland. Kick off is slated for 7:00 pm.

Cadets Rock Spalding in McDonogh Tourney

When Colin Lennon arrived on the campus of McDonogh School earlier today, he immediately wanted to get his team onto the field for an early start to pre-game activities. The traffic on Interstate 95 was minor until the team turned onto the Baltimore Beltway ("I-695") and encountered an accident near Reisterstown.


"I thought we would never get there", said Lennon. "My gut was telling me that we would arrive minutes before kick off and I desperately wanted to prevent that from occurring."


The Cadets' bus arrived on campus with 45 minutes to spare before the scheduled 4:00 pm kickoff against Archbishop Spalding High, currently ranked 25th in this week's NSCAA Girls National High School poll. Spalding entered the match with a 2-1 record following a season-opening trip to Indiana to participate in a tournament during Labor Day weekend. 


SJC started with the same XI that finished the second half of last night's away match at St. Mary's Ryken, and the team jumped on Spalding right from the opening whistle of the round-robin game. Junior midfielder Shannon C. pounced on opportunities in the attacking third and peppered the Spalding goal mouth with several strikes on frame. It wasn't until the 12th minute that Shannon delivered the first of two assists on the day that led to SJC's first goal of the match.


Junior defender Kat O. combined with Shannon before the center midfielder swung in a well-weighted cross from the left flank that eluded the Spalding 'keeper at the six prior to SJC's Morgan T. leaping high above her marker to head the ball into the upper right corner of the net for the Cadets first goal.


It was Morgan's second goal of the season, both of which have come off her head, and most importantly helped set the tone for a strong SJC performance against a nationally-ranked opponent.


"Morgan's goal was outstanding", said Lennon. "She separated from her mark and used her athleticism to out jump her defender for a great opening goal. That's picture-perfect finishing off of a wonderful service from Shannon."


SJC scored its second goal of the match in the 38th minute when Shannon whipped in a dipping corner from the right side of the pitch that found junior midfielder Mimi R. alone at the back post for an easy tap in from five yards. It proved to be the Cadets second and last goal of the match despite Spalding's repeated attempts to find a goal in the second half.


The Cadets held a decisive 6-2 advantage on corner kicks and nearly scored on a chance late in the second half. SJC 'keeper Kirsten made 3 saves en route to her first clean sheet of the season - Spalding outshot the Cadets 8-7 but was caught offsides on five occasions during the 80 minute contest.


With the victory, SJC advances to a semi-final match up with host McDonogh on Saturday morning at 9:00 am. The winner of this show down will play the victor of the O'Connell-Spalding semi-final at 1:30 pm.


FINAL STATS


               SJC     Spalding
Shots        7           8
Saves        3           1
CK            6           2
FK            2           5
Offsides    0           6


Goals: Morgan (2) 12', Mimi (1) 38'
Assists: Shannon (2)

Cadets Respond In Crab Country

SJC earns first WCAC win on the road against Ryken

The Saint John's Girls Soccer Teams travelled to St. Mary's County in southern Maryland on Thursday, September 9th for a WCAC double header fixture against the Knights of St. Mary's Ryken High School. 


Following a 12:30 early dismissal, the SJC caravan boarded a coach bus and made its way from northwest DC to crab and corn country for its second WCAC fixture of the season.


"I was apprehensive about how we would start the game following our performance against Bishop Ireton on Tuesday", said Head Coach Colin Lennon. "With that being said, the girls proved that they have the desire to compete at a high level day-in and day-out. This is a step in the right direction for our program."


SJC hit the ground running against a well-organized Knights team from minute one of the fixture. Central midfielders Shannon and Najla combined well throughout the match to dictate the pace of the match, and find the front pair of Nia and Liz C.


"Lizzy C. earned her first start of the season and played extremely well", Lennon said of the third-year player. "We had a number of players step up today and set the tone with their desire, energy and focus, which was very encouraging."


The Cadets found the net in the 40th minute when junior midfielder Demi received a ball on the left flank and immediately looked up to see junior forward Mary streaking at an angle towards the Knights' goal. With pressure on her left hip, Mary rode the first tackle and slipped a 9-yard shot with the outside of her right boot into the goal - her first of the year.


At halftime, Lennon challenged his team to play with composure in the middle third, particularly when they were able to dispossess the Knights in the run of play. SJC entered the half on Tuesday against Bishop Ireton tied at one, but conceded the game-winner late in the second half. 


