Fall 2006 Playoff Semi Finals
It was a game that had more twists and turns than a Coney Island Rollercoaster and as much suspense as the Virginia Senate race. It did not seem fair that there should be a winner and loser in such an evenly played game but with daylight dwindling in a brilliant November sky the rules said that penalty kicks would decide the semi final game between
the Scotch Plains Blue Sharks U14 Girls intercounty team and another Scotch Plains team and in that format it always helps to have a goalie as skilled as Melissa McKenna.
Like she had three times over the last three years, McKenna saved enough shots in the penalty kick shootout to allow her team to win. As in their championship game win against Rahway in 2004, Lauren Berk provided the winning penalty kick as the Sharks took the shootout 3-1 after the teams had battled through eighty minutes of regulation and two five minute overtimes to a 3-3 tie Saturday November 11 at Memorial Field in Scotch Plains.
Luckily for everyone involved, the coaches, sensing inclement weather for Sunday, switched the game and it was a classic with numerous lead changes and several spectacular goals.
Erin Brown put the team on top with a beautiful shot from a tough angle in the first minute but Scotch Plains bounced back to tie on a perfectly placed direct kick from Olivia Checchio. Amanda Rodriguez put the Sharks back ahead when she connected on a hard left footed shot before halftime but Scotch Plains tied it and then went ahead 3-2 with a pair of second half goals. It was the first time all year the Sharks trailed in the second half and the first time they had given up multiple goals.
With time running down, the Sharks were awarded a penalty kick on a hand ball and Jessica DiGiacomo tied the game with a well placed penalty shot. In the penalty kick shootout, DiGiacomo put the team ahead on the first shot and after Scotch Plains evened it, Alyssa Young put the Sharks ahead to stay with a well placed low shot. McKenna made her third straight save and Berk clinched it on the final round when her hard shot could not be held.
Also standing out for the winners were Rebecca DiGiacomo, Sarah Weber, Danielle Schwiezer, Lauren Buckley, Emma Kaplan, Sarah Lazarus, Toni Ann Capece, Emily Cohen and Kara Gaynor.
the Scotch Plains Blue Sharks U14 Girls intercounty team and another Scotch Plains team and in that format it always helps to have a goalie as skilled as Melissa McKenna.
Like she had three times over the last three years, McKenna saved enough shots in the penalty kick shootout to allow her team to win. As in their championship game win against Rahway in 2004, Lauren Berk provided the winning penalty kick as the Sharks took the shootout 3-1 after the teams had battled through eighty minutes of regulation and two five minute overtimes to a 3-3 tie Saturday November 11 at Memorial Field in Scotch Plains.
Luckily for everyone involved, the coaches, sensing inclement weather for Sunday, switched the game and it was a classic with numerous lead changes and several spectacular goals.
Erin Brown put the team on top with a beautiful shot from a tough angle in the first minute but Scotch Plains bounced back to tie on a perfectly placed direct kick from Olivia Checchio. Amanda Rodriguez put the Sharks back ahead when she connected on a hard left footed shot before halftime but Scotch Plains tied it and then went ahead 3-2 with a pair of second half goals. It was the first time all year the Sharks trailed in the second half and the first time they had given up multiple goals.
With time running down, the Sharks were awarded a penalty kick on a hand ball and Jessica DiGiacomo tied the game with a well placed penalty shot. In the penalty kick shootout, DiGiacomo put the team ahead on the first shot and after Scotch Plains evened it, Alyssa Young put the Sharks ahead to stay with a well placed low shot. McKenna made her third straight save and Berk clinched it on the final round when her hard shot could not be held.
Also standing out for the winners were Rebecca DiGiacomo, Sarah Weber, Danielle Schwiezer, Lauren Buckley, Emma Kaplan, Sarah Lazarus, Toni Ann Capece, Emily Cohen and Kara Gaynor.
posted by David Lazarus @ 6:17 PM
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