Reserves Rally to Tie Kimball Union, 2-2

 The Marauder soccer blog has been fortunate to have several guest scribes and correspondents.  We're delighted that this post was penned by Reserve Captain Arturo Johnson, who does a superb job describing today's stirring comeback by the Marauders, who rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie Kimball Union, 2-2:

Upon arrival, the skies were blue and sunny and warm, but as the match drew to a close, the clouds loomed overhead, and a chill ran through the air, perhaps telling the orange-shirted opposition that Hanover is back. And we're better. And we'll take anything you throw (or kick) at us and send it back just as strongly. That's what we came to do and that's exactly what we did. As soon as the game started, Kimball Union was on their toes. None other than the infamous Henry Pletcher dashed down the field straight into a one-on-one with the unlucky but determined Jo Glock. Pletcher dodged Glock and sent the ball straight into the back of the net, a goal-scoring technique which he showed off again a few minutes later, much to the dismay of the Marauders. However, we weren't going to let them get away that easy. Later in the half, in fact, to follow that up, none other than the twinkle-toed Benny (Benito) Gantrish sent the ball soaring through the air over the heads of the despairing Kimball defense line. The ball never touched the ground. Tenzin Tashi was positioned and ready to give it all he had, which he showed when he landed the ball with a textbook chest trap, and down onto his foot. The KUA keeper could only look on as Tashi's kick (from 2 feet away) blasted past his arm, bringing Hanover Reserve once again to another decisive one-goal away matches. 

But then, of course, the second half was yet to come. And with the promise of the future came the determination and hope that powered the Marauders through that fateful final section. Shots were taken ( mainly by Hanover), defense was powerful ( KUA), and tensions rose until late in the second half (the fourth quarter, I think), after a series of corner kicks that just didn't have the finish they deserved, a rebound. Most of the maroon players were in the box already, but not the unsung hero, Hayden Hatfield. The first-year Hanover defender who has sort of hidden in the shadows so far beat the Kimball player to the ball and booted a perfect arc back towards the goal. I'm not quite sure how it happened, but somehow, after it landed and was jostled about by KUA chests and heads, the ball made its way to Gantrish, who found his way straight to the goal. The Kimball Union keeper came out for the tackle, but Benny was quick ( it's a superpower of his, I'm sure). Before the keeper could blink, the ball shot past him to the left and into that small slit just inside the goal post, the corner where goalkeepers dread. The Marauders cheered and applauded him, and held up their defense until the very end. The Marauders left the field with newly recovered confidence and fire, a wonderful feeling that happens many times after coming back for a tie. Hanover returns to the pasture on Friday for a rematch against Mount Royal Academy, our first opponent of the season.