SJC'S SIDI G. PROFILED BY WASHINGTON POST

Sidi (far left) in action against Seton HS

St. John's junior forward Sidi G. was recently profiled by the Washington Post in the October 28th issue. Since its publishing, both in print and online at allmetsports.com, the feature has generated much ado in the local high school soccer community as a result of Post sports reporter Andy Marso's take on the nature of Sidi's exchange and what it means for her chances of entering college after she matriculates from SJC.

Sidi would not be in the scarlet and white if it were not for the presence of Cadets Head Coach Colin Lennon. Her arrival at St. John's was the result of a friendship between Lennon and Chris Rose, a former teammate of Lennon's at St. Lawrence University.

It goes without saying that Sidi's journey to St. John's is unique in its own right and may help encourage other foreign exchange students to consider SJC as a destination for premier academic, athletic, intellectual and moral enrichment.

GO CADETS!

COLLINS CONVERTS PK TO LEAD SJC AT HOME

Junior midfielder Shannon Collins converted a penalty kick in the 67th minute to lead St. John's to a 1-0 home victory over Elizabeth Seton at Quinn Field on Friday, October 29th. (Click here for photos courtesy of Ken White - password "StJohn2010".)

Photos courtesy of Ken White

The Cadets earned the penalty when sophomore forward Nia Sena was fouled by a Seton defender eight yards to the left of the visitors' goal. Collins calmly stepped up and buried a strike into the upper 90 section of the goal to give St. John's the lead. It was her second goal from the penalty spot this season and team-leading sixth goal of the fall campaign.

"We fought tooth and nail for this result", stated SJC Head Coach Colin Lennon following the league match. "Both teams played well and deserved points - we managed to will ourselves to win and that showed on the field today, particularly in how we kept the ball and defended in numbers. I'm very pleased with the effort that all of our players put in on the pitch."

St. John's held a determined Seton side at bay with excellent individual and zone defending. Sophomores Lis Parks and Kat Colevas matched Seton's front runners with poise and determination to win balls in the air before they bounced - qualities that the SJC coaching staff demanded of the team during training sessions that led up to today's match.

SJC attacked Seton's back third from the opening whistle and nearly scored in the 5th minute when Shannon whipped a free kick into the attacking third from 30 yards that almost eluded the Seton 'keeper, who was well-positioned on this and other SJC threats throughout the contest. The visitors quickly answered with a threat of their own in the 10th minute when one of their forwards got in behind the SJC back four of Colevas, Collins, Parks and Slark, and sent a screamer towards the far post that whistled past a diving Kirsten Glad (7 saves) and out of bounds for a goal kick.

Seton regained possession in the 12th minute and drew a foul 29 yards from the SJC goal which forced the Cadets into a defensive posture. Fortunately, the ensuing kick was cleared out of the penalty area by junior defender Alison Slark, who played one of her best matches of the season for St. John's. Slark's leadership and positioning frustrated Seton's top offensive threat Mia Walcott, who couldn't separate from tight marking in the SJC midfield or elude the Cadets' back four.

Kirsten Glad made five key saves over a period of 14 minutes in the first half that preserved the clean sheet until the referee whistled for halftime. In the 21st minute, Seton earned the second of its six free kicks off of a foul 23 yards from the SJC goal, and whipped in a shot that Glad tipped off the crossbar and out for a corner. Later in the 26th minute, Seton produced two, quality scoring chances in the run of play that Glad snuffed from point-blank range. She would again be called to duty in the 36th minute when Seton attacked from a central position and played a ball in behind Slark and Colevas that one of the Seton attackers ran onto and fired towards the far post. Glad not only saved this attempt but quickly got up and recovered the ball that had escaped her grasp.

"Kirsten has been tremendous for us in the second half of the season", Lennon said of his junior netminder. "She has kept us in matches and led in a way that has truly inspired our team."

With adjustments made to the defensive shape in midfield at halftime, SJC pounced on Seton with more pressure around the ball, particularly from the 2-person forward duo of Mary Matecki and Sidi Genus. Both players chased down loose balls as well as punts from Kirsten that often took a high bounce off of the FieldTurf surface.

Midfielders Becca, Carli, Lizzie C., Lizzy D., Mimi, Morgan and Nia made key contributions to the team throughout the match, and allowed the backs to combine and keep the ball in the middle third.

