St. Mary's & San Francisco

Remember the discussion earlier in the season about where Michelle and Sophie might best fit? It has been apparent for several games now, but the Saint Mary's game underscored why the current positioning seems to work best: Michelle's speed and foot skills at forward just open up a lot of good things and Sophie's distribution skills and powerful shot are best exploited at attacking mid.

I think the Midfielders are the strongest part of our game. With Sophie and Keelin in the middle, I have every confidence in their abilities to dominate any opposition. What hasn't already been said about Sophie? Holy cow! ...that shot she had last night (from the upper corner of the right-side of the box)...was a world class blast with pace! If you blinked you would've missed it! Fantastic! As for Keelin..she's earned her Pilot wings...she rules the air for sure! I lost count of how many headers she owned last night! Much of them over and above the back of a defender. Amazing! She makes that look so simple.

Most improved player? My vote is for Kendra. She's had flashes of brilliance from her freshman year and through her injury-hampered years. But, this year...she's consistently raised the level of her play. Very consistant 90 min game of full out effort. I had questioned her U-23 assignment...but not anymore! I see it. She's definitely deserving. She's probably the quickest on the team next to Michelle E. She just goes!...Lightning!

As for Kristen Kelly? Can I have another vote for most improved? That 's quite the feat...moving into a (starting?) central defender spot. Oh yah! Nice to have the depth of players available in that position....Cloee, Michelle O and Kristen.

GO PILOTS!!!

Harry Redknapp wrote:I'm more concerned about the middle of the defense in the playoffs. I am very impressed with the job that Kristen and Megan have done in the past few weeks. But can't help feeling that they'll need Michelle O and Cloee back and healthy if we're going to see them take on Stanford and UNC successfully.

I really do not mean to speak ill of Kristen and Megan but the level of competition is going to step up dramatically in a few weeks time.

I agree completely. I think our midfield is great, all 4 of them - no worries there. Meghan and Kristen have been fine playing this level of competition, with not much pressure on the defense, but that will change against the Stanfords and UNCs of the world. Meghan has done a great job filling in at central D, but I think she is out of position there and has gotten beat several times. I remember one game Garrett had to move Elli to that spot in the second half. In short, Meghan and Kristen are VERY, VERY good players, but MO and Cloee are GREAT players. I should add that's it's fun watching Meghan play, with her guts and aggressiveness.

Most improved - it's hard to vote against Kendra, but I would consider Danielle. She is such a much more rounded player this year, doing everything well. Last year, she was pretty much just a scorer (but a great one).

fan from afar wrote:

Meghan and Kristen have been fine playing this level of competition, with not much pressure on the defense, but that will change against the Stanfords and UNCs of the world. Meghan has done a great job filling in at central D, but I think she is out of position there and has gotten beat several times. I remember one game Garrett had to move Elli to that spot in the second half. In short, Meghan and Kristen are VERY, VERY good players, but MO and Cloee are GREAT players.

I really don't think it's fair to speak about Megan and Kristen as a unit. I think you are right about Meghan, she stepped up and filled a position that she doesn't normally play, and has done a tremendous job. I think she's GREAT outside back. Kristen, on the other hand, is a central back, and has always been a central back. Is she the most improved on the team? Hard to say, this is the first time she's been granted a significant amount of playing time in consecutive games.

Kristen is proving to be a cerebral player. I think she's demonstrated that she has the vision and skill to distribute the ball down field, rather than just clear the ball as many backs prefer. If we can get someone doing the same kind of great passing in the backfield that Sophie is doing from midfield, it will allow us to gain possession earlier and start attacks from the backfield.

Can Kristen hang with UNC and Stanford? We can't say, because she hasn't been given the change to prove herself yet in big games. But I think she's earned the right to try.

proud in purple wrote:

fan from afar wrote:

Meghan and Kristen have been fine playing this level of competition, with not much pressure on the defense, but that will change against the Stanfords and UNCs of the world. Meghan has done a great job filling in at central D, but I think she is out of position there and has gotten beat several times. I remember one game Garrett had to move Elli to that spot in the second half. In short, Meghan and Kristen are VERY, VERY good players, but MO and Cloee are GREAT players.

I really don't think it's fair to speak about Megan and Kristen as a unit. I think you are right about Meghan, she stepped up and filled a position that she doesn't normally play, and has done a tremendous job. I think she's GREAT outside back. Kristen, on the other hand, is a central back, and has always been a central back. Is she the most improved on the team? Hard to say, this is the first time she's been granted a significant amount of playing time in consecutive games.

Kristen is proving to be a cerebral player. I think she's demonstrated that she has the vision and skill to distribute the ball down field, rather than just clear the ball as many backs prefer. If we can get someone doing the same kind of great passing in the backfield that Sophie is doing from midfield, it will allow us to gain possession earlier and start attacks from the backfield.

Can Kristen hang with UNC and Stanford? We can't say, because she hasn't been given the change to prove herself yet in big games. But I think she's earned the right to try.

Being a fan from afar, I only get to see the team in person a few games a year, and I have never seen Kristen play in person, which is the only way to really evaluate a central defender - you have to be able to watch her away from the ball. I also didn't get to see Cloee play - I was there for the Illinois and Miami games, which were the first ones she missed. So, I defer to other's judgement to a degree. However, one thing I can see watching on the computer is that Kristen does distribute very well, better than MO in my opinion. So, I agree with you there. Michelle still seems to me to just bang the ball forward too much. I have seen her in person, though, and she is an absolutely peerless defender. She never seems to make a mistake, she is great in the air, and she's tough as nails. We will not get scored on much if at all with Cloee and Michelle back there.

I wish I knew more about defenders and what they are supposed to do off the ball. Since I don't, I don't consider myself to be a good evaluators of defenders in relation to each other. I do, however, like Kristen Kelly's composure and distribution skills.

In terms of "most improved," Kristen might get my second vote, along with Kendra. Let's remember, though, that Kristen has played against top competition. She was the player the coaches turned to as a sub last year during the NCAA tournament when the Pilots needed help in the midfield. Remember her playing with her arm wrapped? She impressed back then as being very capable.

Here is San Francisco's record this year:

Date Match Opp.
Record Result
8/28/2009 vs. Marist 6-9-2 W 2-0
9/4/2009 vs. Long Island 7-7-1 L 0-2
9/6/2009 vs. Fairfield 9-8-2 W 3-0
9/11/2009 at. UC Riverside 5-8-3 T 0-0
9/13/2009 at. Cal St. Fullerton 4-8-4 T 1-1
9/18/2009 vs. UNLV 5-7-5 T 0-0
9/20/2009 at. Pacific 9-5-2 T 1-1
9/25/2009 at. Eastern Wash. 5-7-2 T 2-2
9/27/2009 at. Seattle 7-9-1 W 1-0
10/11/2009 vs. *St. Mary's (Cal.) 9-8-0 W 2-1
10/16/2009 vs. *Santa Clara 11-5-1 L 0-1
10/18/2009 vs. *San Diego 9-5-2 L 2-3
10/23/2009 at. *Gonzaga 7-9-0 L 1-3

The Pilots should take no team lightly. But USF game looks like another where the Pilots bench should have a chance to play in 2nd half.

In the post-game interviews Friday night, I think I heard Garrett say that Sophie and Michelle came to him several games ago and suggested that Soph switch from forward to midfield and Michelle switch from mid to forward. It reminds me of something Clive said:

"You have to be ready to learn things from your players to be the best possible coach. There comes a point when things are going really well when you are learning as much from each other and it isn’t just one way. I’m not sure many coaches ... have a chance to get to that point. Probably there are too many demands to produce performances overnight. But you can only teach a player so much, after that your job as a coach is learning as much as you can about them; how can you put them in a place where they can be the best they can be and in a position that is most useful to the team. That is about collaboration, working together and that of course takes trust. Trust is something given and you are honoured when it is given. But to get trust you have to give it. .... [W]ithout trust there can be no respect – so fear and threat take over and eventually that gets destructive. Where I coach ... we’ve managed to build something bigger than a [soccer] programme. [T]here’s a family atmosphere and people feel a loyalty to the place and each other. That goes beyond [soccer] really. In the end that is the biggest thing any sport can do – become a source of something that endures throughout your life."

UPSF

I was impressed by what Garrett siad. I was one hwo said that I preferred Soph up fornt but have to admit that so far it's working well the way they are playing. And Garrett did say it was the playeras whocame to him and suggested the switch. I agree with you that it is a statement about the quality of the program that he listens and that they are comfortable speaking up.

Fan FA

When it comes to MO and her passing I just don't see it the same way you do. One of the things I like most about her is her passing ability. Her experience in midfield has shown that off and when she plays at the back I think she is more likely to retain possession for UP than most players. Sometimes under pressure there is no choice but to get rid of it. Funny that what I see as one of her strengths you see as her weakness. That's why it's fun to go watch the games.

Proud in purple

Point taken about Megan and Kristen being two players not a unit. Kristen has certainly risen to the challenge so far. Wish we had a tough opponent pre playoffs for her to show what she could do against that level of opposition.

At this point it seems as if MO may be fit enough to play, but it's not clear about Cloee. Maybe we'll see her today?

Harry Redknapp wrote:Fan FA

When it comes to MO and her passing I just don't see it the same way you do. One of the things I like most about her is her passing ability. Her experience in midfield has shown that off and when she plays at the back I think she is more likely to retain possession for UP than most players. Sometimes under pressure there is no choice but to get rid of it. Funny that what I see as one of her strengths you see as her weakness. That's why it's fun to go watch the games.

Harry, it would be even more fun if I could get to watch more games!!! And, as I have said before, I definitely have to defer to those of you who see them play in person regularly.

Definitely, there are situations that just call for clearing the ball. In the games I saw, though (Illinois, Miami), I thought she was just clearing the ball more than she needed to when she had time and space to settle the ball and look for an outlet pass. As far as being dispossessed, I agree - I don't recall ever seeing her lose the ball to an attacker (she probably has, but I don't recall seeing it). Safety first is probably a good mindset for a central defender. I wonder if Garrett has her occasionally play holding mid partly to develop more confidence with the ball on her feet?? Just a thought.

Michelle O gained experience at holding mid last season when Keelin was with the U-20 team. Perhaps Michelle O is the most veteran in that position, so she takes that slot rather than on the back line when Garrett is putting every other defensice sub in the game. I think Sarah Jackman can also be effective at holding mid. The biggest questions in my mind for the Pilots is how healthy the back line will be at playoff time, and how much time the starters will have playing together as a unit before the quality of opponent starts to rise.

If Kassie, Cloee and Michelle O. are all game-ready sometime soon, who gets to start and who sits? Seems inconceivable that Jessica and Ellie would not keep their outside back positions (tho moving Ellie up to left mid might be possible). Megan and Kristen are in the mix, and the depth will help.

I'd say "nice win" doesn't even really fully capture today's result, 2 hat tricks in one game is ridiculous...

In other news both USD/SCU won both weekend contests, so the next 2 games are obviously HUGE for both the WCC crown and the potantial #1 seed

A true drubbing to say the least! A hat trick in each half! That is absurd!

Also, are 6 goals and 2 assists in a 13-1 weekend good enough for any POW awards? My guess is yes.

UP just totally dominated. Another clinical display from the Fox in the box.

Same story as the last few games. Pace from Michelle and Kendra; Kendall involved well too. Sophie and Keelin just lock down the middle.

Elli and Jess pour it on out wide and Megan and Kristen clean up at the back.

Kelsey has nothing to do.

Game over. They made it look that simple.

They work hard, they all tackle like maniacs, they run and pass and talk and just have too much for these recent teams.

Nice work by Hallie in the second half. Bench cleared by end of game again.

No appearance by Cloee: although she had cleats on today not tennis shoes.

I'm still shaking my head at Kendra's 3 pipe shots. Imagine what the final score could have been.

Speaking of which, as she ran back after the last of them she had a wry smile on her face .. like she knew it just wasn't her day. But she had another cracking game. She's a triffic player, as my namesake would say.

how great was it to see halley score her first hat trick?!! an all on headers!! i personally think she is our most improved player. i saw her potential last year, but this year she's brought it. to my eye she's lost weight, but just as strong an fast as ever. an i always loved the chemstry she an soph had with each other. did you see who was first to congratulate halley after the game? soph.

really good win regardless of the level of competition. i really liked seeing the improvement of our 2nd unit, particularly in no certain order, emma, molly and elinor. did anyone notice how 'heavy' elinor's shot's are? next year, she will be, in my opinion, this years halley. leaner but just as strong an fast. but i have to say, after our 'marquee' frosh, my favorite is molly klier. she reminds me of brooke o'hanley very much.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Molly. She loioks to have potential.

It seems like Danielle is now tied with Morgan Marlboro of Nebraska with 21 goals, but leads her with 8 assists to 5. I suspect the Pilots are still the highest-scoring team in the nation.

You know what was really cool? At the end of the game, Sophie was the first one off the bench and ran straight to Hallie with the rest of the team close behind.

Taylor Brooke seemed to handle herself really well out there, and so did Molly Klier. I like the way the rookies can get lots of minutes in games like these.

Pilots have 69 goals. Nebraska is second with 60, followed by Stanford with 59. (On the other end, Alabama St. has 129 goals against.)