Florida Game

Wow, I'm the first one home to talk about the game? Or did you all go the T-Room without inviting me?


Anyway, a pretty good effort against a team that was obviously a lot better than recent opponents. I know the scoreboard said something like 20 shots, but I didn't see a lot of really good chances until the second half.

I was impressed with Sweeney, especially in the first half. She was working very hard to win the ball from players a lot bigger than her. It seemed most of the Florida team was bigger than the Pilots. We had another referee that seemed to "let 'em play" for the most part tonight, which would seem to be an advantage for the Gators.

Other than that stretch in the second half the Pilots seemed to keep it in the Florida half. The defense looked all right except for a few isolated times, and when Kelsey did have some saves to make she made some great ones.

The second goal was a beauty. Great pass by Rapinoe, great finish by Foxhoven.

All right, I'll shut up and let the people who know soccer talk.

Pilots dominated against a big and physical Florida. Good goal first half plus hit the bar but should have scored more than once. Nervous period early second half when Pilot defense looked dodgy. One great save by Davis. Finally put it away with lovely second goal.

Will post more details tomorrow.

I was only able to watch over the internet feed, which cut out right before the second goal. We dominated possession obviously. Michelle was a work horse again setting up Foxhoven who continues to show great poise and positioning to finish. Agree that Megan Sweeney worked her butt of in the first half and really impressed me.

After I heard Jason mention that the Gator's had a redeye planned after the game so they could get back for the home game on Sunday. I sort of felt that they were not focused on the game at hand as much as managing the weekend. I was impressed with their keeper she really had a big range of play. Bigger I would say than even Kelsey's which is saying something. Kelsey came up big when it mattered and it bailed out the defense for a couple of minutes of bad decisions in the back. Other than that the D was solid. I thought McKluskie was a standout tonight and Olivier seems to be settling in. Tsao played her usual competent solid game. She doesn't get alot of talk but I think we are all glad for her steady play.

Midfield, Megan just gets more dangerous every game. Her outside shot gives us a weapon that was sorely missed last year and could pull it out for us when we go against bunkered defenses. I am amazed how she dominates players twice her size. Its weird I just take it for granted how good Keelin is at winning balls and how much her game has matured from last year. Charney was strong and adds another cannon to the pilot arsenal. I just expect her to get better and better.

Our passing is still not the laser precision we have come to expect but that will improve as the year goes on. It seems to me we are taking one too many touches in front of the goal instead of shooting in some instances. That also should get sorted out as we go.

Am glad to get this game in without giving one up. I was worried about facing a good team after the butt whoopins we have been handing out. 2-0 is a good result against respectible opposition. All in all a good transition into the trip back east next week.

Good game by the whole team against a good Florida team. Tonight we saw what is probably close to the "A" team right now. they did a great job.

Pilots had the better run of play, but Florida was pretty impressive in its own way. They were especially good for about 10 minutes in the second half where things looked kinda grim for our side.They were big, strong and aggressive. I was sort of amazed we were able to go toe to toe with them and actually come out on top. We learned the term berserker this week. I think we can include Megan and Keelin in those ranks. They owned the midfield.

Special kudos to Megan Sweeney. I thought this was her best game . I hope she wasn't hurt bad.

Maybe I'm slower on the uptake than everyone else, but I thought tonight was Danielle's coming out party. She showed great poise in traffic, pretty good speed, and some aggression I hadn't seen before from her. We have another great scorer in the ranks.

And though Kelsey only had three saves in the books, she saved our bacon a couple of times.

Danielle is one of the rarest of commodities in American soccer. A true finisher. She is never surprised to be getting the ball in tricky situations and in constantly putting herself in a position to score. Although they are different style players she reminds me of Heather O'Reilley in one respect. The ability to become invisible and slip marks at will. I used to call O'Reilly the ghost as she would just appear unmarked in very dangerous positions.
Its a gift.

