Women’s soccer 2025 -- ACC Champs, National runners up - Printable Version
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RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - BostonCard - 10-09-2025
Both goals off of corners.
BC
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - cardfan77 - 10-09-2025
Oh no Montoya on crutches. Hopefully it’s minor injury and she can comeback before playoffs
4-0 Stanford. 25 minutes left
Sunday against UVA will be a great test. The team needs to stay healthy.
Montoya seems to be moving around just fine without the crutches
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - Hieronymus - 10-10-2025
Finished 5:0. The announcers oversold it, but VT was better than their record. They were dangerous a few times and Birkel almost got herself in trouble in the first half on a bad pass or clearance. The corner numbers show it - 8:5 flatters VT, but it does correctly show they had moments getting forward.
I thought the announcers said the staff hoped Montoya was back for the end of the season. No idea though if that means it’s very likely vs. it’s very unlikely. Walking is good though.
Very glad Kitahata is ok.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - oldalum - 10-10-2025
(10-10-2025, 08:05 AM)Hieronymus Wrote: VT was better than their record.VT lost to Virginia last week 2-1.
Cal was outplayed but tied Virginia last night, scoring 2 goals in the last 7 minutes. Lumi Kostmayer scored Cal's first goal on a penalty kick for a handball in the box; the second goal was a long kick that found the far upper corner of the goal.
Va scored 2 goals in the first 15 minutes of the game. They had 5 offsides called against them; they're probably going to test our relatively suspect back line. Bhuta played some at outside back toward the end of the game; unfortunately (for her) we may need her speed there on Sunday.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - OCcardinal - 10-10-2025
It's big to have Kitahata back already. Also good to have freshman defender Lily Freer back. She had played among the most minutes on the team but missed Stanford's last game against Syracuse for some reason. Great header by Freer on the first goal to send the long corner back toward Elise Evans and get the assist. It was good to see defenders and some younger players earn goal contributions last night with Montoya out and Kitahata only playing 27 minutes.
The final 5-0 score vs Virginia Tech was a pleasant surprise. Virginia, North Carolina, Wake and Georgetown each only beat Virginia Tech by 2-1, and they've only been shut out once (a tight 1-0 loss to NC State).
Overall, this has been a great stretch - 17 goals in 4 ACC games, all shut outs. I'm really encouraged by the 4 shut outs, despite the somewhat weaker competition. Sophie Murdock played in all of the 4 shutouts (and notably didn't play vs either Clemson or UCLA). So I'm feeling pretty good about the defense with Murdock seemingly healthy. Now we head into the toughest part of our conference schedule with back-to-back games against Virginia and Florida State.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - oldalum - 10-10-2025
(10-10-2025, 11:00 AM)OCcardinal Wrote: The final 5-0 score vs Virginia Tech was a pleasant surprise.The last time VT gave up 5 goals in a game was in 2012.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - cardfan77 - 10-10-2025
With the return of Bhuta and Murdock, our defensive game should be stronger.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - DenverCard - 10-10-2025
Re Stanford's defense as its weakness, and in particular, concerns about speed, I wonder why Lizzy Boamah did not enter last night's game until well into the second half. Up until then, I figured she must be injured. Now I wonder if her late substitution was because Ratcliffe is not happy with her for some reason and wanted to send her a message. The Smith sisters who shared one of the outside defender roles are scrappy but not fleet of foot.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - OCcardinal - 10-10-2025
(10-10-2025, 12:45 PM)DenverCard Wrote: Re Stanford's defense as its weakness, and in particular, concerns about speed, I wonder why Lizzy Boamah did not enter last night's game until well into the second half. Up until then, I figured she must be injured. Now I wonder if her late substitution was because Ratcliffe is not happy with her for some reason and wanted to send her a message. The Smith sisters who shared one of the outside defender roles are scrappy but not fleet of foot.I had noticed a drop in Boamah's minutes the last 2 games. Here's her last 5:
Clemson 86
Pitt 68
Boston College 90
Syracuse 62
VA Tech 29
I thought maybe Ratcliffe was looking for more of an offensive impact. It's been strange. Even though Boahmah is good at getting downfield, and has played forward for Stanford, she has yet to contribute a point this season. She can be a bit wild in going for goal, and has at times wasted good possessions, so I thought that might have been the concern. But for the next two games, as you say, speed will be the most important thing. I do prefer her over the Smith sisters for that reason.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - Hieronymus - 10-10-2025
(10-10-2025, 12:57 PM)OCcardinal Wrote:(10-10-2025, 12:45 PM)DenverCard Wrote: Re Stanford's defense as its weakness, and in particular, concerns about speed, I wonder why Lizzy Boamah did not enter last night's game until well into the second half. Up until then, I figured she must be injured. Now I wonder if her late substitution was because Ratcliffe is not happy with her for some reason and wanted to send her a message. The Smith sisters who shared one of the outside defender roles are scrappy but not fleet of foot.I had noticed a drop in Boamah's minutes the last 2 games. Here's her last 5:
Clemson 86
Pitt 68
Boston College 90
Syracuse 62
VA Tech 29
I thought maybe Ratcliffe was looking for more of an offensive impact. It's been strange. Even though Boahmah is good at getting downfield, and has played forward for Stanford, she has yet to contribute a point this season. She can be a bit wild in going for goal, and has at times wasted good possessions, so I thought that might have been the concern. But for the next two games, as you say, speed will be the most important thing. I do prefer her over the Smith sisters for that reason.