The Cadets continued to test the Seton goalie with shots outside of the 18 and came close in the 43rd minute with a dipping strike from Collins that she handled with ease. Junior midfielder Maise McCune had a great look at the goal when Collins delivered an in-swinging cross from a corner kick in the 49th minute. The junior midfielder separated from her mark and rose high to meet the ball but her attempt went over the crossbar from six yards.

Seton would not quit despite possession favoring the Cadets and continued to work through their five-person midfield led by standout Walcott, a member of the Trinidad & Tobago Youth National Team. Seton's best chance of the second half came in the 61st minute when they earned their sixth and final free kick 27 yards to the left of the SJC goal. The entire SJC XI kept their focus and won balls destined for the back post as Alison, Lis P., Maise, Mimi and Najla got to the ball first before their respective marks.

With the victory, St. John's edges higher up in the WCAC standings and closer to one of the coveted top four positions in the league table. The Cadets (11-7-4 overall and 5-4-4 league play) return to Quinn Field on Tuesday, November 2nd for their home finale against Bishop O'Connell, who defeated St. John's, 2-0, at the Arlington school on October 18th. The Cadets will close out the league schedule on Friday, November 5th with a 3:30 PM match at Bishop McNamara.

MATCH STATS

                      SJC     ESHS
Goals             1          0
Shots              9          9
Saves             7          4
CK                 6          1
FK                 4          6
Fouls              8         9
Offsides          0         2

SJC Goal: Collins (6) 67' pen.

Cautions: Collins 40' (dissent), ESHS #8 (unsportsmanlike conduct)

TARTANS, CADETS BATTLE TO DRAW

The Academy of Holy Cross Tartans and St. John's College High School Cadets varsity soccer teams played to a scoreless 0-0 draw at Quinn Field in WCAC action on Tuesday, October 26th. (Photos taken by Ken White from the match are available here - be sure to use the password "StJohn2010" to access the images.)

Under overcast, mild conditions held at the D.C. school, the match kicked at 3:40 PM off with Holy Cross in a traditional 4-4-2 formation while St. John's opened in a 4-5-1 system of play. SJC was looking to establish tempo and possession early on, particularly since Holy Cross was able score an early goal against the Cadets in their first meeting on September 24th, and held on to win 1-0 at the Rockville school.

The Tartans attacked the SJC defense from minute one and nearly scored the game's first goal in the 14th minute when Pilar McCarthy slipped in behind SJC's Lis P. and pushed a trickling shot under an oncoming Kirsten G. It rolled wide left of the home team's goal and out for a re-start.

St. John's countered many of the Tartans' direct services forward with strong, individual defending that allowed the Cadets to find wing backs Kat C. and Shannon C. with space to attack. Both players contributed on both sides of the ball throughout the match as Kat delivered long, arching diagonal balls to the weak side midfielder, and Shannon sliced her way through the Tartan midfield before unleashing a team-high five strikes on goal.

While Holy Cross' Mary Glynn was up to the task to keep St. John's out of her goal for the majority of the match, she was fooled by a long-range effort that Shannon struck from 30 yards in the 62nd minute. After the Cadets regained possession at midfield, Shannon exchanged a series of combination passes with Carli, Najla and Lizzy D., who started her first varsity match of the season. With a sea of Tartan defenders in front of her, Shannon weaved to the left of Holy Cross' Shannon Spellacy before uncorking a screamer that was headed for the upper 90 corner of Glynn's goal. If it were not for the cross bar, SJC would have recorded the game's first goal.

Holy Cross would not be undone by the Cadets' attacking effort and won two fouls in the waning minutes of the contest - first a direct kick in the 64th minute from 19 yards out that occurred when SJC's Mary M. was whistled for a handball. Unfettered by the call, the Cadets set a five-person wall with Kirsten directing the defense. Holy Cross struck a pacy shot directly into the wall that junior defender Alison S. blocked and played into the feet of Sidi G., who entered the match in the second half after a four-game layoff due to problems that ensued with her international medical insurance coverage.

Sidi battled for loose balls and long punts that Kirsten launched towards the Tartans back line, and nearly broke through when a Tartan defender misjudged the punt and let it bounce on the artificial surface. The Jamaican international tried to muscle her opponent off the ball but lost possession in the process. This type of soccer would continue for SJC in the second half as Lizzy C. and Mary took turns with Sidi as St. Johns' target forward.

