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08-30-2021, 01:48 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-30-2021, 05:42 PM by
warren65.)
I did this short story on Stanford women's soccer to post somewhere, it might as well be here.
Women’s Soccer: Guarded Optimism Morphs Into Full Blown Variety
Stanford women’s soccer is coming off its worst season in decades. In the abbreviated Spring season, Stanford lost 5 consecutive games, finished with as many losses as wins, and failed to make the NCAA tournament, breaking a long string of consecutive appearances.
Coming into the Fall 2021 season, there was reason for guarded optimism. This sort of unprecedented mediocrity could not happen twice in a row under highly regarded coach Paul Ratcliffe. The large number of injuries that devastated last season’s team were unlikely to recur, the pandemic was sort of under control, All American defender Naomi Girma had recovered from her ACL, and freshmen reinforcements were arriving.
There were, however, multiple reasons for reigning in the optimism. Consider that Kiki Pickett, a world class outside back, had graduated. Some of last year’s injuries, for example to promising freshmen Catherine and Sara Paulson, were still healing. Even a significant improvement in offensive and defensive performance seemed unlikely to vault Stanford into a top 10 team.
After 3 games, Stanford is 3-0 against unranked opponents. But the nature of the team’s wins suggests positivity and maybe even unqualified optimism. Consider this.
Naomi Girma’s return brings leadership and results on defense. The team has shut out its first three opponents, allowing only a total of 6 shots on goal.
On offense, Stanford is averaging 5 goals per game.
Returning veterans Maya Doms and Abby Greubel are lighting it up, each already with 4 goals and an assist.
Freshman midfielder Andrea Kitahata is the real deal, with 2 goals and 2 assists. Her shots are hard and accurate (with a .667 shots on goal average).
The offense has balance, with 7 players scoring at least one goal and 10 with at least one assist.
Ratcliffe’s trademarked ball control and possession offense has returned. Opponents are averaging less than six shots (and only two on goal) per game.
Freshmen and sophomores are contributing in major ways, with two freshmen now in the starting lineup (Kitahata and defender Kellie Pagador). A number of other freshmen and sophomores are contributing off the bench.
Stanford has depth. Australian national team member Amy Sayer is contributing, but, at least for now, has been pushed out of the starting lineup. And there is hope that all conference Madison Haley and versatile Jojo Harber, both 5th year veterans, will recover from injuries and return to the pitch.
Yup, the spirit and the can do attitude are back. There is well-grounded optimism.
Now, for this week’s challenge: back to back road games against top five ranked Duke and North Carolina.
