12-03-2017, 11:06 AM
Halftime, Stanford 2 UCLA 0.
Basically, Stanford dominated early run of play with their pressure - UCLA was trapped in their own end. But as the midfield started to tire, the Bruins started to gain more of the ball, and started to put pressure on Stanford's backline, firing the ball through to a streaking Mace.
Stanford had good chances apart from the goals, but so did the Bruins, mostly on Stanford defensive miscues. In the last 5 minutes of the half, Kiki Pickett dove in after a ball about 25 yards out, leaving her player to try to win the ball and letting it be slotted easily behind her, leading to several good chances for the Bruins, including a final one blocked clear and then chased outside and won for a goal kick by Tegan McGrady.
The second was the nightmare scenario I've had. Alana Cook, under a little pressure on a high ball, decides that maintaining possession is more important than playing a safe ball, and tries to head it back to Jahansouz. And misses badly, heading it diagonally away from both Jahansouz and any other defender and into the path of Sanchez(?), who runs in as Davidson tries to catch up from behind. The UCLA forward tries one of the great forward tricks - she hooks her arm under Davidson's, grabs on, and pulls while falling, making it look as if Davidson pushed her over. Luckily, the ref didn't buy it.
Of course, he also could've not been buying it because he absolutely blew an earlier hand-ball call, when Boissiere launched a curling shot from the top of the area toward her right post. The UCLA defender left her hand out, made herself bigger, and a good shot was rendered a harmless bouncer. Should have been a PK, but if he hadn't called that and then called the latter one on Davidson, I would've exploded.
Safely through to halftime, up 2-0. That's all I was thinking in those last five minutes, don't let them back in. The first 5-10 of the second half will be equally important - if Stanford can weather them, I think heavy legs from the 120+ on Friday might start to catch up with the Bruins.
PLEASE, ALANA and KIKI, don't play slow rolling balls through the center of the field. For my heart's sake.
VG
Basically, Stanford dominated early run of play with their pressure - UCLA was trapped in their own end. But as the midfield started to tire, the Bruins started to gain more of the ball, and started to put pressure on Stanford's backline, firing the ball through to a streaking Mace.
Stanford had good chances apart from the goals, but so did the Bruins, mostly on Stanford defensive miscues. In the last 5 minutes of the half, Kiki Pickett dove in after a ball about 25 yards out, leaving her player to try to win the ball and letting it be slotted easily behind her, leading to several good chances for the Bruins, including a final one blocked clear and then chased outside and won for a goal kick by Tegan McGrady.
The second was the nightmare scenario I've had. Alana Cook, under a little pressure on a high ball, decides that maintaining possession is more important than playing a safe ball, and tries to head it back to Jahansouz. And misses badly, heading it diagonally away from both Jahansouz and any other defender and into the path of Sanchez(?), who runs in as Davidson tries to catch up from behind. The UCLA forward tries one of the great forward tricks - she hooks her arm under Davidson's, grabs on, and pulls while falling, making it look as if Davidson pushed her over. Luckily, the ref didn't buy it.
Of course, he also could've not been buying it because he absolutely blew an earlier hand-ball call, when Boissiere launched a curling shot from the top of the area toward her right post. The UCLA defender left her hand out, made herself bigger, and a good shot was rendered a harmless bouncer. Should have been a PK, but if he hadn't called that and then called the latter one on Davidson, I would've exploded.
Safely through to halftime, up 2-0. That's all I was thinking in those last five minutes, don't let them back in. The first 5-10 of the second half will be equally important - if Stanford can weather them, I think heavy legs from the 120+ on Friday might start to catch up with the Bruins.
PLEASE, ALANA and KIKI, don't play slow rolling balls through the center of the field. For my heart's sake.
VG