Megan Rapinoe was player of the game. She is totally poised and calm one moment, fiery and explosive the next. She rules the center. Tonight she was in mortal combat with #88 (last name Chapman, I believe, since I don't care to look it up) and whupped her by the end of it. The two were cracking heads, tripping each other, going 1 on 1, and 88 drew a yellow card for kicking the ball when Megan was setting up a free kick. This was like Persians vs, Spartans at Thermopylae, to get all Greek and classical about it. Just awesome stuff by Rapinoe, who gets stronger every game and went a full 90 of Gator hunting.

A night at Merlo beats a day at the office, and Pilots possession beats Florida might.

Boaz weighs in:


Oregonian

Purple Haze, tonight in Mortal Combat Megan was Sub-Zero "get over here"
I fully expected to see her running around with a beating heart in her hand.

Auto Pilot: make that a heart in one hand and a head in the other. If any vegans are offended, I mean artichoke heart and lettuce head.
Be very afraid of Number 3, Pilot foes.

Whats the deal with the big numbers? #88, #77? Maybe the Florida coach was a college football coach at some point? I wonder what the rule is for team numbers? Can someone wear #635? Anyone know the rule? We may be on the cusp of a new number trend here at Pilot Nation!

I think this might be the reason players pick high numbers. The University keeps a record of players by Jersey Number through the years. If you want yours to be the only name beside a number pick an unusual one here

Numerical Jersey Record

Its funny how different reporting spins can tell the story of a game two different ways. It appears from the Florida Report that our first goal was a fluke off a deflection and the second came only because the coach had decided to send all her people forward for an equalizer (maybe).

The biggest joke is where they describe how lucky we were to survive their onslaught and how Kelsey "punted" the ball off their players back. The day Kelsey punts into an opposing player I'll eat my hat. I think interfering with the GK release of the ball into play is a cautionable offense. They coach's comments seemed reasonable to be fair as to the rest Read for yourself:

Florida Game Report

The midfield battles was fun to watch.

Megan was the most "animated" I've ever seen her! I thought she worked the ref well and eventually had him as a ally! It was funny sometimes! I think he enjoyed her reactions to his calls as much as the fans!

Megan was amped up last night for sure! She was in her element and loving it! Along with Keelin....the pair were like tag-team partners...brusing anyone who wasn't wearing the white (home) uniforms! I especially enjoyed hearing the "Ra-pi-noe, Ra-pi-noe" chant again coming from the Drum Squad! Reminds me of the "Ali...Ali" chant during his title fights! Very appropriate!

Speaking of the uniforms...I don't mind the Gator Orange of UF per se. Its tolerable. I mean...Tennessee's looked pretty good. But, I wasn't sure about that retro-styled jersey! Ugh!

GO PILOTS!!!

Auto Pilot Wrote---

Its funny how different reporting spins can tell the story of a game two different ways.

Sort of like the 2000 presidential election! Florida is a strange place. Total opposite corner than Oregon. Look who the governors brother is too.

Most Eastern US sports teams (Football, Basketball, soccer, etc) cant accept great west coast sport teams.

I savor all the more, the thumping of a East coast team!

Yes Wally, I think Megan sensed this and it made her play all the harder. Somehow I doubt that their goalkeeper will be on any "national teams/players of the week" this week. Her and her defense got exposed.

Also this idea that when keepers get a booty load of saves they should be nominated for all kinds of honors is backward in my opinion. All it shows is a week defense or the keepers lack of ability to orgainize the defense from the back.

Give me a shutout and few shots on goal and I will show you a keeper that is doing his/her job. I remember a keeper trainer telling me one day that the best save is the shot that never happens.

Auto Pilot wrote:
Give me a shutout and few shots on goal and I will show you a keeper that is doing his/her job. I remember a keeper trainer telling me one day that the best save is the shot that never happens.

"The best save is the shot that never happens." What a great quote, Auto. I believe the Pilots have a motto this season that goes, "No Shots, No Goals."

