Sunday, April 29

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adults and high school players

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Insert cliche. The score suggests their season is coming to an end, a less experienced opponent nearing an unlikely but deserved victory.

This describes the plight of not one but four Pink Ladies teams this weekend — the U14, U15, U18 B3 and U18 SP teams all finding themselves behind late in the game.

The U14 trailed 5-2 in the second half before Junior Player of the Week Gracie Sampson — having already scored twice — struck not only three more goals but fear into the hearts and minds of her opponents. As unstoppable goes, that she was. Each inch became a yard and each yard became a low, driven blast toward the second post. Although the comeback ended centimeters short in a 7-6 loss, the down-but-not-out attitude of the team was as impressive as the play of its taliswoman.

The U15 notched first and seemed in control before the opposing #6 knocked in three unanswered and took control of the match. Katie Hays eschewed the pass for the shot, making good on three to lead her team so close yet so far away, as the fuchsia females fell 6-4 in their league semifinals.

The U18 SP barged into its final regular season match needing a draw or win to earn a spot in the league finals. Early on it played hard but missing its typical confidence and composure. Setbacks on and off the pitch left it in a 4-2 hole in the second half, despair setting in for the team’s soon-to-be graduates, who might possibly not reach the finals in their final season. But rewind. The biggest reason the score remained close was the shut ’em down goalkeeping of captain Nicole Cerulli, whose sliding split butterfly Save of the Week early in the second half kept the dream alive.

There was but one hope for the sputtering team; one player who could supplant a poor performance with greatness; one player who leads all others in goals, points and moving without the ball. Fast forward. Final minutes. Clock winding down. Time running out. Season running out. Career running out. Madeline Leahy passes to captain and Senior Player of the Week Emily Rollender. Rollender cuts to her left. Unleashes her right foot like a tee shot at Augusta. The ball seems to suspend for a moment midair. Will it? Yes.

Pause. Still down one goal. Time keeps on slipping. Need one goal to advance. Two minutes. Ninety seconds. Sarge shields in front of the opposing bench. Eighty seconds. She turns, lays into the stride of the always moving E-Rol. Sole on ball, slides between two defenders, leg back, head down …

An ugly game begat a beautiful moment. Twice.

Joy and pain.

Map and Directions | Register

Description:

• adults | high school players
• experienced, mature, pre-approved players ages 12-14
• 10 sessions | 7-9 pm
• Mondays | March 26 — June 18
  
• primarily at Nashoba Brooks School, Concord

Fee of $150 includes all immediate-family members. Individual fee is $100. No guests or drop-ins are allowed. Aforementioned fees are for payment by check — small surcharge charge for credit card payments.

Space is limited.

Register

U9 team with Coach Katie

After defeating the more talented Pink Ladies U14 team in an overtime thriller on Sunday, Dream Team FC coach Ken Kohlberg could muster only one word: epic.

Indeed it was. Although the Pink Ladies lost a game they coulda, woulda and truly shoulda, heads were held high after the team fought fiercely despite the absences of its most influential March player and its second recent starting ala.

The Goal of the Week comes by way off the Save of the Week — or perhaps Save of the Year? Meghan Majeski stared defeat in the eye as the DTFC striker bared down on a penalty kick late in the match. Fearless as always, she sprang to block the shot, then saved the rebound and quickly the ball was flowing toward the opposing goal, where a scrum of Pink players were heading. Amidst the counterattack intensity was Angela De Sousa, not normally that far up the other end, who banged in a pass from Caoilin Rice to take the lead.

To describe Majeski’s performance as outstanding would be an understatement. Epitomized by the penalty deflection, Majeski’s afternoon was one of the best recent Pink Ladies goalkeeping displays. US National Futsal Team goalkeeping coach Mark Litton recently described goalkeeping mantra as: “Make the saves you’re supposed to. Make a few that you’re not. Don’t do anything stupid.”  This exactly describes Majeski’s Sunday afternoon. She put her team in position to win with all her effort, skill, heart and voice. A fitting Senior Player of the Week.

U11 team with Coach Rabies

Meghan Gibbons’ Saturday tally: 2 goals, 2 assists, 1 league championship victory, 1 cartwheel. The final Junior Player of the Week for the 2012-13 season asked Coach Rabies to give her special goalkeeper training last week to help prepare her to play goal during the first half of the U11 girls final. With hair and effort tinged pink, Gibbons played a hearty goal in the first half, permitting just a single JP goal. Assisting on two of Phoebe Jolly’s (3) goals and contributing her own pair of goal of the week candidates, Gibbons was a driving force in her team’s victory. The cartwheel, it was just part of the infectious fun she was having!

The U11 team’s 5-4 fianls win over JP was an epic back and forth the entire way. It is indeed Match of the Week worthy, as the one-sub squad worked tirelessly together til the end, eeking out one of the greatest Cinderella stories in Pink lore.

U14 team with Coach Jason

Also under consideration for Match of the Week is the aforementioned epic U14 championship madness. That game included all the drama of any all-time memorable competition — heroes and villains, incredible skill, intensity, heartbreak, sure things that surely weren’t, brilliant goals, unbelievable saves.

The U9 team kicked off the weekend in fine finals form against Newton Academy, rolling early and holding on for 4-3 and the first-ever Pink Ladies FC under-nine title. Five players tallied goals or assists in an epic performance by the young team that is certainly a Match of the Week candidate.

Captains Haley and Rabies ride into the Pink sunset victorious in the Adult co-ed division, each having scored and assisted in the epic second half outburst that earned their Coaches team the title, 10-2 (after leading 3-1 at the break). It fittingly concluded their distinguished careers and deserves a chance for Match of the Week.

Coaches team

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