Caterina Macario - Printable Version
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Caterina Macario - warren65 - 09-09-2019
Stanford women’s soccer has another amazing team this year. The team is 5-0 with 26 goals (an average of 5.2 goals per game) to their opponents five game total of 3. Stanford has 28 assists so far; opponents only 2.
As is standard for a Paul Ratcliffe coached team, Stanford plays a quick passing, ball possession game modeled loosely after the Barcelona style in men’s soccer. There are a number of marvelous players to watch. Some of my favorites are Naomi Girma, a wonderful center back with speed, ball possession, and passing skills; Kiki Pickett, short but stout in every possible way; Madison Haley, a strong and speedy midfielder who could have a break out season; and Sophia Smith, who has just returned to the line up but could be one of the best strikers in the country.
There is, however, one player who stands out, even in this multi-talented roster. According to her coach, Caterina Macario, who has already won national player of the year awards in her first two seasons, aspires to have a season that truly sets her apart from other players. In her first five games this year, she’s doing exactly that.
Macario already has 9 goals in 5 games. Macario was scoreless in the match against West Virginia. In her other 4 games, she has scored at least 2 goals (Macario had a hat trick against USF). To put this in perspective, in her sensational freshman year, Macario led the nation with 50 points (2 points per goal; 1 point per assist). Her 16 assists were also tops nationally. But as good as she was, Macario’s goal total that year was 17. This year, she already has 9 goals in her first five games. Her productivity is likely to decrease against Pac-12 opponents, but her chances of exceeding the 17 goal total, perhaps by a substantial margin, seem rather good.
Macario is on course to be the most productive player ever at Stanford, and that’s a pretty elite group to be in. So what is it about Macario that makes her such a formidable player?
Macario is fast. With her back to the goal, she can turn and run explosively toward the goal.
Macario has great dribbling skills. She can maintain control while faking an opponent out of her shoes.
Macario shoots the ball with force. Just ask the Stanford keepers who defend her in practice.
Macario shoots the ball with finesse. She can bend it like Beckham. On free kicks, she’s a wonder.
Macario is a great teammate. Her nation leading 16 assist total in her freshman year was no mistake.
Macario is awfully good. Every time she has the ball, opposing players and coaches tense up. They double or triple team her. That may cut down Macario’s productivity, but opens up opportunities for other Stanford players. When she is on the field, the entire team plays better..
I can’t wait to see a healthy Macario team up with a another talented and speedy striker who also has national team aspirations: Sophia Smith. We’ve not really seen that combination in full bloom. Last year, Sophia Smith was coming into her own while Macario was hampered with an injury. Then Smith went out with her own season ending injury.
Smith is back and had a goal and three other shots on goal against USF. Barring injury, the best is yet to come.
RE: Caterina Macario - Spiny_Norman - 09-09-2019
Let's review shall we.
Currently on campus competing for Stanford are:
the reigning Hermann Award winner in women's soccer, Catarina Macario
the two-time national player of the year in women's volleyball, Kathryn Plummer
the recently awarded McCormack Medal winner as the leading women’s amateur golfer in the world, Andrea Lee
the reigning men's AND women's Cutino Award winners for the top players in collegiate water polo, Ben Hallock and Mackenzie Fisher
These are some of the best players in the world in their respective sports. Get out and watch them while you can.
RE: Caterina Macario - oldalum - 09-09-2019
Well said W65, except that Haley Madison is really Madison Haley, daughter of Charles Haley!
RE: Caterina Macario - BostonCard - 09-09-2019
Damnit those people with a surname that can also be a first name will always get you.
BC
RE: Caterina Macario - BostonCard - 09-10-2019
Not that she needs to play with a chip on her shoulder, but a hat trick apparently is not enough to win PAC-12 POW.
[tweet]https://twitter.com/pac12/status/1171483981214146562?s=21[/tweet]
BC
RE: Caterina Macario - BobK - 09-10-2019
Collins is a Stanford grad
RE: Caterina Macario - warren65 - 09-10-2019
(09-09-2019, 07:15 PM)oldalum Wrote: Well said W65, except that Haley Madison is really Madison Haley, daughter of Charles Haley!
Thanks for the correction. I apparently suffer from name dyslexia.
As far as Pac 12 weekly awards, I suppose that the tendency is to spread the accolades. If it were done strictly on merit, Caterina Macario would win every time.
RE: Caterina Macario - troyc - 09-10-2019
(09-10-2019, 11:21 AM)BostonCard Wrote: Not that she needs to play with a chip on her shoulder, but a hat trick apparently is not enough to win PAC-12 POW.
[tweet]https://twitter.com/pac12/status/1171483981214146562?s=21[/tweet]
BC
As a Pac-12 Player of the Week voter, I can tell you this (and I speak for myself here).....a Macario hat trick against a totally overmatched USF squad didn't carry the same weight with me as what Collins did to win that game for the Cougs. Now, if Macario had scored three on, say, North Carolina? Or if those three goals vs. USF had come in the last 15 minutes to win the game for Stanford? Different story. Just my thinking on it.
She won't win Offensive Player of the Week every single time (though she's made a darn good case for doing so so far!), but at the rate she's going, someone else is going to have to go on an absolute rampage to take the Pac-12 Forward of the Year award away from her this season. We'll see!
