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WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - Printable Version

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WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - Spiny_Norman - 08-30-2021

Without much fanfare (at least on the Cardboard), Stanford women's soccer defeated San Diego State 6-0 on Saturday. SDSU is a weak opponent, but Stanford dominated in a way that you would expect of a good team. Details here:

https://gostanford.com/news/2021/8/29/womens-soccer-another-strong-performance.aspx

Of note - JoJo Harber, Madison Haley, Catherine Paulson and Sarah Paulson have not played yet this season.

Things really pick up this week. Stanford travels to the Research Triangle for a game Thursday at #5 Duke and Sunday at #2 UNC. From what I can tell, neither game will be televised.

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - PVTree - 08-30-2021

In the broadcast, Troy said that Catherine Paulson is out for the year and Sarah has a chance to return late in the year.

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - oldalum - 08-30-2021

man, seems like it was a tough preseason

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - mbdude - 08-30-2021

The Paulsons were injured last season (in the same game).  Not sure the extent of the injuries

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - warren65 - 08-30-2021

I did this short story on Stanford women's soccer to post somewhere, it might as well be here.

 Women’s Soccer: Guarded Optimism Morphs Into Full Blown Variety

Stanford women’s soccer is coming off its worst season in decades.  In the abbreviated Spring season, Stanford lost 5 consecutive games, finished with as many losses as wins, and failed to make the NCAA tournament, breaking a long string of consecutive appearances.  

Coming into the Fall 2021 season, there was reason for guarded optimism.  This sort of unprecedented mediocrity could not happen twice in a row under highly regarded coach Paul Ratcliffe.  The large number of injuries that devastated last season’s team were unlikely to recur, the pandemic was sort of under control, All American defender Naomi Girma had recovered from her ACL, and freshmen reinforcements were arriving.

There were, however, multiple reasons for reigning in the optimism.  Consider that Kiki Pickett, a world class outside back, had graduated.  Some of last year’s injuries, for example to promising freshmen Catherine and Sara Paulson, were still healing.  Even a significant improvement in offensive and defensive performance seemed unlikely to vault Stanford into a top 10 team. 

After 3 games, Stanford is 3-0 against unranked opponents.  But the nature of the team’s wins suggests positivity and maybe even unqualified optimism.  Consider this.

Naomi Girma’s return brings leadership and results on defense.  The team has shut out its first three opponents, allowing only a total of 6 shots on goal. 

On offense, Stanford is averaging 5 goals per game.
Returning veterans Maya Doms and Abby Greubel are lighting it up, each already with 4 goals and an assist.
Freshman midfielder Andrea Kitahata is the real deal, with 2 goals and 2 assists.  Her shots are hard and accurate (with a .667 shots on goal average). 

The offense has balance, with 7 players scoring at least one goal and 10 with at least one assist.
Ratcliffe’s trademarked ball control and possession offense has returned.  Opponents are averaging less than six shots (and only two on goal) per game. 

Freshmen and sophomores are contributing in major ways, with two freshmen now in the starting lineup (Kitahata and defender Kellie Pagador).  A number of other freshmen and sophomores are contributing off the bench.
Stanford has depth.  Australian national team member Amy Sayer is contributing, but, at least for now, has been pushed out of the starting lineup.  And there is hope that all conference Madison Haley and versatile Jojo Harber, both 5th year veterans, will recover from injuries and return to the pitch.

Yup, the spirit and the can do attitude are back.  There is well-grounded optimism. 

Now, for this week’s challenge: back to back road games against top five ranked Duke and North Carolina.

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - oldalum - 08-30-2021

I enjoy the optimism, but every single starter on Duke and UNC is better than any player on the 3 teams we've played so far. We'll be playing against a whole other level of competition, that will likely score against us, and across the country no less. UW just made the same trip (Pac-12 coaches ranked UW preseason #4 in the Pac-12 just behind us) and was competitive against Duke (1-2) but not against UNC (1-4). So we'll see if we're up to the challenge.

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - warren65 - 08-30-2021

For me, optimism does not necessarily suggest an undefeated season or another NCAA championship (although those are worthy goals). 
For me, optimism is warranted if Stanford demonstrates that it is a top ten team, capable of a deep run into the NCAA tournament.  If we eke out a victory or even a tie in one of the two games on this road trip, that's a substantial improvement over the previous season, and shows promise for the future.

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - oldalum - 08-30-2021

I'm optimistic that we'll be a top ten team by the end of the season, because I think we are going to improve a lot over the course of the season. I'm just not optimistic that we're going to win or tie either of these games. Which is ok, it's the beginning of the season and it'll be a learning experience for a young team. I think we are a good team that will end up being an excellent team. What we are lacking at the moment that I think will keep us from advancing beyond the NCAA semifinals, if we even make the College Cup, is the lack of superstars other than Girma, probably Meyer, and possibly Doms. A couple more may develop and show themselves over the season, which would be great.

