Huskies up next

Auto - Were you making a point by omission?

In your mention of the back line clicking, you failed to name Sweeney. Is she not clicking with the group?

Not seeing any games recently myself, I have heard mixed reporting on Megan Sweeney: sometimes people rave about her runs upfield, and others seem to think she is not yet playing at the level of her freshman season. (Which I did see, and she looked like a solid four year starter before her injury last year gave her a medical reshirt).

Not intended slight to Megan. I just forgot. The entire back line has settled in very well. I was just trying to give some props for the quantum leap they have made since the begining of the year. I focused on Kassi because she is on a mission. The miscues between her and Kelsey early in the seanson seem to have been sorted out and they are working very well together now. Having Kelsey in your ear at close proximity takes a great deal of composure I am sure.

In the 2nd half, Jessica Tsao had a good run at goal. Defenders who can surprise attack, are very powerful weapons.

Right on, Wally!

Question for all who have been watching the team play: It appears with Michelle O. and Kassi in the center of the "D", and with Kelsy in goal, and Jessica and Megan S. on the outside, we may be set for the playoffs on the back line.

Just one other critical defensive position to cover: Holding Mid. Although Michelle O. can apparently handle it, that leaves a big question mark next to Kassi.

Bottom line: Who plays 90 minutes at holding mid once the playoffs commence and Keelin is gone?

i feel that cassi an michelle o. [or as i prefer to call her, mo], are the next lindsay smart an lauren orlandos in the center back. for frosh, they are fantastic!!
when keelin leaves us, i think mo would be very capable to play the center holding mid. but on further thought, how about moving sophie to her natural position at holding mid an bringing halley up top with danielle?
unabashedly, i am telling you that halley is something special much like last year i was a huge fan of keelin before [i believe] anyone else was.
i love this team an cant wait, even though this season isnt done, for next seaon. we aren't rebuilding, we are re-loading!!

There are a couple of ways to go at holding mid. Kelly and Jackman both played the position well in the Seattle trip. Kelly can also play one of the CD spots, and Korie would help solve the problems if she's healthy.

We still have 7 games to find out.

I just realized we only have 3 more home games in the regular season. :affraid:

I'd love to see Sophie there; that's Canadian national team position. Problem is who plays forward alongside Danielle?

Kendra = hurt, who knows if she'll be fit?
Rachael = out
Sara?
Hallie?
Janelle?

That's why Sophie's here right now.

I'd like to see Sophie play holding mid when the Keelin, Michelle and Ellie leave. I think Garrett has kept Sophie at forward mostly due to Keelin's emergence as a superstar that position. But, especially because I think Garrett needed Sophie's maturity and physical presence to stablize what happens in and around the box. She's the one who anchors the flurry of activity around our offense.

Forward is where Sophie will stay this season though. With Michelle gone, Kendra & Rachael injured and Danielle & Halley being freshmen....I think these are reasons why she'll stay up front.

That said, I think we've seen hints that Michelle Olivier will move to holding mid with Kori, Sara and Kristen seeing a lot of PT filling in her backline spot.

GO PILOTS!!!

I guess I was toooo slow! Wow....how many responses was that in a matter of minutes?! After I posted...I noticed that everyone had the same thoughts...everyone's "on the same page"! Amazing group in here! Do we feel/know the pulse of this awesome team or what?

GO PILOTS!!!

Exclamation point to Moving Olivier to Mid as opposed to Kassi. Michelle O seems to naturaly flow up between defense and offense and Kassi although just as mobile, maybe more so, has proved to be the Pilots anti missle defense system. I guess we have to seen what Coach deems best. I just have this feeling that he can mold a field player to just about any position with success.

Another option for Midfield apparently Halley K played midfield at her high school. Since she has been under the radar due to injuries here is what we have "under the hood"

Halley's Profile

My thinking is along the line of Auto Pilot's. We really haven't yet seen what Halley can do. Garrett was so quick off the bench to get someone in for Halley when she came up limping, it may indicate he is really counting on her and wants to be sure she's healthy at the end of the season. I think she may be a possibility at holding mid. Also, it probably will depend on Korie's status. Korie's not playing yesterday may indicate she has lingering problems that are more serious than I thought. I also remember that Halley was one of the early players off the bench in the first two games of the season, so that may be an indication of how the staff sees her if she is healthy.

I saw Halley come up limping in the overtime and was hoping it wasn't her hamstring. I looked to see if Garrett hand seen it, and he immediately was up on the sidelines and telling someone (I think Foxhoven) to get ready to go in. Although the write-ups say there wasn't an opportunity to get a sub in, they were wrong. The ball went out of bounds. But Jessica took a quick throw in to Sophie and the rest is history!

It just seems that Michelle O. and Kassi have got the middle of the defense shut down. You move Michelle to holding mid, how can that not upset the apple cart?

Unless they make that change in the 7 remaining matches, you can't just make such a major move that will disrupt our settled in defense all at once when the playoffs begin, can you?

The holding mid could be Halley, Kristen, Sara - who knows at this point? But I think Michelle O. should stay with freshman buddy Kassi unless they make the change VERY soon.

Experimenting is done in the non-conf part of the season. I think Garrett's got plenty of time and training to make a final decision, (or possible final decision), before the opening match of WCC play at Gonzaga on Oct 12th. I think he should make a decision on a holding mid before that match, and use Keelin as a utility player and back-up holding mid in a pinch.

Agree with Fan we need Michell's O's height in central defense. I don't remember any of them getting beat over the head just a few directional and coverage problems. They have done a phenomental job we have just
3 goals against all season.