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GIRLS SECURED FIRST PLACE

3/20/2025

Our HS Girls secured the first position in the group stage and earned the privilege of hosting the semifinal game next Tuesday after a dramatic penalty shootout at VMA in which Ann and Teodora became the heroes, one by saving a shot and the other one by scoring the last kick that gave us the win.

Before reaching the shootout, our girls dominated and were in control of the game during the first and second halves, with VMA adopting a reactive approach, with four or five players behind the ball, leaving all their chances to an Eagles' mistake that never happened in these first forty minutes. With Zoe creating and building up from the back, Teodora and Tisa stopping every approach of VMA, and Alex, Joyce and Helen moving and leading the offense, chances to open the game happened constantly but were denied by the Sharks' goalkeeper, who had an outstanding performance all afternoon long.

In the extra-time, a long ball kicked by VMA's goalkeeper ended being the first goal of the match after an unfortunate series of bounces that brought the ball in without being touched by anyone. It was then, with 1-0 down, when Teodora joined the offensive and VMA reinforced their already obvious catenaccio. Alex, with a great shot from outside the box, made the 1-1 to bring us to the penalty shootout in which all our kickers (Alex herself, Zoe, Joyce and Teodora) scored their attempts to give us the win.

Boys were not that lucky and couldn't get a win that would have qualified them to the Final Four. Differences between VMA, MIS and our Eagles were small in the overall of all the head-to-head games, and every mistake was penalized. That's why conceding two goals in the first ten minutes, in situations that shouldn't have represented a real threat, was too much of a burden for the rest of the match.

Tony reduced the gap after a great play and assist by Rex, and just when the Eagles were playing at their best and the 2-2 seemed likely to happen, VMA scored their third goal just before half time. The Sharks scored the fourth right after the break, and although Tony scored again, this time from the penalty kick spot, the game died without our boys getting really close despite Kevin and Christiano's attempts from outside the box.

Season ended for our boys' team, while the girls will face Basis (for the third time in a row in a Final Four) on Tuesday's semifinal for a spot into the gold medal's match.

TWO GREAT GAMES

3/13/2025

Our teams experienced both sides of the same coin that is competitive soccer, with a convincing victory for the girls and a dramatic overtime defeat for the boys against Merchiston's teams.

The victory would have secured a spot in the Final Four taking place in two weeks, and the girls kicked things off with the first match. Despite a good warm-up, chaos quickly broke out as some players weren’t ready with their shin guards or necessary gear, leading to a poor start where the Eagles struggled to pose any real threat to Merchiston’s goal. The visiting team had a dangerous free kick just outside the box, but Sophie, outstanding as a center-back, cleared the danger.

Alex’s entrance gave new energy to the team and, after a goal wrongly disallowed to Alex herself, Teodora opened the scoring before halftime with a shot from outside the box. Coach Blanco’s halftime talk made an impact, and in the second half, our girls were much more aggressive and determined, both on and off the ball. Alex and Joyce had multiple chances to score, but bad luck and an excellent performance from the visiting goalkeeper kept the scoreline from growing. Alex eventually found the net twice, ending the match 3-0 and securing a place in the championship semifinals.

Next, the boys played an outstanding match against a strong opponent — possibly the best school football game I’ve seen in a long time. Rex made it 1-0 after a start in which the visitors were superior, but Merchiston tied the game when the Eagles were playing their best. Right before halftime, Christiano put us ahead 2-1, and Paul made a couple of key saves to hold the lead.

In the second half, as Merchiston pushed for an equalizer but without creating much danger, Tony and Kevin had great counter-attack chances to seal the match, but the visiting goalkeeper became the hero, saving two clear goals. With victory within reach and just minutes left, Paul made a brilliant save from a long shot, but none of our defenders managed to clear the rebound, and Merchiston scored the 2-2 that forced overtime.

In extra time, any play could tip the balance. After a scoring chance for each side, it was the visitors who, with a perfect backward header, made it 2-3. The Eagles threw everything forward in search of the equalizer, but Rex’s shot hit the post in what was the final big opportunity.

A defeat that now forces our boys to beat VMA away next week to qualify for the Final Four. The girls, on the same day, will aim to secure first place in the group to gain home advantage for the semifinals.

DOUBLE WIN

3/10/2025

Our teams continued their preparation by playing and winning their friendlies against SIFC squads, both of them part of the other pool in this group stage of the league and potential rivals in future rounds, with SIFC Girls already qualified as leaders of their group.

Coach Blanco prepared two different squads for each half, giving twenty minutes to each player and gifting the opportunity to everyone to play, evolve, learn and enjoy on a soccer pitch. Alex, in the second half, scored the two goals of the game.

Coach Roma also made some rotations and gave chance to all players of participating and playing. Tony, Christiano and Kevin (x2) scored our goals in a game that confirmed that our boys are in a position to dispute MIS and VMA a spot into the Final Four.

STRONG START 2/26/2025

Our two teams started the league season with a strong pace and convincing victories at home against HSS Whittle School. Despite the high difference on both scoreboards at the end of the games, the satisfaction achieved by our teams was quite different: while the girls dominated from the beginning and showed a choral and collective game, the boys struggle until the very end, arriving to the last seven minutes of the match with a single goal advantage.

It was the boys who opened the competition at 3:50PM. Coach Roma started the game with those players that didn't miss Monday's training, and soon Rex scored the first goal of the match. Kevin scored the second right before half time and gave the Eagles a comfortable advantage despite their non-most brilliant performance.

But second half started with a goal for HSS, and our boys got knocked out for a few minutes. HSS even had the chance to level the scoreboard, but the left post saved Paul and the Eagles. Tony Li changed the game when he jumped onto the field within seven minutes left, giving an assist and forcing a penalty both scored by Kevin.  Then Christiano, Kevin again, and Tony, opened the gap to the final 7-1 that definitely doesn't show the reality of the match.

Our girls' performance was very different. Since the warm-up Coach Blanco insisted on the importance of being focus and get the job done as early as possible to avoid complications like the one suffered by the boys. Alex opened the count after an amazing team play in which Joyce, Zoe, Tisa, Teodora and finally Alex moved the ball from the right corner to the left one, playing one-two touches and showing a great ability to give speed to our ball circulation despite having only one training prior the match.

Alex was the star of the game with three goals and several assists, followed by Rue's hat-trick (achieved despite playing only the final ten minutes of the match). Joyce, Helen, Teodora and Larissa also contributed with a goal, and Zoe, Tisa, Baiansy, Kelley and Sophie did great in defense and midfield, allowing Ann to end with a clean sheet in her first match as a goalie.

FIRST FRIENDLY

1/15/2025

Our HS Boys Soccer Team played the first friendly game of the year yesterday against Sendelta. With the season starting at the end of February, and with the following three weeks break awaiting, this match was important for Coach Roma to see his players in action and for our students to experience situations and scenarios in a real match.

Against a more experienced and trained team, our players adopted a more reactive attitude, giving the initiative with the ball to the visitors and trying to take advantage of fast breaks to create chances to score. With Paul giving the best performance at the goal, denying Sendelta's goal several times, Cristiano's and Kevin's work in midfield made the difference in the first half with two almost consecutive counterattacks that Kevin transformed in a 2-0 advantage.

Sendelta didn't change his approach to the game and, with our players more tired due the defensive effort and the lack of preparation, leveled the game in the second half despite Paul's outstanding saves. Kevin, Jason and Rex had opportunities to give us the win in the last few minutes of the game, but then it was their goalkeeper who kept the 2-2.

The game was decided by a penalty shootout, in which Ethan, Jason, Rex and Shunyu scored their shots to give us the first win of the year.