Lightning
Delay
Continued from Part 1.
And then it finally happened. I thought I heard a low rumble, but not
really. Maybe it was wishful thinking
that I hadn’t. The players cleared the
field. The PA announced a lightning
delay and for the fans to clear the stands.
“No!” shouted one of the other fans, not me. He blamed some out-of-towners for this
development.
Unlike the Football game, the weather was
right overhead and there was an obvious downpour going on at nearby “A”
Mountain. When I turned around, I realized
the weather actually looked worse in the other direction. Ron came back confirmed there was thunder
going on. It was easier to hear away
from the stands. The Soccer stands were
easily evacuated, until the Football stadium.
I did notice Duke Keith, who
was calling the game, was still on top of the Softball pressbox, the highest point in the immediate area, but he
was getting ready to leave.
As we went out to Ron’s car, we heard something going on
at the Baseball Field. A PA was calling something. We never figured out what, but it sounded
like they were having fun, probably involving children. In the car, Ron checked Twitter updates for
when we could go back. I looked at the
clock and flipped on the radio. The Chihuahuas were still playing their
noon game. When we came in, it was tied
3-3 in the eighth. There was a pretty
exciting finish, as it went to the tenth, with the pups winning on a walk off
hit, 6-5.
It ended up being an hour-and-a-half delay. People started going back in as it cleared
off a bit overhead, though it was still raining hard down in the valley. The Concessions were closed, the merchandise
tent was gone, and the rock wall was being towed off. We had just retaken our seats when it
thundered again.
Back under another delay, we were both hungry and I made
the poor suggestion of going to the closest nearby restaurant, Panda Express, which was on
campus. I wanted something different
anyway. What I ordered, turned out to be
kind of an expensive snack. Ron ordered
a more sensible full meal. It was pretty
good, but just somewhat better than the ramen noodle I made for myself
yesterday. Also, their soda fountain was
down, they ran out of sweet tea, the bathroom was locked, and out-of-order
anyway. We walked by the next door
bookstore, but it was closed on Sundays, also it started raining.
We came back to the field.
For some reason, the Football stadium lights were on. The Soccer field lights were not, which was a
bad sign, because it had gotten dark from the heavy black clouds overhead. Soon though, Seattle U came out onto the field, the lights came on, and then the
Aggies took the field.
We went back into the stadium complex. Unfortunately right after that, before we
even got to the stands, there was another roll of thunder and it was over. The girls left the field, and an attendant
came out to a small knot of fans and told us that the game was suspended until
tomorrow morning at 11:00.
I was just shocked.
They finished Friday’s game tied without an OT period. Now this game that had gone over halfway,
they’re demanding this one be finished. I
can’t believe Seattle U hadn’t made flight plans to leave that evening. Even if they had planned to stay overnight,
surely their flight was in the morning.
I had expected the game to hit a travel curfew today at some point.
I was still hungry. We went over to Caliches in the rain, which picked up after we left the stadium. I didn’t have my rain jacket, so I was kind of glad they weren’t playing. The girls may have been, too. Ron, who checks a few different weather forecasts every day, couldn’t believe it was raining. The forecast was still saying, “Sunny,” while it was raining. (Which was why I didn’t bring my jacket.) We listened to the Cowboys/Bengals game on the radio. Ron was surprised they were on FM. The Boys did win on a last second field goal, so I was kind of happy. Ron didn’t care. See you tomorrow.
Second
Half Continued
There was no telling how the girls on either team were
going to come back to this game. Coach Baarts said the Aggies’ game
relied on superior conditioning and running opponents into the ground in the
second half. That wasn’t going to happen
today. How many suspended games have any
of the players ever played? Don’t they
have classes? The referees were
back. Don’t they have day jobs? There’s a lot of questions about this to play
out less than a half of soccer, especially when the conference is fine with
games finishing in a tie with no overtime.
Regardless, me and Ron were back there Monday
morning. There were just two other fans
there. I think they were grandparents of
one of the SU players. The other SU fans
were gone, along with the families of the Aggie players. Ultimately, there was a small crowd for the
game. It was an odd mish-mash of
ourselves, super-fan Tom, a ROTC cadet, some Football players, and a few other
students and fans.
There was a nice autograph card (pictured at the top) at the courtesy table. It was supposed to be Autograph Day
yesterday. It wasn’t going to happen
today. I hope it happens at some point
this season. I really want to compliment
Xitlaly Hernandez on her tough play
and for having the best hair on the team.
