When is a tie exciting?
When you’re down 2-1 to the #23 team in the nation with 40 seconds left
in the game and you’re driving down on their goal. Read on.
I guess I’m committed to another year to Aggies Sports. They had to sell me on it, because I was
really wavering even up until I actually left for tonight’s Women’s Soccer match with the USC Trojans. I can’t believe that I even wrote that
sentence. Softball has regularly pulled
in some pretty impressive visiting teams, but it is a rarity for the other
programs to get a Power Five school here.
Well, Power Four now. The PAC-12 is no more and USC is part of
the Big 10. (There’s another unlikely sentence.)
They’re following up this match with home matches with UNM and Oregon. Oregon and USC here
in the same season? Are you kidding
me? I listened to a podcast interview
with Coach Baarts where the
interviewer asked the same question. He
said it was all about the contacts.
Also, the program has been good enough over the past two seasons that
they’ve been able to negotiate reciprocal visits for going to their sites. (My favorite, Mya Hammack, as well as Meredith
Scott, definitely another favorite after tonight, and new freshman, Daniela Portillo, were all also on the
podcast and they were all darling.)
In any case, I missed last Friday’s debut exhibition
match. I’d planned on going, but didn’t
trust my co-workers to cover for me on a busy night. I took three days off this week. There was a data migration and two all-hands
meetings I wanted to avoid. (This was a
great idea. So many people got sick at
the first meeting, they had to cancel the others. Unfortunately as predicted, nobody covered
for me, but at least they had an excuse.)
I left way early for the game to go to the ticket office
to buy an Aggie Country Pass, only to find a notice which read that they’d
closed early to go to the soccer game.
This wasn’t a good start to the season.
Also, the road to the stadium was closed for repaving. (You only had all summer to do that,
guys.) In spite of these bad omens, I was
still committed (or should be committed) and asked for a Country Pass at the
ticket trailer. Luckily, there was a guy
there who knew what I was talking about, and they consented to sell me one for
$150 (up $10 from previous years, still not too bad).
However, I was still too early and had to stand around the
front gate with a few other early birds before they were open. The Coach Baart’s wife was even briefly
denied entry before somebody recognized her.
The USC team bus showed up. I
smiled and waved at the players as they came in. Whatever the outcome, I was pleased they’d
come here. I got a few smiles and waves
back. There was guy with a camera
filming the coach entering the facility.
Once inside, I grabbed a hot dog and chips and an all-important drink for this very hot evening. Here’s another unlikely statement: the bun on the dog was super fresh. Of course the buns will get stale as the season progresses, but for now they’re fresh. I picked up the team schedule poster at the courtesy table, along with two Football posters. One of them features Wave the Wonder Dog, who picks up tees after kickoffs. Is it a bad sign for your football season that your poster features a mascot?
I saw on the team Twitter that Mya and I were wearing the
same shirt to the game today. The merch
trailer out for the game. I was vaguely
tempted, but I already have a closet full of Aggie t-shirts and other
shirts. They were selling custom player
shirts, too. The vendor was telling
someone that they had to be ordered online.
Coach Baarts and his wife came over to peruse the goods. I said, “Hey, Coach,” to him.
The stands were mostly empty 45-minutes before the
game. I ate my dinner and regretted not
bringing my radio to listen to the Chihuahuas
in the meantime. The PA was playing some
truly dreadful rap music. I was sweating
and wishing I’d gotten an IV, instead of a Gatorade. The clubs warmed up on field. Bella
Garcia was still with the team as the Graduate Assistant this season. She was in aviator shades with her hair in a
tight bun shagging balls and looking very hot (literally and figuratively).
In contrast to any other Aggie event, the bulk of the
crowd showed up early. Officially, it
was a bit under 1,000. The stands and
the hill behind the north goal filled up.
I saw this coming, so I was glad I was here early. A little girl carrying an unbelievably cute
little dog sat down behind me. (I didn’t
get to meet the dog, though.) A bunch
little kids in team uniforms came in.
There were some USC fans present. Some members of the Volleyball team were on the hill and joined by Football team members after they got out of practice later. Unfortunately, the Drum Corps and Band
weren’t yet available for the game.
USC was wearing bright yellow uniforms for the game with
red dot pattern on one side. (I heard on
Sunday that were also mesh shirts and very breathable in hot weather.) Their uniforms were striking and attractive,
but also sort looked like they should be making deliveries for DHL. There was also confusion during the
Anthem. The Aggie girls stood and held
hands. Half of the Trojans knelt and the
other half didn’t, but they all still awkwardly held hands.
I have to make a little digression here. Brittney
Griner, a gay black woman, who was exchanged from a Russian prison for a
super villain (the “Merchant of Death, they made a movie about the guy), just
won a gold medal with the USA Women’s Basketball team. She cried standing for the Anthem at the
medal ceremony, because she felt so proud and lucky to be an American, after previously
taking a knee during such proceedings.
Meanwhile, these mostly White USC chicks are still BLM’ing. This includes their goalie, Laurence Gladu, who, let’s just say
lacks any obvious female characteristics.
This person looked like they were crying while kneeling. And this person is also Canadian.
