This is the first game I've covered in the rain, so this could be tricky, especially in Dal Physics' official wind tunnel otherwise known as Wickwire Field.
The ACAA rosters came out this morning, so most of the names should be right. Aside from elite midfielder Allie Akers, Kings' is mostly intact from last year. STU have a massive women's team this year. The men are sitting in front of me complaining about the large women's roster. Apparently it's caused them to have to downgrade thier bus for the trip. It does look a little more like a Metro Transit bus than most teams would like. One guy termed it a "prison bus," which is a pretty accurate description.
Kings' still only has one goalkeeper. Krista Bishop is very skilled (with the notable exception of during last year's playoffs, which I think she'd like to forget), but if she gets hurt we could be watching Sarah Kraus play goal.
Kings' also have a new coach, in Stacey Stocco, who hailed from Adelaide, Australia. She replaces Gillian Costelo for Kings'.
And last year's striker of choice, Neesha Madhvani has also departed. Irene Flatley scored against NSAC mid-week. Yang can score, as can Cutler, but both of them are hurt today. Look for Allison Smith to start with Flatley. For the record, defender Jamie Trueland is also hurt.
Teams are coming out, looking quite proper. No clock, so all times are estimates.
UKC (3-5-2): Bishop, Spessot, Kraus, Skinner, Miesner, Cousens, McKenzie, Anderson, Crothers, Flatley, Smith.
STU (4-4-2): Wardell, McCulloch, Gallie, Bruce, Alisah Benedict, Del Frate, McKinnon, Waddell, Cross, Firlotte, Silver.
1min: Kick-off. Kings' have initial possession. They loop one to Wardell, but it's an easy save.
5min: Lots of midfield battling and little forward movement so far.
6min: Free kick to UKC out wide right. Miesner puts it in short. Flatley nearly getys space, but her attemp to win a corner results in a goal kick.
7min: Flatley breaks in and slides to shoot. It beats the keeper but rolls wide.
9min: STU have brought maybe 35 fans and a banner! Yes, a banner. This sets new levels for a Kings' home game. It's actually a terrible banner, but that's not the point. It reads "Go Team Go." There might be 4 Kings' fans here. They're either press (me) or they work for the program.
11min: Corner to Kings' after a good foray by Cousens. They work some box play and there's a whiff of handball, but the STU defense holds.
14min: Kings' are missing Yang's creativity in midfield. The link-up is still quite smooth, but not as deadly.
15min: Kings' are also playing into a considerable wind. They've been putting long balls in to get their strikers running onto as the wind holds them up. Wardell is also struggling with the wind and she miscommits before scampering back to recover.
18min: Kings' win a corner. It's initially cleared, then sent back in, but Flatley was ruled offside. That might be a bit of a harsh call--she looked on to me, although I don't have the best angle.
19min: Flatley dashes in again. Wardell wins the race to the ball but Flatley makes sure to kick her in the gut on her way by.
21min: Smith cuts inside after Flatley is cut down. Flatley gets up and looks for a return pass, but Smith elects to shoot, and misses.
22min: STU concede a free kick very near the box as Flatley is dropped again. Her pace is causing real problems for STU. And Kings' hit the bar as Cousens loops the wide free kick in with Wardell looking rather helpless.
26min: STU are getting nothing past the monster otherwise known as Sarah Kraus. She pops up wherever STU have space and devours it.
29min: Flatley in again and she shoots low into Wardell's arms. There's a good chance that if she doesn't score, she'll win a penalty with her pace.
30min: STU get a chance in the box. Bishop claims the ball and Samantha Silver clatters her in competition for it. The ref shows her a yellow, but that play was fair game for Silver. Tough decision, there.
34min: Flatley in again, trying this time to poke it past Wardell. She doesn't get anywhere near enough on it and Wardell holds on.
36min: Flatley bangs her way past Gallie and goes down in the area, but the ref waves her up.
38min: Smith gets between the two centrebacks and goes for goal. Wardell stops the shot with her face and STU find a way to clear it.
45min: Smith finagles down the left, gets on her right foot, and fires over from twelve yards.
Half-time comes scoreless, but Kings' should really be winning this game. Chance after chance hasn't quite gone in. It'll interesting to see if (fairly) new coach (she's three games in) Stacey Stocco can motivate them to perform better.
45min: Kings' kick-off. Anderson on for Crothers.
48min: Kings' win a corner off of a STU defensive mistake. It's underhit and wasted.
51min: Flatley gets in behind Wardell, but the ref calls her for a foul on the Tommies' 'keeper. Probably the right call.
59min: King's are bossing this, but still not finishing well.
66min: A boring game livens up a bit as Kings' win a free kick wide right. It's straight to Wardell, who catches easily.
