NorthWood - Central Noble 4-0 (3-0)

I guess we were missing the flight attendant so the pilot had to give us the evacuation instructions in case the plane would crash. This was followed up by an announcement about bags needing to be put under seats. After a late take off, we finally landed in Albion fifteen minutes after the game was supposed to have started. Fortunately no one got injured from luggage in overhead bins that might have shifted in flight.

"The Hill Stadium" had been partially watered which was an improvement over the last couple of years. If improvements are made at this rate, the entire pitch will be irrigated by 2012.

The Panthers took the field after an abbreviated warm up. The first dangerous shot came in the 4th and came from Seth. In the 9th minute the Cougar goalie made a great save to avert going down early against a better NorthWood team. On an assist from Ben St. Germain, it was Seth who went one on one on the goalkeeper in the 11th minute. Ducky put the ball away and NorthWood registered its first official goal of the 2008 season, 1-0. In the 21st minute, Cam saw a nice header off a corner go over the crossbar after it was touched by the Central Noble goalkeepers left hand.
Seth went into the box in the 29th and pushed the ball in the net to move the score up to 2-0. A pure soccer hat trick was still a possibility (three goals, in one half, uninterrupted by goals from the opposing team). But Trevor Moseman would screw that up for Ducky. In a 40th (!) minute Ryan Lincoln corner that went to the far post, it was Trevor who was able to get a body part (knee?) on it to bring the score up to 3.

The halftime adjustments were simple; possess the ball, play it wide and cross it in or near the box.

The play in the second half matched the field condition......ugly. Despite a nice opportunity for St. Germain, who hit the horizontal part of the woodwork, it was really only the German assist to Ducky for #7's third goal (hat trick completed)that could be added in the highlight column. Unless you want to add to that column the fact that Kronk did not grunt despite taking a soccer ball in the man berries near the end of the game. Final score 4-0, bottom line; a WIN. A better and harder working soccer team awaits the Panthers on Tuesday when we travel to Winona Lake to play Lakeland Christian.

Notes:
Also on Tuesday, former NorthWood player Arick Armington scores the lone goal in Elkhart Christian's first game of the season in a 2-1 loss.

A dry practice run with the new tent/canopy was succesful. The next step will be to actually set it up.

Hopefully we will get better at getting equipment off the bus. The cones traveled with us but stayed on the bus during the warmup.

Today's varsity practice is at the game field.