With the match destined for a scoreless draw, Holy Cross earned one final attempt at the St. John's goal when the referee whistled SJC's Mimi R. for obstruction 21 yards from the net. Having practiced defending set pieces, the Cadets formed an unbreakable five-person wall and kept close watch on all ten Tartan players who were positioned at the top of the penalty area. The ensuing shot was blocked by Kat and Alison prior to being cleared as the official blew for time.

Photography courtesy of Ken White

"We gave Holy Cross a run today", said Colin Lennon, SJC's third-year skipper. "They're a much improved team and it could have gone down as a win for either team, but the defensive efforts were the difference for both teams."

With three regular season matches remaining, St. John's currently sits in 6th place and needs to take a minimum of 6 points to assure itself a top four finish in the league table.

"Ideally, I'd like to see us attain a top four finish so we can host a first-round playoff game", Lennon stated of his team's late-season efforts. "We're close to being 100 percent healthy again - I'm delighted to have Carli and Nia back although we're sad to see Kayla out for the remainder of the season. We know that she'll be back next year and ready to go for it all. Let's make a run out of this and push for a return to the final."

St. John's will host Elizabeth Seton on October 29th at 3:30 PM. The junior varsity match is scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM.

GO CADETS!

MATCH STATS


              SJC    AHC
Goals     0         0
Shots     8         6
Saves    6         5
Fouls    9         8
CK       1         3
FK       2         3
Offside 0        3

Up Close with Coach Granger

WE ARE ST. JOHN'S sat down with Angelo GRANGER, Head Coach of the SJC junior varsity girls soccer team, in search of his thoughts and ideas pertaining to his team's recent matches against Good Counsel and St. Mary's Ryken High Schools.


WRSJC: How do you feel about the team's performance against Ryken HS?
AG: I think we played as a team last week and that the whole team was full of shining stars. We played very well individually and as a team. Every single player was a shining star at some point throughout the week.


Let's talk about the effort that your team put in against Ryken.
In the game against Ryken we played a offensive match and were the better team. However, we drew 1-1 and should have taken the win. Overall, I was very satisfied with the way the girls played and the effort they put into it.



Were you pleased with the way the team performed at home against Good Counsel? If so, why? 
Good Counsel was very lucky this match. They scored half way the second half and hung on to win at our place 1-nil. Our girls began extremely well by setting the tone and playing hard. With the 7-0 loss from the first match at their place still fresh in the back of everyone's mind, the girls wanted to send Good Counsel a message that this will not happen again. 


We were pounding on the door, but as unlucky as we were, we could score a goal. We earned a corner kick late in the second half and almost scored the equalizer. Had that set piece gone in, we would have kept knocking on the door as the girls generated plenty of chances to win the game. 


We felt that our performance settled the score and we proved that we were the better team. Let me say that I'm VERY proud of my girls. The way they have grown as a team and improved is just wonderful to see. 


Keep up the good work girls!!! 

Coach Granger

CADETS GET IT DUNN AGAINST PVI

Freshman Lizzy D. scores her first career goal to lead SJC to an important win at PVI

The St. John's College High Cadets took a big step forward on October 21st with a convincing 2-0 victory over Paul VI Catholic at Panther Field in WCAC action. [Match photos are available here - use "StJohn2010" as the password to access the photography of Ken White.]

Junior midfielder Shannon C. scored SJC's first goal in the 35th minute when she beat two Panther defenders and calmly deposited a left-footed blast over the goalkeeper from 10 yards. It was her fifth goal of the season and fourth point in four games since returning from injury.

Several members of the St. John's squad were inactive for the match due to injury and/or illness, namely Aly, Carli, Kayla, Joure, Maise, Nia and Sidi. Head Athletic Trainer Mike WALKER has been doing yeoman's work to get the players fit again for the last third of the season.

Despite the Cadets' first goal, Paul VI wouldn't let SJC walk away from the first half without several threatening chances of their own - mainly due to the play of forward Cali Enix who buzzed around the SJC back four of Colevas, Parks, Slark and Testa winning balls and challenging the defense to play forward from the back third. Enix found herself in various battles with Colveas and Parks throughout the contest - much of which resulted in the pair successfully denying one of the league's best attacking players from any real chance at goal.

SJC 'keeper Kirsten G. played yet another solid match between the posts as she recorded 12 saves throughout the contest while en route to her 9th shutout of the season. SJC received a scare in the 23rd minute when Kirsten appeared to be injured in a collision with one of PVI's front runners, but the junior 'keeper from Gaithersburg, Md. collected herself to turn in two, back-to-back stops off of close range strikes that preserved the one goal lead at the end of forty minutes.

