UP vs Kennesaw State

Sigh... too bad the UW women's program has kind of fallen off... would be nice for the rivalry and make the Husky classic something better than letting players try new positions, boosting our stat lines and giving the deep reserves some much deserved PT. Although now that I type all those out, maybe it isn't such a bad idea....

UW didn't look too bad in the second half. They played many freshmen and sophs, and for the most part played at PAC10 pace.

They are still a year or two away....

Kennesaw State was #59 in the end-of-regular season RPI last year. They lost to Florida State in the first round of the Tournament 3-0.

Regardless of what match-tracker said: We started with four defenders: Korie and Cassie at CD and Jessica and Elli on the outside. And four midfielders: Keelin at holding mid, Michelle and Charney on the outsides, and Megan at attacking mid. And two forwards: Sophie and Danielle. Once we got up 3-0, everything changed as Garrett subbed freely and moved players around -- such as with Keelin ending the game at forward.

Kennesaw State is the two-time Atlantic Sun champion and is picked to win again this year. I was expecting a serious game. Instead, it was a romp. The Geez has described it pretty well.

Of the subs, I thought Janelle had an excellent game - playing at left mid, which apparently is the position at which she is most comfortable. Kendra also had an excellent game at right mid. Emma looked good and so did Kristen. In fact, everyone looked good. When the subs first came in midway through the first half, it was a little choppy, but during the second half they got going and completely dominated.

This was by far the greatest use of players off the bench that I've ever seen for the Pilots.

I think this may be a message-sending game to the rest of the NCAA, as Kennesaw State has a reasonably good reputation.

Kendra's PK, BTW, was about as casual as it gets. She spotted the ball, walked up to it, smashed the ball to the back of the net, then turned and jogged upfield. She might have high fived somebody on the way back to her spot.

I was just checking my notes. Three players played the whole game in one position. Kelsey, Kassi, and Ellie.

Ellie ran about 20 miles on the sideline.

Unbelievable....

What was the PK for? and where was this ref last Saturday when we woz robbed by UCLA!!!?

ps. Thanks to earlier posters for review of the game. Interesting that Garrett played Sophie forward and Michelle wide. That's the second game he's had Michelle there. Loved the reference to Elli's 20 miles! I like her on defense.

I also think that the Pilots were so much sharper for having played UCLA and USC last weekend. Probably felt like they had so much time after the high pressure of the earlier games. I'm sure K State wishes that they had played UP before the Pac 10 teams!

she was taken down going into the box.

Apparently there were 4 "D's"...

Purplegeezer wrote:

Apparently there were 4 "D's"...

hey, Geezer! What do you mean by this?

(Thought I might try some short posts. My long ones wear me out.)

Also, many thanks to Purplegeezer and UPSoccerFanatic for your really informative reviews of the game. It really helps give us some "visualization".

Thanks, UPSF, for the explanation on who started where. You couldn't tell by GT.

And thanks also, Geezer, for commenting on some of the unique subbing the Pilots did.

I sensed people were playing in odd positions, but didn't really know until you guys reported in about the game. I got a feeling that Keelin was up top in the last ten minutes or so. She was slamming shots left and right. (And also sored a goal!) Is she a striker at heart?

Interesting Sophie starts two straight at striker. But isn't that where she excelled for the Pilots last year?

FANatic wrote:

Purplegeezer wrote:

Apparently there were 4 "D's"...

hey, Geezer! What do you mean by this?

(Thought I might try some short posts. My long ones wear me out.)

I was poking fun.

It's a mnemonic refs use as a remminder of the conditions necessary to give a red card or PK.

Defenders- how many in front of the player?
Direction- was the player moving towards the goal?
Distance-(to the goal)
Distance- (to the ball) - does the player have control?

Refs will cite these conditions as necessary to call the foul.

It isn't in the rules.

Mr. Chandhoke said that when Kendra and Keelin played club, Keelin was often a striker.

Anyone feel free to answer:

Do you think having Sophie up top will help lessen the impact of losing Rachael? I do think it will help a lot.

I know it's early, and no one probably wants to even think about this right now, but if anyone does: What three players will replace the "Big Three" at the end of the regular season, and what other players will come off the bench to fill slots left by the players who might change positions?

I used to think that Sophie covers for Keelin at holding midfield but that was before Sophie has to play forward because Rachel is gone; that Megan Sweeney covers for Elli if she's playing defense still, or Kendra starts if Elli is playing outside midield; and that still leaves the need to cover for Michelle E!

Losing Rachel hurts in so many ways.

Time will tell. Depends on how well other players step up. If Emma Nelson looks good at right defense maybe Jessica Tsao plays somewhere. Maybe Halley K shows that hse can play.

The four D's are actually in writing in the form of a memo to Referees from USSF. Look at 12.37 (b) here:
http://images.ussoccer.com/Documents/cms/ussf/Advice%20Final%20Aug2007.pdf