NYCFHC Women v Big Apple HC Match Report – 9/23/2012

DoD Carson “ ” Christus

This week’s game was our second of the season, and while I could not make our opener, I was back in full force this Sunday, yellow card and all. Despite some lackluster refereeing, we definitely weren’t on our best game. We started to get sucked in to Big Apple’s big-ball style of hockey, which forced us to commit some costly turnovers. I thought we definitely could have had a little more action up on the forward line, and tried to make the connection and communication between our lines a bit smoother, which gives us something to focus on and work towards.

Somewhere near the end of the second half, I decided I had just about enough of Big Apple’s big-bummed number 12. After making a diving play to save the ball, which I am paying for today as I sit at my desk in pain, number 12 obstructed me for the third time. Unable to control my temper, I threw up my hands and asked the ref if she was “serious.” I soon found out she was, and proceeded to sit on the side line for the next 5 minutes pouting, putting our team down a man in a competitive game. DoD for SURE. I’ve learned my lesson (or have I…)

However, it was not all bad. We had some pretty stellar performances from some veterans as well as some newcomers. Andrea Derricks had a great game in goal, especially considering she arrived at Baker straight off of a flight back to the city. We also saw some great work in our backfield up through our midfield with Caitlin Mullins and Katie Evans, and finally executing on our corner play, which should be motivation for us to try to win some more corners. Dani Forword collected an unplanned “slip left” and rocketed it into the lower left corner of the goal to get us on the board. While it’s clear that the ref was just as rusty as some of us with his calls inside our defensive circle, what was also clear was that Big Apple finds any way to score on short corners. Despite Jess self-nominating for DoD for causing the corners, and subsequently losing to me in embarrassing fashion (I was the proud near-unanimous choice), it came down to simple miscommunication and misfortune and was not the product of just one player.

Looking forward to our next game in a few weeks. Promising myself to play some pick up hockey between now and then so my body doesn’t go into shock like it is right now.

-Carson

P.S. I’m anxiously awaiting my nickname. I don’t really feel cool signing this match report with my real name.