Ravens win A League title | Articles

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Ravens win A League title
Posted: 2011-03-31

Women’s B League

Swallows 3 Cardinals 2
An unmarked Swallows’ Jennifer Chisnall scored the first field goal in the second minute of the game before Cardinals field players even had a chance to touch the ball. Even with this quick goal by Swallows, Cardinals regained momentum after this slump and started moving the ball closer to Swallows’ circle. The ball entered the circle and landed on several feet which looked goal bound, and a penalty stroke was awarded. Cardinals’ Helen Marshall executed a beautiful stroke in the 14th minute that was scooped high up into the top left corner to make the score 1-1.
Cardinals paid the price again with their relaxed marking and lack of communication to leave Swallows’ Chisnall free to enter the top of the ‘D’ to find Cardinals’ defence challenging her, but her strike at goal deflected off a defender’s stick and into the goal to make the score 2–1 in the 35th minute.
The second half proceeded with both teams moving the ball quickly from one end to the other as Cardinals’ ‘keeper’ Holly Augustus prevented many of Swallows shots at goal, especially a miraculous save that was destined for the right corner post. Cardinals continued trying to get back into the game; even being awarded a penalty corner, but couldn’t find the net. Cardinals held Swallows at bay until the 40th minute when Swallows’ Mallory Towlson converted a goal from their second of four penalty corners to make it 3–1. Cardinals were awarded another penalty corner in the 68th minute which was pushed from Zaynab Brown to Candy Foggo, slipped to Amori Venter and when Venter’s reverse shot was unsuccessful, the ball fell in the path of Katie Flath who slipped it into the goal to cut the Swallows lead to 3-2. Despite a couple of last minute attacks, Cardinals were unable to find the equaliser as Swallows held on for the win.

Women’s A League

Canaries 1 Wildcats 2
Canaries’ Lisa Marshall broke the deadlock in the 12th minute from a penalty corner shot. Wildcats’ Susanna Almeida dribbled the ball towards Canaries’ circle and a slip to Brittani DeSilva who than shot at goal, but with a deflection off ‘keeper’ Tami Ray’s pads to find Ryce Trott beat the keeper to equalise in the 31st minute.
The second half resumed with the majority of the play in the Canaries’ half. Wildcats’ Zuri Phillip would secure the winner in the 70th minute from a penalty corner pushed out to Almeida at the top of the ‘D’ whose shot at goal went wide, to find Phillip on the left post for a well executed slap shot high into the right corner of the net as the match finished 2-1 to Wildcats.

Budgies 0 Ravens 1
This game meant a lot to both teams. Already this season Budgies had beaten Ravens, but a win for Ravens would put them closer to winning the 2010/2011 A league title. Ravens were prepared for a fight in this game and came out with a full squad. Ravens applied early pressure in the first 15 minutes but were unable to convert. Unfortunately for Budgies, they were down to 10 players within the first 20 minutes due to a player coming off with an ankle injury, but despite this, they continued to fight hard against the dominant Raven’s squad.
Budgies were able to penetrate the Ravens’ defence thanks to Lakae Dill, but was unable to get any shots in thanks to the Ravens’ defence. The first half was fairly uneventful as both teams were unable to find the back of the net and the first half ended 0-0.
In the 45th minute both teams had players sent off due to bad stick tackling. Ravens’ Megan Troake converted a penalty corner in the 54th minute when she placed the ball into the right corner away from the Budgies ‘keeper’ Candace DeSilva making the score 1–0 to Ravens. Ravens then had to fight harder to stay in front as Budgies continued to press hard in search of the equaliser and came close in the 60th minute when Erica Furtado’s shot hit the post. ‘Keeper’ Jen Adderley made some fine saves for Ravens to keep them in front for the win.

Ravens 2 Canaries 1
These two teams were battling for the league title, and this game lived up to its expectations. Canaries started out strong, applying pressure on the Ravens’ defence early in the game and won a penalty corner within the first five minutes, but the Ravens defence broke it down and cleared the ball out to prevent Canaries from scoring. From there, Ravens took over the attack and were successful in winning penalty corners and getting shots on target but were unable to find the net thanks to Canaries’ defence and ‘keeper’ Tami Ray who had an awesome game.
Ravens were caught out in the eighth minute when Canaries broke away. They had two forwards up and a poor touch by Ravens’ defence saw the ball pop up to Canaries’ Kirsty Jones who took the ball, first touch and placed it in the netting past the Ravens ‘keeper’ Jen Adderley to make it 1-0. For the remainder of the first half Ravens tried to equalise without any luck as Canaries attempted to build on their lead with breakaways, but Ravens’ defence kept them out.
In the second half, Ravens continued to pile on the pressure, but were unable to find the net in open play or on penalty corner routines. With 14 minutes to play, Canaries were awarded a penalty stroke but thanks to a fine save by ‘keeper’ Adderley the score remained 1-0 to Canaries. With a player down, Ravens continued to attack and were awarded another penalty corner in the 61st minute which saw Megan Troake slip the ball to Ana Abend, who passed it to the far post to find an awaiting Ravens’ Megan Leitch who collected the ball and slipped it into the corner to make it 1-1.
Ravens seemed to lift up their game more and continued to apply pressure on the Canaries’ defence. The winning goal came in the 64th minute when the ball was crossed into the ‘D’ from the right to find Troake who pushed the ball past ‘keeper’ Ray to make it 2-1 which is how the game finished to give Ravens the win and the 2010/2011 league title.