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - teejers1 - 08-30-2021

(08-30-2021, 07:48 PM)oldalum Wrote:  I'm optimistic that we'll be a top ten team by the end of the season, because I think we are going to improve a lot over the course of the season. I'm just not optimistic that we're going to win or tie either of these games. Which is ok, it's the beginning of the season and it'll be a learning experience for a young team. I think we are a good team that will end up being an excellent team. What we are lacking at the moment that I think will keep us from advancing beyond the NCAA semifinals, if we even make the College Cup, is the lack of superstars other than Girma, probably Meyer, and possibly Doms. A couple more may develop and show themselves over the season, which would be great.

Does anyone know if women's soccer team took a knee and/or turned back on flag during Anthem in game 2 vs. SDSU?

Or is that "too political" here (even though it involves a Stanford sports team)?

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - warren65 - 08-31-2021

I think Kitahata has the potential to become a star and national team player.  She's already playing on junior national teams.

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - BostonCard - 08-31-2021

Doms is named Pac-12 offensive player of the week.

https://pac-12.com/article/2021/08/30/pac-12-womens-soccer-weekly-awards-august-30-2021

BC

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - oldalum - 08-31-2021

(08-31-2021, 09:27 AM)warren65 Wrote:  I think Kitahata has the potential to become a star and national team player.  She's already playing on junior national teams.
I totally agree. I read she has the highest (shots on goal)/(total shots) ratio on the team. We have several promising young players which is partly why I think we'll improve so much by the end of the season.
(08-30-2021, 08:47 PM)teejers1 Wrote:  Does anyone know if women's soccer team took a knee and/or turned back on flag during Anthem in game 2 vs. SDSU?
my back is turned to the team (to look at the flag) during the anthem so I didn't see. But the flags have been at half-mast for both home games, and I think it was before the CSUN game, when everyone was in position on the field ready for the starting whistle, all the players on the field and the referees dropped to one knee for ~15 seconds of silence, which I assumed was in honor of the Marines killed in Kabul that day.

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - Jamesy - 08-31-2021

(08-31-2021, 04:00 PM)oldalum Wrote:  
(08-31-2021, 09:27 AM)warren65 Wrote:  I think Kitahata has the potential to become a star and national team player.  She's already playing on junior national teams.
I totally agree. I read she has the highest (shots on goal)/(total shots) ratio on the team. We have several promising young players which is partly why I think we'll improve so much by the end of the season.
(08-30-2021, 08:47 PM)teejers1 Wrote:  Does anyone know if women's soccer team took a knee and/or turned back on flag during Anthem in game 2 vs. SDSU?
my back is turned to the team (to look at the flag) during the anthem so I didn't see. But the flags have been at half-mast for both home games, and I think it was before the CSUN game, when everyone was in position on the field ready for the starting whistle, all the players on the field and the referees dropped to one knee for ~15 seconds of silence, which I assumed was in honor of the Marines killed in Kabul that day.

They've been doing the knee/silence thing for every game dating back to last season.

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - BostonCard - 08-31-2021

Now that the question has been asked and answered (thank you to oldalum and Jamesy for doing so respectfully) let us please drop further discussion about the team's actions during the national anthem.  The risk is very high that this turns into a political discussion on something I am sure people have strong opinions on.

BC

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - teejers1 - 08-31-2021

(08-31-2021, 04:17 PM)BostonCard Wrote:  Now that the question has been asked and answered (thank you to oldalum and Jamesy for doing so respectfully) let us please drop further discussion about the team's actions during the national anthem.  The risk is very high that this turns into a political discussion on something I am sure people have strong opinions on.

BC

You crack me up, BC.  A topic that is deemed "political" may not be discussed here - even though it directly pertains to Stanford and its athletes - because it might engender "strong opinions."  Where is the principle in this approach?  I "get" the preference for refraining from political discussions in the abstract - no place here for the pros and cons of choice vs. abortion, school prayer, or any other number of volatile political issues.

But when the Stanford athletes themselves raise the issue - in the Stanford sports setting - does that not make it fair game for discussion amongst Stanford sports fans?

Whatever.  I have no dog in this fight and agree that with observation that this has been going on for a long time.  But the assumption made by one poster - that it was done to honor those killed in Kabul - is telling.  In fact, it was not.  And the decision to "protest" the anthem that CSUN game was particularly tone deaf, imo.  And I rhetorically asked whether any Afghan girls might have had dreams of playing soccer in college in America . . . maybe even at a place like Stanford.  

But nothing to see here.  Carry on.

RE: WSoc - 6-0 victory over SDSU - BostonCard - 08-31-2021

Teejers, thank you for making my point for me.

BC