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SEPTEMBER 21 - 22

United Quest Girls Gain Experience in Fall for Greenville Tournament

The 2002 edition of St. Giles' Fall for Greenville soccer tournament had most of the players and parents of the United Quest 88 White team wondering if they had returned to the rainy fields of Greensboro's Nike Labor Day Shootout, as once again the sky opened up and poured rain on an away tournament. However, unlike the shortened matches the girls had played in North Carolina, the South Carolina rains would allow full matches to be played at the MESA soccer complex in Greenville.

Mount Pleasant Soccer Club Sting (9/21)

First up for Quest was the Mount Pleasant SC Sting, a talented team that played well-organized but unremarkable soccer. United played very solid soccer for the first twenty minutes of the match, particularly defensively as MPSC could not find a weak seam in the United back four. Caroline Poirier, Alena Reich, Estela Negron-Flores, and Jasmine Noel have settled into a comfort zone with each other that rarely concedes much to opposing attackers, and their play in this first match was no exception. Offensively, where United is still piecing together its own attacking personality, Quest forwards continue to work hard with little reward so far this season. Service out of midfield was lacking on several promising thrusts toward the MPSC goal, as the final pass seemed to elude United's aggressive midfielders who were dispossessed on several occasions Still, United seemed to have the run of play to their favor until the final third of the first half. After substitutions came on, and while the new players on the field were still settling into their coverage responsibilities, MPSC staged a quick counter up their left flank. With some measure of defensive confusion working in her favor, the Sting forward on the ball darted into an unoccupied space and forced United's keeper to come off her line to challenge. A Quest defender also converged on the attacking player, and the resulting challenge forced a rushed shot that skipped up and over the keeper and defender. With the ball spinning wildly toward United's goal, two Quest defenders and two Sting attackers quickly filled the goal mouth. Although one of the defenders was able to stop the ball's forward momentum, the second could not find an angle to clear the ball before one of the MPSC players awkwardly stumbled into the ball and poked it over the goal line. As has been the case for most of United's conceded goals this season, this tally barely even ruffled the net. Yet another soft goal sent the girls into the half down 1-0, and although Quest's field dominance continued in the second half the final would remain 1-0. United had played fine soccer, and had looked, but for a few moments, the better squad. In the end, two soaked teams and their parents left the field knowing that a draw would have been a more fitting outcome for what transpired on the field. It was just one game, though, and United was still in the hunt for hardware.

St. Giles United X-treme (9/21)

Game two for United was a match-up with the tournament's home soccer club in the form of the SGU X-treme. In this match United once again had the run of play in their favor for much of the match. The Quest midfield did a nice job of controlling play and shutting down the X-treme before they could mount any threatening attacks. Carolyn Craddock, Ali Friedman, Andrea Sikora, and Alex Russ-Stefancic made several excellent sequences look easy as they advanced the ball through the X-treme midfielders, and defensively they pushed Quest's restraining line deep into the SGU half of the field. On those rare occasions when the ball did get through, the X-treme attacker then had the stingy United back four with which to contend, and beyond them goalkeeper Michelle Krengel patrolled the area with confidence. She scooped up several speculative shots on goal with ease and started United counterattacks with fine punts. Once again, the missing piece for Quest was unleashing what everyone anticipates will be a potent, offensive, attacking force. The forwards worked hard, the service out of midfield was more precise, and the opportunities came, but still the goals did not. The entire team worked hard to find the answer, and the attack grew in confidence, yet it would be the other team that put in another wacky goal against Quest. The X-treme goal came when a very decent corner kick came whipping through the United penalty area, passing through every set of feet, both offensive and defensive, until a startled SGU player raised her knee more in defensive reaction than in a deliberate attempt to strike the ball, and poked it back against the direction from which it had traveled. A "wrong-footed" United keeper and her defensive mates could only watch the ball carom past their heads and settle into the net. It was 1-0 to the X-treme, and it stayed that way until the final whistle. Quest had dropped the more important second game in a frustrating fashion similar to their first match. The girls played very good soccer, but the just end result did not follow their efforts.