In the second half, St. John's Head Coach Colin LENNON introduced freshman midfielder Lizzy D. at the top of a triangle midfield formation, and it paid off quickly as the goalkeeper-turned-field player orchestrated several attacks in PVI's defensive third with skillful passes and deft touches under pressure to maintain possession. She linked up well with fellow middies Amara, Becca, Lexi, Mimi, Najla and Shannon as well as forwards Mary M. and Lizzy C. Altogether, the Cadets held their shape and won a number of aerial attacks in the middle third that were key to stopping PVI's direct play in the last thirty minutes of the match.

After a barrage of SJC corner kicks (5-1), the Cadets produced a second goal from a series of passes in midfield that found the foot of Lizzy D., who looked up and saw the PVI 'keeper cheating off of her line. Without hesitation, she walloped a 23-yard bomb that swerved left then right before glancing off of the net minder's hands and into the goal. Junior forward Mary M. was credited with the assist - her second of the season - as Lizzy recorded her first career goal in scarlet and white.

Kudos to all of the St. John's players for a fantastic team effort against a disciplined Panther side. The effort, determination and focus earned praise from peers as well as the parents and coaching staff.

With the win, St. John's improves to 4-4-3 in league standings and 10-7-3 overall. The outcome of this fixture will be felt at the end of the season following the Cadets' four remaining fixtures against Holy Cross (10/26), Seton (10/29), O'Connell (11/2) and McNamara (11/5).

MATCH STATS

                 SJC      PVI
Goals        2          0
Shots        6          13
Saves       12         2
CK           5           1
FK           5           6
Offsides  0            2

SJC Goals: Collins 35', Dunn 61'
SJC Assist: Matecki

Cautions: None

Knights End Cadets Winning Streak

Cadets' unbeaten streak snapped at four with 2-0 loss at O'Connell

You win some and you lose some. That philosophy hasn't been a part of the Cadets' training sessions or matches in the past two weeks, particularly with the Cadets riding a four-game unbeaten streak heading into today's WCAC fixture at Bishop O'Connell High in Arlington, VA.

SJC netminder Kirsten G. has been stellar between the posts in her last four appearances. She has posted a 2-0-2 record combined with a save percentage of 89% and three shutouts in 320 minutes of action. Her reflexes and strength in the box has led the Cadets back to normalcy and instilled confidence in her teammates.

For 75 minutes, St. John's played an even cat-and-mouse game of attacking soccer with O'Connell, currently the 6th ranked team in last week's Washington Post rankings. The teetering of chances favored the home team, although St. John's dominated stretches of possession in both halves, and earned seven direct kicks off of fouls whistled by the referee. O'Connell was inclined to send balls forward to their athletic duo of Morgan Reuther and Caroline Leary, and look for second and third runners off the ball once into the SJC defensive third.

The back four of Olevas, Parks, Slark and Testa kept SJC out of danger for the majority of the match until a poor clearance attempt in the 75th minute allowed Leary to get past Parks and slot an 8-yard shot under an oncoming Kirsten G. to give the Knights a 1-0 lead. The goal came against the run of play and was the first goal that SJC had conceeded in this phase of play since a 3-0 away loss to Elizabeth Seton on September 29th.

"We had a point in our hands and let it slip away in the last five minutes of the match", commented Head Coach Colin Lennon after the game. "To come away with a tie against a team like O'Connell on their home field would have been huge, but we'll review the breakdowns tomorrow in training, correct the errors and get ready for PVI on Thursday."

O'Connell earned a second goal in the waning seconds of the match as SJC's Alison S. was whistled for a questionable foul against Reuther in the penalty area. Emma Price quickly dispatched the penalty to give the Knights a 2-0 lead before the center official blew for time.

SJC midfielders Becca, Carli (limited action), Najla and Nia did not participate in today's match due to injury. Junior defender Aly G. remains out indefinitely as she recovers from a torn muscle in her right leg. We wish all players a safe, swift and healthy recovery.

The Cadets return to league action on Thursday as they travel to Fairfax, Va., for a 6:45 PM match against Paul VI High School. The Panthers are 2-1 in their last three matches with wins at St. Mary's Ryken and home against Bishop Ireton.

