DC Power played Lexington SC to a nil-nil draw on Friday night at Audi Field. Dasia Torbert played her first professional match and was a constant threat in attack. Sarah Griffith and Hannah White were standouts for Lexington SC.
DC Power head coach Omid Namazi started the following: Morgan Aquino, Alexis Theoret, Emily Colton, Sydney Cummings, Katie Duong, Jaydah Bedoya, Gianna Gourley, Ellie Gilbert, Dasia Torbert, Paige Almedariz, and (c) Susanna Fitch.
Lexington SC head coach Masaki Hemmi started the following: Allison Pantuso, Madison Perez, Taylor Aylmer, Emina Ekic, Alyssa Bourgeois, Catherine Barry, Tatiana Fung, Addison McCain, Hannah Sharts, Katherine Asman, Sarah Griffith.
Lexington’s Catherine Berry got the first good look on goal for her side in the 13th minute. An errant ball floated into the center of the 18 yard box. She created space between her and her defender and went for the volley on goal. It was enough to make goalkeeper Morgan Aquino dive to her left, but the shot went wide of the post.
DC Power tried to mount a response three minutes later when Tolbert flew down the right flank. With her defender closing down her angle, her shot deflected straight to goalkeeper Katherine Asman for the easy save. In the 23rd minute, Susanna Fitch pushed higher up the pitch and was found in acres of space on the right side. On the tightest of angles, she sent a cross into the box to Dasia Tolbert who had a good look with a header, sent her attempt just wide of the post.
In the opening minutes of the second half, Dasia Tolbert saw another chance when a deflected ball stopped dead inside the 18. Her intent was to curl her shot since she was at a sharp angle, but her attempt curved wide of the post.
In the 66th minute, Aquino made the save of a lifetime when faced 1 v 1 with opposition. Sarah Griffith was streaking down the right side in acres of space and was played onside. When faced with the keeper, she tried to shoot low when Aquino timed the perfect kick save to keep them in the match.
Emina Ekic put the Power on notice in the 79th minute. With just enough space at the top of the box, she took a chance from distance. The shot looked like it was going to beat Aquino high, but she jumped to punch the ball, which deflected off the crossbar, and went out for a corner kick.
In the 84th minute, Loza Abera made her presence felt with a threatening header. A cross was whipped in just a step behind her, but she adjusted, made space, and went for the header. Just a few inches off, it beat the keeper but went wide of the post.
Lexington pressed relentlessly all-match long and continued to sit high. It seemed like DC Power didn’t have an answer for it and it affected their attack.
“We weren’t finding our second layer of players in the midfield,” Power head coach Omid Namazi explained after the match. “The players that sit right underneath our striker, we weren’t able to find them in those half pockets. That’s because we were either too slow moving the ball or we were closing lanes that would eventually end up with the ball at their feet.”
“We were focused on being direct off the back and seeing how they reacted to that,” said Lexington SC’s Cassie Rohan. “It was kind of just seeing how the play developed, but the plan was to play direct and see from there and play our style.”
[On sitting high] “We scout very thoroughly the week before and we watch their games and see how they come out,” said Rohan of their approach. “I think we really went through with our plan. It worked for the most part but obviously we want to score and we want to win.”
The match was very competitive and extremely physical. Lexington had a lot of tall, strong players that weren’t afraid to get scrappy. DC Power didn’t back down. After Sydney Cummings laughed about her “fat lip” during the post-game press conference, she shared insight that fell in line with Rohan’s comments.
“We knew they were gonna be playing direct, and inevitably when you’re playing a direct team you’re battling for a lot 50-50s, first, and second balls,” Cummings began. “So at halftime, we talked to each other to see if we could be more condensed so that we’re breaking them on the ground.”
DC Power will get some rest and make a new gameplan for their match next Thursday, Sept. 18, against Brooklyn FC.
-Jon Jones
Photo: Eyoel Fassil