First
Half
Eventually, I was going to have to talk about the actual
game. There was some pregame
weirdness. A flight of three paragliders
took off from somewhere behind the nearby football stadium right as the game
started. They circled around overhead and
eventually took off for the mountains.
Needless to say, the crowd was distracted. Thankfully, the girls on the field paid no
attention to the aerial spectacle.
USC got the first opportunity with a corner with 41’ left
in the half, however, the Aggies got the first shot on goal by Lauren Machuca a minute later. The Aggies got their first corner at
36’. There was header at the goal which
was blocked. USC got another corner a
couple of minutes later. A ball got
fired into the stands shortly after.
People were still coming in.
Though a large crowd, people were fairly tense and quiet.
It was a fairly even back-and-forth, until 25’ left in the
half. The Aggie defense was busted after
an offensive charge. Aggie goalie, Valerie Guha got caught in a one-on-one
with Trojan Maile Hayes and didn’t
have much of a chance. 1-0 USC. The crowd kind of groaned at the easy goal on
the defensive lapse. I’m not sure if it
was an over commitment on offense or USC was just a step quicker. There was hydration break right after the
goal.
I was asked by a fan sitting next to me if I worked for
the Sun-News, since he’d seen me writing in a little notebook. I don’t even read the Sun-News. The rest of the crowd was just
murmuring.
The Aggies came down for an attack. The ball was kicked out and went over the
grandstand. 19’ another USC corner. Their attack ended with a header shot that
went over the goal and hit the scoreboard.
17’ Ariana Leamons took a
shot that just went wide. 15’ Val made a
save. Right after on a USC corner,
another header hit the Aggie goal post.
Val caught another shot after a follow up corner. 9’ Val was caught in a one-on-one again, but
managed to dive on it.
The paragliders returned.
They wheeled around the stadium and landed. Hot as it was, it was partly cloudy. There were storm clouds out-of-town to the
south. Impressive arcs of lightning
could be seen from them. Overhead, there
was a bright three-quarter moon.
USC made a few more attacks in the closing minutes. One shot was knocked out by an Aggie
header. With a 1’ left, speedy Sydnee Johnson made a final Aggie
attack and the goalie fell on the ball.
1-0 USC at the half.
Halftime
The youth teams gathered and ran out across the field. There was one little girl who did run back to
the sidelines, but she eventually ran back for the group picture. For stats, corners were 5 to 1 USC and both
teams were even with 2 shots on goal.
The storm clouds to the south were staying put, as the sun started to go
down.
Second
Half
The Aggies came out attacking furiously. 44’ left in the half and there was a long
shot by Loma McNeese on the USC
goal. A minute later, Meredith was
knocked down twice, before there was finally a whistle. She came up smiling, so I guess she was okay
with it. 40’ there was some furious
action around the USC goal before the goalie finally fell on it. The crowd was responding to the effort with a
“Let’s go Aggies!” chant and pounding on the metal bleachers.
The Aggies made a couple of more attacks, including a solo
charge by Loma. Her shot was fallen
on. 31’ USC picked up the attack. A beautiful cross field pass led to a header
that was dunked in by Maria Alagoa. 2-0 USC.
It was getting late for some people and the some of the
fans started leaving. A couple of
minutes after the goal, USC nearly put in another on another crossing
pass. 28’ Ariana pushed down a Trojan player
by pushing on her head. The ref missed
it. The crowd did not. Right after, USC took another shot that went
wide.
A cool breeze blew across the stands. It was nice, but I was hoping it wasn’t
blowing in that storm. 26’ a loose ball
got away from the USC goalie, but there were no Aggies around to capitalize on
it. 24’ Loma fell down in the USC box
with a cramp. One of the Trojans came
over and helped to stretch her out.
Sorry I didn’t get her number.
That was nice sportsmanship. 17’
mass Aggie subs. A minute later, Val
caught a soft shot.
14’ off an Aggie corner, the Aggies got a good
concentrated attack. Blakley Edgar and Andrea Alvarenga found Kennedy
Herrera, who put it in with a header off her lovely long silver blonde
hair. 2-1 USC.
9’ Sydnee made a breakaway attack that was broken up. 7’ a USC attack wasn’t cleared and they got
another corner before it was finally kicked out. 4’ another round of Aggie subs. 3’ a long Aggie free kick was caught.
This takes us to the finale. 39 seconds left, Sydnee started a rush at the
USC goal. Freshman Milana Eyrich took a shot that was blocked. There was Meredith, though. She took out the trash and kicked it right in,
2-2.
The crowd exploded. The girls
exploded. The game ended in a happy
draw.
After the game, the Volleyball and Football teams rushed
out to congratulate the Soccer team. A
bunch of little kids ran over to them, too.
Finally, the team went around the field to shake hands with fans on the
field. This wasn’t a win, but I doubt
too many experts would have picked the Aggies to play the preseason #23 team in
the nation and not get straight up beat.
How can I pick anyone other than lovely Meredith Scott and her clutch
equalizing kick as the player of the game?
Also props to Coach Baarts
and his strategic substitution strategy.
Both goalies, Valerie Guha
and, yes, Laurence Gladu, got
peppered, but kept the score low and close.
This was a nice way to start that $150 investment in Aggie
Sports. It was a bit of a disaster when I
got back to work on Friday, but it was worth the time and money.
No comments:
Post a Comment