Fall Soccer Yearbook '16

"Great Expectations" - the theme of the Fall '16 Dolphins Soccer campaign.  The team was committed out of the gates this offseason with the entire roster participating in a week long camp at "The Pit".  There was much to learn as we shifted to 7 on 7 gameplay, a larger playing field, and true Goalie play.  These changes naturally brought down our scoring and increased the need for teamwork and practice time.  Week in and week out the team laid it all on the line and the result was a tremendous 7-2-1 campaign and a Silver Medallion finish in the Gold U10 Girls Division!  Jordan & Taylor continued to raise their game and had fantastic seasons.  He is how it all went down...

Week 1 vs. Goalbusters

The Dolphins started their division championship defense right where they left off against the Goalbusters.  Suddenly our most familiar opponent, this was our 4th match-up in our past 14 games - all Dolphins wins.  The new 7 on 7 format, along with our opponents undisciplined crowding style had us off balance at the start.  After several minutes the offense found success on breakaway plays, none more exciting then when Taylor notched an Assist with great pass to Jordan who was streaking to the goal & hit pay dirt.  The team would open up a 3 goal lead by the end of the 1st half and trade scores the rest of the way for a solid 5-2 win.

Week 2 vs. Los Gauchos
The Dolphins waited 200 days to get payback for their sole loss of the Spring campaign to the Gauchos.  The 1pm mid-September game time brought the pain with high 90s temps & periods of blazing sunlight.  The battle-tested Dolphins fared far better in the harsh conditions then their outmatched opponents.  In what would be a well played but quiet stat game for J&T, the entire team ended up delivering a steady diet of hustle & effort en route to a dominating 8-0 win.

Looking sharp in warm-ups prior to the big win vs Los Gauchos

Week 3 vs. The Storm

After posting impressive victories the first 2 weeks of the season the team tangled with an unfamiliar opponent Week 3.  The Dolphins would never trail and the game seemed all but over when we connected on a Penalty Kick late in the 2nd half.  The lead wouldn't hold when our defense had a meltdown and we settled for a disappointing 3-3 tie.

The coaches take one final look at the line-ups just before kickoff

Jordan finds some space just outside the Goalie Box

Taylor winds up for an outside shot

Dad gives some words of encouragement & Jordan makes a break for the ball

 Taylor playing on her toes

The entire team protects the goal after a Hand Ball in our Goalie Box

Week 4 vs. Diamonds

There is some history between these teams.  In Spring & Fall of '15 the Dolphins spoiled undefeated seasons for the Diamonds.  After a hiatus last Spring, the rivalry renewed this Fall.  The Diamonds coach advised they had circled this game long ago with an eye on some payback.  Jordan had a great history against this team scoring multiple times in our previous contests.  She would carry the torch by scoring once again - this time off an Assist from her sister. However the sole goal was all we could muster and we fell short 1-2 in a defensive struggle.

All eyes on the ball

Jordan shows some fancy footwork...

...while both girls kept in the action

Week 5 vs. Fighting Eagles

After consecutive non wins the Dolphins looked to get off the snide with some great trends in our favor.  We had won all 4 of our previous games against the Eagles and outscored them 19-0 in our past 2 games.  Coincidentally it was picture day and we have won all previous picture day games under the current coaching staff (3-0) including 2 wins versus the Eagles.  With all that going our way, we still had to play the game and after taking an early lead, the Dolphins controlled an overall defensive match-up 2-0.

Jordan & Taylor both work the ball down the field

Jordan has made a conscious effort to work on her defensive game and showed great improvement as the season has progressed

The Dolphins netted their 2nd goal of the game early in the 2nd half  

Week 6 vs Pink Panthers

Once a proud franchise, the Pink Panthers had fallen on hard times this season.  Despite their winless start we knew they would bring their "A" game to this contest.  The Dolphins Specialty game was on as Jordan connected with teammate Addison on a Corner Kick goal for our 1st score of the game.  After being tied at halftime, the Dolphins would open up a 2 goal lead late in the game when our swarming defense caused the Panthers to score on their own goal - we would take the game 4-2. 