I recall every Pilots team I can remember having the coach saying, "We want shutouts." That was always the goal every game. However, (someone will correct me if I'm wrong), I believe for the first time this year Garrett has raised the stakes for the defense by declaring that we want NO SHOTS.

I have heard other players say that this season, so I bet Coach has incorporated the new motto into his pre-game speech. Smart move, on Garrett's part. Having a "No Shots" philosophy embedded in the team psyche, should help keep the team as a whole sharp and aware at all times of where opposing players are on the field..

In the end this was a comfortable win for the Pilots but it was not so clear cut for a while in the second half.

There's been plenty of discussion on this site about Elli Reed and her best position, comparisons with Stephanie Lopez .. yada yada yada. Garrett resolved the conundrum and rewarded Elli for her consecutive national team of the week recognitions by ... leaving her on the bench!

Kelsey was in goal: and made one game saving stop when it was 1-0 UP in the second half.

Defense was Tsao, Olivier, McCluskie, Sweeney. Tsao had another solid game. Olivier was back in the heart of the defense and surprised me by looking more shaky than in any game than I remember. Her touch was not as reliable: not a bad game but below the standard of earlier performances. McCluskie had a good game. She gives no quarter and seems to be growing with more confidence. Korie N was in tennis shoes. I've seen some folks comments that Megan Sweeney was the pick of the back four. I'm sorry but I did not see it that way. She had some good moments going forward but I thought that she was consistently the most vulnerable. She can get exposed for speed and most of the opposition threats come down that channel on the field. She was unfortunate to get hurt in the second half. Elli R moved back to that position when Megan S went off, having come on to play midfield after about 30 minutes of the first half.

Keelin was back in her spot and had another strong game. Charney bubbled away on the right. Michelle E started at left mid and moved forward in place of Sophie S after about 30 mins. Megan R was on the point. Megan tackles like a maniac, and covers alot of ground. Her shot is back in the groove which is bad news for any GK. The one piece of her game that still is missing is some of her passing: she gives the ball away in relatively unpressured situations. Right now she is playing well: when the passing is there she will be very good. Having said that she laid off a delicate sweet pass to DF for the second goal.

Danielle took her goals with calm almost ruthless efficiency. Sophie played quietly but effectively.

Florida was clearly the best team we've seen since the LA/SC games. Some pace and strength. Gave UP a torrid spell in the middle of the second half when our defense looked very dodgy for a spell.

First goal was a great run across the box by Michelle E and a clinical finish by DF. Second goal was a surge into the box by Megan R and a sweet little pass into DF who again finished cleanly.

I think Elli not starting had more to do with her going off to National Team camp all this week. If Kendra wasn't hurt, I think Michelle would have rested more, too.

They will both have a pretty competitive week. Then they will fly to meet the team late Saturday night (10:00 or 11:00 PM Eastern) for the Sunday Game. I don't know how much they'll get used for that game, as they won't even get a good night's sleep, but intentionally working them hard at the front end would make no sense at all. I'll bet that if he thought he could have, he would have sat them both for the whole game, or give them very limited minutes. I also think it's about time to start giving the players that will be in the tournament more time against quality opponents.

Garrett's always been very conservative about that stuff.

Michelle said in her KPTV interview that they have been preparing for the U20's leaving at playoff time all season. She said last week-end's game, and I'm sure the previous games four games, they have been experimenting with playing different combinations in different places and trying to find the right fit and chemistry. (I'm paraphrasing.)

I don't know if she was just trying to say the right thing or what. But she seemed to imply the Pilots would be just fine without the U-20's, and ready to make a a major run at the Big One.

I do know one thing though: By all accounts Megan is almost back to being Megan, and being more aggressive than ever. She will take over in the playoffs, I am certain, and lead this team with ferocity.

I agree with you Geezer, it would be nice if everyone was battle tested against quality opponents before the playoffs. There is still time though and Garrett has proven over the years to have his teams ready to go when playoff time rolls around. I expect this year to be no exception.