Soccer doubleheader - 2 conf wins, 1 great game - Printable Version
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Soccer doubleheader - 2 conf wins, 1 great game - muiron - 09-27-2018
The men kicked off their conference schedule today at the Q (Laird Q Cagan stadium) versus San Diego State - which, for those of you who don't follow men's college soccer, is actually one of the six (count 'em) teams in Pac 12 men's soccer. The women had their second league match against #15 UCLA, whom they beat 3-2 last year to win the championship. Both one, the women in a great match.
I missed all but the last 10 minutes of the men's match but I'm told it was pretty boring until the 60th minute when Stanford ripped off three goals in about 10 minutes - Panchot on a Bashti assist, someone on a keeper error, and Bashti for the third. And then it went back to being boring.
The women, OTOH, played a great, exciting match with UCLA. They scored first with a PK off an inadvertent (but real) handball in the box in the 12th. We came back via Catarina Macario with a lovely finish just in front of a charging keeper after a glorious through ball from Madison Haley. The half ended 1-1 but we had 11 shots to their 6 (four of which came in one 30 second flurry).
We scored again in the 46th on a magnificent one touch volley by Macario after UCLA had a header off a great ball in from Tegan McGrady but didn't quite clear it. We continued to be the better team and got a third on an all Sophia Smith goal in the 78th to make it 3-1.
Followed, within about 30 seconds, by a great UCLA shot after a ball fell at a player's feet in the box, making it 3-2. And so it ended, the same score as last year's championship. Excellent soccer, FUN match to watch. But we had twice as many shots as UCLA (24 to 12) and three times as many good opportunities (including one that just missed off the bar). I would note that UCLA was missing its best player, Jessie Fleming, who presumably is training with the Canadian national team for World Cup qualifiers. She's her country's star. But we were missing Tierna Davidson, USWNT started, with a broken ankle, and starters Michelle Xiao and Sam Hiatt. And we played better.
So, a nice 3-0 victory, and a better played 3-2 victory for the women. All in all, a good night at the Q!
RE: Soccer doubleheader - 2 conf wins, 1 great game - oldalum - 09-28-2018
(09-27-2018, 11:27 PM)muiron Wrote: UCLA was missing its best player, jessie Fleming,UCLA actually was missing its two best players, Fleming plus Hailie Mace, who was called up to the US senior WNT in place of our injured Tierna Davidson. Kind of adding insult to injury. Since UCLA will be getting their two back, and I doubt we'll be getting ours back, I dearly hope we don't have to play UCLA again in the NCAAs.
RE: Soccer doubleheader - 2 conf wins, 1 great game - Viking_Guy - 09-28-2018
A couple of other notes:
(1) The second goal by Macario was a wondrous thing. Also in the 46th minute (about 30 seconds after play restarted). Long ball into the box, headed to the top of the box and falls to Catarina. Striking it on a full side volley (as in, her right leg parallel to the ground when she hit it), hammered home into the upper netting. Keeping that ball on frame would be impressive enough, but she scored it.
(2) We're still missing Hiatt, and our midfield defense shows her and Tierna's absence. Both against UCLA's counter attack (although Stanford adjusted over the course of the game), but especially against their aerial game. We only can cover so many people with Alana. Our best defense appeared to be put one player in front of the ball carrier, giving ground but slowing them down, and have another defender overtake them from behind and nick the ball away back to our backline. UCLA didn't open the field after the ball turned over; their eagerness for a quick counter forestalled moving into a wider and more possession game. But give them credit, the Bruins never ran out of gas.
(3) Girma had a much tougher marking assignment today, and couldn't come off to help on other attacks. But the Bruins forwards and mids also shrugged off our smaller players and carried the ball through quite a few attempted tackles. They will be deadly when they get Mace and Fleming back, even if we do get Hiatt back in good shape.
VG
RE: Soccer doubleheader - 2 conf wins, 1 great game - 81alum - 09-28-2018
(09-28-2018, 12:20 AM)Viking_Guy Wrote: (1) The second goal by Macario was a wondrous thing. Also in the 46th minute (about 30 seconds after play restarted). Long ball into the box, headed to the top of the box and falls to Catarina. Striking it on a full side volley (as in, her right leg parallel to the ground when she hit it), hammered home into the upper netting. Keeping that ball on frame would be impressive enough, but she scored it.Yes it was wondrous. That kid has already made a bucketful of stupendous plays in her young career, and that goal was one of the best.
VG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6QMHaTIe4k
RE: Soccer doubleheader - 2 conf wins, 1 great game - muiron - 09-28-2018
A few more comments.
I had forgotten about Haile Mace. Wow - they will be tough with her and Fleming back. We should Hiatt and Xiao back, but not Tierna this season.
I hadn't realized the Bruins were playing a freshman (redshirt?) keeper as a result of an injury to their starter. She was tremendous!
Speaking of tremendous, Naomi Girma was. Yes, she was seriously challenged but handled it with such poise and aplomb.
This Sunday (1:00 pm) v #2 USC should be ... great? fun? exciting? (All those things but not easy.)
We get last year's runner up and the year before's champs in three days at the Q. Pac 12 women's soccer is a thing of beauty and a joy to behold forever. (Or, at least, these days.)
RE: Soccer doubleheader - 2 conf wins, 1 great game - oldalum - 09-28-2018
UCLA's GK was injured in warmups before they WSU game last week! But to even things out, WSU's excellent GK Ella Dederick was injured, too, so WSU played with their backup GK in that game (she made some great saves and they won).
Permit me to enjoy UCLA being winless in conference (0-2) to start the conference season. Unfortunately the pleasure is time-limited, until they beat Cal tomorrow.
RE: Soccer doubleheader - 2 conf wins, 1 great game - TheFarm07 - 09-28-2018
To confirm, Davidson is out for the entire remainder of the season and has no chance of coming back for the postseason, right?
What are the outlooks for Xiao and Hiatt? Is there a chance they'll be back before season's end?
RE: Soccer doubleheader - 2 conf wins, 1 great game - Viking_Guy - 09-28-2018
Davidson is out for 8-10 more weeks at least, so done for the year. Hoping she can be at full strength for next year's Women's World Cup.
But the only reason that's public is that it was released by USSoccer when they were naming the WNT for qualifying.
Xiao and Hiatt's injury status I would assume is covered by privacy regulations, so it's more of a guessing game. I'm hoping that Hiatt is back fairly soon, but given the blow she took, I wouldn't be surprised if she's having some post-concussive issues. Xiao's injury was a bit weirder, but looked joint-related (an awkward side-straddle split as she was nudged off-balance going by a defender.) So my guess would be longer term than Hiatt's.
VG