(1A) # 6 Bethany Christian - (2A) # 19 NorthWood 1-1 (0-0)

Weather delays the start of the JV game and therefore the Varsity game as well. Both teams entertain themselves in the Bethany gym until game time.

FIRST HALF- Once we get the announcements out of the way (Jager is now Beaut - "It's a beaut Clark, it's a beaut") we get to play under three of the four lights. We have as many refs as lights tonight! The game starts slow when both teams are trying to feel their way on a soggy pitch with thick and tall grass. Not very conducive to conducting soccer business. The team's benches are situated on the track in front of the bleachers which makes little sense as well. As we settle in, it is the man who can play all positions, Maddox, who does a nice job of turning away from his opponent. He takes a shot which curls to the left and hits the left post. A lot of back and forth play ensues the rest of the half with NW displaying a very organized defense. Our main problem offensively is that we do not play to the strength of our attackers. Jager needs played to feet so he can control the ball and instigate give and go's, Sol needs balls played in front of him to feet so he can start making runs away from defenders to shoot but we play too many balls over the top. Since none are diagonally, they typically end up going straight to the Bethany keeper. A nice combination in the 26th has Jack serving Carlos who passes to Sol. Sol's shot requires a save by the BC GK. HALF TIME 0-0. SECOND HALF- After making some adjustments in how to make better passes and crosses to our offensive minded players we look pretty solid early on. Although things get a little dicy in the 50th when after sloppy play, we lose the ball that results in Bethany's #14 taking a shot which fortunately misses to the goal's left. Fourteen minutes later a Jager throw to Maddox's head, ends up in front of Sol who slides the ball into the goal (sidenet!) out of the keeper's reach for the 0-1 NW lead. After the goal, Bethany increases their presure on our defense.In the 65th a Bethany shot off a right cross requires Trace to make a diving save. Trace is on top of his game all night. His stops are solid, his distribution is very good. Eleven minutes before the final whistle Wes commits a foul just outside our box. Despite a five man wall, Bethany connects on the free kick for a 1-1 score. With two minutes left on the clock we depend on Bryce to defend a Bethany counter. Gifton fouls an opponent in front of the Bethany bench with 9 ticks left on the clock. As the Bruin goes down he moves his feet at Gif and makes contact with his face. An understandable upset Gifton ends up with a yellow, the Bethany player gets nothing....no yellow, no red. Retaliation normally carries an automatic yellow but not tonight. The final free kick of the night gets headed out of the box as time runs out. The result is probably a fair one but we feel as if we deserved more. In the first two games of the season, two dead moments in or near the box result in opponent's goals, something we need to work on. Overall, we played an organized game, saw good combinations in all thirds of the field and in general, every player who saw the field, played well. NOTES - The Varsity is 0-1-1, JV is 1-1-1 after a 0-0 tie vs Bethany. The Varsity will be playing two games Saturday in the 2023 NorthWood Invitational. Game 1 - 10 am NorthWood - Bremen, Game 2 Noon Manchester-Western, Game 3 3pm Losers G1/2, Game 4 5pm Winners G1/2. Today's practice at Wellfield on the turf from 3:30pm-5 pm. ADDITIONAL NOTE: After watching the game tape, the Gifton "foul" was a flop and the kick in his face should have been a definite red!