UP versus Texas

A side benefit from crossing from the endline is no one is offside when you pass. That is huge for a team that attacks like we do.

Not to mention less reaction time for the keeper and defenders to adjust and not the physics of the ball generating more spring off the foot based off the direction of the feed and whatnont

I know what you mean, aleppiek. I was sitting with some local college coaches who are familiar with the WSU program and we couldn't believe how, um, not good? ... WSU's left back was. I hate picking apart players because you never know what's going on in their lives or that game that could be affecting them, but for those of us sitting there we were kind of stunned that Potter stuck with her, even though she wasn't connecting any of her passes.

Does anyone know why he moved from ND to UT? Was he forced out? Seems like he had one of the best jobs in the country there.

I will always fondly remember his last game as the head coach of Notre Dame: it was a 2-1 Portland win in South Bend to advance to the Final Four.

Hereis a link to the NCAA Women's Soccer Rule Committee. This tells me quite a bit.

Women's Soccer Rules Committe

C. Cliff McCrath (Jan 1989 - Sep 2011)

He retired from Seattle Pacific last year. Is he still involved with the rules committee?

KFTC,

Was it just me or did it also seem that #11 for WSU was not totally fit, seemed to be limping a bit and seemed to be the worst offender in what I talked earlier about, Speculative long passes forward.

Heh. Yeah. Makes me wonder who Potter had left on his bench if he didn't want to sub her. Then again, she was up against Kasey Moore (Kristen's sister) for most of the game and she makes everyone look slow. At one point, Kasey I think made up 15-20 yards on her chasing back on defense.

Check out her player profile on WSU's site. Nice mug shot. Her dad also played ball for the Reds...

Geez, Cliff "Uncle Nubby" McCrath is listed on the Northwest Soccer Camp Club site as the current coach. Looks like he is staying involved with soccer.

McCrath Retires


I guess it must be a "ceremonial" retirement.

The NW soccer camp isn't the NCAA, though.

I think WSU was really tired coming into the game. They were on the bubble and knew it. Going into their last three games, against Washington and the two Arizonas, they had to win at least two games to get into the tournament. They tied Washington -- meaning double overtime -- and beat the first Arizona. That meant they had to at least tie the second Arizona. That game went into overtime, and they won, I think in the second overtime though I could be wrong on that. That kind of season ending can exhaust a team, and I think it showed. Plus, they were missing their premier player, Kiersten Dahlstream, to the U20s. They had tried to prepare for that loss by not starting her, but if my memory is right, she was key as a "sub" to their run at the end against the Arizonas to get into the tournament.

I had some knowledgeable WSU fans behind me -- I saw all but the Texas goal portion of the second half -- and they said the WSU players were tired. That fit what I saw. I commented that they seemed to just play "long ball" and wondered whether that was what their coaches taught. They said absolutely not. So, I think the "out of gas" explanation is the one that is most likely.

Bummer. I really wanted WSU to win. But, to be honest, if Texas and WSU are rested and at full strength, I'd rather play Texas tomorrow.

Great season for the Cougs. I'm thinking they are on the rise and will be in the tournament again in the near future. Great for we who love home games!

Just about three hours to go!!! I'm expecting a tight game. If the Pilots should dominate, I would say that is a very good sign.

I think we're still a round away from the real tight games and possibly the scary shoot outs. 3-1 UP that's my prediction. Our depth will shine through again this week...

I would like to be able to watch this game. I live out of state, and am not able to see the game. I do not have the Comcast sportsnet northwest channel on DirecTV at home.

If someone could make a copy of this game on DVD or VHS, then that would be greatly appreciated. I would certainly pay for it, and it would be a more than fair profit for you as well to compensate for your time.

I am also interesed in seeing the UP vs. Northern Arizona game as well from a couple of days ago. I would gladly pay for a copy of that game as well... either DVD or VHS.

If you're interested in helping out, and talking about price compensation for the recording, then you can e-mail me at ... wpsmovement@yahoo.com

You can also reply to this thread as well.

Thank you. :-)

Gotta be honest. In the first half against Texas, I was a little concerned about the quality and skill level of a couple of our starters and the lack of quality depth on our bench.

Thank goodness for the 2nd half! I thought we completely dominated the 'Horns for the last 25 or so minutes of the match.