NECSA Patriots (9/22)

Due to some cross-bracket scheduling quirks that left each team in United's group similarly positioned with points, the Quest girls found themselves in not only a position to play spoiler in their last tournament match, but also in a position to squeak into a final if they played well and got some help from another team. United's unlikely path to the final got off to a shaky start when a shot on their goal was knocked down by keeper Michelle Krengel. In the ensuing scramble to the ball an attacking Patriot player not only managed to kick the ball into the United goal, but she also managed to kick the Quest keeper's head back and into the turf. Anxious moments passed while the referee and Quest coach Kyle Cornell looked over the prone player. She eventually left the field under her own power, but would not return to the game due to swelling at the base of her skull and neck area. A wounded animal is frequently too much to handle in ordinary settings, and United reacted to the loss of their keeper like previously caged lionesses and came out roaring. The forwards, Erin Holt, Amanda Masters, Sierra Green, and Jordan Weaver, who had struggled to find some rhythm suddenly were more active and determined. Midfielders who had at times held the ball too long suddenly began to find the little pass that could spring their teammates. Meagan Dilbeck and Ali Schultz showed their skill and determination, and made key tackles and subsequent passes to kick-start the quest offense. After a Patriot foul put the ball on the turf for a free kick just outside the NECSA penalty area, the sideline spectators sensed that the tide, previously rising steadily against United's best efforts, just might be about to turn. As a confident-looking Carolyn Craddock approached the ball, Quest players began to move in anticipation of a possible rebound or deflection. Their efforts would not be needed as Miss Craddock's direct kick off of a slight deceptive touch from a teammate sailed though the wall and into the Patriot net with pace. Quest was even at 1-1, and their energy level was just beginning to rev up. Several minutes later, and just before the half would end, a lovely corner kick by Ali Schultz was splendidly redirected into the net on a header by Carolyn Craddock. United was up 2-1, and their hopes for something more than a spoiler role were still alive. Their excitement quickly turned to concern for one of their teammates when an ambulance had to be summoned for their fallen keeper. As a precautionary measure Michelle Krengel was taken from the field and to the hospital for x-rays and further treatment for her neck injury. The girls of United Quest could have been forgiven for emotionally throwing in the towel at that point, but by all sideline accounts played very attractive and aggressive soccer in tribute to their injured teammate the entire second half. The Patriots also played a determined half and the game ended with United winning by the half-time margin of 2-1. The girls had learned how to win a game under difficult circumstances. The 88 Whites are an easy-going, friendly bunch, but on the soccer field they are now the most dangerous type of opponent. They are now hungry for success, and they have all of the pieces falling into place.

SEPTEMBER 14

United Quest Draw Tophat 3-3, As Tophatters Pull Late Goal Out Of Thin Air

United's official Athena B league season kicked off with a typical United Quest 88 White match that was predictably unpredictable. After a preseason tournament run saw United perform well, but fail to generate much in the way of offensive firepower, the Quest girls displayed a fine possession game against Tophat that included three well-deserved goals. Unfortunately, those three goals would not prove to be enough to seal a victory as the Tophatters managed a goal very late in the match that allowed them to share a draw.

United's league scoring got off to a good start when Alex Russ-Stefancic sent in a nice cross that forward Erin Holt deftly settled and slotted past the opposing keeper for a 1-0 Quest lead. It was fairly short-lived, however, as Tophat broke down the right side against a thin-looking left side Quest defense that had shifted toward the middle. The quick Tophat counter was capped by a nice finish that tied the match at 1-1. United, seemingly undaunted by the Tophat surge, continued to pressure for the rest of the first half, and in one wild sequence took the lead for a second time. A looping ball into the Tophat penalty area was followed aggressively by midfielder Ali Schultz who was determined to crash the six yard line with the ball at her chest or at her feet. As the ball bounced inside the six she kept it moving forward, but the keeper got a hand in the way to deny the initial thrust. After some scrappy pushing and defending, which saw the ball in and out of the goalkeeper's hands, the ball was on the turf just outside of the goal ripe for the taking which is what forward Jordan Weaver did when she tapped it in to put an end to the goal-line confusion. The girls of United were up again at 2-1. A short time later they had an excellent opportunity to go up 3-1, but forward Amanda Masters' easy tap in off of another fine Alex Russ-Stefancic cross ultimately proved to be a tad bit too easy as the keeper managed to recover in time to grab the ball just before it crossed the line. The half ended with United up 2-1.

