Cougars Kick Off Season at King with Strong Performance

The Cougars kicked off their 2024 campaign with a solid performance that improved as the match wore on. The opening 15 minutes were cagey, as each team eased into the match on the spacious, artificial turf pitch at King School. Strong ball-winning in the midfield by Sloane and Ella were the highlights of the ping-pong-esque start before Country School began to take control of the proceedings. Avery withdrew from her striker position into midfield to partner with Caroline B., and they carved out four fantastic chances to score in the closing minutes of the half. However, all four shots failed to bulge the hosts’ net, and the teams headed into the halftime interval locked at nil-nil.

In the second stanza, the Cougar quickly took control of the tempo of the match, keeping the ball in the King half for long periods of time. Keira played excellently down the right flank, while Tata and Lillian teamed up to nail down the left side in the attacking half. Clare, Daisy and Caroline I. formed a formidable force in the defense, giving goalkeeper Hannah very little to do due to the organization and ball-winning by the back three. The keeper’s main contribution was expertly dealing with a difficult back-pass under duress. With 13 minutes remaining, Country School finally got their break-through as Nat carried the ball down the left side of the penalty area to the by-line before firing a picture-perfect low cross that Victoria let come across her body to produce a fine first-time finish with her right foot. The hosts rarely entered the Cougar defensive third, but it was an unfortunate hand-ball in a mass of players from both teams at the very edge of the penalty box that would give the Vikings the only chance they would need. The penalty was expertly taken, low and well struck to the corner. Country School pressed for a winner in the final minute, but the time ran out and a draw was the result after a game in which the visitors created myriad scoring opportunities. The coaches were proud of the efforts and in-game improvement of play by the Cougars.