With Murdock back, starting minutes were going to adjust across the back line. You have Evans, Murdock, Boamah, Freer and S Smith. So not everybody is getting 70-80 minutes every game.
I am not jumping to any conclusions on the preferred 4 yet. Ratcliffe this year has rotated players much more because of the crazy depth and due to injuries.
For what it’s worth my preferred 4 right now is:
Boamah - Murdock - Evans - Freer.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - BostonCard - 10-10-2025
(10-10-2025, 12:45 PM)DenverCard Wrote: Re Stanford's defense as its weakness, and in particular, concerns about speed, I wonder why Lizzy Boamah did not enter last night's game until well into the second half. Up until then, I figured she must be injured. Now I wonder if her late substitution was because Ratcliffe is not happy with her for some reason and wanted to send her a message. The Smith sisters who shared one of the outside defender roles are scrappy but not fleet of foot.
Stanford has conceded just seven goals so far this season, has posted seven shutouts, including four straight, and has managed a clean sheet in 39 of its last 68 contests overall … Stanford is outscoring its opposition 17-0 over the four shutout wins
https://gostanford.com/news/2025/10/9/harveys-brace-leads-stanford-to-5-0-shutout
Hard to think of the defense as weakness, but I get the drift.
BC
BTW, no video of the first two goals on Twitter, but here are the second half ones.
Ailey’s 10th of the season:
https://x.com/stanfordwsoccer/status/1976491871087325285?s=61
Harvey’s brace:
https://x.com/stanfordwsoccer/status/1976492728629461296?s=61
And Holden to close the scoring:
https://x.com/stanfordwsoccer/status/1976494598680887667?s=61
BC
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - oldalum - 10-10-2025
all the goals plus near-misses
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - Hieronymus - 10-11-2025
BostonCard dateline='[url=tel:1760144378' Wrote: 1760144378[/url]']
DenverCard dateline='[url=tel:1760125533' Wrote: 1760125533[/url]']
Re Stanford's defense as its weakness, and in particular, concerns about speed, I wonder why Lizzy Boamah did not enter last night's game until well into the second half. Up until then, I figured she must be injured. Now I wonder if her late substitution was because Ratcliffe is not happy with her for some reason and wanted to send her a message. The Smith sisters who shared one of the outside defender roles are scrappy but not fleet of foot.
Stanford has conceded just seven goals so far this season, has posted seven shutouts, including four straight, and has managed a clean sheet in 39 of its last 68 contests overall … Stanford is outscoring its opposition 17-0 over the four shutout wins
https://gostanford.com/news/2025/10/9/harveys-brace-leads-stanford-to-5-0-shutout
Hard to think of the defense as weakness, but I get the drift.
BC
When the front 6 are this dominant and the outside backs can get forward almost at will, you don’t really have to actually you know defend.
So far no team has been able to put any consistent pressure on the defense. But at times it has looked pretty loose when they have had to defend. We also haven’t seen much in terms of a really good counter attacking opponent this year - though I missed UCLA. But seriously, anybody have a clue if Birkel is actually good? She has barely had to do a thing in goal this year. She has 10 saves total. For the season.