Taylor in a crowd - she was around the ball the entire game

Jordan is a great "skill player" and delivered this Corner Kick right in front of our opponents goal - 

- which led to the 1st score in the game

Week 7 vs Sugarplum Shooters

The Dolphins made short work of the Shooters behind a monster game from Taylor.  In what can only be described as Deflate Gate 2, the game would swing in the Dolphins favor when Coach Emil successfully challenged the air pressure on the home teams ball and inserted our Lucky Neon Ball into the game.  Shortly after Addison & Taylor would break our opponents backs and rattle off 3 consecutive 1st half goals - Taylor's 1st coming off an Assist from her sister.   Below the girls pose in the West Goal where they found so much success in the 4-1 win.

Week 8 vs. Wildflowers

Up to this point this was touted as the game of the season.  It was the quintessential 1 vs. 2 game as the top 2 teams in the division faced off.  The Dolphins had a great week of preparation even adding a 3rd session for good measure.  The entire Dolphins franchise came into the game ready to "slay the dragon" against their unbeaten foes.  The big win for the Dolphins was not to be as our opponents outplayed us from guardrail to guardrail and delivered a steady barrage of hustle & shots on our goal.  We would concede the game 0-4 in what would be our worst loss in 3 seasons.  We are thankful to have no photos from the game.  

Week 9 vs. Party Rockers

After licking our wounds all week from the previous game setback, the Dolphins were playing yet another critical game against a team we tied last Spring and was just behind us in the standings.  Despite a strong week of practice we found ourselves down a goal early in the game. The deficit would last until halftime where the Coaches advised their young players to "not let the Wildflowers beat them 2 weeks in a row" and shifted some players in the line-up.  The speech and moves would payoff as the Dolphins quickly tied the game.  After getting a shot of motivation from the sidelines, Jordan would win the next throw-in, take the ball down the field and stick it in the goal giving us a lead the team would never surrender.  We added a 3rd goal for good measure completing the comeback with a 3-1 victory.

Inside-Outside cuts during pre-game

 Dad looms over Taylor's shoulder as she lines up for kickoff

Week 10 vs. Goalbusters

Nothing worth having comes easy and this game would epitomize that.  We would be down 4 players & a Coach - for the first time Dad was pondering if we would field a team, in a game we had to have to clinch 2nd place.  We eventually made quorum with the 7 needed players despite a member of the team being in a fender bender on the way to the game.  We had some trends in our favor and have owned the Goalbusters over the past 3 seasons, having won 4 consecutive games by a combined margin of 33-16.  Dad "circled the wagons" in his pre game speech and promised all the kids significant playing time and touted the need to get off to a fast start.  We would do just that when Taylor would deliver the best looking goal of the season - an absolute airborne blast on a brilliant pivot & shoot play.  Shortly after Jordan would take advantage of back-to-back Hand Balls in the Goalie Box and score on 2 tremendous Penalty Kicks and we coasted to a 3-0 halftime lead.  To their credit our opponents came out in the 2nd half on fire and scored 2 quick goals to leave us with  the slimest of leads the majority of the 2nd half.  We would add 2 scores late, including a 3rd for Jordan, completing a "hat-trick" and the Dolphins won 5-3, with 4 of those scores coming off Kalmar's kids feet.  

Jordan prepares for 1 of 2 Penalty Kicks - her Specialty game stood out all season

The Twins played the entire game & a family picture in the South Goal where they netted 3 of their 4 scores

Fall 2016 Dolphins (left to right back row: Coach Emil, Addison, Emme, Grace, Baylie, Coach Brian front row: Olivia, Jordan K, Taylor, Ava, Sara not pictured: Jordan G, Savannah & Sophia)

The Dolphins will be back Spring '17!