Xavier broke
away from visiting Chandler Basha with a pair of second-half goals for a 3-1
victory.
“I am really
encouraged,’’ Chura said. “Basha is a good team and this could have gone in
either direction. In our first three games, we’ve won two, lost none and tied
one.’’
Xavier looks
a lot different than a year ago, when the Gators won their second straight 6A
Conference state championship.
There have
been numerous adjustments. Some players returned from club or a developmental
academy and others departed for the same reasons. And most of the players are
young – with little or no experience. Chura has five freshmen, four of them
starters.
So the good
start is welcomed by Chura, who has a reputation of molding teams such as this
into contenders.
It can be
frustrating and rewarding at the same time.
“Sometimes I
almost like the practices more than the games, watching these players learn and
get better,’’ Chura said. “And we have a lot of practice time coming up, so I
am looking forward to that.’’
Xavier will
have three more matches before breaking for the holidays and its annual
participation in the Excalibur Tournament in southern California.
Before
practice gets into full swing, the Gators have a quick turnaround with a match
at Phoenix Maryvale on Wednesday (Dec. 5), followed by a home match against
Yuma Kofa on Friday (Dec. 7) and another home match against Gilbert Highland on
Dec. 11. Start times are 6 p.m.
The Gators
appear to be passing the ball better, moving better and utilizing their speed.
There also is the issue of verbal communication, particularly when an opponent
is moving the ball closer to scoring a goal.
Chura
attributed Basha’s goal, which came with 4:40 left in the first half and tied
the match at 1, as partly miscommunication on her players’ part and partly a
good play by Basha.
“When you
make the call that you have it (control of the ball), you have to make sure you
really have it. That didn’t happen on that play. That’s one of the things we
need to work on.’’
Senior
forward Caitlin Johnston put Xavier on the board first with a goal that
deflected off the Basha goalkeeper’s hand and into the net with 33:42 left in
the first half.
Basha’s late
first-half goal gave it some momentum going into the intermission.
The teams
battled back and forth until Xavier freshman Ansley Burns scored off a
deflection following a corner kick with 15:56 left. Her shot was nicely placed -- she booted
the ball with her left foot high and deep into the back corner of the net where
the keeper could not reach it. Burns also had an earlier assist.
And the
decisive stamp was affixed to the match when senior forward Sadie Wintergalen
set up senior Lindsay Hubbard with a sharp pass and Hubbard scored with 6:28
left.
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