"Bubbles" helps team to first ever playoff win

Little known fact - we had never won a playoff game before today. We had actually only made it to the playoffs two prior times in the Montgomery County league. Last season, we lost out on the playoffs in CCSL when they cut it back to only 4 teams per division. In our Montgomery county league playoffs, we had to make a much higher cut (finish first or second in the division), and then we were seeded against teams in higher divisions. It made winning difficult.

Today, we cruised to an easy 6-0 win versus Red Tape at Trinity. We advance out of the quarterfinals to play the 2nd seed, Tsunami, tomorrow. It was not an entirely expected result. We went into the game with only 10 players, missing both of our two awesome goalies. Thanks to alternates Ally and Jules who showed up for us and contributed in a major way.

Jer opened up the scoring in about the 5' with a nice back and forth with Jon. The first goal was the most important because it effectively took Red Tape out of the game. Ally followed up in about the 10' with a sweet finish on Jon's creative work to the endline and then his cross. Griz put in goal number three from an unknown assistor, and Adrian created some confusion for the GK when he poked one through his legs and into the goal. That was the first half.

In the second half, we flipped our roster as we had done in the last regular season game. Most offensive players played back, and the defenders get to play up top. We had some great runs and passing, but we had lost a little drive since there were very few 50/50 ball challenges or aggressive defensive plays. Later in the half, sensing some stagnation, we went back to a more standard formation and created two more goals. Jon smartly dribbled to the left side of the goal and placed a good shot to the far post. Jer got a second goal on Adrian's clever low corner kick, on which Jon executed a fake, leaving the ball open for Jer to first-time.

We paid a price for the big win though. We lost Griz for the remainder of the season when he made a sprinting 1-on-1 save to preserve the shut out. Two broken ribs! He gets the medal of valor!

Notes: Playoffs, 6-0 win versus Red Tape at Trinity on June 23, 2007. Goals by Jer (Jon), Ally (Jon), Adrian (unassisted), Griz (NK), Jon (NK), Jer (Adrian, with an awesome fake by Jon). GKs: Chip, Pete, Adrian, Griz, Pete.