Metro NY Sectionals Recap (team listserve edition)

METRO NY SECTIONALS 2006 RECAP
Poughkeepsie, NY April 15-16

5-0, 1st place out of 8 teams
http://www3.upa.org/scores/tourn.cgi?div=122&id=2373

SATURDAY
POOL PLAY

NYU 15, Fordham 10

After an hour-plus of warm up, we started the game as jittery as we were enthusiastic. Not only was Fordham fresher and more poised than they were when we rolled them on spring break, but they smartly adjusted their offense to more efficiently attack our straight-up marks. They even employed a straight-up D of their own. Fordham capitalized on some costly turnovers in our own end to take an early 3-1 lead, but we bounced back to take half 8-6. Fordham cut it to a one-point game midway through the second-half before we made another run to put them away, finally. Little did we know that this would be our closest game of the tournament. In fact, no team would score even half as many points on us as Fordham did. Amanda caught 4 goals and was a huge deep presence all day, pulling down hucks and helping to shut down our opponents' deep looks. Mia had 12 assists and 8 D's. Sarah scored 3 goals.

NYU 15, Drew 1

The score pretty much says it all. Mia had 5 assists, 7 D's and 3 goals including a Callahan. Linh and Lisa each threw 4 assists. Frantzen and Ellen each caught 3 goals. Amanda, Krisztina, Veronica, and Emily W. all scored as well.

NYU 15, Vassar 4

Vassar downed Fordham in the previous round setting us up for a showdown with the hosts with first-place on the line. We anticipated a close game against an athletic Vassar squad, but after giving up an upwinder that allowed Vassar to cut it to 3-2, we responded with a 5-1 run to take half 8-3. The run continued in the second half, including Sarah's fantastic layout catch for one of her 5 goals in the game. Mia threw 8 assists and tallied 9 D's. Amanda caught 4 more goals, while Krisztina and Ellen each caught 2. With the win, we earned a bye to the semis.

SUNDAY

SEMIFINALS
NYU 15, Rutgers 4

We knew if we could contain Rutgers' handlers, particularly Amanda Davis, we could win. Rugters sought to complete quick passes to their "ace" position handler in open space who would look to put it long. Sarah started covering Amanda Davis and Mia covered their "ace" handler, then we switched roles for more effective match ups. Mia got some handblocks on Amanda Davis, while Sarah shut down the ace's cuts, just like that 2v2 defense drill we've done in practice (the one where the losing team does sprints). Against Rutgers' zone D, we ran our best zone offense of the season. Our trio of "veteran" handlers, Mia, Linh and Krisztina did a great job of patiently picking their spots to throw through the cup. Amanda (Goodin) was once again a monster deep with 3 goals. Mia had 9 assists and 11 D's. Linh had 3 assists and 2 goals. Sarah caught 3 goals, and Krisztina and Ellen each caught 2. Krisztina also made several acrobatic layout grabs throughout the day.

FINALS
NYU 15, Vassar 4

Vassar had a few more subs than they did in pool play, but we beat them even more soundly than we did the day before. Again, our zone offense was solid. With an 8-1 halftime lead, we could smell the Sectional title. Mia topped her own team assists record with 12. She also had 8 D's. Ellen scored 3 goals, while Krisztina, Sarah, Frantzen, and Lisa each scored 2 apiece.

OVERALL

How amazing did that feel? Albeit a little anticlimactic on Sunday. After all the drama of beating Cornell at Atlantis, and eeking out those double-game-point wins on spring break, you made Sectionals SEEM like a walk in the park. But no one should take it for granted, or think for a moment that it was easy. We all know how much work this took. You were able to not just win but DOMINATE the Section because you've all been practicing hard since January, in the rain, in the wind, at Coles, in the dark at McCarren, dodging the baseballs at ERP. You consistently won your one-on-one matchups because you trained harder than your opponents. With all the preparation you did, you left little to chance. That's what it's all about. You set a goal and you achieved it. You should be tremendously proud!!!

Over the next two weeks, we need to work on our endzone plays, how to attack certain types of offenses and defenses we're likely to see at Regionals, tweak our zone, and of course, continue to work on throwing and catching as often as possible. As you've already demonstrated, you can improve a lot in two weeks. Right now we're a team on the rise. Let's keep rising on the way to Regionals and shock some teams at Rochester!

But enjoy this for now! You're a part of something special. The 2006 Violet Femmes are the FIRST NYU team to win Sectionals and in two short weeks you could be the highest placing NYU team ever at Regionals.