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Boca Juniors '91
Pete
Sacramento, California
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 Boca News: River City United Among Quarterfinalists at Region IV Championships |
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Monday, June 19
River City United Among Quarterfinalists at Region IV Championships
BOISE, IDAHO - Soccer simultaneously can be the cruelest and most rewarding of games. A tailor-made object lesson of this truth was available Wednesday in the River City United vs. Colorado Soccer Academy U14 Girls match at the U.S. Youth Soccer Region IV Championships.
Scott Dedycker’s CSA side needed a win to reach the quarterfinals, while a draw would work for Gabriel Bolton’s River City side. With Colorado clinging to a 2-1 lead in injury time, River City’s Mallory Creamer unleashed a laser beam strike from the edge of the area and into the back of the net, sending the Northern Californians into joyous celebrations and breaking the hearts of the Coloradoans, as the goal ended up being the final kick of the ball.
The goal was the product of undeniable skill from Creamer and hard work and perseverance from River City, but it was not without controversy. A corner kick into the area moments before the strike appeared to have been handled by the attacking side. Some of the CSA players appeared to stop playing for a moment as they vehemently appealed to the referee, but the whistle was never blown. After the goal, the referee consulted for an extended amount of time, first with an assistant referee and then with the 4th official and the other A.R., before pointing to the center spot to confirm the goal ruling, sparking furious protests from the CSA players.
Drama aside, the match was an entertaining one, with two skilled teams trading scoring chances. River City’s Brianna Levinson got things underway with a well-struck shot that flashed just wide of goal. Colorado’s Nicholette Digiacomo was stamping her mark on the game early as a good tackler and effective ballwinner in midfield.
The field used for the match was a bit narrow and had a definite uphill slant from end to end. River City were going downhill in the 1st half and creating some good chances. Rachel Mercik put in some good work on the left and sent in a good cross for Creamer, who fired just wide.
The pressure from the Northern Californians continued and Jennifer Ericson getting on the end of a cross from Danielle Lovato, powered a header into the back of the net and River City led 1-0.
Colorado responded well to the goal, and Digiacomo had a shot saved by River City goalkeeper Erin Rost. On the other end, River City’s Natalie Perez found Mercik with a cross, but the volley went wide.
The back and forth action continued and Colorado’s Nicole Pollack let go with a blistering shot that Rost did well to save. Rost then showed herself to be good at anticipation and acceleration, coming off her line in a timely manner to clear an excellent long through pass by Kailey Osbaugh. Kristen Hamilton then had a well-struck long-range shot saved by Rost.
The CSA pressure seemed bound to pay off in a goal and that it did. Rebecca fired in a corner Mariss Abel flicked on with a header, sending the ball to the far post where Nicole Pollack was waiting to power it into the back of the net with a skillfully-executed header, making the score 1-1.
River City nearly took the lead back right away when Mercik found Creamer with another great cross, but the header was saved by Colorado's standout goalkeeper Annie Brunner. Colorado had a final chance on goal just before the break. The shot bounded off a River City player and the post, and came very close to crossing the goal line but the referee ruled it out and the teams went to the break on even terms.
In the 2nd half, Colorado capitalized on the downhill slant when Kristen Hamilton controlled a long pass from Michelle Nichols and then fired a good shot into the back of the net to give CSA a 2-1 lead.
The Coloradoans had a number of chances to extend their lead, perhaps most notably when speedy forward Marissa Abel directed a header downward at the near post, and River City goalkeeper Rost rather miraculously reached it by diving with arms outstretched, just managing to direct the ball wide of the post with her fingertips.
This set the stage for River City’s late flurry, Creamer’s heroics and the resulting commotion.
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