It was miserably hot and humid. Some players were waving a bugs bothering
them. There were clouds, but thankfully
not rain clouds. They did provide some
occasional shade. The Aggie girls
screamed at each other on field to get hyped for the match. The game restarted with a couple minutes off
the clock in the second half. The ref
dropped the ball in front of an Aggie player, who tapped it to a Redhawk
player, who then casually kicked it out-of-bounds. That was a very strange ritual. They seemed to be following some sort of
rule.
The girls were working up their own chatter today, lacking
much of a crowd. You could hear the
coaches clearly across the field. 35’
left in the half, Mya Hammack
(second best hair on the team) made a great solo defensive effort in the Aggie
box, even with her shirt grabbed. SU
dominated early play. Ron muttered,
“They’re gonna score. Just a matter of
time.”
34’ Aggie Gia
Valenti running downfield by herself on the wing took a shot from way out. The ball sailed across the goal and over SU
goalie, Jessica Berlin (even with
her height) and right into the net.
Goooooal! That deserved a
shout. That came out of nowhere. Stick it, Ron! Loma McNeese
got the assist on the goal.
30’ the Aggies continued to press. The Redhawks nearly got own-goaled on a
defensive header. 26’ SU took a shot
that went wide. 22’ Emily Bunnell, the SU kneeler, made a hard tackle on Xitlaly that
resulted in a free kick outside the SU box.
(I think there was bad blood between them from yesterday.) Landy Williams
took a header shot that went wide.
21’ the players took a Hydration Break. There were girls running uphill sprints on
top of the Football stadium berm. That
had to be a workout. 19’ back to the
action and an SU attack, Landy body blocked a shot. 18’ back down field, Tania Tapia took a shot that went high and wide. 17’ after a hard tackle way outside the Aggie
box, SU took a free kick that went right to Aggie goalie, Makenna Gottschalk, for a catch.
11’ here we go. SU
got another free kick by the Aggie box.
The kick apparently hit the ref.
I didn’t see it happen, but everyone else did. I looked up the rule later and it was
considered a dead ball. The ball should
be dropped at the spot for the attacking team with a buffer around them. However, there was some controversy about the
play on field. The clock stopped for a
discussion. Coach Baarts was furious, as
were the fans present. Was the ball
kicked intentionally at the ref to give SU a better shot? There was something else going on that was
caused the discussion, but I don’t know what.
The drop took place closer to the Aggie box and more
centered. In the scrum that followed the
kick, Kaylee Coatney kicked it in
for the Redhawks. We’re tied at 1. The SU reserves went crazy. It was really confusing in the box. Ron saw Makenna fall down and the ball got
dropped. I never got a replay of it,
even from the Redhawks’ Twitter. Makenna
gave the referee an earful as the ball was walked back to midfield. The fans kept jeering along with the
coaches.
8’ SU made another attack.
Makenna caught a long shot. The
girls on field were playing more frantically and screaming at their teammates. The coach was going ballistic shouting
orders. 6’ there was a hard collision on
an Aggie attack and an SU player went down.
The girls were also getting more physical. 2’ Jena
Johannes received a Yellow Card for pushing down a Redhawk player rushing
to the Aggie box. SU got a free kick and
then a corner, which was the final play.
A day later, it’s still a draw, but the final was 1-1.
The teams did shake hands with each other and the
refs. The Aggies spent a long time in a
huddle before they finally came out to give the small crowd a disappointed,
unenthusiastic wave. They seemed so
dispirited, I wanted to give them a hug.
I take nothing away from Seattle U.
They did kick in the tying shot and the Aggies weren’t able to stop
it. I think the ref made the right call
by the book, but there was something else going on. The coach (who certainly knows the rules
well), the players, and the fans were mad about something.
The player of the game was the Ref. The north goal also gets the nod with
brilliant crossbar and post saves for the Aggies in the first half. Just kidding.
It’s, of course, Gia Valenti,
for what should have been the game winner.
The teams were 12-12 in shots with SU up 4-3 in SOG. They were well matched. It just leaves a bad taste that a
questionable call by the ref may have decided the game. I’m sure it’s even worse for the
players. It’s also questionable why the
remainder of this game was forced to be played.
SU piled into rental cars right after the game. While I was in the bathroom, announcer, Duke Keith rushed by. Duke and Ron shared a wave, but he had no
time to talk. I’m sure he didn’t
appreciate having to come back for this game.
Afterward, Ron and I almost went to Subway for a lousy meal, but I impulsively changed it to Jimmie Johns. Ron didn’t mind driving a bit further. Though it was noon, they weren’t busy. Our sandwiches were very fresh and delicious. I’m not going to lie, it did make everything a bit better. We should have invited some of the girls with us and gotten autographs, of course.
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