La Salle

A_Fan wrote:I drive all the way to Seattle, describe the scoring and some of the action for you and you don't believe me? What's up with that?

Um, was it 3-0? Sorry, some of us "left behind" in sunny Portland were getting the score from CBSGameTracker or some other device and it was calling the game 4-0. And since we ALL believe ALL we read ALL the time...........

It was 3-0. I was there. Some details later, probably from me and others.

While I trust and respect all of you who made the Seattle trek, I got the word from Garrett at the conclusion of the Men's draw with Wisconsin. He agrees with the 3-nil report

The team looked really good. They were really making it look easy out there. I'm not sure if was the level of the competition (although La Salle was ranked just 2 spots below the Pilots) or just that the team is jelling well early this season. The biggest thing I could see they need to work on is some of the kicks out of the back line. Many times the kicks were not directed towards anyone, they were just blasted out of the back. It often seemed there really appeared to be time to pick a target rather than just kick it away. I'm sure others may have noticed other things, but from where I sat they looked darn good.

A_Fan wrote:I drive all the way to Seattle, describe the scoring and some of the action for you and you don't believe me? What's up with that?

Oh, we believed you, but the 'official' descriptions were at odds with it.

We should have known that our special correspondent was the only one to be trusted.

Speaking of which, you haven't quite paid your way there this year, seeing as how you get paid by the word for your game reports, Try and give us a little less climate description this time. We know the weather was nice.

And UPSF still owes us a description even by his own reckoning.

Just so you know I was so busy writing that second post about the Pilots controlling play, I missed seeing Kendall's goal. I looked up when the parents I was sitting by (who I hoped would be a font of information, they weren't) stood up and cheered. I looked up and saw the ball in the net and the team congratulating Kendall.

The weather reports are gratis, you can deduct them from the word count.

OK, here is what I owe.

First, LaSalle is a pretty good team. I didn't see the UW 2-0 win over LaSalle on Friday, but I think LaSalle had a wake up moment in Seattle this weekend. They may be pretty good by East Coast standards, but they're not yet at the level of the West Coast biggies. I'd say credit to their coach, I have the feeling he's trying to build a team that can compete in the big leagues, and I think LaSalle's coming to the PNW is part of the process. Now, they've had a picture of what it means to be good. They're a team I'm going to be following and rooting for. (It helps, of course, that I'm a Phillly boy.)

Now for some comments:

Some of the Pilots are total work horses for the team. Edit: I started to name some and then thought, no, all of them are total work horses. This team is so different than last year and maybe even than the last couple of years. With this team, it really is all for one and one for all. We saw the beginnings of it in the Spring and are seeing it more now. It's very exciting.

The Pilots caught the Explorers by surprise. I don't think they've seen a player of Kendall's quality, and she took the ball to the right at the left edge of the box and then back to the left and launched her shot, and in it went. I could see she was going to shoot, but I don't think they were ready for what they saw. I'll say that LaSalle's right side mid was pretty good and had some good battles with Kendall, but Kendall's goal was something they just weren't ready for.

LaSalle pretty clearly had scouted the Pilots. When Kaila came in, they seemed very aware of her speed and didn't let themselves get surprised. I'm seeing Kaila as a sub late in the halves, when the opposing defenders are a little tired and she can burn them with her speed.

I saw very clearly why Noelle LaPrevotte has been starting. She is lightning fast, defends well, and is very scrappy. Her two shots, late in the game and from distance, were laser strikes and easily both could have been goals. To be honest, I don't remember seeing an outside shooter like her from the left side (right footed shots after cutting towards the middle). Maybe Justi. I think that will add a great element to the Pilots' attack, as defenses are going to have to pay attention to her. I think she's going to be one of those Pilots who becomes a star as a result of having the native ability, being in the right situation, and having outstanding coaching.

