Reminiscent of many a beloved frigid morn from the Spring,
the Bears awoke at the crushingly early hour of 4:30 a.m. to clamor aboard the
bus, and begin the long voyage out to the Wild Northwest. There they would face
their toughest challenge yet: two distant road games, two talented, unknown
oppositions, and all in the course of three days. After some quality time in
the airport (Men In Black 4) the boys arrived on foreign soil, chucked their stuff into
the Seattle hotel and made the traffic-filled trek in “minibuses” to the den of
the Huskies.
Shaking the stiffness from their legs, the boys
simultaneously invented and participated in the first ever Washington Olympics
including such events as “thread-the-tire”, “ping-the-crossbar”, and the
classic: “catch-as-many-punted-balls-as-you-can.” The competition was fierce and
records were set as Jason “hot-hands” Burnett – after smashing the record for
most balls caught last year – set a new record for least balls caught (0), and
Sam “Mac Miller” Groves earned gold in the crossbar challenge, trumping
Comitis’ hit with an unprecedented double crossbar bounce.
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The boys awoke the next morning, rested and ready to face
the Husky hosts. Returning to the field, this time with more than Washington
Olympic glory on their minds, the Bears eagerly warmed up for battle as the sun set,
fans flocked in, and the lights flickered on across Husky stadium.
The whistle blew and the game took off as
both teams began with energy. Perhaps it was the long ride in, or a case of
shaking the nerves off on foreign soil for the Bears, but for the first quarter of the game
the Huskies seemed at ease on the field, keeping possession and knocking at the
door on several occasions including a few dangerous crosses from the flanks
where they were able to show their speed and test the Brown backline.Then it happened. After a Whalen shoulder check, the Huskies did what they do best and took advantage of a set piece (a theme that would continue throughout the game for Washington), heading the free kick on past the outstretched fingers of Schloss and making 1-0 after just 8 minutes of play. More of these opportunities arose as the Huskies pressed forward, forcing several scrums in the box, and some courageous charges from Sam. Though the Bears began to find their feet and keep possession, things remained relatively quiet on the offensive front save for one or two creative efforts from “the maestro” Tmac.
Meanwhile, the Huskies made use of their not-so-secret-weapon “the flip throw” (a tactic the Bears had lost many years ago with the departure of Howie the Hucker), whipping the ball dangerously into the 6’ from anywhere beyond the halfway mark, and forcing Schloss into some sticky situations. This would prove a constant threat for the Bears, as in the 28th minute, having countered against Brown and striking the woodwork with a bending volley, the Huskies set up once more for a flip throw. As expected, a dangerous ball was whipped in, but this time it was also headed firmly into the back of the net…by Erob? It was an unlucky and painful blow for the Bears who found themselves struggling to find positives 2-0 down after just 30 minutes of play in a stadium of elated Husky fans.
The Huskies continued with this offensive pressure, riddling crosses and flip throws across the Bears’ box, and forcing the backline and Schloss to come up with some vital stops. But finally the Bears - bringing in some fresh legs off the bench - managed to pick up the tempo and forced Washington onto the back foot, opening up the game with a slew of corners, and letting Washington know the game was far from over as the half came to an end.
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“The first 10 minutes of the second half we came out flying” Erob told me after the game. “Unphased by the score or how the first half went, the first goal came in about 8 minutes and proved to everyone on the field we could outplay those guys and win the game.” Whether it was the fiery halftime speech from Coach Laughlin, or simply the BMS mentality of determination that shone through, something changed in that second half. It wasn’t drastic, but could be found in the little things: a tough track back from Big Ben, a strong challenge from Markes, a commitment from each player to raise his level of intensity and desire just a bit, and that extra bit made all the difference.
Finally it came together. Starting with the ball at his feet in our box, Markes pushed up the right flank with confidence, slotting a leading ball to V, who battled with a Husky defender and found TMac just outside the Husky box. What happened next can only be described as a Barca moment, as Tom “return of the Mack” Mcnamara chipped a brilliant leading ball to V, who – like his distant Chilean relative Alexis Sanchez – lifted it confidently over the sliding Keeper to make it 2-1. The Bears were hungry again.
Then things really began to open up with Dylan dominating the left side of the field, Gavey taking on defenders and sending in cross after cross from the right, as the ball remained on the Husky’s half this time around. Another goal seemed imminent for the Bears at around the 60th minute when Gorab put in a dangerous looking shot, and Gavey nearly tapped it away, but this chance was followed by a dry spell for both teams. But chances kept coming, and eventually Brown found glory once more, as Big Ben bobbed and weaved two defenders at the left corner of the Husky box and lazered a cross onto the forehead of the streaking Gavey, who pounded it home, celebrating with his infamous “Ratchet" dance, while Maurey opted for a series of Hulk-like yells. 2-2.
