10/10/08 - AHS V Girls Soccer vs Long Reach High School...It was a very warm afternoon the day before homecoming for Atholton High School. Either one of those factors could have impacted the tone of this game, but combining them resulted in a game that lacked the high energy and excitement of prior games this season. Maybe players were distracted thinking of the homecoming parade, powder puff football game and dance. Maybe it was just too unusually hot and humid on the field to get into gear. But there were some sporadic instances of excitement like when Amy made a brilliant save from a shot by the opponent a few yards from the top of the six. Or when there was a serious threat on our goal after just five minutes of play due to a defensive lapse on our part. But that was not enough to stop the AHS Varsity Girls Soccer team from beating Long Reach. The final score was AHS = 2, Long Reach = 0. The offense/attacking midfielders with Bridgette Snyder, Rachel Aronchick, Amadi Phillips, DiAndra Rocke, Divya Chandra, Talisa Henry, Joni Pohutsky and Julia Nicholson created some tense moments for the Long Reach defense. On a corner by Julia Nicholson into the goal area, Rachel Aronchick made a beautiful header on target and the goal keeper covered the ball, but fumbled and DiAndra Rocke finished by sliding the ball into the back of the net. The second goal came from a rocket shot by Rachel Johnson from the top of the eighteen after the opponent�s defense failed to clear the ball out of the danger area. Very good heads-up play by Rachel. Another promising scoring opportunity came when Julia Nicholson took a free kick. Rachel Aronchick received, controlled and shot on goal. But the shot was wide of the left upright. After a long period of back and forth midfield play, we were now in control of the game. The defense/defensive midfielders with Jess Kobren, Emily Bode, Kelly Renehan, Allie Mitzner, Katie Mann and Adriana Vitagliano had effective control of our danger zone. In one of the best defensive plays of the game seconds before the end of the first half, Adriana disrupted an attack by intercepting the opponent, closing in on her at the perfect angle, throwing her off her stride and forcing a wide shot. The AHS team kicked 10 corners, 5 free kicks, took 14 shots on goal with 5 serious threats and Amy made 8 saves. Injured List: Lizzy Parr with a sprained ankle. Kelly Mondor with a bruised calf muscle. Ayanna Carter with a strained muscle. GET WELL SOON!!