Pepperdine @ Merlo 10/19/2008

The more I work with the RPI and watch this season progress, the more I realize how critical every game is for the Pilots. Texas A&M lost yesterday, which means that if the other "heads of state" -- meaning North Carolina, Notre Dame, Portland, and the ultimate Pac 10 winner -- win out, A&M probably is out of it for a #1 seed. That may be a little bit of a risky prediction, but I'll go with it. So, right now, winning is what it's about, and is all it's about.

Pepperdine is 6-7-2 going into tomorrow's game. They have notable wins over Tennessee (2-0, although Tennessee is not having a good year and is a possibility to finish under .500 and not even have a chance at the NCAA Tournament); and Washington State (1-0). They have a good loss to UCLA 1-0. They have scored 17 goals (of which 6 were against Idaho State); and have given up 15 (but no more than 3 in any game). I suspect they will bunker in tomorrow and hope to get one good counter attack. I think the Pilots will need to be very sharp and to come at them continuously throughout the game.

GO PILOTS!

Amen to that.

Constant pressure.

No shots, no goals.

ALL FIVE matches left in the season are MUST wins if we want a "chance" at hosting rounds 1-3 and the Quarters.

Pepperdine plays on a very very small (read narrow) field. This helps them defending as they can stay fairly compact in the back and not give up alot of space on the wings. We must play wide (outside in) on the attack to be most effective against this team. Their GK is a good shot stopper so I expect our goals to come off combination play, crosses and set pieces.

Overall we should be able to wear them down with a good possession style and have them doing alot of chasing. This will take patience. Expect our players to start to dominate in the final 25 minutes if we can execute the possession style.

Isn't there a NCAA regulation for soccer field size?

I am very surprised that Pepperdine is allowed to play on a very narrow field. That is just nuts for a NCAA Division 1 sport.

FANatic wrote:Isn't there a NCAA regulation for soccer field size?

I am very surprised that Pepperdine is allowed to play on a very narrow field. That is just nuts for a NCAA Division 1 sport.

Here ya go-

1.1.2 The width shall not be more than 80 yards [73.15m] nor less than
65 yards [59.44m] and the length shall not be more than 120 yards
[109.73m] nor less than 110 yards [100.58m]; however, fields of less
than minimal dimensions may be used by prior written mutual consent
of the competing institutions. The optimum size is 75 yards [68.58m] by
120 yards [109.73m].
New facilities shall be a minimum of 70 yards [64.01m] in width by
115 yards [105.15m] in length.
[109.73m

Old fields are grandfathered, so if we ever agreed to play on a field, apparently we still do.

Merlo is 120x75 and that also is the FIFA recommended size for international play.

The NCAA also recommends a 20 yard out of bounds border around the field, and Merlo doesn't meet that new standard. I think that's a good thing our fans.

You can just make out the restraining hash mark in the picture below of Rohus field at Pepperdine about a yard from the 18 yard box. It's 10 yards from the corner, and the box is 44 yards wide, so the field is probably minimum size allowed.

GOAL PILOTS!!!

PILOTS 1-0 over Pepperdine Waves. Goal by Sophie in 27th minute on a diving header off a rebound off the Waves' GK.

(Like to see that one on video replay!)

Audio seems to have disappeared from the video feed. I feel it may be time for some hot chocolate.

Goal Pepperdine. Amanda Rupp gets behind the defense and scores in the 77th minute.

Score: 1-1 Late in regulation.

C'mon Pilots, step it up!

-SciFi

Wowee!!!!! What an ending! And, of course, Captain Megan Rapinoe is the hero as she takes a PK in the 88th minute which is saved by the GK, but the ball comes loose. Megan chips the rebound over the GK for the winning goal in the 88th minute, as the Pilots hold on for the victory.

PILOTS WIN 2-1 !!!

Pepperdine had eleven shots today thats two more than UCLA who beat us earlier this year. Not a great day for the pilots, Sophie's goal and Megan's recovery from the saved PK notwithstanding. Credit to Pepperdine keeping up the pressure and a great day for their keeper.

Well this is the last home game for a while. Maybe some traveling will rejuvinate the team.