"These were the type of mental mistakes we must corral and prevent", commented Lennon following the match. "I felt that our back four were holding us together in the first half, and we knew that St. Mary's was inclined to play direct in order to find the feet of their two front runners."


The second half turned out to be SJC's best 40 minutes of team soccer as they matched the Knights' intensity and forward play with competent defending, particularly from goalkeeper Kiersten G. and centre back Ally G.

SJC's JV team prepares to take the pitch - Photo: K White

With the win, SJC will turn its attention to the McDonogh Invitational this weekend in Owings Mills, Md. The Cadets play nationally-ranked Spalding HS on Friday at 5:00 pm and the winner of round robin play between McDonogh, Maryvale, O'Connell and Paul VI in other bracket play. All matches will be held at the McDonogh School.  

Gina looks for an outlet

In the JV match, SJC found itself down 1-0 in the first twenty minutes but responded with a goal from Sadie L. in the 35th minute. Ryken pressured the Cadets throughout the second half and forced the game-winner in the 6oth minute when their forwarded separated from her marker and finished from the six.

"We played well considering they were a direct team", said Angelo Granger, SJC's JV coach. "I thought our ladies stuck to the game plan and battled for 70 minutes."
VARSITY FINAL STATS


            SJC      STMR
Shots     9         11
Saves     10        5
CK         3          2
FK         3          2
Fouls     5          3
Offside  1          3


Goal:  Matecki (1) 40'
Assist: Demi T. (1)

Snakebit by Ireton

Ireton converts PK in 55th minute; Cadets drop WCAC opener

SJC Girls Soccer opened the 2010 WCAC league table with a pair of home fixtures against Bishop Ireton High School on Tuesday, September 9th at Quinn Field. Neither team had rhythm, shape or balance - all key ingredients to success - in either contest and fell to the visitors from Alexandria on a warm afternoon.


The varsity squad conceded the first goal in the 11th minute as Ireton's midfielders combined outside of the 18-yard box to offset the Cadets' low-pressure defending. A swift give-n-go between the Ireton attackers produced a quality chance on goal as the Cadets' net minder Kiersten was beaten to the near post by a shot that was uncontested.


SJC responded in the 36th minute as junior midfielder Morgan jumped over a pair of Ireton defenders to head the ball up and over the visitors' goalkeeper for her first goal of the season. The play was the result of relentless pursuit of the ball in the final third, particularly between Cat, Shannon and Maise.


In the second stanza, Head Coach Colin LENNON inserted several players into the XI to spark the squad and help maintain possession. Sophomore forwards Mary and Nia provided pace and hustle up front alongside Shannon while junior defenders Becca, Demi and Kayla battled for loose balls and won tackles on the flank. Junior midfielders Carli and Mimi applied pressure in the middle third with the help of Najla, Maise and Morgan.


SJC's best scoring chance of the half came in the run of play as junior forward Liz was played into the attacking half off a pass from Najla, who found Liz free 35 yards from goal with nothing but the 'keeper to beat. Liz took the pass in stride and fired from 13 yards only to see her attempt curve wide and low of the far left corner.


Ireton found the winner in the 55th minute when they were able to separate from their marks in the SJC defensive third, and combine several passes to goal before a foul was called inside the 18. As soon as the referee whistled for the PK, SJC's 'keeper Kiersten stepped up to the penalty spot in an attempt to befuddle the Ireton player who would take the kick. Despite her best efforts, Kiersten was unable to prevent the Ireton player from converting the winner.


With the loss, SJC drops to 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the WCAC. The Cadets travel to St. Mary's County in southern Maryland on Thursday, September 9th for a conference fixture against St. Mary's Ryken. Kick off is slated for 4:00 pm for the varsity and 5:30 pm for the JV.


FINAL STATS
             SJC         BI
Shots     7            11
Saves    5             3
CK         2             2
FK         2             2
Fouls    5            9

Cautions: None

Goals: BI 11', 55'
Assists: None

Success in the Final Third

Varsity rolls over Wilson 4-0; Yoselin powers JV to victory from the PK spot
 
Both SJC teams ended the first week of classes with victories in their regular season openers against Woodrow Wilson H.S. on Thursday, September 2nd at Quinn Field.

