First goal of the season prediction thread.

Great now I have to revise my whole lineup Glad to do it though. She is looking to put a few more in the net against the Ducks.

All-

Where do you expect Sophie to be used this season? back to a holding mid position, or would you expect stints up top when we face defenses that are susceptible to her strength? Or maybe as a utility player?

GUPhantom wrote:No fair!!! Boy...I'm late on this..Snooze...you lose!!

Ok then....I'm going with Sophie Schmidt in the 5th minute...YES...(even in absentia)...she can score on the Ducks! HA!

Will she be back from China for the Opener?

GO PILOTS!!!

Looks like GUPhantom may have been onto something after all?

Bigger question is... do you think she would start?? After being away from the team for an extended period of time I would see it more likely that she come in off the bench once the flow of the game has been established...

Ya know, I really have no idea where Sophie's going to play. I do trust Garrett's rotations as far as where his players end up playing. So I'll be happy I don't have to figure this one out!

However, I don't expect a player of Sophie's caliber and international experience to sit for long. I don't think she'll start against Oregon, but I could be wrong. However, I would think that she would start and play significant minutes against UCLA/USC.

When Keelin leaves, Sophie probably goes straight to holding mid for the playoffs. (Not a bad replacement, eh?) Maybe she will share the spot with Keelin whis season. She could also find a home as a center back, and stay there until she's used up her eligibility. But we have so many other talented, tall and strong young players, it's kind of baffling to figure out where to put her.

Maybe aleppiek is right: Perhaps she'll be a utility player and sometimes play up top, like she did so effectively last year. We seem to have so many injuries and other issues every year, she could probably play all over the field!

As a guy who liked George Harrison the best among Beatlees, I'll pick a quiet Pilot: Jessica Tsao on a classic Pilot attack from the backline, 16 minutes in. Go, OES Aardvarks!

I'm looking forward to the game on Saturday. Just started coaching this week with my U14 girls team so the soccer fever is picking up.

It will be fascinating to see who plays and where on Saturday.

Assume Kelsey Davis starts as GK.

Elli Reed has been playing left defense for the U20; but UP has Sweeney and Tsao so does Ellie play left mid?

My guess is that Michelle Olivier plays center D. But with whom? If Keelin was going to be here all year, I'd play Sophie Schmidt alongside her. But she's been gone so my guess is she doesn't start. Could be Nicholson or Jackman if that's the case. Or maybe McCluskie, but doubt we'll start two freshmen.

Assume Keelin starts as defensive mid; and I think Megan Rapinoe is best at the point of the diamond as the attacking mid.

Outside mid could be Elli R if she's not playing back, with Charney Burk on the other (right) side. Others in the frame include Kendra Chandhoke.

Upfront I'm assuming Enyeart starts, with probably Foxhoven. Rachel Rapinoe still getting up to speed so off the bench?

After all that, my guess:

Davis; Sweeney, Olivier, Nicholson, Tsao; Burk, Winters, MRapinoe, Reed; Enyeart, Foxhoven.

Next weekend there are two big games. I'd bet that we see most of the players getting at least 45 minutes on Saturday so that next weekend Garrett can mix it up and play some of them on Saturday and others on Monday.

Rachel's podcast made it sound like she is up to speed and ready to go... Hope to see her get a decent amount of run tomorrow, but not too much. A Rapinoe Rapinoe starting forward unit could be SCARY... especially if flanked by Enyeart and Foxhoven?

I agree, aleppiek. Rachael's podcast interview made it sound like she may start up front with Megan, with Garrett limiting her minutes.

I love the idea of Enyeart and Foxhoven flanking them, but what about Elli?

Perhaps it will be Enyeart and Elli flanking them, with Foxhoven coming off the bench.

(Nice luxury, eh?)

Or, Ellie may have found a home at the outside back? but who would be displaced? Could Michelle maybe set up shop at the CAM?

Michelle Enyeart would be an awesome CAM if Megan R. plays up front.

But if Elli plays outside back, who sits: Tsao or Sweeney?

After reading all the speculations (educated as they are)about who will fill the backline, I recall the way Stephanie played left back last year. It seemed to me that her presence was almost like having two players there. Her speed and decision making gave her an extremely long and wide range of play and her overlaping runs were a sight to see.

My question is does anyone think we have a player with that kind of speed and play reading ability to play the same style or will we have a left back that plays the position in a more traditional way? I think Ellie has the speed but I wonder if she is inclined to play defense/attacking defender?

We have a dearth of Forwards and Midfielders so it might be a good spot inasmuch as it has been mentioned earlier that she is getting experience on defense with the U-20s

first goal, michelle enyeart in the 21st minute with an assist from megan.

so, my start lineup with that being said;

forwards, megan an michelle.

midfiield, foxhoven an elli on the outside, keelin as the holding an charney as the attacking.

defense, sweeney an tsao on the outside, olivier on the inside with a name i haven't seen here, kristen kelly. just about everyone has korie here, but i think that by the end of the season last year kristen was every bit korie's equal. an being a year younger, she has to have improved as much if not more than korie.

of course, in goal is kelsey.

can't wait for tomorrow, i'm jazzed! an on that same note, i don't think the game will be a blow out like everyone on this forumn would like it to be.

Fear not. UP has four folks that can play the outside bck and push forward just fine.

Megan Sweeney is right side I'd guess., Possibly Emma Nelson. She's a little unknown for me because I've only seen her 20 minutes.

Ellie Reed has been playing outside back on the u20's and earned a spot there, and Jessica Tsao played both sides last year. Both of those players can play both sides, and Ellie and Jessica both can play outside mid, too.

You could see any combination of those players out there, and they all can do a lot of damage pushing forward.

geez, thats what's so great about this team! i can see tsao in the midfield. i'm still not comfortable with elli in the outside fullback position. while she is an incredible offensive player, i just don't think she's the defensive player we need. she's not strong an is easilly beaten [my opinion] as many of our outside backs.

look at how strong our outside backs have been starting with the most recent, stephanie lopez, kristen eaton, brooke o'hanley, an melissa ribauldo. maybe not as gifted offensively, but heads an above much better defensively. an while they didn't have elli skills offensively, they were pretty good. an elli isnt anywhere close to their defensive skills. i would rather have strong defensive backs with good offensive skills then good offensive skills an pretty good to moderate defensive skills.

Ellie earned her spot on the u20 National team as a defender, not as a forward, so I'm sure she'll do great while she's with us until she goes to the World Cup.

One small correction. You must be thinking of someone else than Melissa Ribaudo. She was a central defender when UP still played 3 players in the back. toughest 100 pound defender I've ever seen.

Michelle French maybe? She seemed to move further back in the formation each year.