Women's Soccer: What a Difference Four Players Make - Printable Version
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Women's Soccer: What a Difference Four Players Make - warren65 - 09-22-2026
On September 13, on a pitch in Durham, North Carolina, Stanford women’s soccer played then #3-ranked Duke. The Blue Devils decimated the Cardinal, winning 5-0. One week later, at home, Stanford played #3 ranked and undefeated Wake Forest (a team that Stanford had never defeated). Stanford controlled the ball for most of the match and scored twice in the last 15 minutes to win 2-0.
Why the different outcomes? Home field advantage – sure, that could have been a factor. Revenge motivation, after losing two consecutive matches to Wake Forest, one in the semi finals of the college cup? Yah, that could have provided extra motivation.
The most obvious difference, however, was four different players in the starting lineup. Three of them had just returned from playing for the U.S. in the U-20 world cup in Poland: Lizzie Boamah (center back); Y-Lan Nguyen (midfielder); and Caroline Birkel (GK). The fourth was midfielder Mia Bhuta, who is now back in fine fettle after recovering from an injury (Bhuta did play 43 minutes as a sub against Duke).
These players are mates on a talented team-oriented squad – they played unselfishly, scored no goals but were major difference makers. Their importance is reflected in Coach Ratcliffe’s decision to play all four the full 90 minutes. At center back, Boamah was a force, making numerous defensive plays including a sliding tackle that prevented a Wake Forest breakaway goal in the closing minutes. In the midfield, Bhuta and Nguyen were vital in keeping the ball out of the Stanford end; they were attacking midfielders who unleashed 5 of the team’s 14 total shots. Goalkeeper Birkel (credited with one save) has yet to allow a goal this season.
Putting together a winning soccer team requires putting the right players (each with a unique set of skills) in the right positions. A coach is playing a game of chess that requires putting the queen in a different place than the bishops and rooks. That’s true of other team sports, but I’ve always thought especially challenging in soccer. You want your best players on the pitch, but where and how to use them is the question.
Against Wake Forest, Ratcliffe played 8 of the 11 starters for the full 90 minutes. The three subs were all listed as forwards (Peyton Marinos had two shots, both on goal, and one of them the winning goal). When Eleanor Klinger returns from England’s U-20, she, along with Milly Bray and Sadie leaf-Schuman, will give the team midfielder depth.
I like the team that Paul Ratcliffe had on the pitch against Wake Forest. More like that and they will be another college cup contender.
RE: Women's Soccer: What a Difference Four Players Make - BostonCard - 09-22-2026
The goal-saving play by Boamah in the 90th minute is worth watching:
https://x.com/stanfordwsoccer/status/2101802188888736019?s=61
I mean, she closed from a good 3 yards back and it wasn’t even close in the end.
Here’s the Mérinos goal:
https://x.com/stanfordwsoccer/status/2101789994151243857?s=61
(The other goal was basically an empty netter)
BC
RE: Women's Soccer: What a Difference Four Players Make - warren65 - 09-23-2026
Boamah's absence against Duke, more than anyone else, could have been a difference maker.
RE: Women's Soccer: What a Difference Four Players Make - OCcardinal - 09-23-2026
(09-22-2026, 08:17 PM)warren65 Wrote: On September 13, on a pitch in Durham, North Carolina, Stanford women’s soccer played then #3-ranked Duke. The Blue Devils decimated the Cardinal, winning 5-0. One week later, at home, Stanford played #3 ranked and undefeated Wake Forest (a team that Stanford had never defeated). Stanford controlled the ball for most of the match and scored twice in the last 15 minutes to win 2-0.
Why the different outcomes? Home field advantage – sure, that could have been a factor. Revenge motivation, after losing two consecutive matches to Wake Forest, one in the semi finals of the college cup? Yah, that could have provided extra motivation.
The most obvious difference, however, was four different players in the starting lineup. Three of them had just returned from playing for the U.S. in the U-20 world cup in Poland: Lizzie Boamah (center back); Y-Lan Nguyen (midfielder); and Caroline Birkel (GK). The fourth was midfielder Mia Bhuta, who is now back in fine fettle after recovering from an injury (Bhuta did play 43 minutes as a sub against Duke).