Pressure mounted as shots came for both sides as well as an array of tackles, best described as “chippy”, and a couple of deserved yellows. Still the question lingered, who would break the deadlock? The answer: the Huskies. In the 78th minute, after a succession of quality passes, Washington exposed a hole in our backline, as their right winger slotted in a neat ball across the mouth of the goal which was flicked in cheekily to make it 3-2. Though the Huskies celebrated as if the game had been won, piling on top of each other to the raucous applause of their friends and families, the Bears were unperturbed, and took this moment of excessive celebration to regroup. The depth of this mental toughness was revealed in just under two minutes, as Daniel Taylor pounced upon the rebound of an Escalona shot and tied the game up 3-3 to the relief of Bear fans everywhere. After a few more flip throw-scrum-Schloss save combos, the whistle for regulation was blown and the two teams jogged off to prepare for the “golden goal” overtime that would soon follow.
“Huskies Drop Heartbreaker” was the headline that echoed across Washington’s campus the next morning, and who better to bring this about then the Brawniest, the Baddest, the Biggest, BEN MAUREY. Once again, the brilliant vision of Mcnamara paid off as he lofted a ball just over a leaping Husky defender to find the colossal pate of Maurey who hammered the ball home and, shedding his jersey in true hulk form, sprinted to the sideline to be swarmed by players and coaches alike (including a severe recommendation to re-shirt himself from Coach Biggs, so as not to receive another red card). It was a night to remember. A reminder of the unity and belief that rests as the backbone of this team, and an example of what Brown Men’s Soccer is capable of with our back against the wall. These are the games that define seasons. In the words of the young Tariq “I cannot think of a better feeling I have had on a soccer field with any team, ever.”
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Once again it was time for the Bears to finish a tournament during the ever-challenging slot of a late Sunday afternoon. After a day of rest that the boys spent relaxing, eating, and visiting beloved BMS alum Dave Chichester on Bainbridge Island, the Bears returned once again to the Husky stadium to face the Portland Pilots.
As the whistle sounded to start the game, it was the Bears this time around who exuded confidence, pinging the ball around with ease, getting through some strong tackles, and denying the Pilots (who seemed to be in Auto-pilot mode) any real chances. After just 13 minutes of play, the Bears found the back of the net, as Gavey fired a brilliant corner to the head of Robertson who connected solidly, punching the ball into the lower right side of the net, in an act of total redemption
Though the Bears continued to play with energy, Portland began to wake up, and made it clear that they were ready for a battle as they began picking up their energy and creating some dangerous chances, along with some nasty looking tackles to boot. Undaunted, the Bears fought on, cheered on by a surprisingly large contingent of friends and family. The game itself, while certainly not boring, proved relatively uneventful compared to the nail biter from Friday. Though Portland did manage a shot or two, the Bears seemed to fall into a comfortable rhythm that would persist throughout the half, and truly, the rest of the match.
After a quick halftime speech, the boys took the field once more, forcing the Pilots into defensive mode as Tariq ripped a speculative effort from just outside the box that ricocheted off the top of the crossbar. A minute later, Tariq sent a pass in to Tmac at the left corner of the 18, who took on a frightened Pilot with a quick step over – shot combo that rippled the back of the net. 2-0 good guys!
After succeeding in getting the highly coveted 2nd goal, the Bears settled comfortably in the opposing half, with good movement off the ball, and a level of offensive prowess unseen before this weekend. TMac (who would later be crowned offensive MVP of the tourney) was a constant threat, taking defenders on with confidence, and forcing a spectacular save from the Pilot keeper in the 57th minute.
There were moments of complacency in the second half as the Bears were forced into some tight binds in the back, but the feeling that the Pilots would stage a come back was absent.
Then in the 65th minute, Bobby “dangles” Belair fired home the death blow. The goal was the product of a surging run from Escalona, who, to the surprise of nearly everyone on and off the field, faked a classic “V volley”, choosing instead to find the feet of Belair, who swiveled past his defender, and sent home the final goal of the game to make it 3-0 Brown.
I could go on with details about solid play from every one of the Bears (including the debut of Mitch on the pitch), but instead I will cut to the chase and say that the Bear’s left Seattle all smiles. With two important wins in their pocket and a newfound offense that produced 7 goals in only 2 games (more than doubling their tally up to that point), BMS seemed to open the season’s narrative to a new chapter, proving that we CAN combine our typical stalwart defense with a plethora of goals to boot.
And now, some words of Wisdom from Captain Erob:
This weekend revealed a great improvement in many players individually and as a squad. We proved to ourselves that were a fighting team, that no matter what the score, we're always in it. This will help us mentally in a big way as we enter Ivy play where the games are usually pretty tight. We found ourselves to be a team that can really move the ball and get goals from both the run of play and from restarts. This trip got us that much closer to discovering our identity.
Next up Colombia at home on Saturday night to begin Ivy competition! (Get ready for Gavey's newest celebratorydance)
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