Trinity Tri Hawks

What a game! Legacy and Trinity came into the game tied for the conference lead, and featuring the two top scorers in the conference (and two of the Top 10 scorers in Class A in the state.) With virtually no warmup, Trinity stepped on the field and absorbed a concerted and sustained attack from Legacy for most of the first half. Anna Mayer returned to the lineup for the first time all season and was called on to make several big saves. Bekah and Liz took turns man-marking Legacy’s 8th grade prodigy and main scoring threat, holding her firmly in check.

The second half saw Trinity start to turn the tide, but an errant clearance fell to Legacy right in front of the Tri Hawk net and the Lions drew first blood. With 12 minutes to play, Trinity switched into “3” and spread Legacy out. With 8 minutes to play, Sam slipped Anna Frenz in for the equalizer. Lightning with less than 3 minutes left in regulation suspended play for nearly an hour, and when the game resumed a reinvigorated Tri Hawk side (chocolate milk?) was thoroughly dominant through the end of regulation and both overtimes. They were in multiple times, but just could not find the finishing touch to put the game away.

In a thrilling game, with skilled players on both sides laying it all on the line, heroes abounded. The Angry Bird went to Sam, who went out with an energy and aggressiveness that was amazing. She owned the left wing. Anna Frenz was named Player of the Game. She got the goal the team desperately needed, and added a new piece to her game. Anna has always been able to outrun and outmuscle defenders to carry the ball at the net, but in this game she showed moves we have never seen before. She weaved and bobbed and cut and thoroughly baffled the entire Legacy defense.

Thank you players and parents for our gift card to Jensen’s. We enjoy going there. So glad you had a great weekend on the north shore. Thank you as always for taking such good care of our cabin. It is good to know that it means as much to the team as it does to us. We are happy to let you have a season starting weekend there.

No Laura Mayer. No Maria Kisch. No Maria Lotti or Anna Mayer. No matter. The Tri Hawks, playing with 2 subs, took it to longtime rival Southwest Christian with a 4-0 victory on the road. Without either keeper, missing a center back and a center mid, and with only two subs, the Tri Hawks played aggressive and composed team soccer, continually playing fantastic killer passes to penetrate the SW Christian back line while thwarting their talented attackers with stellar 1v1 defense. Anna Frenz tallied her third hat trick in four games, a phenomenal achievement.

Liz Olson took home the Angry Bird award, and Southwest Christian is probably grateful she is a senior. She hassled and harried them all over the field, and dribbled nearly half their team to set up Anna Frenz for the fourth goal; one of the single most brilliant runs in Trinity history. Player of the Game Catherine Putzier was absolutely on fire. She dominated the middle of the pitch offensively and defensively, waltzing through Southwest Christian like they weren’t even there.

It’s starting to click. The Tri Hawks hosted Nova Classical Academy on a glorious Saturday afternoon, and delivered a 5-1 thumping to their guest. Catherine Kieffer opened the scoring with a beautiful move around her defender to slip it in from point blank range. Anna Frenz followed with 2 goals before the break and one in the post-halftime Big 5 to earn her second hat trick of the week. Liz worked the ball in beautifully before feeding Grace for a fantastic 5th goal. Nova pulled one back late off a rebound, but the game was already decided.

For the first time all season, the team demonstrated consistent and widespread composure and patience on the ball. Players moved off the ball. Those on the ball found teammates in space, and rewarded them. The shape through the middle and final third stretched Nova, and created opportunities to probe and penetrate. Everyone took fewer touches, keeping the ball moving.

Angry Bird winner Grace Borchardt worked tirelessly up top to apply pressure and get into dangerous positions, and her finish on the fifth goal was top notch. Catherine Kiefer took home the Player of the Game nod. She took her game to the next level, playing tactically and technically superior soccer at outside mid and outside back, and dangled her defender more than once to wreak havoc.

For 53 minutes the Tri Hawks dominated PACT, and had nothing to show for it. They put together intermittent stretches of sublime soccer in the middle third and were stout in the defensive third, but could not put a quality shot on frame. With their tenth shot of the game, Bekah took the team on her back and let loose a scorcher from a good 25 yards out that broke the drought. She would add a second 15 minutes later before Liz closed out the scoring for a 3-0 home conference win.

Angry Bird honoree Bekah Bittner willed the team to victory with her relentless pressure and work, leaving no ball unchallenged. Player of the Game Audrey Zuelke took her game to a new level with runs up the flank to participate in the attack, adding a new element to her already reliable defensive presence on the outside.