VIRAGO

brontide

[ Wow it has been quite the last month and I am super sorry for not having updated at all, but hopefully things will start slowing down a tad before my final exams. Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! ]

brontide (n.) - the low rumble of distant thunder

After a few days of regrouping and getting ready for their next game, Monday came and they were back on their home field. They were facing off against the conference second place finisher Lexington. Their only losses they had were to the Pirates of Harbor Beach, so it was going to be an interesting, physical game. Samantha and Dana had been slowly clearing out her old house of anything else she needed, her brother coming home and helping out on the weekends when he could. He took over the real estate part of the house, working with the city on getting it sold or in custody of the bank. Things were still settling down, but it was still a new normal for all of them.

"Alright guys, we've got Lexington today. We know how they play, but we also know how to beat them. Their power is in their midfield, so they're gonna push us back as much as possible. Keep a high line and don't get caught on the wrong side of the play. Let's do it." Samantha told them all in their pregame huddle. There was some hooting and hollering as they put their hands in the middle and counted off before they took the field. She and Nash did their handshake and went to their positions on the field. She was glad to have her best friend back, for there was a newfound chemistry or one that had returned from before. She honestly could not tell. They had had a lot to catch up on still even after hours of hanging out since they rekindled their friendship.

The whistle brought her out of her trance and she brought her focus back to the game as the ball started to move back towards her already. They knew what they had to do, and they needed to play this game as if they were playing in the championship because it was win or go home - and they were definitely not done just yet. This was the second game of their campaign, and if they were to win this one and the next one, they were in the finals.

"Up, up, up!" She yelled at her team as she got the ball in her grasp. She saw Peter free at the top of the circle, and she punted it hard up the field, able to get the ball just far enough in front of him to run onto it. He went to take a touch and got tackled hard to the group, and the referee instantly blew the whistle as Peter collapsed to the ground holding his shoulder. The referee issued a yellow card to the offender as their trainer came out onto the field.

"He's saying it's dislocated. He can't play the rest of the game." Nash relayed back to her as he came back from the fifty yard line, and she gave a sigh.

"Damn, he and George have some of the best chemistry on the team." She grunted with some frustration. "It's high school soccer. Why the hard ass tackle in the first place?" She questioned.

"I don't know, but it was petty as hell. Looks like coach is sliding Ben up top. Like for like sub." He said as they watched him get up to the sideline as they got Peter up to his feet to walk off the field. Ben came onto the field, and she let out a shaky sigh.

"He doesn't have the speed like Pete though, but he knows how to be in the right place at the right time I guess." She commented as they bumped fists to get back into the game. He stayed at the bottom of the circle while Bill took the free kick, but they were unable to come away with anything other than a throw in after the fact. When halftime came they were scolded for not making much effort on goal but they were praised for how well they were still controlling the entire game. They gave each other some pointers, checked in on the status of Peter, then took to the field once again to try and get on top of a scoreless game.

"Watch this outside Nick!" She shouted as the Lexington forwards started coming down the middle, their outside midfielders getting wide and attempting to get open. They had a flat defense and they knew how to defend in staggers, but they were too slow on the switch, the forward splitting Nash and Nick and slipping the ball through to their midfielder. They started to crash her net, but she stayed on her toes and alert as the cross was starting to come in. She leapt up into the air as a forward went to head the ball, and she felt an elbow go into her ribs and she felt as if she had to gasp for air. She was able to get a hold of the ball and came back down, but took a knee, gasping for air.