Bellevue Vs Eastlake - 10.8.26
bellevue 1 - 0 Eastlake
72nd min 1-0 Aanya (unassisted)
Like most freshmen, during my first year of college I took classes that fulfilled my general liberal arts requirement for graduation. which is how I found myself in a course entitled "17th Century Dutch Art and Symbolism;" (possibly the most pretentious-sounding and unlikely class a young student-athlete from Oregon could take?). I knew nothing about the subject matter, I simply ticked a few boxes on my registration form the spring before arriving on campus and that's what I got. The academic lottery of liberal arts. The class was taught by a youngish professor named Simon Schama who had just published a book on the subject called "The Embarrassment of Riches." One of the main themes was the paradox and tension between the small nation's tremendous affluence (the era of the tulip mania, etc.), and the collective Calvinist guilt that God's blessing of abundance might lead to a slippery-slope of moral complacency. Professor Schama assigned us hundreds of paintings by artists like Vermeer, Jan Steen, and Rembrandt that we had to study, memorize, and analyze. Unlike my more practical classes like economics, computer programming, and writing composition, I still think about this class almost 35 years later (Schama was an entertaining and engaging lecturer), there were so many lessons in the material.
One such lesson, (my opinion, not Schama's ), after looking at hundreds of paintings: they can't all be masterpieces.
But sometimes paintings are important or impactful even if they don't sell for tens of millions at a Sotheby's auction. They might have an important story to tell about history even if the painting isn't considered "priceless."
Our victory against the visiting Eastlake Wolves won't set auction records either, but it is an important part of our season's story. I believe in momentum. Winning teams can sometimes win from sheer habit. And non-winning teams can get stuck in a doom-loop of misfortune, which is why the game after a tough loss is so important. Halting the downward momentum in any way possible, even if each brushstroke isn't inspired or flawless.
The game started brightly for our Wolverines, but the first half ended 0-0 despite our big statistical advantage. We played well. We took 10 shots/2 corners versus Eastlake's single shot/corner and spent much of the time in their half of the field. We were patient in our build-up, keeping possession with our backline and goalkeeper, and having success with our fullbacks overlapping and creating good chances. Lots of good, not much bad. And so my halftime chat was more subdued than usual. I genuinely believed that it was just a matter of time until our good play resulted in goals. Sigh. So I take responsibility for the complacency we saw in the second half. I got the halftime messaging all wrong. "More of the same" doesn't inspire renewed effort and focus. And so we started too casual, as if the game would be given to us by just strolling onto the field with our embarrassment of riches.
It wasn't our workrate, which was generally good, but there was a sharpness missing in our second half that showed up in our decision-making (when to pass, which pass to choose, when to dribble, when to make supporting runs into space, when to hold, etc.). And so the scorelessness stretched until there wasn't much time left.
In the end, we were saved by Aanya, twice. First with 11 minutes left, we gave up a corner, got caught ball-watching at the back post, and the Eastlake attacker met the looping cross with a volley struck hard and low back towards the opposite side of the net and past a helpless Elena in goal...where...Aanya was waiting to clear the ball off the line. Tragedy avoided. It was Eastlake's best opportunity (among the only) of the night and we were saved by good positioning. By Aanya doing her task (guarding our near post) with focus. Well done. Then just a few minutes later, Aanya decided to put the entire team on her back with some individual brilliance: she anticipated a pass to her Eastlake winger at midfield, won the ball on the tackle, and marauded her way down the left touchline where she hit a perfect shot from an acute angle (cross?) that arc'd over the keepers outstretched gloves and nestled into the far side netting. Was it intentional? I hope so, and if so: goalazo! But it doesn't really matter. Aanya has made so many productive overlaps down the left wing for us this season, she was due some good fortune. 1-0 Bellevue. A few nervy minutes with our team trying to hit Bellevue Way with defensive clearances (I'd prefer more composed ball-control tactics, but extreme boot ball in the last few minutes to FTJ can be effective too).
So yes, our Eastlake victory wasn't a masterpiece. But it was effective. And important. In a very most-important-of-the-least-important-things, type-of-way.
A few more highlights worth noting: shutouts are cool (although I wasn't in the mood to do cartwheels at the final whistle...I owe the team for that oversight); Maggie was everywhere against Eastlake, defusing every Wolves attack with composure and then starting our offense with purposeful dribbling into midfield to launch counter-attacks. Defenders that occasionally overload attacking spaces are terrifying to opposing defenses because it causes imbalances (defenders must eventually engage the oncoming threat leaving someone else open in a dangerous area); Elina continues to give us a lift when we need it, and almost got a goal late in the first half with a dangerous one-time shot; Lola had a mazy overlapping run and unleashed a powerful shot that was miraculously saved by the Wolves goalkeeper; and for the second game in a row, Saleen was clearly fouled in the box, and yet the referee didn't see the transgression. Sigh. It happens, but again and again?; and special kudos to Ava who continues to lead the team in blades of turf touched per game. Her engine is enormous, and hopefully contagious. Ava's commitment to winning the ball back for our team is an ingredient to our success that we won't ever take for granted.
Our last four games of the season are compressed, with four games in seven days. We play Tuesday (@Redmond), Thursday (@Bothell), Saturday for Senior Night (vs. Hazen), then conclude our regular season on the following Tuesday (@Skyline). That's a lot of soccer in a short time frame. Therefore, we decided to give the team a three day weekend, and with no school on Friday (today), we hope we use the time wisely to get some extra rest ahead of our final gauntlet of games.
Rest up. Rejuvenate. Maybe paint something.
See you on Monday.
Peter
