Pleasanton Rage vs. Olympic Club – June 5, 2023

By: Reese Foster

June 7, 2023

In an extremely competitive match on Monday, Pleasanton RAGE ties the Olympic Club 1-1. 

In the first minutes of the game, despite high press from Olympic Club forwards, Pleasanton RAGE was able to build out of the back and create several attacking chances for themselves. The first opportunity was in the 5th minute when forward Morgan Pearson (#3) played a perfectly weighted through ball to her teammate Marivic Lek-Miro (#5) who attempted a 1v1 with Olympic Club keeper Lauren Racioppi (#1). Lek-Miro took a powerful shot from just outside the box but Racioppi was able to punch the ball out. Then, in the 8th minute RAGE had another close chance after forward Trinity Sandridge (#12) beat her defender with an impressive scissor move and took a strong shot that was on frame but was deflected off of an Olympic Club defender. 

Later, in the 13th minute Olympic Club created their first close goal scoring chance when Jessica Ko (#13) carried the ball down the sideline and gained a corner for her team that resulted in a shot but was saved by RAGE keeper Sadie Brown (#0). Olympic Club again came close to scoring after midfielder Caitlin Durkee (#20) played a slip pass to her teammate Emily Mosbacher (#25) who almost got a foot on the ball to shoot, however Brown was able to scoop the ball up before Mosbacher could reach it. 

Towards the end of the first half, RAGE’s Sandridge sprinted to the endline after cutting the ball around her defender and played a floated ball into the box. Alessandra Towle (#15) got her head on the cross but the ball was caught by the Olympic Club keeper. A few moments later, Lek-Miro received a ball played into the box by her teammate, chopped the ball to beat Olympic Club center back and shot. But Olympic Club keeper Racioppi was able to save the ball from finding the back of the net once again. 

The first half ended with a 0-0 score. Both teams maintained fairly equal possession and created many goal scoring opportunities. 

The second half had an exciting start when in the 48th minute, the Olympic club took 3 shots in a row. RAGE defenders managed to block the first 2 shots until keeper Sadie Brown jumped and caught the final shot. Brown again stopped an Olympic Club attack after a cross was played into the box and Mosbacher took a volley shot. 

RAGE maintained the majority of possession in the second half and continued to make chances for themselves. In the 55th minute RAGE forward Emily Johnson (#21) manages to take a low shot from inside that ricocheted off of the outside post and went wide. A few minutes later, RAGE took another shot that hit off the outside post yet again and was picked up by the Olympic Club keeper. 

The first goal of the match was scored by RAGE forward Emily Fitzgerald (#11). After midfielder Penny Murphy (#10) played an amazing through ball into the space behind Olympic Club defenders, Fitzgerald received the ball, faced a 1v1 with the opposing keeper, and was able to shoot the ball low into the bottom left corner of the goal. 

RAGE was able to hold their lead for about 15 minutes until Olympic Club outside defender Gabrielle Matulich (#4) carried the ball down the sideline and crossed a low ball into the box. Matulich’s teammate Mosbacher finished the cross with a high and powerful shot that found the top net of the goal. 

         As the game came to a close the teams continued to battle to gain another goal however the  intense game ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw.