Calling Michelle Enyeart! Step To The Front!

Michelle Enyeart...hmm...think about that...

Recall 2006, her freshman season. I had no idea what to expect from her. When Megan R. was lost for the season, I thought we were cooked, as far as being College
Cup contenders. But no. Seemingly out of nowhere, Megan's production was still there. Except the player scoring most of the goals, and leading the charge, was the freshman Enyeart, who demonstrated a warrior's mentality in attacking the opponent's goal.

I praised Garrett Smith and his assistants/recruiters for an incredible job in finding Michelle, who was not rated a top ten recruit like Kendra was. As the season wore on, I watched in amazement as she led the team in goals, 16, points, 38, and shots, 69. She also led the team by far in shots on goal percentage, 62%, and game winning goals, 7. And all in only 15 starts out of 23 games played, for a team that ended up playing 24.

When Michelle started battling two separate leg injuries at the end of the season, I was amazed again as outside defender Rachel Rapinoe moved up to striker and scored 5 goals in 4 NCAA Tournament games. Although we were eliminated by UCLA in the quarterfinals, the team immediately started making plans for another big run for the Cup in 2007.

That brings us to today. The 2007 seson is seven games old, we are 6-1-0, Rachel is lost for the season and Megan is out until who knows when. We have two great international players returning soon, as well as the injured starting right back from last year, Megan Sweeney, perhaps in 2 - 4 weeks. Although they will give the team a tremendous boost, they are all defensive players and are not going to pick up the scoring slack. They will invigorate and create chances all over the pitch, but they are not finishers.

Kendra, Budge and Angie can finish. Elli Reed will mature and learn to dribble a little less and crack a shot once in awhile. (Although she does have two goals in seven games so far this season, both being, by the way, winning goals.

However, barring injury, doesn't it make sense, remembering her remarkable freshman year last season, that Michelle Enyeart is due to take charge and start kicking some butt? We should destroy PSU on Sunday, which would be good for our team's confidence going into a huge trip to Los Angeles next week, to play none other than UCLA and USC. Fun stuff! Come on Michelle - pick up where you left off last season. I'm not putting it all on your big shoulders, but 2-3 goals Sunday would be a great start. A great start to, perhaps, something very BIG next week-end in wacko smog land.

I was just looking at last year's games. As I recall, Enyeart played quite a bit of last season in the left outside mid position, instead of Budge.

It might be time to try that combo again.