Nia in action against WHS: 9/2/10

Alison S. swerves in a corner kick: 9/2/10

The varsity squad, dressed in scarlet from head to toe, opened the doubleheader on a hot and humid late summer afternoon. After a bustling warm up and pre-game chat with Head Coach Colin LENNON, the first XI set the tone early with sharper passing and movement in the middle third. Sophomore forward Nia opened the scoring in the 14th minute when she separated from her marker and calmly finished from 5 yards in front of the visitors' goal. This scoring chance was created after a series of passes that started in the Cadets' back third and worked their way through the Wilson midfield, thanks in part, to the vision and delivery of good service from Alison S. and Cat, who combined to set up Nia's first goal of the 2010 campaign.

SJC continued to pressure Wilson into giveaways across the pitch; one of which resulted in a 40-yard dash to goal by junior midfielder Maisey in the 21st minute. Maisey was played into the attacking half after a good series of combination passes from Shannon and Najla, who were a burden for the Wilson defenders throughout the day. Maisey easily outpaced her defender and slotted her shot past a helpless Wilson 'keeper to put SJC ahead by two goals.

In the 25th minute, Shannon tested the 'keeper from range with a 21-yard rocket that found nothing but net to increase the Cadets commanding lead to three. Wilson had little answer for the Cadets' attacking forays throughout the remainder of the first half as SJC 'keeper Kiersten was rarely tested on the day.

SJC found its fourth and final goal of the match off the powerful left foot of Shannon, who again befuddled the Wilson 'keeper with a dipping strike from 19 yards that caromed off the netminder and across the line in the 57th minute. Junior forward Najla was credited with the assist - her second of the contest.

Wilson's best scoring chance of the match came in the 60th minute when the Cadets turned the ball over in their own defensive third and were forced to foul one of Wilson's front runners as she attempted to penetrate the SJC back four. As Wilson lined up for the free kick from 21 yards, SJC's 'keeper Kiersten correctly positioned her wall and forced Wilson to rush a chance over and wide of the goal.

The Cadets return to action on Tuesday, September 7th as they host Bishop Ireton HS in their first WCAC match of the 2010 campaign. Kick off is slated for 4:00 pm at Quinn Field.

FINAL STATS

             SJC         WHS
Shots     11            4
Saves     3             6
CK         3             1
FK         4             1
Fouls     4             6

Cautions: None

Goals: Nia 14', Maisey 21', Shannon 25', 57'
Assists: Alison S. & Cat 14', Shannon & Najla 21', Cat & Maisey 25', Najla 57'
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SJC JV (1) - Wilson HS JV (0)
Quinn Field, 9/2/10

Yoselin turns and prepares to shoot as she is fouled: 9/2/10

In the night cap, the SJC junior varsity defeated Wilson, 1-0, on a penalty kick conversion by freshman Yoselin in the 25th minute. Yoselin was able to turn her defender on the left edge of the 18-yard box and accelerate past the Wilson defender, who was left with no choice but to foul the SJC attacker as she headed towards goal.

Yoselin celebrates her first career goal as a Cadet against Wilson

Congrats to the JV team for a wonderful team performance in their first regular season match of 2010!

Behind the Scenes with Lis

Lis in action against B-CC: 8/23/10. Photo: K. White

As told to the WE ARE ST. JOHN'S blog by Lis P., a sophomore defender on the SJC Women's Varsity team.

During the week of August 23rd, we hosted two scrimmages and continued to work on our strength and conditioning with Coach Paragi. On Monday, we played the Maryland State 4A Champs, Bethesda Chevy-Chase, and won 1-0, thanks in part, to a late goal from Cat.

Considering that it was the first scrimmage of the season, we did well but still have things to work on before the regular season starts on September 2nd against Wilson HS.

Najla controls the ball with her back to goal: 8/23/10. Photo: K. White

Over the past few days we worked on increasing our speed and strength so we can have that extra edge on our opponents once our games start. On Friday, we had our second scrimmage of the pre-season against Montgomery Blair HS. Unfortunately, we did not play well and lost 3-0.

Coach Lennon arranged for us to end the week with an inter-squad scrimmage on Sunday that included players from Coach Pronk's Matrix team. Prior to the start of the scrimmage, we had some fun team bonding activities that were led by Coach Homer. After the team bonding and scrimmage, we had a potluck dinner with pizza to celebrate the end of our intense pre-season.

Our season starts today against Wilson HS. Let’s get a W, and start the season off right!

Let’s Go Cadets!!!!!!