Hope so. I was sweating that one. . .

-SciFi

That was close.

First off, does anyone know why Michelle O. didn't play? I'm guessing Garrett felt he owed Elli and Keelin 90 minutes in their regular positions. (Michelle E. must be banged up.) So I'm thinking Keelin played holding mid and instead of putting Michelle O. in the back, he went with Korie, Kassi and Kristen. But why did Kassi only play 45 minutes. I'll answer my own question again: He wanted Korie to play 90, which she did. And he wanted Kristen to play for a half, which she did.

I understand that, if it is truly the case. However, Korie and Kristen together at center back is somewhat risky in such a close, critical game. Even if we tie, I'm thinking bye bye Merlo in the 1st and 2nd round.

And on the Waves goal, would Kassi's "wall" have allowed it? Maybe no one knows, I guess. I know I didn't see it. But I'll bet a few of you folks did.

So fill me in!!! (And the rest of the PN gang that didn't see it).

I was watching the video stream and the camera is always late getting back on quick strike so I only saw the goal. The pepperdine player got in behind the defense and got the uncontested shot.

Big let off today. Garrett spent a long time after the match talking to the players. And while it wasn't Sir Alex Ferguson's hair dryer treatment he was not happy and even without lip reading he was delivering a rollicking.

Keelin played holding mid. Sara J played right mid and Elli left mid. Charney and Michelle O on the bench.

Hallie K and Janelle J both came on relatively early in the first half - for Sara and Danielle.

Report is that Michelle E has a knock and they were being careful with her.

Kristen Kelly played alongside Korie in the second half.

First goal was phenomenal determination from Sophie. She has developed into a great target upfront: holds and shields the ball very well.

I've said before that in the first two games the Pilots went into cruise mode after getting ahead by two goals. Problem today was that they did so when only up by one. And they were not controlling the game in the same way even then.

Early in the second half there was a ball through the middle and Korie went o ground inside the area with a Pepperdine forward. I was standing line line with the play and it would have been hard to complain if the ref had called a PK on that one. On the goal the ball was bouncing around and hit one of them on the hand but ref waved play on. Pilots defense was very square and they ran through and scored.

Pilots came back and Elli created some chances - one of which Danielle hit well but keeper saved. The Fox will have wanted to have put that one away.

Pilots were not as sharp as they should have been - Megan R was looking tired.

Winning goal was a PK called on the keeper who came out when Danielle got up to head the ball goalwards. Keeper was late to the challenge and whacked DF hard upside the head. Ref looked to advantage but DF's header missed so he called the PK. Megan hit a fairly poor kick up and close to the keeper who blocked it. Kick had the one virtue of being hit hard so rebound came out to MR who kept her composure and stuck it in. Game over.

Pilots dodged a bullet today.

Not sure why Michelle O saw no time. Combination of Kristen and Korie does not fill me with confidence at 1-0. Megan S is still exposed for pace although nobody can question her determination. Jessica had another good game - she gets forward well - although she had one very good run in the second half that was screaming out for a pass to Danielle but Jess just took it on too far by which time DF was out of room to move.

Is it just me or did Portland not seem to be winning as many 50-50 balls in the air for either match this weekend?

I'd agree with Martin's assessment. Portland looked a little flat at times, particularly in the second half. Though, after the Waves scored, an alarm clock definitely went off. It seemed to me that Pepperdine made it a point to really pressure the defense after the break. Going into the playoffs, that's the only thing that concerns me. They've come a long way since the start of the season, but that "wall" is going to be critical the deeper we go into the tournament.

Yes, that faint whizzing sound is Pilots dodging a bullet. A solid first half led into a flat and uninspired start to a second half. Sonmeone or something lit a fire under Pepperdine at the break and they stuck it to a listless UP for quite a stretch. I thought Pilots would weather the storm without allowing a score but the defense broke down just enough to allow a breakaway to the Waves' leading scorer (Rupp, right?).

Had Pepperdine played another game this weekend? They looked fresher and stronger after the break until Piltos turned it around agaion, just in time. Goes to show that ther are no easy games anywhere on the schedule. This was very much a ployoff-quality game vs. a tough foe.