Micaela is "work, work, work" as is Amanda. I think both these players have the green light to hold the ball, be as creative as they can, and make the opposing defenses work their tails off. If part of the strategy is to wear the opposing defenses down, they are doing it and are showing tremendous fitness. It's part of the total team effort we're seeing. They're far more important to the team than their stats.

Defensively, the team defense was terrific. Sarah and Lorielle do a great job of covering for each other and the outside backs. The four backs seem to be really well synchronized, and the veterans are doing a great job of helping Haylee be successful. The vets also are helping the others. At one point late in the game, DJ was playing left mid and was sagging back as a LaSalle midfielder brought the ball forward, and Sarah called out to her, "DJ, DJ, go to her." DJ followed Sarah's lead and moved up to the LaSalle player, blunting the LaSalle attack. It was great to hear and see.

And, an extraneous comment about the Fresno State game, specifically about Amanda's last goal. Amanda was on the right side, brought the ball to the left to get it on her left foot at the right corner of the box. She launched a ball that, as it started out, appeared like a cross that would pass about 10 yards out from the left goal post. It curled massively and went into the goal, left side netting. I think the keeper never had seem anything like it and was stunned. I've seen Amanda warming up for games, practicing curling the ball, and I'm sure it was a shot and not a cross. It was amazing.

Thanks UPSF. Your notes get an "A"...I could see those shots!

I was going to write something this morning but UPSF has said it already. Uncanny. We usually sit together but did not on Sunday. He highlighted most of the specifics that I was going to mention.

A couple of other thoughts. Taylor Brooke is working back to fitness and saw more time on Sunday than in prior games. We saw glimpses of her great ability. Hayley DeGrood has done a remarkably fine job stepping right in as a freshman. No disrespect but it would be great to see Taylor back to 100% in that position.

One of the things I love about watching the Pilots is seeing players grow and blossom over time. The greatest example in my years at Merlo has been Emily Michaelson. The difference from freshman year to senior year was huge. Micaela Capelle is a similar story. She has always been fast and had a nose for goal. But in her first season that was about all she had. She improved her all around game last year and this season she is taking it up another level. Her vision of the field, her passing and movement are of a different quality altogether. Her goal on Sunday was excellent: the pace and eye for goal were there, but you could see her consider a pass option before cutting for goal and she finished with the outside of her foot with confidence and greats style.

As a coach I'm going to tell parents tonight that my first goal is to help the girls become better soccer players. It's great to see that happening still at this D1 level. In addition to Micaela this year I'm also struck by Sarah Bridges playing center defense (and the talking and covering that UPSF mentioned) and Ellen Parker and Rebecca Kurle in center midfield. Four players who appear to me to be playing at a level clearly above what we've seen in the past.

One thing I have noticed about this team is that they are having fun. Last year, I got the idea that wasn't so much the case.

For one thing, they have embraced the idea of a small squad to the point of using the twitter tag #18strong

It is fun to watch.

I forgot to mention in my previous game report that Nicole made a fabulous save on a LaSalle rifle shot from the top of the box and just under the cross-bar. It easily could have been a goal, but she tipped it over the top.

I just noticed, LaSalle beat previously 5-1 (now 5-2) Seton Hall today 6-2, in a tournament at Villanova.

UPSoccerFanatic wrote:

And, an extraneous comment about the Fresno State game, specifically about Amanda's last goal. Amanda was on the right side, brought the ball to the left to get it on her left foot at the right corner of the box. She launched a ball that, as it started out, appeared like a cross that would pass about 10 yards out from the left goal post. It curled massively and went into the goal, left side netting. I think the keeper never had seem anything like it and was stunned. I've seen Amanda warming up for games, practicing curling the ball, and I'm sure it was a shot and not a cross. It was amazing.

This Tuesday's WCC Top Play highlights include Amanda goal that UPSF described above. It really looks beautiful!!

http://www.wccsports.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/090412aab.html

If you keep watching the clip you will see Steve Evans' winning goal from last Friday night's game against CSU Bakersfield. This too was a beuty!