Bengals leap past Blair

The Blair varsity girl's soccer team fell 2-1 to Blake in a game played in two parts due to thunderstorms, dropping their record to 3-4. The Blazers came out with intensity and left the field with a 1-1 tie on Thursday night before the game was postponed, but they were unable to carry the momentum through the rest of the game on Saturday.

The Blazer's intensity was evident from the first seconds of the game, when senior Emma Liebmann stole the ball from Blake's kickoff and dribbled deep into Blake's side before losing possession. After a few minutes of back and forth play, the Blazers' offense, backed by a stalwart midfield, settled the ball into Blake's half for several attempts on goal. In the 30th minute, Liebmann received a cross just outside the goal box and sent the ball arching into the top left corner of the goal, prompting cheers from an invigorated Blair squad as the Blazers took an early 1-0 lead.

The Blazers continued to play effectively as an aggressive unit throughout the rest of the half, thwarting Blake's attempts to score and relaying numerous well-placed balls from the midfield to the offense. Freshman Darcy Pelz-Butler dominated the left side of the field, working up and down the flank to steal the ball and send several soaring crosses to the feet of her teammates. Overall, the Blazers completed their passes and gelled together as a team.

Blake's few opportunities to score came from a lack of organization among the Blazers, but Blair's defense stood fast and kept the score at 1-0. In the second half, the Bengals capitalized on the hole in Blair's play with an explosive goal in the 37th minute. A heavily covered Blake player sent the ball rocketing into the back of the net from just outside the goal box, bringing the game to a 1-1 tie. As the Blazers fought hard to answer Blake's goal, forks of lightning lit up the sky and the game was postponed with 33:33 left to be played in the half.

The dreary weather followed the Blazer's through the remainder of the game two days later, when a shorthanded and lackluster Blair squad took the soggy field. Because many of the Blazers play on club teams, only ten players were at the game and sophomore Rivka Zuares had to step up from the junior varsity team.

The Blazers lacked energy and focus, playing slow and sloppy soccer that was far below what they are capable of. Blake beat the Blazers to nearly ever ball and dominated the midfield. The Bengals scored midway through the game, but Blair was unable to generate shot opportunities and bring the game to a tie.

Despite the disheartening loss, co-captain Danielle Peck is confident that the Blazers can come together and win their next game. "We have the capability, we have the skill, we just need the willpower," she said.

The girls' varsity soccer team plays its next home game on Oct. 10 against Damascus at 7 p.m.