[OCcardinal]

Watched the game on ESPN+.  Some thoughts:

- I assume Aikey was at center back because she's going to need to be there for key games this season (e.g., against USC) while Elise Evans is playing in the U20 World Cup.  
- The offense took a lot of shots, but few were of high quality (lots from outside the box)
- The offense looked 100% better once Aikey moved up. I don't know how much we can afford having her play at center back.
- Only goal was off of a deep turnover. Great play by freshman Charlotte Kohler, but disappointing that we couldn't get a goal in the normal flow of our offense against USF.  
- Montoya and Kitihata had no problem getting by USF's defense on the wings, but couldn't connect on their crosses.  Hopefully that will improve.
- Good to see our 5-star recruit Eleanor Klinger get the start (and be productive). She's not just a frosh, she's an early enrollee (still only 17 years old).  She had a few flubs but earned her minutes (58 of them, more than either Buda or Kitahata had).
- Glad to see Buda back at midfield. That's where she belongs.  The freshman wing defenders looked good so shouldn't be a need to move Buda back there again.
- Kohler had 7 shots, 3 on goal in her 53 minutes.  Surprisingly productive for a frosh in her first game.  I really liked the way she found her space to take the game-winner. Looks like the real deal. (She was the Gatorade California HS player of the year for 2 years. Our frosh class also includes the Gatorade TX HS Player of the year, Jaden Thomas. So we just picked up the two best players from the two most populous states.) 
- No sign of Lumi Kostmayer. She was our leading scorer for a time her freshman year. She had 12 starts and played 1028 minutes.  But then last season she had only 1 start and played 391 minutes. I don't know if she's been dealing with an injury or what. But I miss seeing her out there.  With her physicality and height there are things she can do that no on else on the team can do.
- Last but not least, there is the GK position, the biggest question coming into this season with Campbell's departure. Haley Craig is finally getting her shot. She wasn't tested in this game and didn't have to make any saves.  There was one dangerous shot from distance that ended up hitting the top goalpost, but it looked like Craig was in position to make the save had it been any lower.  We've got a very strong defense (with or without Aikey on the back line) so hopefully they'll keep things boring for Craig.

[OCcardinal]

Watched the game on ESPN+.  Some thoughts:

- I assume Aikey was at center back because she's going to need to be there for key games this season (e.g., against USC) while Elise Evans is playing in the U20 World Cup.  
- The offense took a lot of shots, but few were of high quality (lots from outside the box)
- The offense looked 100% better once Aikey moved up. I don't know how much we can afford having her play at center back.
- Only goal was off of a deep turnover. Great play by freshman Charlotte Kohler, but disappointing that we couldn't get a goal in the normal flow of our offense against USF.  
- Montoya and Kitihata had no problem getting by USF's defense on the wings, but couldn't connect on their crosses.  Hopefully that will improve.
- Good to see our 5-star recruit Eleanor Klinger get the start (and be productive). She's not just a frosh, she's an early enrollee (still only 17 years old).  She had a few flubs but earned her minutes (58 of them, more than either Buda or Kitahata had).
- Glad to see Buda back at midfield. That's where she belongs.  The freshman wing defenders looked good so shouldn't be a need to move Buda back there again.
- Kohler had 7 shots, 3 on goal in her 53 minutes.  Surprisingly productive for a frosh in her first game.  I really liked the way she found her space to take the game-winner. Looks like the real deal. (She was the Gatorade California HS player of the year for 2 years. Our frosh class also includes the Gatorade TX HS Player of the year, Jaden Thomas. So we just picked up the two best players from the two most populous states.) 
- No sign of Lumi Kostmayer. She was our leading scorer for a time her freshman year. She had 12 starts and played 1028 minutes.  But then last season she had only 1 start and played 391 minutes. I don't know if she's been dealing with an injury or what. But I miss seeing her out there.  With her physicality and height there are things she can do that no on else on the team can do.
- Last but not least, there is the GK position, the biggest question coming into this season with Campbell's departure. Haley Craig is finally getting her shot. She wasn't tested in this game and didn't have to make any saves.  There was one dangerous shot from distance that ended up hitting the top goalpost, but it looked like Craig was in position to make the save had it been any lower.  We've got a very strong defense (with or without Aikey on the back line) so hopefully they'll keep things boring for Craig.