[Spiny_Norman]

I was flipping to the Stanford women's soccer match during football tv timeouts. I saw a nice goal by Beattie Goad with a lovely assist from Jordan DiBiasi to put Stanford up 2-0. But I also saw something troubling - Sophia Smith was injured early in the 2nd half. The training staff was huddled around her on the sideline, then carried her out of the stadium. Leg injury. Did not look good.

Stanford won the match 2-0 with a dominant defensive effort. Jahansouz did not face a single shot on goal. But the challenge will be even greater on Sunday when Stanford faces undefeated Colorado. It will be the final home match of the season with team honoring seniors Averie Collins, Alanna Cook, Jordan DiBiasi, Michelle Xiao and Tegan McGrady.

[Spiny_Norman]

I was flipping to the Stanford women's soccer match during football tv timeouts. I saw a nice goal by Beattie Goad with a lovely assist from Jordan DiBiasi to put Stanford up 2-0. But I also saw something troubling - Sophia Smith was injured early in the 2nd half. The training staff was huddled around her on the sideline, then carried her out of the stadium. Leg injury. Did not look good.

Stanford won the match 2-0 with a dominant defensive effort. Jahansouz did not face a single shot on goal. But the challenge will be even greater on Sunday when Stanford faces undefeated Colorado. It will be the final home match of the season with team honoring seniors Averie Collins, Alanna Cook, Jordan DiBiasi, Michelle Xiao and Tegan McGrady.

[muiron]

Just an awful year for injuries - I can't remember one as bad. We've lost games from at least

Tierna Davidson (USWNT member, out for the season from non-conference game)
Jaye Boissiere
Sam Hiatt
Michelle Xiao
Madison Haley
Tegan McGrady, and now
Sophia Smith

and undoubtedly more I'm forgetting. The team's depth is wonderful but even it is getting a bit stretched. Happily the defense has been largely injury free - Tegan missed a few games as did Sam Hiatt (mostly defensive mid this year but also a CB) but Alison Jahansouz, Lauren Rood, Alana Cook, Kiki Pickett, and the (truly amazing) true frosh Naomi Girma have been largely fixed. That may be why we've managed to stay undefeated. If the other team gets no goals, we can't lose.

I hadn't focused on just how big our losses are at the end of the year. We're losing 4 multi-year starters in Alana (the rock), Tegan, Jordan, and Michelle. They've been a brobdingnagian part of our success.

[muiron]

Just an awful year for injuries - I can't remember one as bad. We've lost games from at least

Tierna Davidson (USWNT member, out for the season from non-conference game)
Jaye Boissiere
Sam Hiatt
Michelle Xiao
Madison Haley
Tegan McGrady, and now
Sophia Smith

and undoubtedly more I'm forgetting. The team's depth is wonderful but even it is getting a bit stretched. Happily the defense has been largely injury free - Tegan missed a few games as did Sam Hiatt (mostly defensive mid this year but also a CB) but Alison Jahansouz, Lauren Rood, Alana Cook, Kiki Pickett, and the (truly amazing) true frosh Naomi Girma have been largely fixed. That may be why we've managed to stay undefeated. If the other team gets no goals, we can't lose.

I hadn't focused on just how big our losses are at the end of the year. We're losing 4 multi-year starters in Alana (the rock), Tegan, Jordan, and Michelle. They've been a brobdingnagian part of our success.

[Viking_Guy]

Don't forget that Catarina Macario didn't play last night, and has missed a lot of time this year with injuries.

Smith was in a boot.  She got free in the box and inside the penalty spot, and was taken down by a slide from behind for a penalty kick.  It looked like the defender slid into and rolled up her right ankle when that was Sophia's plant leg.  Hopefully not a break, but at least a pretty severe ankle sprain.

Xiao was in better form last night, and Boissiere played some limited minutes.

But Colorado, one of three undefeated teams left and ranked #15, comes to town this weekend.  A real test for our side.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

Don't forget that Catarina Macario didn't play last night, and has missed a lot of time this year with injuries.

Smith was in a boot.  She got free in the box and inside the penalty spot, and was taken down by a slide from behind for a penalty kick.  It looked like the defender slid into and rolled up her right ankle when that was Sophia's plant leg.  Hopefully not a break, but at least a pretty severe ankle sprain.

Xiao was in better form last night, and Boissiere played some limited minutes.

But Colorado, one of three undefeated teams left and ranked #15, comes to town this weekend.  A real test for our side.

VG

[oldalum]

just heartbreaking to see Smith suffer such a bad injury. I think her special talents unfortunately expose her to more risk of dangerous tackles, because she is so good at breaking through the line of back defenders with her foot skills and burst of speed, then they are desperate to take her down because they know she will score 1-on-1 with the GK. Versus some of our other players who tend to score with an open long-range shot.

There were times when 6 of our 10 field players were all frosh or sophomores, including all 3 forwards. Just harder to score when so many are injured, the timing and passing has to be so consistently excellent to get a goal (unless it's just a brilliant solo effort, which we also get from Smith and Macario in particular). We're going to need people to step up on Sunday, and an airtight defensive effort especially against their tall star player, Korniak, who I'm thinking Alana needs to shut down on set pieces.

[oldalum]

just heartbreaking to see Smith suffer such a bad injury. I think her special talents unfortunately expose her to more risk of dangerous tackles, because she is so good at breaking through the line of back defenders with her foot skills and burst of speed, then they are desperate to take her down because they know she will score 1-on-1 with the GK. Versus some of our other players who tend to score with an open long-range shot.