The second half was a seesaw affair complete with momentum shifts befitting a high level soccer match. Tophat seemed to find a bit of an offensive groove, but the stingy back four of United, Caroline Poirier, Alena Reich, Jasmine Noel, and Estela Negron-Flores, who had allowed only one shot in the first half, repeatedly turned away promising Tophat thrusts. After going without a shot for nearly the entire first half after their goal, Tophat managed to get six off in the second. Still, United held until a slight miscue in the back led to keeper Michelle Krengel coming off her line to aggressively clear a ball from the area with her foot. The resulting ricochet bounced the ball back toward the open Quest goal, and before the defense could get back to help the ball settled into the net to bring Tophat even at 2-2. A lesser team might have wilted after such an odd goal, but the Quest girls simply revved their game up a gear and played lovely, determined soccer for the rest of the match. Sierra Green, Jordan Weaver, and Alex Russ-Stefancic all had decent chances go unrewarded. Midfielders Andrea Sikora, Ali Friedman, and Carolyn Craddock all continued to hustle, creating opportunities through the middle and on the flanks. The go-ahead, and seemingly winning, goal came after midfielder Meagan Dilbeck won a tough ball and took a foul to give Quest a free kick from about 40 yards out. The resulting free kick by Alena Reich was a beautiful, arcing serve that Carolyn Craddock met perfectly on the half-volley and superbly pushed past the Tophat keeper for a 3-2 Quest advantage. The match was in hand with only the clock to beat as Tophat failed to mount much in the way of an attack. With little more than three minutes left, however, Tophat managed to apply enough pressure to win a corner kick. The girl lining up the kick had looked dangerous all day with her corners, and this one proved very difficult to judge. As it swirled inward it just barely cleared the outstretched Quest keeper's hands and bounced at the back of the net. The game was tied 3-3 and the whistle ended the crazy match just a few moments later.

The girls of United Quest had displayed attractive, attacking soccer, but had been bitten by the soccer gods for two unusual goals to concede a draw on their home turf. It was a fitting beginning to what will no doubt be another unpredictable United Quest 88 White campaign.