Texas needed a goal to tie, but in the 2nd part of the 2nd half, the Pilots simply attacked relentlessly and without mercy. How can you think about tying the match up 1-1, when you're fighting for your life to keep the Pilots off the scoreboard.

They made a few runs down into our final third, but every single time they did, our defense quickly turned the ball back the Pilots way and we were on the attack again.

I thought we played tremendous team offense and team defense in the last 25 minutes. Texas had to be frustrated and tiring. This is when our great team conditioning really shows and shines brightly. If you can't match it, you be dead, baby!

It was great to finally get the PK and Sophie converted nicely. But we never let up, and continued to create scoring opportunities.

This team may have "grown up" in those last 25 minutes. I hope so. Everyone who played stepped up and seemed to make nary a mistake.

On to the round of 16!!!

I think you just worried too much, FANatic. I figured if Texas was going to do something, they were going to do it through Stephanie Logterman or Kasey Moore. They even took Moore off the back line for this game and put her up top hoping she could create something. Logterman had a very passive game, I thought. Though she was effective in preventing Jacka from turning the corner, she didn't realy contribute offensively.

Moore just got stopped by Kassi and Korie before she could do anything. I thought they both had great games.

As I said on the other thread, if you came to the game knowing that either Logterman or Tsao was all America I'd wager the majority would have said it was Jessica.

Texas' strength is/was on defense with Moore, Logterman and the crazy GK. They did not appear to have the same quality in midfield or up front.

With hindsight Up had the game under control, but at 1-0 it's always nerve wracking because any break away can tie it up.

Pilots dominated second half but did not convert that advantage to a goal until late.

Thanks ohhh yeah for the upload tip...if this works.

I admit that I also worry too much. I was concerned when Garrett subbed out Sophie midway throught the 2nd half when we were still only up by one goal. I must admit that I was second-guessing him, wishing that he would leave her in there until we got up by two. As it worked our she came on for Halley about 10 minutes later and ended up getting the goal herself on the PK. Garrett must have know that she needed a breather and that the eleven on the field could perform just as well without her.

I think we also need to recognize that the bench players who may be needed in later tournament games have got to get experience in the pressure games. To give them that experience, he's got to put them in. And, they were part of wearing down Texas to the point that we had total control of the ball in their end of the field for the last 35 minutes.

Geezaldinho wrote:
I think you just worried too much, FANatic. I figured if Texas was going to do something, they were going to do it through Stephanie Logterman or Kasey Moore.

You're right, Geez. For this individual match I probably worried too much, not knowing that much about Texas.

However, my thinking/worrying goes way beyond one 2nd round playoff match. I know that each round is win or go home, so you have to leave it all on the field for each and every playoff game.

My "worrying" goes far down the road to a possible Quarterfinal, Semifinal and National Championship match. (The Pilots very successful history says that going deep is the usual, not the exception.) So, can this group play with Notre Dame, UCLA, Stanford, North Carolina, USC, etc.? The wins over NAU and Texas this last weekend mean nothing to me if we don't claim our third trophy in Cary, N. Carolina.

This is not a "team on the rise" that can lose in the 3rd round, then claim moral victory and "wait till next year!" This is a program that boldly states at the start of "every" season, that winning their 3rd National Title is the only acceptable outcome to the season. And Garrett said something along those lines knowing he most probably would be without the services of the U20's in the playoffs, so that is one confident coach!!!

Don't get me wrong, I loved watching the matches this past weekend. It was the most fun I've had in so long! But.........can we even stay in the match with the above named teams? Without the Three Amigas, Rachael and Kendra, that would be a daunting task for any program in the country. I still am uncertain, Geez, (and everyone else reading this). Beating the truly elite teams, you simply can't make some of the mistakes we made in the first half, because those mistakes will be turned into goals.

That is why I am so encouraged by the last 25 minutes or so. Garrett somehow flipped a switch, and suddenly we were an unstoppable, attacking juggernaut. Our defense went mostly untested but were solid and we seemed to be mistake-free. I thought in those scintillating moments, I might have seen a true championship contender emerge out of the corner of my eye.

http://flickr.com/photos/41639453@N00/sets/72157609271150200/ ENJOY!!! 100 photos in set.

Nice photos, thanks for sharing.