The Most Amazing Soccer Game Ever!!

We just returned from watching what had to have been

THE MOST AMAZING SOCCER GAME EVER PLAYED!!! 

 Now, the fact that my daughter played in it may have something to do with the way I feel about it, but honestly it was phenomenal. 

Here's the lowdown... cuz I know you all wish you had been there!

Before I begin... bear in mind that this post is mostly about Lauren but I am in no way discounting the extraordinary teammates that play with her.  I am in awe of all of them, but since this is The O'Connell Family blog it will mention mostly an O'Connell :) 

The scene:  State Cup Soccer Tournament.  64 teams of 13 year old girls from Southern California playing over the course of a few weekends.  Started in early February. 

First weekend:   We win all three games to move on! 

 Rained out last weekend due to HUGE California storms. This weekend: single elimination in San Bernardino.  Only one loss and it's off to home we go! 

Yesterday... We win!  3-0 ( a shut-out!!)  Lauren plays center defender so a shut-out is a big deal to her - an even bigger deal is that her team has had SEVERAL lately! 
But back to the story..  Another game this morning...0-0 at halftime - Yikes!  But we score!!!!  We win 1-0 and advance to the Elite Eight (cute March Madness reference there, huh??) 

Lauren, #4, defending the goal

Sunday afternoon... last game of the weekend... if we win we advance to next weekend for the semi-finals.  If we lose... it"s a long drive home. 
We score one early, but the other team is CRAZY AGGRESSIVE and they score!  Oh no!!  Their parents go WILD!  We regroup but they score AGAIN!!  In the first 20 minutes! ...We're behind...and then we break down...no communicating, silly mistakes...and we limp into halftime. 

Now... after a rousing pep talk from the coach at half the girls pick themselves up, pump up the positive attitudes, and realize this game is NOT over. 
 BUT..a couple minutes into the second half, the other team scores AGAIN!!!  It's 3-1... are you kidding me?!!  Oh no!!  And did I say their parents were VERY boisterous??

 Now if you know soccer well - which I don't, but Joey helps me out - a 2 goal deficit is extremely hard to overcome.  Especially for a team that is visibly upset at themselves.  We're 10 minutes into the second half already and to win we need 3!!

OK here we go... we can do this... well, maybe we can do this...

But here's the great part:  Our girls REFUSE to give up!   Finally, 15 minutes into the half... We Score!  On a beautiful left-footed shot from one of our forwards!  Ok... getting closer...  It's now 3-2.  Hmmmmm...this may be possible,  but the clock is ticking.  And ticking quickly!!

Wait... a foul is called on the other team...  Lauren takes a free kick. Yay for us!!!  That's when the other team can't attack as you kick - they have to give the kicker a ten foot space -  but after the kick the ball is immediately in play.  So, up Lauren jogs...  I almost can't watch!  Their goalie is GOOD and it's a tough shot - way right of center and about 30 yards out.  But we've got lots of great players waiting at the goal to help put it in...

Here's what a typical free kick looks like:

  And then.... THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FREE KICK I'VE EVER SEEN goes sailing over the wall of girls, above the outstretched hands of the goalie and into the top left corner of the net!!!!!  The crowd goes WILD!!!  Lauren goes crazy!!!  The crowd goes wild!!!   Did I say that already?  I'm so glad I watched :)
And suddenly the opposing parents are VERY quiet!  We're tied!  

Can you tell how proud I am of her?  For lots of reasons, but I am constantly amazed at how well her dad has prepared her for situations just like that one! 

But wait...a tie will send us into overtime and our girls are Tired!!

Suddenly... a storm is a brewin'...  Really.  A real storm!

The skies open up and buckets of rain come down!  Not just a CA sprinkly rain...a DOWNPOUR - torrential!  And apparently, soccer stops for NOTHING! 

OK so we're tied....we're playing soooo tough now- our middles (the girls who play, um, in the middle of the field) are heading everything forward and taking a beating.  Our forwards are using all the moves they've got and our defenders are running down every ball in sight.  And all with, like I said, BUCKETS of rain coming down.  Down to a few minutes left and...  WE SCORE!!!!!  Can you believe it????  WE SCORE!!!

 It's 4-3 and we hold them off for the last couple of minutes to advance!!

What a game!!!  I so wish you all could have been there. Those girls, all 13 of those talented girls, played with so much determination and heart - it was amazing to watch.  Not one of them gave up and it was an important lesson for Lauren to live! To know that attitude is paramount and to see the strength that comes from a group of phenomenal girls - a team - that doesn't quit.

Now, I know some of you are thinking... Is she kidding?  It's Girls 13 year old soccer!  And why does she use the words "our"  and "we" when she's talking about Lauren's team???

Believe me when I say, "I get you!"  I fully embrace my insanity regarding this.  But my daughter loves this sport.  Her dad loves this sport.  And because they love it, well... I love it too. And I also LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing my fairly intense and somewhat serious daughter jumping up and down like a lunatic after helping her team tie a game.  I almost cried.  Yes, again I hear you...but I can't help myself :)
We are also extremely lucky to have amazing friends who are parents of equally amazing girls on this team and we feel so blessed to be part of it!

The winners!!

So that, in a BIG nutshell was a synopsis of the most amazing soccer game ever played.  A come from behind, pull yourself up by the bootstraps, muddy, soaking wet game of 13 year old GIRL'S soccer!  According to Joey, there is nothing better :) 

(Unless of course it's one of Jake's baseball games... but that will have to be another story!)

Next weekend it's Final Four,  baby!!  (Sounds just like a sportscaster, huh??)   Keep your fingers crossed!