Pleasanton Rage vs. Marin FC Siren – May 27, 2023

By: Reese Foster

May 31, 2023

At their first home game of the season, Pleasanton RAGE loses a well fought game against the Marin FC Sirens with a final score of 2-0. 

The game kicked off with Pleasanton RAGE maintaining a majority of the possession and creating many attacking opportunities for themselves. In the 7th minute, RAGE built the ball up the middle through a combo play and the ball was dished to outside forward Emily Johnson (#21) who took a powerful, but slightly high shot that flew just over the crossbar. RAGE took another shot after Penny Murphy (#10) intercepted Marin’s goal kick but the ball was kicked over the goal. 

The Sirens gained their first attacking chance of the game after outside forward Jackie Lancaster (#13) carried the ball down the sideline and played a ball into the box that was knocked out by a strong RAGE defense. Later, in the 25th minute, Marin center back Avery West (#24) beat two RAGE midfielders, carried the ball down the middle, and passed to her teammate to Sydney Boyd (#4) who shot wide. RAGE took yet another shot after Johnson dribbled the ball into the middle, played it to Kennedy Mayo (#11), who shot it over. In a similar play during the 43rd minute, Johnson used a scissor move to easily beat her defender and pass to Penny Murphy  (#10) who took a high shot. 

Marin had one final attacking attempt in the first half when Lancaster (#13) played a cross to her teammate Alison McNeal who took a shot that flew over the crossbar. Both teams held a strong defense throughout the first 45 minutes with RAGE holding most of the possession. The half ended with zero goals on both sides. 

The second half proved to be even more intense. Both teams continued to be competitive and create attacking chances for themselves. Marin gained a corner kick in the 47th minute but RAGE center back Zinnet Siddiqui (#14) knocked the ball out of the box before any Marin forward could put a foot on it. In the 52nd minute, after a crowded fight for the ball in the middle, a through ball was played to RAGE forward Trinity Sandridge (#12) who took a shot from close range that narrowly missed the goal. 

Opposite of the first half, Marin kept the ball in their attacking half for the majority of the time. The Sirens managed to find the back of the net in the 57th minute midfielder Brianna Salvetti did a scissor move to beat her defender and took a shot that went directly into the top left corner of the goal. RAGE continued to take shots but could not manage to get the ball past Marin keeper Patricia DePalma (#0). 

Marin found success again when Salvetti (#23) did a double scissors and played a service ball into the box that bobbled around and was ultimately kicked into the goal by Marin forward Meredith Hagler (#15). RAGE stayed persistent, gaining a free kick opportunity right outside the box in the 79th minute and taking 3 more shots, however all were stopped by Siren keeper DePalma or Marin defenders. 

The eventful game ended in a 2-0 score. The match remained competitive throughout its entirety and both teams put up a great fight and played beautiful soccer.