MATCH STATS

               SJC   OCN
Shots       2       12
Saves      9        1
CK          1        1
FK          7        3
Offsides  0        2
Fouls       4        11

OCN Goals: Leary 75', Price 80' (PK)

Youth Soccer Open House/SJC Parent Appreciation Day

Junior midfielder Shannon C.
Photo: K. White

Calling all female soccer players, parents and coaches! If you are a youth soccer player between the ages of 11-17, St. John's College HS (D.C.) wants you to be a part of its Youth Soccer Open House on Tuesday, November 2nd from 3-6pm.


The event coincides with SJC SOCCER PARENT APPRECIATION DAY - where all SJC soccer parents will be honored prior to the game for their support and assistance throughout the 2010 fall season. St. John's will take on O'Connell in league play beginning at 3:30 pm; the result will influence seeding for the WCAC Tournament pairings which begin on November 4th and 5th, respectively.


Youth soccer players and parents are encouraged to wear their favorite soccer jersey or SJC apparel, and bring (1) new or gently used soccer item (i.e. ball, shin guard, cleats, jersey or shorts) to donate to the SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS program.

Questions? Contact Colin LENNON, Head Girls Soccer Coach at clennon@stjohns-chs.org or call 202-510-4652.

CARLI STRIKES FROM DISTANCE TO UPSET FALCONS

Cadets upset #1 ranked Falcons on Taylor's 27-yard strike

Junior midfielder Carli T. scored off of a 27-yard strike late in the second half to lead St. John's to a 1-0 upset victory over league leader Good Counsel in WCAC action on Friday, October 15th at Quinn Field (Photos of the match are available here - password is "StJohn2010".)

In the 72nd minute, Carli received a ball on the right flank from fellow midfielder Maise M., who found the right midfielder alone with one defender to beat. With the match tied at nil, Carli had time to attack the endline as her defender was caught out of position.  She looked up and saw space behind the Falcons' back four and struck a high arching cross that got caught in the wind and sailed over the outstretched arms of the Good Counsel 'keeper who was fooled by the blustery conditions.

"Carli is one of our best servers of the ball", said Head Coach Colin LENNON of Carli's second, game winning goal of the season. "We're a better team when we attack from the flanks and cause a bit of havoc in front of the goal."

Good Counsel peppered the Cadets' goal with 14 shots - all of which were saved by junior netminder Kirsten G., who arguably played her best game in uniform for St. John's all season. Kirsten stopped WCAC leader Midge Purce on several close range attempts in the 38th and 52nd minutes that helped keep the scoreline empty.

"I'm delighted for Kirsten", Lennon said of his shot blocker. 'She's had her up's and down's this season but really came to play for the full 80 minutes, and was our Player of the Game with her reads and command of the box today."

St. John's played the fixture without junior standouts Aly G. and Najla M., both of whom are recovering from injury, but welcomed juniors Allison S. and Maise back to the starting XI. It was their first match since the Cadets' 1-0 loss at Holy Cross on September .

"Alison and Maise were dominant today", said Doug HOMER, Assistant Coach. "I thought they were positioned well to absorb Good Counsel's direct play and inspired other players to match their intensity and commitment, particularly in the second half."

Photography by Ken White

Sophomore defenders Kat O. and Lis P. got stuck in on various tackles, both in the air and on the artificial turf, to deny Good Counsel's Purce and Imani Dorsey time and space to penetrate the Cadets' back four. Junior forwards Lizzy C. and Mary M. helped disrupt the Falcons' passing game while freshman midfielder Lexi L. earned valuable minutes alongside Maise and Shannon defending in the midfield against Good Counsel's senior midfield duo of Alexis Prada and Michelle Procaccini.

With the victory, St. John's improves to 3-4-3 in league play and 9-7-3 overall. The Cadets travel to Arlington, Va., on Monday, October 18th for a tough WCAC fixture against Bishop O'Connell H.S. Varsity kicks off at 3:30 PM followed by the junior varsity game at 5PM.

Junior Cadet Relections

Reflections of the SJC junior varsity team's recent matches against Bishp Ireton and McNamara High Schools during the week of October 4-8, as told to the WE ARE ST. JOHN'S blog, by team captain, Taylor W.

On Monday, October 4th, the Saint John’s girls JV soccer team played Bishop McNamara at home on Quinn Field. It was a cold night so extra warm up was required. When we first began the game you could tell that our energy levels were way up, and each team member seemed to be doing very well.  The passes were accurate and the girls communicated together very well.