69min: Kings' are looking a bit tired. They played mid-week against NSAC and the pace is beginning to edge away. Yang would help here.
71min: GOAL! Flatley finally finishes! She dances (pardon the bad Riverdance pun) around Bruce, takes a moment to size it up, edges around Wardell and slots home very nicely.
73min: Kings' will almost definitely sit back now, they have the resources in Cousens and Kraus to lock this game down.
75min: Kings' nearly get caught on the counter, though. There are only three at the back which seems a tad risky, given the score.
77min: Kings' win a debatable free kick, which Cousens loops over Wardell and off the bar again. She's unlucky today. Two stunning free kicks and two crossbars.
79min: Flatley evades Bruce again andtries to pick out Smith, but she overhits the pass and Wardell claims.
85min: Kings' should go 2-0 up, but Flatley misses two great opportunities. She managed to find a rebound inches from goal and succeeded only in wafting it over the bar.
88min: No subs in this game, which is odd, though understandable. Kings' onlyhave 12 healthy players. Keeping 11 on the pitch has been hard enough.
90min: Haley Anderson goes down inured. Kings' lack a sub option at this point, so Sarah Dowler--who's also hurt--comes on.
Full-time: Kings' locked it down alright, and they take 3 points as a result. They play again tomorrow.
18min: Kings' win a corner. It's initially cleared, then sent back in, but Flatley was ruled offside. That might be a bit of a harsh call--she looked on to me, although I don't have the best angle.
19min: Flatley dashes in again. Wardell wins the race to the ball but Flatley makes sure to kick her in the gut on her way by.
21min: Smith cuts inside after Flatley is cut down. Flatley gets up and looks for a return pass, but Smith elects to shoot, and misses.
22min: STU concede a free kick very near the box as Flatley is dropped again. Her pace is causing real problems for STU. And Kings' hit the bar as Cousens loops the wide free kick in with Wardell looking rather helpless.
26min: STU are getting nothing past the monster otherwise known as Sarah Kraus. She pops up wherever STU have space and devours it.
29min: Flatley in again and she shoots low into Wardell's arms. There's a good chance that if she doesn't score, she'll win a penalty with her pace.
30min: STU get a chance in the box. Bishop claims the ball and Samantha Silver clatters her in competition for it. The ref shows her a yellow, but that play was fair game for Silver. Tough decision, there.
34min: Flatley in again, trying this time to poke it past Wardell. She doesn't get anywhere near enough on it and Wardell holds on.
36min: Flatley bangs her way past Gallie and goes down in the area, but the ref waves her up.
38min: Smith gets between the two centrebacks and goes for goal. Wardell stops the shot with her face and STU find a way to clear it.
45min: Smith finagles down the left, gets on her right foot, and fires over from twelve yards.
Half-time comes scoreless, but Kings' should really be winning this game. Chance after chance hasn't quite gone in. It'll interesting to see if (fairly) new coach (she's three games in) Stacey Stocco can motivate them to perform better.
45min: Kings' kick-off. Anderson on for Crothers.
48min: Kings' win a corner off of a STU defensive mistake. It's underhit and wasted.
51min: Flatley gets in behind Wardell, but the ref calls her for a foul on the Tommies' 'keeper. Probably the right call.
59min: King's are bossing this, but still not finishing well.
66min: A boring game livens up a bit as Kings' win a free kick wide right. It's straight to Wardell, who catches easily.
69min: Kings' are looking a bit tired. They played mid-week against NSAC and the pace is beginning to edge away. Yang would help here.
71min: GOAL! Flatley finally finishes! She dances (pardon the bad Riverdance pun) around Bruce, takes a moment to size it up, edges around Wardell and slots home very nicely.
73min: Kings' will almost definitely sit back now, they have the resources in Cousens and Kraus to lock this game down.
75min: Kings' nearly get caught on the counter, though. There are only three at the back which seems a tad risky, given the score.
77min: Kings' win a debatable free kick, which Cousens loops over Wardell and off the bar again. She's unlucky today. Two stunning free kicks and two crossbars.
79min: Flatley evades Bruce again andtries to pick out Smith, but she overhits the pass and Wardell claims.
85min: Kings' should go 2-0 up, but Flatley misses two great opportunities. She managed to find a rebound inches from goal and succeeded only in wafting it over the bar.
88min: No subs in this game, which is odd, though understandable. Kings' onlyhave 12 healthy players. Keeping 11 on the pitch has been hard enough.
90min: Haley Anderson goes down inured. Kings' lack a sub option at this point, so Sarah Dowler--who's also hurt--comes on.
Full-time: Kings' locked it down alright, and they take 3 points as a result. They play again tomorrow.
