[Viking_Guy]

Sorry for the late report, got back from the games late last night.

In any case, in a game that was both a lot closer and a lot more lopsided than the score indicates, Stanford advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament with a 3-0 win over the Sacramento State Hornets on Friday night at home.

How closer?  Well, the score was tied 0-0 midway through the second half, and Stanford was having all sorts of problems finishing off their chances.  How lopsided?  Well, the Cardinal had the lion\'s share of the chances.  How about outshooting the Hornets 33-3 prior to the first goal being scored?  Hitting the post or the bar on at least four occasions?  Stanford\'s keeper, Emily Oliver, not facing a shot on goal for the entire match, and only a couple of really dangerous opportunities?

And at that point, those of us who were there for the opening match of the evening had some cause for concern.  In that match, Santa Clara was fairly thoroughly outplayed by Long Beach State, to the chagrin of the large Bronco fan contingent in attendance.  Long Beach dominated the possession, but lacked quality finishing and only had a few really dangerous chances.  The Broncos, meanwhile, only had a few counterattacks to show for the evening, being outshot 12-4 in the first half and then only having one shot in the opening 35 minutes of the second.  But it only took a second, as the Broncos, with the 49ers pushing forward to try to get the go-ahead goal late, got one more odd-person rush, and finally finished off a goal with about 7 minutes left.  Then withstood, thanks to their great goalkeeper Bianca Henninger, a last-minute flurry from LBSU, including a sprawling right-handed save on a lethal-looking shot to the far post from inside the box with under 15 seconds left that went over the endline and left too little time on the clock for Long Beach to get a corner off.

That was the context in which we were watching ball after ball slice across the front of Sacramento\'s goal, shots hit the left post in the first few minutes, the left upper 90 (off a beautiful Noyola freekick), the crossbar off a keeper tip of a wickedly dipping shot, and on and on, and that was only in the first half.

So with 30 minutes left, I was becoming a bit concerned.  And so was coach Paul Radcliffe.

One other note: Stanford was playing without starting center back Courtney Verloo, whose move from forward to central defense, along with the change to keeper Oliver, really sparked the Cardinal\'s late-season form (4 goals against in the last 16 games).  It also moved normal starting forward and glue player Camille Levin back into the defense and got a start for Marjani Hing-Glover, normally a 25-30 minute a game sub up front.  Hing-Glover had a solid game, but Stanford did look a little less like their normal scoring machine up front.

Not to take anything away from Sac State.  They came in with what we\'re going to see a lot - a predominantly defensive 4-5-1 game plan concentrating on limiting the quality of chances available to Christen Press.  Press had her share of shots, and of quality chances, but the Hornets double-teamed her absolutely everywhere, and knocked her off the ball any chance they got.  The other offensive powers, Taylor, Noyola et al are going to have to provide scoring going forward.  Also, State\'s keeper was having a great (and lucky) game, just barely denying about 7-8 really great chances.

So there we stood, 0-0 in the 65th minute.  Radcliffe brought in frosh Sydney Payne for Hing-Glover a few minutes earlier, and Stanford launched right back Rachel Quon up the outside on an overlapping run.  She beat her mark in the right corner and cut in on the endline, before firing a low cross just off the front post to Payne.  Who BACK-HEELED the ball in, just getting a touch on it and tipping it past the screened keeper.

But that was only a 1-0 lead with 25 minutes left.  Stanford again put the pressure on, generating several more quality chances, but into the 80th minute it was one defensive lapse from being tied.

And again, a sub would lead them.  Lindsay McCann came on for Press, and scored off the scramble of one of Stanford\'s 15 corner kicks with a minute of entering the game, off an assist by, who else, Sydney Payne.  Then Stanford, subbing in earnest, brought in, among others, Nina Watkins, who promptly scored off another Payne assists 90 seconds after entering.

So with the likely Hermann Trophy winner held scoreless, it was lightly-used subs getting the job done.  You gotta like that, even if it was a bit nerve-wracking.  And in part, I think the removal of Press late took away the Hornets\' defensive focus, allowing for the two late goals.

In any case, outshot them 42-3, with no shots on goal or saves for Emily Oliver to handle.  And the issue was still in doubt into the 80th minute.