During the first half, Michelle M. scored a great goal to put us up 1-0 and we ran off the field when the referee blew the whistle for halftime with more enthusiasm than ever. Coach Angelo told us to keep our energy levels up, and that he was proud of the way we came into the first half with so much power.

In the second half our energy levels remained high and Angela W. scored a second goal late in the half to secure the win. More shots could have been taken but the game went very well and we were very happy as a team right now.

"I'm very proud of my girls", said Head JV Coach Angelo Granger. "They're doing a good job and working very hard. My defense, which is led by captain Taylor W., is picking up the game well and doing a good job of isolating the opponents' offense. The midfield is improving as well as they're running and passing We are growing the right way and I hope everyone is happy that we are."
    
 On October 9th, we traveled to Alexandria, Va., to play Bishop Ireton. We previously played them on our field and lost 4-0. Our team was determined to do better than last time and we came out well as a team with accurate passing in the first half. once again. In the second half, after a talk from Coach Angelo, our spirits were up more. We stole the ball more and took more shots. At one point in the game, we almost scored an amazing goal. The goalie from Bishop Ireton came farther out of the goal while Michelle M. was dribbling towards her. The defender from Bishop Ireton tried to kick the ball away from her but she blocked it with her foot and kicked it towards the goal. We were very close to getting a goal, and it was a great try from Michelle M. The game ended in a scoreless draw, 0-0, whic we were delighted with.

I think this game really showed some of our progress in passing, communicating, and just being a team. On the bus ride back to Saint John’s, Bridget commented on the game and said “I think we are finally a team”. 




Coach Granger

CADETS PLAY TO DRAW AT HOME

SJC co-captain Aly Grossman
Photo; K. White

St. John's continued its unbeaten streak with a 2-2 draw against visiting St. Mary's Ryken in WCAC action at Quinn Field on Tuesday, October 12th. This marks the team's longest winning streak of the season and comes at a point when the Cadets need it most.

Shannon scored her third and fourth goals of the season against Ryken

Junior midfielder Shannon C. opened the scoring in the 10th minute when she headed home a cross at the six from fellow midfielder Carli T. The goal was a result of excellent combination play in the Knights' defensive third that allowed St. John's ample time and space to register the game's first score.

Ryken answered in the 25th minute when a hard, low-bitting cross caught SJC's Kirsten G. off guard and snuck into the lower corner to even the league fixture at one. Until that point, the Cadets dominated most aspects of the half: possession, attacking play and solid, individual defending across the artificial surface.

A spirited halftime chat with Head Coach Colin Lennon motivated the Cadets to strike early and often in the second stanza - so much so - that they were able to pepper the Ryken goalkeeper with four shots in the first 5 minutes of the half. SJC earned a well-deserved corner kick from pressure and the ensuing set piece produced a hand ball on a Ryken defender that the referee spotted and whistled for a penalty kick.

Collins wasted no time and calmly deposited her attempt straight up the middle to give St. John's a 2-1 lead in the 50th minute. For the next 23 minutes, the attacking play teetered back and forth across midfield for both sides until the Knights stole an errant pass in the SJC defensive third and struck for a game-tying goal in the 73rd minute.

"That goal really stung us", said Lennon. "If we can close out matches like this in the final third of the season, we'll mature as as team and gain confidence heading into the conference tournament."

With the score even at two, SJC made a concerted effort to find the winner through quick, decisive runs off the ball and short passing, which resulted in two additional corner kicks and an indirect kick in the Knights' defensive third. Unfortunately, the Cadets could not solve the Ryken 'keeper as she came up with two big saves to earn her team a point on the road.

"We'll learn from this and take momentum into the derby against Good Counsel on Friday", Lennon mentioned after the match. "It was the type of match that every St. John's student-athlete can and will learn from, especially if we're going to be up against the league leader on Friday."

SJC hosts Good Counsel as part of its first annual FALL YOUTH SOCCER OPEN HOUSE on October 15th. Food and refreshments will be available throughout both games (Varsity, 3:30 PM and Junior Varsity, 5:00 PM); a soccer equipment and uniform donation drive will also be held to support SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS. All of the donations collected will be tallied and managed by Philip Grossman, younger sibling of Aly, as he completes service requirements for his upcoming Bar Mitzvah.