Troy C
RE: Caterina Macario - cardcrimson - 09-10-2019
Neither Makenzie nor her sister Aria are currently listed on the women's water polo roster for 2020. A puzzlement.
RE: Caterina Macario - BobK - 09-10-2019
Both may well be on the Olympic team.
RE: Caterina Macario - Treefence - 09-10-2019
(09-10-2019, 01:28 PM)BobK Wrote: Both may well be on the Olympic team.
Yeah, I believe Olympic years typically make for very weird NCAA years in Water Polo. The titles still count, but the teams are typically drastically, specifically the elite players.
RE: Caterina Macario - BostonCard - 09-10-2019
(09-10-2019, 01:11 PM)troyc Wrote:(09-10-2019, 11:21 AM)BostonCard Wrote: Not that she needs to play with a chip on her shoulder, but a hat trick apparently is not enough to win PAC-12 POW.
[tweet]https://twitter.com/pac12/status/1171483981214146562?s=21[/tweet]
BC
As a Pac-12 Player of the Week voter, I can tell you this (and I speak for myself here).....a Macario hat trick against a totally overmatched USF squad didn't carry the same weight with me as what Collins did to win that game for the Cougs. Now, if Macario had scored three on, say, North Carolina? Or if those three goals vs. USF had come in the last 15 minutes to win the game for Stanford? Different story. Just my thinking on it.
She won't win Offensive Player of the Week every single time (though she's made a darn good case for doing so so far!), but at the rate she's going, someone else is going to have to go on an absolute rampage to take the Pac-12 Forward of the Year award away from her this season. We'll see!
Troy C
I appreciate your thoughts, but with all due respect, WSU is ranked #17 and was (up until that game the top scoring team in the country) and Gonzaga is unranked (they were 117th by RPI last year, and they are not amongst those also receiving votes, while USF had an RPI of 81 last year). That their game went to overtime, well, soccer is a funny sport so I don't think you should hold it against the Cougs, but you certainly shouldn't give Collins extra credit just because the Cougs couldn't get it done against an overmatched team in 90 minutes.
I maintain that Macario has been the best offensive Pac-12 player on the pitch the first and third weeks of the season (I will grant you that McKeown scoring four goals against #1 Florida State and Florida for SC made her deserving last week), and she deserves to be recognized as such.
BC
RE: Caterina Macario - cardcrimson - 09-10-2019
(09-10-2019, 01:42 PM)Treefence Wrote:(09-10-2019, 01:28 PM)BobK Wrote: Both may well be on the Olympic team.
Yeah, I believe Olympic years typically make for very weird NCAA years in Water Polo. The titles still count, but the teams are typically drastically, specifically the elite players.
Makes sense, especially as their numbers aren't in the mix, either. Hope they both come back--amazing that Makenzie is studying Mechanical Engineering, tough major.
RE: Caterina Macario - BobK - 09-10-2019
I guess we could have a couple of swimmers also redshirt.
RE: Caterina Macario - oldalum - 09-10-2019
I didn't see it, but apparently Collins' goal was an impressive individual effort. According to what I read, at the start of overtime she stole the opening pass, dribbled solo downfield and unleashed a screaming 22-yard left-footed shot into the corner of the goal, ending the game 12 seconds into overtime. Gonzaga may be unranked but that doesn't mean they aren't credible (thus far they have lost 4-3 to Texas and in the second overtime to Washington; last year when they were #117 they lost at Santa Clara by a goal while we were only able to manage a tie vs. Santa Clara at home), and it was an in-state (thus semi-rivalry) game.
RE: Caterina Macario - BostonCard - 09-10-2019
USF was an "in-state" rival. I don't want to denigrate Collins' effort, but Macario is special, and deserves to be recognized even though 3 goals against an overmatched opponent is de rigeur.
Just sayin'
BC
RE: Caterina Macario - 81alum - 09-11-2019
If I had to name the handful of athletes I've seen at Stanford who gave me a thrill every time they touched a ball, I'd say Darrin Nelson, John Elway, Todd Lichti, Chiney Ogwumike, Christian McCaffrey, and Caterina Macario.
Macario may be as good at what she does as any of those others, too. But regardless of her effectiveness or importance to her team--she absolutely radiates the thrill factor whenever she has the ball remotely near the goal. What a privilege to be able to watch her, and any non soccer fans here might well become converts if they tune in this year and keep their eyes on her.
Maybe "thrill" is not quite the right word. Watching those athletes was/is almost like watching a really good ballet. There is a rhythm to their movement, a virtuosity that is obviously more than just being good--they all are poetry in motion. None more so than Macario.
RE: Caterina Macario - BostonCard - 09-11-2019
A couple more for the all electric team:
Brevin Knight
Andrew Luck
Bryce Love
Kate Starbird
Kristin Folkl (bonus for doing it in two sports)
And I don't know about electric, but Katie Ledecky just blowing everyone else out of the water
BC
RE: Caterina Macario - BobK - 09-11-2019
Kathryn Plummer
Gabe Jennings
Jeffrey Hammonds
Jessica Mendoza
Steve Dunning
Kim Belton
RE: Caterina Macario - Spiny_Norman - 09-11-2019
Candice Wiggins. She always seemed to be having such a good time when she played.