There were times when 6 of our 10 field players were all frosh or sophomores, including all 3 forwards. Just harder to score when so many are injured, the timing and passing has to be so consistently excellent to get a goal (unless it's just a brilliant solo effort, which we also get from Smith and Macario in particular). We're going to need people to step up on Sunday, and an airtight defensive effort especially against their tall star player, Korniak, who I'm thinking Alana needs to shut down on set pieces.

[Spike]

just heartbreaking to see Smith suffer such a bad injury. I think her special talents unfortunately expose her to more risk of dangerous tackles, because she is so good at breaking through the line of back defenders with her foot skills and burst of speed, then they are desperate to take her down because they know she will score 1-on-1 with the GK. Versus some of our other players who tend to score with an open long-range shot.

There were times when 6 of our 10 field players were all frosh or sophomores, including all 3 forwards. Just harder to score when so many are injured, the timing and passing has to be so consistently excellent to get a goal (unless it's just a brilliant solo effort, which we also get from Smith and Macario in particular). We're going to need people to step up on Sunday, and an airtight defensive effort especially against their tall star player, Korniak, who I'm thinking Alana needs to shut down on set pieces.

Did Haley play?

---

just heartbreaking to see Smith suffer such a bad injury. I think her special talents unfortunately expose her to more risk of dangerous tackles, because she is so good at breaking through the line of back defenders with her foot skills and burst of speed, then they are desperate to take her down because they know she will score 1-on-1 with the GK. Versus some of our other players who tend to score with an open long-range shot.

There were times when 6 of our 10 field players were all frosh or sophomores, including all 3 forwards. Just harder to score when so many are injured, the timing and passing has to be so consistently excellent to get a goal (unless it's just a brilliant solo effort, which we also get from Smith and Macario in particular). We're going to need people to step up on Sunday, and an airtight defensive effort especially against their tall star player, Korniak, who I'm thinking Alana needs to shut down on set pieces.

Did Haley play?

[Spike]

just heartbreaking to see Smith suffer such a bad injury. I think her special talents unfortunately expose her to more risk of dangerous tackles, because she is so good at breaking through the line of back defenders with her foot skills and burst of speed, then they are desperate to take her down because they know she will score 1-on-1 with the GK. Versus some of our other players who tend to score with an open long-range shot.

There were times when 6 of our 10 field players were all frosh or sophomores, including all 3 forwards. Just harder to score when so many are injured, the timing and passing has to be so consistently excellent to get a goal (unless it's just a brilliant solo effort, which we also get from Smith and Macario in particular). We're going to need people to step up on Sunday, and an airtight defensive effort especially against their tall star player, Korniak, who I'm thinking Alana needs to shut down on set pieces.

Did Haley play?

---

just heartbreaking to see Smith suffer such a bad injury. I think her special talents unfortunately expose her to more risk of dangerous tackles, because she is so good at breaking through the line of back defenders with her foot skills and burst of speed, then they are desperate to take her down because they know she will score 1-on-1 with the GK. Versus some of our other players who tend to score with an open long-range shot.

There were times when 6 of our 10 field players were all frosh or sophomores, including all 3 forwards. Just harder to score when so many are injured, the timing and passing has to be so consistently excellent to get a goal (unless it's just a brilliant solo effort, which we also get from Smith and Macario in particular). We're going to need people to step up on Sunday, and an airtight defensive effort especially against their tall star player, Korniak, who I'm thinking Alana needs to shut down on set pieces.

Did Haley play?

[Viking_Guy]

Haley didn't see the field on Thursday.  Started with Kuhlmann, Smith, and Greubel.  Smith replaced by Malatskey, with some time for Ceci Gee.  Beattie Goad also pushed up quite a bit.

I'm also going back to an earlier thread.  Averie Collins has got to be hurt or really mired in the doghouse to not be seeing any time at this point - she's probably one of our best aerial targets, and can play a bit of the hold-up role.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

Haley didn't see the field on Thursday.  Started with Kuhlmann, Smith, and Greubel.  Smith replaced by Malatskey, with some time for Ceci Gee.  Beattie Goad also pushed up quite a bit.

I'm also going back to an earlier thread.  Averie Collins has got to be hurt or really mired in the doghouse to not be seeing any time at this point - she's probably one of our best aerial targets, and can play a bit of the hold-up role.

VG

[oldalum]

I wonder if Collins, if she has recovered from injury, is in the graduate transfer mode now and doesn't want to lose the eligibility. Pure speculation, I don't know anything. Otherwise I agree I don't see why she hasn't gotten on the field even for brief spells.

Haley was walking around just before the game in an ice wrap around her thigh, the same thigh that she usually wears a compression thing around, so I'm guessing she may have tweaked it in warmups. I'm hoping she can play Sunday, along with Macario. I'm guessing Ratcliffe wanted to rest both of them just for that reason, figuring correctly we'd beat Utah without them. Colorado is the biggest game we have left in conference, especially with our depleted corps, although WSU away will be dangerous too (especially if the weather's bad, which is their specialty)

[oldalum]

I wonder if Collins, if she has recovered from injury, is in the graduate transfer mode now and doesn't want to lose the eligibility. Pure speculation, I don't know anything. Otherwise I agree I don't see why she hasn't gotten on the field even for brief spells.

Haley was walking around just before the game in an ice wrap around her thigh, the same thigh that she usually wears a compression thing around, so I'm guessing she may have tweaked it in warmups. I'm hoping she can play Sunday, along with Macario. I'm guessing Ratcliffe wanted to rest both of them just for that reason, figuring correctly we'd beat Utah without them. Colorado is the biggest game we have left in conference, especially with our depleted corps, although WSU away will be dangerous too (especially if the weather's bad, which is their specialty)