Internationals SC Teams Impress in ECNL Play
By Vince McKee/ISNSoccer.co
Pinnacle Sports in Medina, Ohio was the place to be this weekend as some of the best teams in the ECNL took to the pitch in some fast and furious U13 and U14 action. A fast-paced Saturday saw the Internationals SC U14 squad dismantle the visiting Pittsburgh Riverhounds 6-1 while the Internationals SC U13 team fell to Pittsburgh 2-1.
In Saturday’s U14 win, it was a total team effort leading to the victory. A well-balanced attack by Internationals SC saw goals by Kennedy Alberty, Riley Kerber, Mia Bhuta, Emma Stransky, and Clare Nicholas (2).
The lone Internationals SC goal in the U13 game was scored by Elanor Klinger off an assist from Grace Hastings.
After earning the split on Saturday against Pittsburgh, the Internationals SC would duplicate those efforts on Sunday against the WNY Flash squad, although this time it was in reverse order as the U13s won 2-1 while the U14s fell 2-0.
The U13 team got things started off Sunday on a positive note with a 2-1 victory. The first half saw several key stops by Josephine Owen Kren at midfield and also deep in the Internationals SC zone. With Zdravko Popovic preaching both speed and transition defense, the girls listened perfectly to their coach on their way to shutting out the WNY in the first half.
Internationals SC had a few chances to score but none better than the blasted shot for a goal by Olivia Sipsock in the 34th minute of the first half. Both teams had shut their opponents down until Sipsock put one past the Flash goalkeeper to give Internationals SC the 1-0 lead at the half.
Internationals SC had plenty of chances to extend the lead in the first 15 minutes of the second half, including a penalty kick by Kellyn Fausel but couldn’t seem to do it. The game would remain 1-0 until the 19th minute when Jordanne Oberhaus hit a beautiful spin move to score the second goal of the contest. It was a picture-perfect move by Oberhaus to elude the defender and extend the lead.
The WNY Flash managed to slip one past Victoria Safradin in the 28th minute of the second half, but couldn’t make it any closer than that as the Internationals SC hung on for the 2-1 victory. The Internationals SC would finish with 10 total shots and two corner kicks while the WNY Flash totaled up 12 shots and two corner kicks.
Popovic had this to say about the intensity level of his team:
“We played with a large amount of intensity the entire game. We also increased the pressure for a good stretch in the second half. After we balanced out, we were the better of the two teams and created more opportunities. I think the score could have been more than 2-1, but it’s not easy to win a tight game.”
The U14 team took the pitch next looking for a clean sweep over the visiting WNY Flash. The game was extremely physical early on and ISC were forced to deal with multiple injuries.
As the first half wrapped up scoreless, it wasn’t without multiple close shots by both teams. Perhaps the two best shots on goal came off the foot of Riley Kerber, who was denied both times on incredible leaping saves from Flash keeper Carly Howard.
The WNY Flash would draw first blood inside of the first five minutes of the second half when Payton Payne found the back of the net.
Popovic explained just how important the first five minutes of each half are, and how costly that goal was.
“The first five minutes of any half are very important. It seems like people are not quite ready or they get frustrated and it could cause quick goal scoring. We actually relaxed after we gave up the goal. It is constantly a focus of importance at this young age for them to learn how to stay focused for a full 80 minutes.”
Internationals SC did everything possible to secure the equalizer, but just couldn’t find the opening they needed. They had multiple opportunities as they compiled 4 second half corner kicks, but couldn’t convert any of them into goals.
Popovic goes on to explain why those corner kicks simply didn’t work out.
“The pace and the ball placement. I don’t know if they got tired but a couple of them were just not focused enough. The corner kick needs to be driven ball in and it wasn’t, they were lofted. On top of that, the angle and distance were also bad. Human errors and lack of focus all around.”
One of those scoring chances was snuffed out on a breakaway from Kennedy Alberty. The WNY Flash would put it away for good by scoring one time in the 25th minute. The goal was scored by Amelia Adiutori.
The Internationals SC would finish with nine total shots and six corner kicks while the WNY Flash totaled up 11 shots and three corner kicks.
The U13 and U14 Internationals SC ECNL squads will be back at it at home on October 14th and 21st.
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