Prep Impressions: Dec. 20, 2010
I covered the San Jacinto-Temecula Great Oak girls varsity soccer match for The Press-Enterprise on Monday, Dec. 20, 2010, and came away thinking I had just watched a mismatch of both speed and quality.
Great Oak held more than 70 percent of the possession which allowed for far more opportunities (12-2 shot differential). The Wolfpack (3-0-2) played more balls forward with more success, and their forwards were able to outrun defenders and create offense.
Freshman forward Steph Malherbe chased the game from the onset, scoring on her first touch to give Great Oak the early lead. For being such a young player, Malherbe is strong on the ball and produced to goals on well-placed balls; her second-half goal was a delight. She’s defintely a player to watch.
Junior midfielder Demi Tsambasis demands the ball and doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. She scored on a header in the first half, and narrowly missed on two shot attempts at the start of the second half. Possessions often began with her tireless defensive effort, and she contributed to the run-ups to both of Malherbe’s goals.
San Jacinto created just three opportunities and had just two shots on goal. Their number of possessions in the offensive end — FOR THE ENTIRE GAME — can be counted on two hands (nine).
Only one player, junior striker Jenavee Arreola, showed much skill with the ball, which is strange because the Tigers (9-2-0) have done well thus far, even winning a tournament last week. But they struggled against a deeper Great Oak side, outplayed from first whistle to last.
It was one heck of a one-sided match on one heck of a wet day. Rain flew is sideways and the EZ-Up blew away. Notes became something less than readable and clothing became damp rags.
It was everything FOMB imagines an English Premier League match to be. Well, without the druken hooligans.
QUOTES FORTHCOMING FROM:
Temecula Great Oak coach Alicia Brennan
San Jacinto coach Walter Guzman
INLAND FIELDHOUSE 