MATCH STATS

           SJC        SMR
Goals  2            2
Assists 1           1
Shots   14         10
Saves   8           5
CK      5           5
FK      6           1
Fouls  6            12

SJC Goals:  Collins 10', 50' (PK)
SJC Assist: Taylor

SMR Goals: Alyse 25', 73'

Cautions: None.

CADETS SHOCK IRETON IN ALEXANDRIA

Junior midfielder Najla M. scored her second game-winning strike of the season in the 2nd minute of a WCAC fixture against host Bishop Ireton to lead the Cadets to a 1-0 shutout victory over the Cardinals at Fannon Field in Alexandria on Friday, October 8th.

Najla scored the game's lone goal in the 2nd minute
Photo: K. White

The goal was created when junior forward Shannon C. chased down one of the Cardinal defenders and forced the 'keeper off her line from just above the 18-yard line. Shannon's pressure duped Ireton's Jessica Bobeck into a poor clearance that fell to the feet of Najla, who calmly chipped Bobeck and the Cardinal back four from 28 yards to record her third goal of the season.

"I was delighted with our opening rush at the Ireton back four", said SJC Head Coach Colin Lennon. "We put them back on their heels for the remainder of the half with that early goal and it allowed us to settle into our tactics a bit more. Najla's goal was exceptional and shows how determined she is to win."

Junior defender and co-captain Ally G. led the Cadet back four with a variety of timely tackles, set piece deliveries off of free kicks, and a command of the defense that helped preserve the clean sheet. SJC's Kirsten G. made 5 saves en route to her sixth shutout of the season. Currently, Kirsten is ranked among the top 5 goalkeepers in saves and shutouts according to the Washington Post.

SJC's victory was the result of intense defending across the field followed by hustle and a "never say die" attitude from every player. From front to back, the Cadets displayed courage under fire and a will to win that was noticeable throughout the 80-minute contest.

With the victory, SJC improves to 2-4-2 in conference play and 8-7-2 overall. The Cadets have a busy week ahead of them as they host St. Mary's Ryken on Tuesday, October 12th followed by a perennial darby with WCAC leader Good Counsel on Friday, October 15th. Friday's match begins at 3:30 PM followed by the JV fixture at 5:00 PM.

YOUTH SOCCER OPEN HOUSE REMINDER...Friday's home game against Good Counsel marks the first annual SJC FALL YOUTH SOCCER OPEN HOUSE. Be sure to spread the word and let friends, neighbors, colleagues and area families know that SJC is opening up its doors to the youth soccer community.

All guests are encouraged to bring one soccer item (i.e. ball, pair of cleats, turf shoes, shin guards, uniforms) to donate to SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS. Deb & Philip Grossman will have a donation center set up next to the SJC concession stand throughout the afternoon, so please bring one item to help economically disadvantaged children around the world obtain equipment and uniforms necessary to play the Beautiful Game.

Behind the Scenes with Taylor, Part Two

Reflections of the junior varsity's match at Elizabeth Seton (9/29) as told to WE ARE ST. JOHN'S by Taylor W.

On Wednesday, September 29, JV soccer played away against Elizabeth Seton High. When we first got there it was rainy and wet, but we knew that we would have to look past the weather.  Our starting line-up was planned out very well but I think that we let our guars down in the beginning of the game.

Seton came on strong from the beginning, scoring in the first two minutes. Our play was better after their first goal, but our energy levels could have improved during the first half as well. In the second half, we played with more energy which was a bit more typical of our game.

Our forwards and midfielders took more shots than they did in the first half and communication was better all around. Gina M., our goalie, did a great job of making every save she could, which helped keep us in the match.

Our mid-fielders did a good job of coming back to help the defenders. I think our playing has improved, but we still have time to improve it even more.

VIDEO REPLAY: CADETS IN ACTION

The following video segments of SJC soccer were captured by Sheila Jackson, proud mother of Colleen, and we're delighted to offer a replay of past Cadet performances on the pitch.

Video #1: SJC JV vs. Wilson HS JV: http://www.youtube.com/v/Ld7SX3IU0Pc

Video #2: SJC JV vs. Wilson HS JV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgY-jCuSYyA

Video #3: SJC JV vs. Wilson HS JV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vAWIPCj3e4

GO CADETS!

