Team Xplosion took on their cross-town rivals, the Tinley Park Twisters in a battle for U-16 bragging rights for the Fall 2007 season.  The Twisters are a true U-16 team and the Xplosion had never played them outdoors before today's game, although they have matched up multiple times during indoor seasons past.  The matches were usually close, but the Twisters always seemed to have that extra edge to pull it out at the end.   

At the IUSC Candlelight Bowl on Saturday night, Rick Wrobel was rarin' to go and quoted as saying "I've been looking forward to this match all season", and indeed the Xplosion had been looking forward to this game and considered it to be a measuring stick of their development to date.  What made it even more interesting was that the Twisters were dominating the division and came into the match with a perfect 7-0 record, having outscored their opponents by a 26-2 margin.  Additionally, Team Xplosion was missing several key players due to injury or other high school commitments.

Both teams battled hard for the full 80 minutes and when the final whistle blew, Team Xplosion had achieved a well earned scoreless tie with the Twisters.  The Xplosion easily held their own throughout the match, and at times carried the play.  Both teams had a goal reversed on offsides calls, and fortunately for the Xplosion, the Twisters "offsides goal" occurred during the final minute of the match.  The Xplosion had also dodged another bullet with only about five minutes to play when the Twisters managed to hit both goal posts and the cross bar in rapid succession without scoring. 

So, in the end, both teams will have to share bragging rights for the season.  Although a win would have been "way more enjoyable", at least Team Xplosion can say that they were able to spoil the Twisters attempt at a perfect season and improve their own chances for a top three finish.  

Team Xplosion traveled to Bourbonais, IL to face off against Girls United Soccer on a warm but very windy late October Sunday.   The Xplosion rode a strong 1st half wind at their backs to a 4-0 halftime lead, which they hoped would be enough to hold off the expected 2nd half charge from Girls United with the wind change. 

During the 2nd half, our girls did well to consistently work the ball out of their end and switch the attack.  Despite giving up three goals to Girls United, incredibly the Xplosion matched those goals with three of their own against the wind!  When the final whistle blew, Team Xplosion had defeated Girls United quite handily by a score of 7-3. 

Lauren Blyth scored a three goal hat-trick for the Xplosion, with other goals coming from Sam Rodriguez, Iris Casler, Natalie Hazim, and Liz Wrobel.  Ashley Noreen had two assists, with other assists going to Sam, Natalie, Jamie Thauer, and Liz Kopecky.    

SE Celtic showed up ready to play, but unfortunately their coach did not, and so the Celtic were forced to forfeit their match against Team Xplosion.  Officially, the score was recorded as a 1-0 victory for the Xplosion.  For statistical purposes the goal was awarded to Becca Evans.  Our girls played a short scrimmage against the Celtic, and Becca scored one of the team's goals and had the most spectacular celebration, thus she gets the credit for the forfeit goal.  The scrimmage also marked the debut of Iris Casler as a Keeper.  Iris played the final 10 minutes in goal and handled her first shot flawlessly and received a standing ovation for her effort. 

Team Xplosion battled the Orland Shock to 1-1 tie in a close match that was just a "break" away from going either way.  In their three previous matches, the Shock had only given up three goals and scored only four themselves, so the Xplosion knew this would likely be a low scoring game with a premium placed on each goal either scored or allowed.

The Shock carried the play early with several shots on Keeper Becca Evans which she handled easily.  However, Team Xplosion broke through on the scoreboard first when Ashley Noreen directed a long pass up the middle to Lauren Blyth who dribbled around the Shock Keeper for an easy goal.  The Shock tied it up later in the half following a scramble in front of the Xplosion goal that the team couldn't clear.  The two teams were scoreless in the 2nd half as both toughened up their defenses knowing that the next goal scored would likely be the game winner.    

Team Xplosion dropped their first match of the season, losing 2-1 to the Eclipse Elect East White 91-92.  The Eclipse had dominated their first two opponents, so the coaches knew the team was in for a tough game.  However, when all was said and done, the Xplosion hung in there well, and in fact, this was a game, the team could have either tied or won outright. 

The Eclipse scored twice in the 1st half after breaking down our defense with long runs up the sideline followed by beautiful crossing passes that were converted into scores.  Team Xplosion had been "sleep walking" through the 1st half, but then woke up and played a much more spirited 2nd half.  Lauren Blyth finally broke through with a goal in the 30th minute on a nice assist from Sam Rodriguez.  The team fought hard over the last 10 minutes in an effort to tie the game, but couldn't net the equalizer.  

Team Xplosion “Xploded” for six goals against the DG Road Runners Black and won the match going away by the score of 6-3.   The game was tied 2-2 at the half, with the Xplosion scoring the tying goal in the last minute of play.  DG scored early in the 2^nd half to take a 3-2, but then the Xplosion took over and scored the last four goals to close out the game.   The six goals represented the most they have scored in a game in nearly two years when the team defeated the Lemont Raiders 9-1 on September 18, 2005. 

Shannon Clark scored the two 1^st half goals with assists going to Lauren Blyth and Liz Kopecky.  Shannon’s game tying goal came on a “bank shot” from a sharp angle.  Shannon’s drive deflected off the goal post, and then off the Keeper’s leg and into the goal.   Iris Casler also scored twice, both on 25 to 30 yard dead ball direct kicks that sailed high and hard over the Keeper’s head into the back of the net.  Ashley Noreen also scored from long range on a hihg, long floating shot that slipped just under the crossbar. 

And last, but certainly not least, Lauren Blyth scored the team’s first ever outdoor season goal on a “header”!  Iris Casler launched yet another long direct kick into the goal box, and Lauren positioned perfectly in front of the Keeper lept high in the air, angled her head perfectly, and re-directed the ball past the Keeper.  Simply a thing of beauty.   

Team Xplosion opened their Fall 2007 season with 2-1 victory over the HSC Hawks U16 White.   This is the 11^th consecutive season (spanning six years) together for many of the team’s players.   The Xplosion returned 12 of the 14 girls from last season’s roster, but did add two new players for the upcoming season:  Natalie Haizmi (#1) and Samantha “Sam” Rodriguez (#22).

Jamie Thauer scored the first goal of the season midway through the 1^st half when she redirected a beautiful crossing pass from Shannon Clark.  The Hawks tied the match in the first minute of the 2^nd half with a long, high shot over Keeper Jamie Thauer’s outstretched hands.  Team Xplosion missed on several excellent scoring opportunities until Lauren Blyth scored the game winner following a scramble in front of the Hawks goal with about 10 minutes remaining.   Once again, Shannon Clark earned an assist on the play.