The team seemed about a 1/2 step slow in a lot of cases today. Let's just hope they got it out of their system and are back up to speed next week. The Pepperdine coach was quite unhappy with the call against his goalie. He went after the official after the game and had to be restrained by one of his assistants. I hope the play is included in the video highlights promised on the Pilots webpage. I'd like to see it again.

fan,
i noticed during warm ups that michelle o. [mo] had a compression bandage/wrap on her right upper leg. maybe a mild strain/pull? she was however warming up to come into the game with about 10 minutes left but never got in.
as for michelle e. i heard her telling kendra's dad that she has been getting dizzy warming up. maybe a bit of vertigo? but, she dizzy an that's why she didnt play today. can't say if that is why she didnt play friday night.
i don't know if cassie's 'wall' would have stop that shot. initially i thought kelsey had saved it. the gals in the second half, in my opinion, did not play well at all, until pepperdine scored. that kind of woke them up. rarely did i see more then two passes strung together. they seemed listless an unexcited.
as for the props, jsao was outstanding. she is becoming a real force on the right back. an sophie, played her usual 'let it all hang out' game. her goal was pure determination an effort. its called a headed in the write up, but it was a rebound of her own shot an both her an the keeper went diving for the ball, about 2 feet off the ground. an that is where soph was when she beat the keeper for the ball. typical sophie. everyone else i felt just seemed a little off, an yes, i will include my fav's megan r. an keelin.

one last thing,
did anyone else notice during the pk that a pepperdine player tried to get inside of hallie on the immediate right side of the half circle? hallie kept shoving her out of the way. the ref had to step in twice to break them up. both times hallie never budged her position an they kept shoving. hallie eventually won the position. i love the spirit an tenacity! way to go frosh!

I could see how Tim Ward would have been frustrated by the referee's call his team was very much in it until the Pepp keeper fouled Dani in the box. It looked she punched Dani in the face. That was really too bad because the keeper had been having a stellar game until then.

I have never seen Ward lose it like that. He is normally a calm and rational guy. Maybe he feels like his job is at stake. The women's soccer program at Pepperdine always has great players but never seems to put it all together.
Now that they are getting a new soccer specific facility on the campus in Malibu the AD may be expecting more from the program. A quick look across town at USC may be giving them some ideas about a coaching change to shake up their program.

I certainly agree that there are no easy teams anymore. It used to be that we did not like to play Pepperdine in Malibu because of their field. Now it appears we need to approach them with caution even at home in Merlo.

We have all been engaging in a lot of talk lately about the RPI and winning out our season. I am going back to the way we started focusing on the next game. I don't think allowing a goal will hurt our seeding chances all that much but certainly a continued lack of energy will catch up with us at a bad time. Am I the only one who is getting a little uneasy that it feels like we are still experimenting with the lineup trying to decide who plays where. I thought we were at least done experiementing with the backline.

In an ideal situation you build momentum through the conference so that you are rolling come playoff time. Now is not a good time to take a break. In my mind I am treating today like a loss. We got spanked with the number of shots they got off. Hopefully we will look back at today as the game that got us refocused and back on the road to the conference title and the playoffs.

A_Fan wrote:The Pepperdine coach was quite unhappy with the call against his goalie. He went after the official after the game and had to be restrained by one of his assistants. I hope the play is included in the video highlights promised on the Pilots webpage. I'd like to see it again.

I don't know if you saw it, but one of the sideline officials had to be restrained a bit because after getting an earful, he was about to go after the coach!

Pepperdine beat Gonzaga 2-0 on Friday. Seems that most teams that come up here for WCC games do the non-Cal doubleheader with UP and the Zags. LMU was in Spokane today.

I've no idea for the change in line up strategy today. I also thought that they had a settled approach - the same line up for the first two games had worked well. Maybe Keelin and Elli needed playing time - but I'd rather have seen how the same XI as at Zaga and v. LMU did for 45 minutes before Keelin and Elli got to play. And I love them both.

Let's hope lessons were learned today; and Pilots can win both games on the road in the Bay Area to set up the game v. Santa Clara.