CADETS, MUSTANGS PLAY TO SCORELESS DRAW

The St. John's College High School Cadets played to a scoreless draw with the visiting Mustangs of Bishop McNamara in a WCAC fixture held on an overcast, autumn afternoon at Quinn Field.

SJC opened the first half in a 4-5-1 with Jamaican forward Sidi G. at the tip of the Cadets' attacking pyramid. Sidi was the subject of several photographers' interest throughout the match as she is being profiled by The Washington Post as part of a story inside the life of a high school exchange student.

The Cadets raced onto the pitch following a spirited warm up session and went at the Mustangs from minute one of the league match. McNamara held its ground throughout the first half despite being outshot by the Cadets 5-1. The Mustangs only chance of the half came in the 38th minute when they picked up a loose ball inside the SJC penalty box and hustled a shot wide of 'keeper Kirsten G (3 saves). 

Junior midfielders Carli T. and Najla M. led the attack with two, first-half strikes while Lexi, Becca, Lizzy and Mimi ran up and down the flanks. The SJC defense was dominant once again, thanks in part, to the leadership of juniors Ally G. and Morgan T., along with sophomores Kat O. and Lis P.

At halftime, Head Coach Colin LENNON stressed the importance of team defending and maintaining a compact posture in order to pressure the Mustangs into turnovers.

"I felt that we were still a bit slow in pressuring them across the pitch", said Lennon. "This is a mindset that we're working to change, particularly now that we're into the second half of the season and every match is a chance to build momentum towards the playoffs."

For the remaining forty minutes of action, SJC tussled for loose balls on the flanks and in the air, most of which Lis, Ally, Morgan and Najla won with conviction. The Cadets adopted a more aggressive style of play in the final 15 minutes with more players committing to the attacking third. Chance after chance, the Cadets pushed McNamara deep into their defensive third and almost found the winner when midfielder Becca V. fired a shot low and to the left of the Mustangs' netminder from 8 yards out. Najla and Ally also had scoring chances late in the half that were just off the mark.

"We battled to the end and I'm proud of that effort from the ladies", commented Lennon following the match. "We showed resolve and determination in the last 20 minutes of the match, and I felt we were a tad unlucky not to snare the winner."

With two days to prepare for Bishop Ireton on Friday, the Cadets will get back on the training ground and welcome back to the corps several players who have been on the injury list.

The SJC SPIRIT CARAVAN will motor its way over to Alexandria, Va., for a 4PM kickoff against Ireton, who currently sit in third place in the WCAC table.

FINAL STATS

            SJC       MCN

Shots    11          4

Saves    3           7

CK        3           1

FK        4            1

Cautions -          - 

SETON DOWN CADETS 3-0 IN WCAC FIXTURE

Elizabeth Seton's Mia Walcott scored two goals and set up a third as Seton held off visiting St. John's for a 3-0 home victory on Wednesday, September 29th in WCAC play.

Seton (5-1-1, 4-1-1 WCAC) came out flying in the first 20 minutes and forced a number of early saves from SJC goalkeeper Kirsten G. The Cadets played with purpose and urgency throughout the half despite having only 14 players available due to multiple illnesses and injury.

Junior midfielder Najla M. led the Cadets with four shots on goal while forwards Mary, Sidi and Yoselin contributed a pair of attempts each. St. John's amassed 11 total strikes on goal to Seton's 6 and won five corner kicks during the eighty minute contest.

With the loss, SJC drops to 1-4-1 in the league table and 7-6-1 overall. The Cadets host Bishop McNamara at Quinn Field on Tuesday, October 4th and conclude the week with the second leg of a home-home series at Bishop Ireton. Kick off for both matches is slated for 4:00 PM.

WILSON TO LEAD COLLEGE RECRUITING SEMINAR

Former D.C. United defender John WILSON will lead a seminar on behalf of the National Collegiate Scouting Association ("NCSA") on college recruiting and eligibility for members of the SJC soccer program on Thursday, October 7th at 3:00 PM in Gallagher Gymnasium.

Wilson, 33, attended Clemson University on scholarship earning All-ACC honors and helping the Tigers win an ACC Championship and top raking in the NSCAA poll in 1998. Since 1999, he has played professionally with the Charleston Battery, D.C. United and Kansas City Wizards, both of Major League Soccer.

As a National Educational Speaker for NCSA Sports, Wilson travels around the country to speak with student-athletes, parents, coaches and school officials about the facts and myths associated with college recruiting of student-athletes in high school and club sports.

Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend.