SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer Irmo - Lexington

[Preface: Since the newspapers won't cover it, I thought I'd take a shot at a short article on the game I saw last night. Please anyone/everyone feel free to elaborate and/or correct; I wasn't taking notes and it's more than possible (even probable!) that I just got something wrong.

I don't think I've ever seen a more exciting high school match than Irmo versus Lexington last night. Congratulations to both teams. In most soccer games a 4-2 match would seem not to be a close game; however, this one was a nail-biter until the final whistle blew.

Irmo came into this game obviously having made the decision to play a wide open game. They scored two very quick goals in the first twelve minutes to lead 2-0. One goal was on a corner (it was actually an own goal off Lexington); the second goal was a pretty breakaway with a nice move and shot by Rachel Wadsworth. I think that Wadsworth is among the better offensive players in the state; her speed and decision-making really showed well last night.

During the first twelve minutes, Lexington looked nervous; the team was having problems defensively clearing and finding each other on passes. After the first 15 minutes or so, Lexington began playing better starting with a wonderful assist by Allie Johns that led to a score. This was followed by a score by Emily Adams on a set play. The teams went into the half tied at 2-2. Lexington was lucky to be tied; my guess is that statistically Irmo did better in the first half.

Lexington continued to get better in the second half doing a much better job of working together. The third goal was scored on a 35-40 yard free kick. The penalty leading to the free kick was caused by Kelly Maupin doing a wonderful job of forcing a foul when she broke through the defense -- Maupin did a great job much of the night of drawing fouls by relentlessly attacking Irmo's defense. The fourth goal was scored by Stephanie Gauthier on another set play. Lexington has now scored at least one goal per game on set plays in their last three games -- the team is doing a much better job on set plays than in the earlier part of the season.

Lexington got beaten consistently on 50-50 balls in the first half. In the second half, the team did a much better job of stepping up and winning more of its share of 50-50's. The Lexington defense, which had a rough first half, did a much better job in the second half. Irmo should get a lot of credit here; they really do have a dangerous offense with some good players who look to combine rather than simply try to carry the ball up the field.

I believe that Irmo is vastly superior to its record. I've seen them play several times now -- and while certainly Irmo looks terrible when it has an off-game (e.g., Irmo versus Wando at the Fort Mill Invitational); this is a very good team that I think is going to give some other teams outside of its region fits during the play-offs. Their speed and intelligence on offense, and their ability to quickly find open teammates, is amazing when the team is "on" -- and I think that Irmo is getting better with each game that they play.

I can't remember when Lexington has ever come from behind in a 2-0 game to win it. Irmo used a strategically smart defensive posture that seemed to use a loose marking strategy coupled with a zone. It effectively punished Lexington when they tried to carry the ball rather than look for the open player. Irmo also did a good job of overloading the middle of the field and getting plays started from there. Lexington did a good job eventually of adapting by playing more disciplined defense, clearing the ball quickly and simply, passing quickly and simply, and finding feet with their passes simply and quickly.

Good luck to both teams in the remainder of their season leading to the playoffs.

Well done, Chico. You'll have to start sending "special reports" to The State or GoUpstate seeing how your media coverage is similar to the Anderson area!

Observations from someone who didn't attend the match but feels like they were, after reading Chico's report (nice job):

1. Chico has a very good memeory so I can only assume Lex goals #1 and #3 were scored by the dog's master (congrats).

2. Great job by the Irmo offense jumping out to a 2-0 lead but they better shore up that defense, come May, and learn how to protect it.

From what I saw she dominated from start to finish. Kira Campbell (opps)was the difference. A great match by both teams. Irmo seemed to confuse Lexington in the first half. I was not sure if Lexington was going to come out of the locker room after intermission. It must have been an interesting halftime talk. The coach is know for throwing water bottles, threating the team to run until midnight and playing mind games. The bottom line is Irmo has a far superior coaching staff and Lexington has Ms. Campbell ( opps again)

Your bottom line and mine are much different.

Anonymously, on an Internet forum, it takes so much “courage” to criticize and “speak your mind”! Not to mention the poor grammar and spelling.

Sigh...no good deed goes unpunished...

Okay...I heard that the Lexington coach at halftime threatened the life of a puppy unless the team began playing better. Clearly, Lexington began playing better -- so my hat's off to the coach for a brilliant motivational technique.

More seriously, I judge a coach by how much better a team gets from the beginning of a season until the end of the season. So far, Lexington has been getting better this season. Lexington has some very good players -- including a few seniors who are going on to play at various colleges after this season -- but what I've been impressed with is that the team itself has gotten better as the players have tended to do a better job playing together. From set plays to quickly and simply finding the feet of open teammates, the team itself seems to be playing better. Certainly the players deserve credit -- but it would seem to me that the coach deserves credit as well.

Between Irmo and Lexington we probably have as many highly credentialed coaches (A and B licensed coaches) as any other pair of schools around. We're fortunate to have these folks.

Kira had an excellent game this night as well as some of the other lexington players. I hope she continues to have many more this season and in the future as I am sure she will. I agree with some others on this board that Irmo, as well as Fort Mill, are a much better team than their current record and rankings seem to indicate. I look for them both to go far once the playoffs begin.
And... Dorman just continues to win those BIG games...

Congrats to Lex and Irmo. As for Dorman/Mauldin match I heard during the CAP matches this past weekend that Mauldin was out coached by Dorman again. You are right Chico you are fortunate to those folks coaching.