Sodium Defense Almost Scores

In yet another impressive outing the lady warriors put the hammer down on Clackamas Elite. The first half started out with Sodium engaged in a little cat-n-mouse with Clackamas. Back and forth, testing the water, a few shots on goal but nothing spectacular. Then, with about 3 minutes to go on the half Aliyah Chance dropped a ball to Lexi Frey and BANG, the lady warriors were on top 1-0 and remained there as the half ended.
Coach Tom has commented on how this year, with the talented squad he has, he has a lot of options. [And he isn't afraid to use them!] Sodium is looking for the right mix of personality and style that will compliment each other on the field. The second half started out with some positions shifts that proved to be fatal blow for Elite. With just a few minutes expired Lexi brought the ball deep into Elite territory, launched a crossing ball that was finished by a crashing Mac Kearney to give Sodium a 2-0 lead! At the half way point in the second half Clackamas was whistled giving Sodium a free kick from 25 yards. The girls set up ready to 'Crash the Box' when Lexi Frey stepped up with other ideas. Instead of chipping a soft ball over the defenders she was determined to go for goal! She lined up and rifled a shot over the leaping keeper and into the upper far corner for a goal!!! The Sodium faithful rose and cheered and the [now clad in green] Sodium team mobbed Lexi. As the half progressed Coach Tom brought the entire defense up front to see what they could do. Taylor Coon, Andrea Theriau and Lexi rounded out the forward positions. Try as they might with headers, crosses and blasts from 18 yards they fell just a little short. Mark my words here Sodium fans, this will NOT be the last time you will see this group up front, bet on that! Time expired giving Sodium the win and the coveted 10 points they needed.
If you look at the tournament website you will notice that their have been some pretty lopsided victories. You may be asking, "Why doesn't Sodium have any 6 or 7 point victories?" Well, if you have been following this team and the coaching style of the United organization for any length of time you will see that that is not the United style. We come into games, get the job done and leave. We don't have anything to prove. We have a victory to secure and then move on. Yes, there have been games that if we, like other clubs I've watched this weekend, left our players in their perspective positions, could have posted double digit victories. But instead we chose to mix players up to give them a chance to play positions they normally don't and give them a taste of what it's like elsewhere on the filed. This process develops a respect between positions and is fun for the girls. A team only gets max points up to a 3-0 shut out so why push the girls to score 6,7 or 8 goals? That turns into a lose/lose situation for everyone. Don't get me wrong, the lady warriors are fierce and have nothing on their minds but beating their opposition to a pulp, but if they can have some fun in doing so, that's what it's all about. Besides, if you beat a team that badly there is nothing to gain. Yes, you know your forwards are better. Yes, you know your defense is better. OK? So what? Nobody gets any better or develops as a player in a 7-0 victory. So, that is why we have posted 3-0 and 2-0 wins opposed to 6 or 7.

United Cup Points Breakdown
Hotspur - 30
Sodium - 29
Clackamas Elite - 9
Sherwood Force - 8
PCU Impact - 3

Next Up:
If you aren't fired up for this match then you can't call yourself a Sodium fan. The lady warriors have waited 57 days for this rematch and it will prove to be a good one. Sodium is bigger, faster, stronger and more aggressive than the team they fielded at State Cup and can't wait to introduce themselves to Hotspur this morning!

Strap yourselves in Sodium fans, it's going to be a wild ride today!

Sodium will play Hotspur at 11:00AM at Beaverton HS to determine #1 & #2 positions in the standings then play each other again at 3:00PM to determine the United Cup Champion. This Championship will be played on REC #2, the same site they met for State Cup, how awesome is THAT Sodium fans!! - Be there or be square!

Other Tournament News

Clash at the Border in Camas, WA
Standings [in order of current points]:
OR Rush 95 Nike (18)
WSA Courage (15)[Sodium beat them last week]
FC Crush (10)
Reign 95 Purple (10) [Remember this team from Crossfire?]
OSA Inferno (6)
FC Portland GU14 (1)

Couldn't sleep a wink last night because the only thing running through my head was; GO SODIUM!!