SHS vs. Cy Fair 1/23/24

The Stratford Girls JV Team started off District play against the Cy Fair Bobcats on Tuesday, January 23rd when they traveled to Pridgeon Stadium. The entire game consisted of some form of rain whether it be mist from the humidity or it raining cats and dogs. Either way, the girls didn't back away from the challenge. They came out strong and ready to take down the Bobcats. It took them 10 minutes or so to get used to the quickness of the field due to the rain but once they figured it out, they started attacking and never looked back.

Fifteen minutes in, SHS got a free kick that was taken by Claire Lamon from our defensive half. She sent the ball forward to Elizabeth Byrd, who settled it before sending a nice through ball to Nicole Abbey, who ran through the defense before striking the ball with her left foot for a goal. SHS 1 - CFHS 0. For the next 10 minutes the girls moved the ball from side to side and up and down the field with several crosses and shots, but things just seemed to keep barely missing. Finally they broke through. Byrd intercepted a CFHS goal kick and laid a nice ball back to Maddie Verrett, who did a give-and-go back to Byrd. She took a shot, but it sailed just to the left, resulting in a goal kick for CFHS. On the goal kick, Byrd once again stole the ball and laid it to Abbey, who had a good shot for a goal. SHS 2 - CFHS 0.

Another 10 minutes went by without us finding the back of the net. We had numerous opportunities on goal thanks to the continuous runs down the left sideline from Trysta Truong. She had too many beautiful crosses to count, but we just couldn't get a foot on them. With about 5 minutes left, one of Truong's crosses went out for a corner kick. A beautiful corner taken by Byrd sailed over the goalie's head finding the outside of Morgan Long's foot to go in for another goal right before half. SHS 3 - CFHS 0.

The SHS JV girls looked to start the 2nd half right where they left off. Five minutes in, Lamon took a great free kick that Kaija Sola used her head to flick onto Byrd, who sent a nice through ball to Abbey, who laid it to Truong. She took a great shot, but the goalie made a great save. Then Julia Wolf won the ball off of a CFHS free kick that she put at Isabella Saavedra's feet before CFHS kicked it out of bounds. A quick throw-in to Abbey saw her screaming down the sideline before she crossed it to Byrd, whose finish attempt was once again saved by the goalie. We won the ball back and once again crossed the ball to Byrd, who rocketed at the goal, and it looked like it would find the net, but the goalie made another great save. CFHS decided it was time for their own attack. A beautifully deep punt from the CFHS goalie bounced through the defense and found them going for a breakaway. Lily Terveen tracked her down and slide-tackled the ball to clear it out.

With about 13 minutes left in the game, SHS's dry spell was broken. The CFHS goalie took a free kick that didn’t clear our forwards. Verrett was able to win it and then slip it past the goalie near post for a goal. SHS 4 - CFHS 0. A few minutes later, the girls continued to move the ball really well, seeing almost everyone touch it before Truong had another beautiful cross that hit off of their defender in the box. Verrett battled with her, won the ball, and had a great quick turn before she pounded it into the goal to make it 5-0. As the final minute ticked down, SHS tried for one final attempt. Terveen did a nice job of running through the ball to win it. She dribbled out wide before she cut it back and found Madison Gallerano, who did a nice move of her own to switch the field and find Ella Bui. She took a great touch and laid it off to Verrett. The ball got laid backwards to a sprinting Lamon, who took a great shot from 40 yards that sailed just over the crossbar at the buzzer. Final Score SHS 5 - CFHS 0.

SHS vs. Cy Creek 1/26/24

The JV Girls Soccer Team played their first home District game against Cy Creek on Friday, January 26th. After a delay of game due to weather, the girls got on the field and played 25 minute halves. Despite the rainy weather, the girls wasted no time and attacked the ball as soon as the whistle was blown.

About 7 minutes in, the ball was played through to Trysta Truong, who took it down the side of the field before crossing the ball to Elizabeth Byrd. She took a great shot, but the goalie was able to get a hand on it to knock it down. Thankfully, Nicole Abbey had followed the shot and was there to knock it in to score. SHS 1 - CCHS 0. CCHS stepped up to kick off and the girls pounced on it. Lily Terveen won the ball in the back and played it out to Morgan Long, who played a great ball down the line to Truong. She found Ella Bui in the middle who turned and switched the field,  playing a great through ball on the other side to Byrd. She dribbled to the end line and made a great cross to the top of the box that found Abbey for another great finish. SHS 2 - CCHS 0. Once again CCHS stepped up to kick off and the girls jumped on it. We won the ball and had more great ball movement, which found the ball at the top of the box. Abbey had another great shot that deflected off of the goalie and it slipped past her for a goal, which gave Abbey her first HAT TRICK of the season!!!! SHS 3 - CCHS 0. After 10 minutes of back-and-forth, our goalie, Sarah Fadhli, came up and cleared an attempt from CCHS on a through ball. A beautifully struck ball landed at Kaija Sola's feet. She turned and played a great ball to Abbey, who beat a few defenders before traveling all the way down for a one-on-one. The CCHS goalie made a great save,  but Abbey got her own rebound and then finished the ball. SHS 4 - CCHS 0.

The second half was a little bit of a slower start in regard to goals,  but the ball movement was great. As we got closer and closer to scoring, we put forth a great sequence of attack. Defenders Amrylin Duhon, Katherine Fowler, Claire Lamon, and Terveen all passed among themselves before Terveen sent a ball up to Camille Warren. She sent a nice through ball to Truong, whose shot was picked up by the goalie. Finally, at 11 minutes in we broke through. Fowler won the ball in the back and fed it to Bui in the middle. She had a nice turn and played a perfect through ball to Warren, who was able to beat the defenders and slip it past the goalie for our first goal of the half. SHS 5 - CCHS 0.

With 5 minutes left in the game, Long did a great job of winning the ball in the back. She played a nice ball out wide to Truong, who took it to the end-line and had a beautiful cross that sailed just over the goalie’s outstretched fingertips,  where Sola was waiting in the box and headed it in. SHS 6 - CCHS 0. As the final minutes clicked down, the girls once again had great ball movement. Julia Wolf sent a through ball to Sola, who tracked it all the way down to the end line and crossed it to the top of the box. Warren was there, but just couldn’t quite get a shot off. We were able to drop the ball back to Lamon, who was running up from the back. She took a great touch and a beautiful shot. It looked to clear the keeper, but it went just wide. We continued to attack until the very end. Their hard work paid off with a final goal coming with seconds to spare. We were able to find Byrd's feet and she was able to beat a defender, giving her enough time to get a great shot off for the final goal of the game. SHS 7 - CCHS 0.

Stratford Girls Soccer District games continue this coming week. They play Wednesday, January 31st vs. Northbrook at Northbrook HS at 5:30 pm and then again on Saturday, February 3rd vs. Spring Woods HS at home at 5:30 pm. Come cheer on the Lady Spartans!