That\'s soccer.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

Sorry for the late report, got back from the games late last night.

In any case, in a game that was both a lot closer and a lot more lopsided than the score indicates, Stanford advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament with a 3-0 win over the Sacramento State Hornets on Friday night at home.

How closer?  Well, the score was tied 0-0 midway through the second half, and Stanford was having all sorts of problems finishing off their chances.  How lopsided?  Well, the Cardinal had the lion\'s share of the chances.  How about outshooting the Hornets 33-3 prior to the first goal being scored?  Hitting the post or the bar on at least four occasions?  Stanford\'s keeper, Emily Oliver, not facing a shot on goal for the entire match, and only a couple of really dangerous opportunities?

And at that point, those of us who were there for the opening match of the evening had some cause for concern.  In that match, Santa Clara was fairly thoroughly outplayed by Long Beach State, to the chagrin of the large Bronco fan contingent in attendance.  Long Beach dominated the possession, but lacked quality finishing and only had a few really dangerous chances.  The Broncos, meanwhile, only had a few counterattacks to show for the evening, being outshot 12-4 in the first half and then only having one shot in the opening 35 minutes of the second.  But it only took a second, as the Broncos, with the 49ers pushing forward to try to get the go-ahead goal late, got one more odd-person rush, and finally finished off a goal with about 7 minutes left.  Then withstood, thanks to their great goalkeeper Bianca Henninger, a last-minute flurry from LBSU, including a sprawling right-handed save on a lethal-looking shot to the far post from inside the box with under 15 seconds left that went over the endline and left too little time on the clock for Long Beach to get a corner off.

That was the context in which we were watching ball after ball slice across the front of Sacramento\'s goal, shots hit the left post in the first few minutes, the left upper 90 (off a beautiful Noyola freekick), the crossbar off a keeper tip of a wickedly dipping shot, and on and on, and that was only in the first half.

So with 30 minutes left, I was becoming a bit concerned.  And so was coach Paul Radcliffe.

One other note: Stanford was playing without starting center back Courtney Verloo, whose move from forward to central defense, along with the change to keeper Oliver, really sparked the Cardinal\'s late-season form (4 goals against in the last 16 games).  It also moved normal starting forward and glue player Camille Levin back into the defense and got a start for Marjani Hing-Glover, normally a 25-30 minute a game sub up front.  Hing-Glover had a solid game, but Stanford did look a little less like their normal scoring machine up front.

Not to take anything away from Sac State.  They came in with what we\'re going to see a lot - a predominantly defensive 4-5-1 game plan concentrating on limiting the quality of chances available to Christen Press.  Press had her share of shots, and of quality chances, but the Hornets double-teamed her absolutely everywhere, and knocked her off the ball any chance they got.  The other offensive powers, Taylor, Noyola et al are going to have to provide scoring going forward.  Also, State\'s keeper was having a great (and lucky) game, just barely denying about 7-8 really great chances.

So there we stood, 0-0 in the 65th minute.  Radcliffe brought in frosh Sydney Payne for Hing-Glover a few minutes earlier, and Stanford launched right back Rachel Quon up the outside on an overlapping run.  She beat her mark in the right corner and cut in on the endline, before firing a low cross just off the front post to Payne.  Who BACK-HEELED the ball in, just getting a touch on it and tipping it past the screened keeper.

But that was only a 1-0 lead with 25 minutes left.  Stanford again put the pressure on, generating several more quality chances, but into the 80th minute it was one defensive lapse from being tied.

And again, a sub would lead them.  Lindsay McCann came on for Press, and scored off the scramble of one of Stanford\'s 15 corner kicks with a minute of entering the game, off an assist by, who else, Sydney Payne.  Then Stanford, subbing in earnest, brought in, among others, Nina Watkins, who promptly scored off another Payne assists 90 seconds after entering.

So with the likely Hermann Trophy winner held scoreless, it was lightly-used subs getting the job done.  You gotta like that, even if it was a bit nerve-wracking.  And in part, I think the removal of Press late took away the Hornets\' defensive focus, allowing for the two late goals.

In any case, outshot them 42-3, with no shots on goal or saves for Emily Oliver to handle.  And the issue was still in doubt into the 80th minute.

That\'s soccer.

VG