	Silverbacks WhiteHome back to Game Stories SEPTEMBER 21 - 22 United Quest Girls Gain Experience in Fall for Greenville Tournament The 2002 edition of St. Giles' Fall for Greenville soccer tournament had most of the players and parents of the United Quest 88 White team wondering if they had returned to the rainy fields of Greensboro's Nike Labor Day Shootout, as once again the sky opened up and poured rain on an away tournament. However, unlike the shortened matches the girls had played in North Carolina, the South Carolina rains would allow full matches to be played at the MESA soccer complex in Greenville. Mount Pleasant Soccer Club Sting (9/21) First up for Quest was the Mount Pleasant SC Sting, a talented team that played well-organized but unremarkable soccer. United played very solid soccer for the first twenty minutes of the match, particularly defensively as MPSC could not find a weak seam in the United back four. Caroline Poirier, Alena Reich, Estela Negron-Flores, and Jasmine Noel have settled into a comfort zone with each other that rarely concedes much to opposing attackers, and their play in this first match was no exception. Offensively, where United is still piecing together its own attacking personality, Quest forwards continue to work hard with little reward so far this season. Service out of midfield was lacking on several promising thrusts toward the MPSC goal, as the final pass seemed to elude United's aggressive midfielders who were dispossessed on several occasions Still, United seemed to have the run of play to their favor until the final third of the first half. After substitutions came on, and while the new players on the field were still settling into their coverage responsibilities, MPSC staged a quick counter up their left flank. With some measure of defensive confusion working in her favor, the Sting forward on the ball darted into an unoccupied space and forced United's keeper to come off her line to challenge. A Quest defender also converged on the attacking player, and the resulting challenge forced a rushed shot that skipped up and over the keeper and defender. With the ball spinning wildly toward United's goal, two Quest defenders and two Sting attackers quickly filled the goal mouth. Although one of the defenders was able to stop the ball's forward momentum, the second could not find an angle to clear the ball before one of the MPSC players awkwardly stumbled into the ball and poked it over the goal line. As has been the case for most of United's conceded goals this season, this tally barely even ruffled the net. Yet another soft goal sent the girls into the half down 1-0, and although Quest's field dominance continued in the second half the final would remain 1-0. United had played fine soccer, and had looked, but for a few moments, the better squad. In the end, two soaked teams and their parents left the field knowing that a draw would have been a more fitting outcome for what transpired on the field. It was just one game, though, and United was still in the hunt for hardware. St. Giles United X-treme (9/21) Game two for United was a match-up with the tournament's home soccer club in the form of the SGU X-treme. In this match United once again had the run of play in their favor for much of the match. The Quest midfield did a nice job of controlling play and shutting down the X-treme before they could mount any threatening attacks. Carolyn Craddock, Ali Friedman, Andrea Sikora, and Alex Russ-Stefancic made several excellent sequences look easy as they advanced the ball through the X-treme midfielders, and defensively they pushed Quest's restraining line deep into the SGU half of the field. On those rare occasions when the ball did get through, the X-treme attacker then had the stingy United back four with which to contend, and beyond them goalkeeper Michelle Krengel patrolled the area with confidence. She scooped up several speculative shots on goal with ease and started United counterattacks with fine punts. Once again, the missing piece for Quest was unleashing what everyone anticipates will be a potent, offensive, attacking force. The forwards worked hard, the service out of midfield was more precise, and the opportunities came, but still the goals did not. The entire team worked hard to find the answer, and the attack grew in confidence, yet it would be the other team that put in another wacky goal against Quest. The X-treme goal came when a very decent corner kick came whipping through the United penalty area, passing through every set of feet, both offensive and defensive, until a startled SGU player raised her knee more in defensive reaction than in a deliberate attempt to strike the ball, and poked it back against the direction from which it had traveled. A "wrong-footed" United keeper and her defensive mates could only watch the ball carom past their heads and settle into the net. It was 1-0 to the X-treme, and it stayed that way until the final whistle. Quest had dropped the more important second game in a frustrating fashion similar to their first match. The girls played very good soccer, but the just end result did not follow their efforts. NECSA Patriots (9/22) Due to some cross-bracket scheduling quirks that left each team in United's group similarly positioned with points, the Quest girls found themselves in not only a position to play spoiler in their last tournament match, but also in a position to squeak into a final if they played well and got some help from another team. United's unlikely path to the final got off to a shaky start when a shot on their goal was knocked down by keeper Michelle Krengel. In the ensuing scramble to the ball an attacking Patriot player not only managed to kick the ball into the United goal, but she also managed to kick the Quest keeper's head back and into the turf. Anxious moments passed while the referee and Quest coach Kyle Cornell looked over the prone player. She eventually left the field under her own power, but would not return to the game due to swelling at the base of her skull and neck area. A wounded animal is frequently too much to handle in ordinary settings, and United reacted to the loss of their keeper like previously caged lionesses and came out roaring. The forwards, Erin Holt, Amanda Masters, Sierra Green, and Jordan Weaver, who had struggled to find some rhythm suddenly were more active and determined. Midfielders who had at times held the ball too long suddenly began to find the little pass that