By Ali Williams
Soccer Alumni Game
By ALISON WILLIAMS
On a night filled with babies and baby announcements, the current BYU women?s soccer players took on the alumni in a friendly match Friday, March 31, 2006, on South Field.
The 20 alumni that came to the game were nearly outnumbered by the amount of children running the sidelines.
?Its easy to get the alumni out to this game because everyone is so excited to see each other that they want to come,? former player and current team administrator Jennie ?Bug? Christianson said. ?There are still a lot of locals around that are very competitive that come out and make it a game.?
The competitive alumni struck first when Aleisha Cramer Rose chipped a ball over the defense to an on running Michelle Jensen Peterson who found the back of the net.
?It?s fun to play with the alumni and see that everyone?s still got it,? Rose said. ?We all haven?t played in a while so we are so excited. I think for the players its more like, ?oh, we?re playing the alumni.? The best part though is seeing everyone?s kids!?
The current players would equalize in the first half on a goal by Jessica Aquino.
?Katie Larkin threaded an impossible ball. I didn?t think it would go,? Aquino said. ?I got the ball and looked up and [the alumni goalie] Camille [Thomas] did have a good angle so I looked up and then just kicked it.?
With minutes left in the second half, head coach Jen Rockwood urged her current players to end the tie and score a game-winner. The frustration on that bench was apparent as chances were narrowly missed and time expired. Amberlea Anderson threw a shin guard onto the field and Natalie Nate kicked the bench in a show of their frustration.
For the alumni, the game was about more than the score.
?It?s great to come out and see friends that are really your family,? first year alumnus Natalie Evans said.
