We started our 2009-10020 soccer season playing Bolsa Grande at home under the lights. From the whistle, Bolsa Grande players moved quickly to apply pressure. We were able to pass the ball quickly and on target, negating much of their pressure. Though Bolsa Grande had some very skilled players, we were able to control them on defense. The first half ended with no score. The starting keeper, Mason Weinstein, finished the half with two saves. Shortly into the second half a poorly played ball in the back led to a Bolsa Grande interception. A quick shot found its way into the net, as Brendan Killaly had difficulty finding traction in the muddy goal and slipped when he pushed off to dive. Midway through the half Bolsa again found the net after stealing the ball from the backfield. This left us down by two, a score that didn’t reflect the quality of play. With 10 minutes to go the Bolsa keeper played a weak ball to his right back, and Taylor Ross capitalized by sprinting to intercept the pass and then burning by the keeper to dribble the ball into the net. For the last 9 minutes of the game we primarily stayed on the offensive half of the field, relentlessly pressuring the Bolsa defense, but were unable to gain clear shots as time ran out. It was a thrilling game to kick of the season, well played and exciting to watch. Despite the 1-2 loss we were surprised and impressed with the level of play our athletes brought to the game. Their effort and execution bode well for the rest of the season.