These players are mates on a talented team-oriented squad – they played unselfishly, scored no goals but were major difference makers. Their importance is reflected in Coach Ratcliffe’s decision to play all four the full 90 minutes. At center back, Boamah was a force, making numerous defensive plays including a sliding tackle that prevented a Wake Forest breakaway goal in the closing minutes. In the midfield, Bhuta and Nguyen were vital in keeping the ball out of the Stanford end; they were attacking midfielders who unleashed 5 of the team’s 14 total shots. Goalkeeper Birkel (credited with one save) has yet to allow a goal this season.
Putting together a winning soccer team requires putting the right players (each with a unique set of skills) in the right positions. A coach is playing a game of chess that requires putting the queen in a different place than the bishops and rooks. That’s true of other team sports, but I’ve always thought especially challenging in soccer. You want your best players on the pitch, but where and how to use them is the question.
Against Wake Forest, Ratcliffe played 8 of the 11 starters for the full 90 minutes. The three subs were all listed as forwards (Peyton Marinos had two shots, both on goal, and one of them the winning goal). When Eleanor Klinger returns from England’s U-20, she, along with Milly Bray and Sadie leaf-Schuman, will give the team midfielder depth.
I like the team that Paul Ratcliffe had on the pitch against Wake Forest. More like that and they will be another college cup contender.
Great write up. I agree. Stanford now looks like it may have one of the best defensive units in the country. That title may have gone to Wake previously. Before Sunday, Wake was 9-0 and had allowed only two goals all season. Its defense has been so dominant that Sierra Sythe has already been named ACC Defensive Player of the Week three times, and Wake’s goalkeeper has received multiple weekly honors. But Stanford pressured them the whole game. Stanford had 14 shots and 6 corners in addition to its 2 goals.
And Stanford didn’t just beat Wake — it nearly completely shut down its attack. Wake came in averaging almost 16 shots per game but managed only 4 against Stanford, with just 1 on goal. And they failed to score for the first time this season. For comparison, Wake had 10 shots (5 on goal) against No. 10 Virginia and 17 shots (7 on goal) against No. 16 LSU.
Boamah and London Young give Stanford an exceptionally athletic center-back pairing, especially with Birkel behind them in goal. And Freer seems much better suited outside (a secondary benefit of Boamah's return). The "weakest" player on our defensive line may be Sammy Smith, who picked up an ACC Defensive Player of the Week honor earlier this season. There really aren’t many obvious flaws in that group now. It’s telling that Boamah was just named ACC Defensive Player of the Week despite only being available for one of Stanford’s two games.
I'd also add that that 0-5 Duke result looks very different when you get beyond the score. Stanford was outshot only 13-12, shots on goal were just 7-6, and Stanford actually had an 8-4 advantage in corner kicks. One of Duke’s five goals was also a penalty. Duke deserved the win and was extraordinarily clinical, but that wasn’t a territorial beatdown. After seeing what the team looked like against Wake with most of its U20s back, it’s hard for me to imagine a rematch with this lineup looking anything like 5-0. I’m not sure Duke would win at all.
And Bhuta’s return to midfield may be almost as important as the U-20 players coming back. The last time she was a full-time midfielder, two years ago, she was an All-American. Stanford needed her mostly on defense last season, but putting her in there with Kohler and Nguyen changes the entire structure of the team. That gives Stanford three extremely talented and complementary midfielders who can defend, keep possession and get forward. And keeping the ball in midfield makes that already strong back line even harder to get at.
I expect Klinger to help more at forward than midfield. And that may be exactly what Stanford needs most. The defense now looks capable of being among the very best in the country, and the Bhuta-Kohler-Nguyen midfield has the potential to be elite as well. Finishing is still the area where Stanford has the most room to improve. I expect Klinger to improve things there. And Klinger is also really good at scoring from distance. The need to cover her further away from goal could also open things up for other players on the front line.
RE: Women's Soccer: What a Difference Four Players Make - Jamesy - 09-24-2026
(09-22-2026, 11:07 PM)BostonCard Wrote: The goal-saving play by Boamah in the 90th minute is worth watching:
https://x.com/stanfordwsoccer/status/2101802188888736019?s=61
I mean, she closed from a good 3 yards back and it wasn’t even close in the end.
Here’s the Mérinos goal:
https://x.com/stanfordwsoccer/status/2101789994151243857?s=61
(The other goal was basically an empty netter)
BC
That was a terrible uniform matchup. Had to look closely in order to tell which team each player was on since the colors were so similar.
Looks like GK misplayed Merinos' goal. If she came out she would have beaten her to the ball.