could spring their teammates. Meagan Dilbeck and Ali Schultz showed their skill and determination, and made key tackles and subsequent passes to kick-start the quest offense. After a Patriot foul put the ball on the turf for a free kick just outside the NECSA penalty area, the sideline spectators sensed that the tide, previously rising steadily against United's best efforts, just might be about to turn. As a confident-looking Carolyn Craddock approached the ball, Quest players began to move in anticipation of a possible rebound or deflection. Their efforts would not be needed as Miss Craddock's direct kick off of a slight deceptive touch from a teammate sailed though the wall and into the Patriot net with pace. Quest was even at 1-1, and their energy level was just beginning to rev up. Several minutes later, and just before the half would end, a lovely corner kick by Ali Schultz was splendidly redirected into the net on a header by Carolyn Craddock. United was up 2-1, and their hopes for something more than a spoiler role were still alive. Their excitement quickly turned to concern for one of their teammates when an ambulance had to be summoned for their fallen keeper. As a precautionary measure Michelle Krengel was taken from the field and to the hospital for x-rays and further treatment for her neck injury. The girls of United Quest could have been forgiven for emotionally throwing in the towel at that point, but by all sideline accounts played very attractive and aggressive soccer in tribute to their injured teammate the entire second half. The Patriots also played a determined half and the game ended with United winning by the half-time margin of 2-1. The girls had learned how to win a game under difficult circumstances. The 88 Whites are an easy-going, friendly bunch, but on the soccer field they are now the most dangerous type of opponent. They are now hungry for success, and they have all of the pieces falling into place. SEPTEMBER 14 United Quest Draw Tophat 3-3, As Tophatters Pull Late Goal Out Of Thin Air United's official Athena B league season kicked off with a typical United Quest 88 White match that was predictably unpredictable. After a preseason tournament run saw United perform well, but fail to generate much in the way of offensive firepower, the Quest girls displayed a fine possession game against Tophat that included three well-deserved goals. Unfortunately, those three goals would not prove to be enough to seal a victory as the Tophatters managed a goal very late in the match that allowed them to share a draw. United's league scoring got off to a good start when Alex Russ-Stefancic sent in a nice cross that forward Erin Holt deftly settled and slotted past the opposing keeper for a 1-0 Quest lead. It was fairly short-lived, however, as Tophat broke down the right side against a thin-looking left side Quest defense that had shifted toward the middle. The quick Tophat counter was capped by a nice finish that tied the match at 1-1. United, seemingly undaunted by the Tophat surge, continued to pressure for the rest of the first half, and in one wild sequence took the lead for a second time. A looping ball into the Tophat penalty area was followed aggressively by midfielder Ali Schultz who was determined to crash the six yard line with the ball at her chest or at her feet. As the ball bounced inside the six she kept it moving forward, but the keeper got a hand in the way to deny the initial thrust. After some scrappy pushing and defending, which saw the ball in and out of the goalkeeper's hands, the ball was on the turf just outside of the goal ripe for the taking which is what forward Jordan Weaver did when she tapped it in to put an end to the goal-line confusion. The girls of United were up again at 2-1. A short time later they had an excellent opportunity to go up 3-1, but forward Amanda Masters' easy tap in off of another fine Alex Russ-Stefancic cross ultimately proved to be a tad bit too easy as the keeper managed to recover in time to grab the ball just before it crossed the line. The half ended with United up 2-1. The second half was a seesaw affair complete with momentum shifts befitting a high level soccer match. Tophat seemed to find a bit of an offensive groove, but the stingy back four of United, Caroline Poirier, Alena Reich, Jasmine Noel, and Estela Negron-Flores, who had allowed only one shot in the first half, repeatedly turned away promising Tophat thrusts. After going without a shot for nearly the entire first half after their goal, Tophat managed to get six off in the second. Still, United held until a slight miscue in the back led to keeper Michelle Krengel coming off her line to aggressively clear a ball from the area with her foot. The resulting ricochet bounced the ball back toward the open Quest goal, and before the defense could get back to help the ball settled into the net to bring Tophat even at 2-2. A lesser team might have wilted after such an odd goal, but the Quest girls simply revved their game up a gear and played lovely, determined soccer for the rest of the match. Sierra Green, Jordan Weaver, and Alex Russ-Stefancic all had decent chances go unrewarded. Midfielders Andrea Sikora, Ali Friedman, and Carolyn Craddock all continued to hustle, creating opportunities through the middle and on the flanks. The go-ahead, and seemingly winning, goal came after midfielder Meagan Dilbeck won a tough ball and took a foul to give Quest a free kick from about 40 yards out. The resulting free kick by Alena Reich was a beautiful, arcing serve that Carolyn Craddock met perfectly on the half-volley and superbly pushed past the Tophat keeper for a 3-2 Quest advantage. The match was in hand with only the clock to beat as Tophat failed to mount much in the way of an attack. With little more than three minutes left, however, Tophat managed to apply enough pressure to win a corner kick. The girl lining up the kick had looked dangerous all day with her corners, and this one proved very difficult to judge. As it swirled inward it just barely cleared the outstretched Quest keeper's hands and bounced at the back of the net. The game was tied 3-3 and the whistle ended the crazy match just a few moments later. The girls of United Quest had displayed attractive, attacking soccer, but had been bitten by the soccer gods for two unusual goals to concede a draw on their home turf. It was a fitting beginning to what will no doubt be another unpredictable United Quest 88 White campaign.