[Viking_Guy]

6-1 Stanford at the half.  Last goal by Briede off a corner finding its way through to her feet for a glancing touch to the far post.

Just to expand a bit - IMO, Stanford's one great weakness is size.  Beyond Cook, Davidson and (when healthy) McGrady, there's a whole lot of 5'6" and 5'7" players out there, as well as the 5' barely Pickett.  A team with options for size in the front can send them crashing in on corners and other set pieces, and have a better probable outcome than trying to take the defense on the ground.  The Cardinal will have to beware of the carelessly ceded corner kick throughout the tournament.  Will be interested to see if Madison Haley drops back to help on clearances.  EDIT: They did drop Haley back in on the first set play in the second half.

Meant to write this when the bracket posted - the Tar Heels couldn't have picked themselves a better region - the weakest 8 seed in Colorado, IMO the weakest 4 in Princeton, and the weakest 2 in UCLA (although UCF in South Carolina's bracket gave them a run for their money in losing to Arizona today.)  Stanford, meanwhile, would get Auburn, then an explosive Florida State, with #3 Penn State and #2 West Virginia on the other side.  I think every team in Stanford's bracket could take their corresponding seed in North Carolina's.

VG

[Viking_Guy]

6-1 Stanford at the half.  Last goal by Briede off a corner finding its way through to her feet for a glancing touch to the far post.

Just to expand a bit - IMO, Stanford's one great weakness is size.  Beyond Cook, Davidson and (when healthy) McGrady, there's a whole lot of 5'6" and 5'7" players out there, as well as the 5' barely Pickett.  A team with options for size in the front can send them crashing in on corners and other set pieces, and have a better probable outcome than trying to take the defense on the ground.  The Cardinal will have to beware of the carelessly ceded corner kick throughout the tournament.  Will be interested to see if Madison Haley drops back to help on clearances.  EDIT: They did drop Haley back in on the first set play in the second half.

Meant to write this when the bracket posted - the Tar Heels couldn't have picked themselves a better region - the weakest 8 seed in Colorado, IMO the weakest 4 in Princeton, and the weakest 2 in UCLA (although UCF in South Carolina's bracket gave them a run for their money in losing to Arizona today.)  Stanford, meanwhile, would get Auburn, then an explosive Florida State, with #3 Penn State and #2 West Virginia on the other side.  I think every team in Stanford's bracket could take their corresponding seed in North Carolina's.

VG