The next 2 games with UVA and I think FSt is after that will tell us a lot more.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - oldalum - 10-11-2025
(10-11-2025, 06:15 AM)Hieronymus Wrote: But seriously, anybody have a clue if Birkel is actually good? She has barely had to do a thing in goal this year. She has 10 saves total. For the season.My impression, FWLIW, is that she seems good but is inexperienced and, as you note, pretty untested--most of those saves were easy grabs. I haven't seen her fail to block a shot she should have. The backup GK has faced more activity than Birkel due to playing mostly with some reserves in the lineup. I think Birkel's shortcoming to date (which is understandable) is a few misjudgments about when to come out of the goal in the run of play. She made what might have been a bad (or too early) decision to come out against VT, which resulted in an unmarked player shooting straight on to an open goal, if it were not for Elise Evans who had smartly positioned herself on the goal line when Birkel left the goal to go out along the end line; Evans not only blocked the shot but also cleared it out of dangerous territory (I remember her doing that once before to save a goal, a year or two ago). This sequence starts at 2:25 in the video I linked to above. She's a freshman and has not faced many of those situations (I wonder if they try replicating those kinds of decisions in practice?). She has been passing out of the goal only horizontally to the back line; she has not tried bypassing the back line to pick out an open midfielder near the sideline--probably a good thing. In warmups, and a few times in games, Birkel seems good at reacting to and blocking shots; I have not formed any impression of her anticipation and positioning for possible shots in games. I don't remember any poor decisions on corner kicks whether to come out of the goal or not; there may have been one.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - Hieronymus - 10-11-2025
(10-11-2025, 12:47 PM)oldalum Wrote:(10-11-2025, 06:15 AM)Hieronymus Wrote: But seriously, anybody have a clue if Birkel is actually good? She has barely had to do a thing in goal this year. She has 10 saves total. For the season.My impression, FWLIW, is that she seems good but is inexperienced and, as you note, pretty untested--most of those saves were easy grabs. I haven't seen her fail to block a shot she should have. The backup GK has faced more activity than Birkel due to playing mostly with some reserves in the lineup. I think Birkel's shortcoming to date (which is understandable) is a few misjudgments about when to come out of the goal in the run of play. She made a bad decision to come out against VT, which resulted in an unmarked player shooting straight on to an open goal, with the exception of Elise Evans who had smartly positioned herself on the goal line when Birkel left the goal to go out along the end line; Evans not only blocked the shot but also cleared it out of dangerous territory (I remember her doing that once before, a year or two ago). She's a freshman and has not faced many of those situations (I wonder if they try replicating those kinds of decisions in practice?). She has been passing out of the goal only horizontally to the back line; she seems to have no license to pick out an open midfielder near the sideline--probably a good thing. In warmups Birkel seems good at reacting to and blocking shots; I have not formed any impression of her anticipation and positioning for possible shots in games. I don't remember any poor decisions on corner kicks whether to come out of the goal or not; there may have been one.
To be clear, I am not picking on Birkel. Based on u-20s I am confident she is very good. Just making fun of how little she has had to do this year. Again, defense is easy when the other team hardly crosses mid field.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - oldalum - 10-11-2025
(10-11-2025, 12:55 PM)Hieronymus Wrote: To be clear, I am not picking on Birkel. Based on u-20s I am confident she is very good. Just making fun of how little she has had to do this year. Again, defense is easy when the other team hardly crosses mid field.On second look, against VT I think Birkel came out early but the unmarked VT player was almost certainly going to get the ball and get a good shot opportunity regardless.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - BostonCard - 10-11-2025
She did get caught here, but was bailed out by Evans.
https://x.com/stanfordwsoccer/status/1976480962432389180?s=61
BC
oldalum dateline='[url=tel:1760161031' Wrote: 1760161031[/url]']
all the goals plus near-misses
Aside from the goals, lots of high quality near-misses. That could have easily been 9-0.
BC
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - OCcardinal - 10-12-2025
(10-10-2025, 05:59 PM)BostonCard Wrote: Stanford has conceded just seven goals so far this season, has posted seven shutouts, including four straight, and has managed a clean sheet in 39 of its last 68 contests overall … Stanford is outscoring its opposition 17-0 over the four shutout winsStanford has the #7 defense per Massey and Top Drawer Soccer named Elise Evans the #1 defender (#2 player overall) and Lily Freer the #1 frosh defender (#2 frosh overall) in their midseason rankings.
https://gostanford.com/news/2025/10/9/harveys-brace-leads-stanford-to-5-0-shutout
Hard to think of the defense as weakness, but I get the drift.
BC
I think there are 2 reasons people are scared to be all in on this defense:
1) Stanford defense had not given up more than 1 goal in any game at all in the 2023 season until it gave up 5 in the championship match against Florida State.
2) Hailey Craig, though a first year starter last season, was really good. Her heroics are what got us to the College Cup last season.
That said, we are not as reliant on our defense to win games this season. We already have 49 goals (through 12 games) compared to 35 goals (in 23 total games) last season.
In any case, the next 2 games will tell us a lot. Go Card!
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - Hieronymus - 10-12-2025
2:0 at the half for Stanford. Bicycle for Aikey where she didn’t have to go fully airborne so she could really line it up. Placed it almost perfectly. Second goal for Klohler with a header in tight traffic.
Despite the lead, Stanford has been a bit unsettled. Obviously UVA is very good and that is a big part of it but:
- Lots of diving in on defense resulting in many fouls.
- More turnovers than normal. Bhuta specifically a bit rusty.
- the press has been a bit uncoordinated and not very effective.
- some trouble clearing the ball on defense. UVA also missed a wide open header on a corner. Just overran it slightly.
Birkel with a big save early in the half.
RE: Women’s soccer 2025 - Hieronymus - 10-12-2025
Finishes 2:1 Stanford. Kitahata missed a pk to ice the game. Thomas got caught on defense for the UVA goal with her feet out of sorts. UVA easily could have tied this up.
Not a good second half. There was an obvious effort to the slow the tempo by Stanford with mixed results.
I really hated the 5-4-1 that turned into 15 minutes of boot ball.
Kitahata definitely not 100%.