Notre Dame

Well, I'm pumped. I've seen the Pilots a few times on the road, but this will be my first game at Merlo.

Portland has been really lovely so far. Did you know they just put things in biscuits here? Biscuits!

NP, welcome to Portland! The Merlo experience is worth enjoying at least once in one's lifetime.

Beware of the traffic on I-5 if that is the route you are taking to the game, it can be slow going that time of day.

Few words about our team from All White Kit

-It seems safe to say that the good times are back in Portland, as the hometown Pilots continue to march forward. Garrett Smith’s side are now 4-1-0 on the season and have conceded just once while scoring eleven goals, including eight over the weekend. Fresno State and La Salle were brushed aside with the ease that typified previous Portland teams, with the offense looking formidable again after some constant frustrations the past few seasons. The club has a very formidable one-two punch in attack with Micaela Capelle and Amanda Frisbie, the latter scoring four times against Fresno State. Additionally, the defense has been rock solid thus far, which is more impressive when you consider the level of competition the Pilots have run up against early in the season. There is a little intrigue with the situation in goal though, as after Erin Dees had started the season as first choice in between the pipes, Nichole Downing stepped in for both games this past weekend. It will be interesting to see if she retains her place on Friday. Portland gets another big test this weekend, hosting Notre Dame in a match that could have national seeding implications down the line.

Go Pilots!!!

ninjapizza wrote:Well, I'm pumped. I've seen the Pilots a few times on the road, but this will be my first game at Merlo.

Portland has been really lovely so far. Did you know they just put things in biscuits here? Biscuits!

Ninja,
If pressed, they will put biscuits in biscuits...just for you.

purple passion wrote:

ninjapizza wrote:Well, I'm pumped. I've seen the Pilots a few times on the road, but this will be my first game at Merlo.

Portland has been really lovely so far. Did you know they just put things in biscuits here? Biscuits!

Ninja,
If pressed, they will put biscuits in biscuits...just for you.

No! Good men have died trying to put biscuits in biscuits. Nearly a generation of biscuits lost in the effort.

Don't forget, it's Military Appreciation Night presented by the Oregon National Guard and the UP Army and Air Force ROTC units.

Special $5 ticket deal for active and retired military (which must be purchased at the box office), free activities for kids, a climbing wall, and military vehicles.

And one lucky fan will have a chance to win $1,000 in a college saving account for their child courtesy of Oregon College Savings.

I've got my $5 ticket, see you at the game.

ninjapizza wrote:Well, I'm pumped. I've seen the Pilots a few times on the road, but this will be my first game at Merlo.

Portland has been really lovely so far. Did you know they just put things in biscuits here? Biscuits!

Did you know we have donuts with breakfast cereal on them? People will stand in line for half an hour to get one.

(Please don't do that, it's not worth it.)

Those donuts also have BACON.

Sister (school) got kissed. good play, need to finish chances. also need more players crashing the box when Kendall and Taylor turn the corners.


randy was impressed with the student section.

Randy Waldrum (@NDCoachWaldrum)
9/7/12 10:12 PM
#BabyIrish growing up tonight in front or 5,000 fans..ND students need lessons from the Portland student body..they were amazing

Geezaldinho wrote:sister (school) got kissed. good play, need to finish chances. also need more players crashing the box when Kendall and Taylor turn the corners.

Sums up the way I saw it. As the match went on those two really took over, which was nice to see.

Nice to have lots of engineering majors when you need to do some rigging for your tifo display. That was really cool. That and another 4900 in the house.

I got to sit with Ninjapizza the first half which was awesome. Catch her halftime interview on the game video, I'm sure she was very pleasant and entertaining.

Concerned about McCluskie2.0. Anybody hear anything?

Just noticed that UP is averaging 4066 per home date so far this year.

Geezaldinho wrote:Concerned about McCluskie2.0. Anybody hear anything?

I spoke to her after the game. To my question, "Are you hurting," she responded, "No, I'm good." Hard to say how she was really feeling, but that was her public response.

First time in a long time I've shot photos at a match. Here's one - I'm working through the rest and plan to post a gallery tomorrow...

Geezaldinho wrote:Just noticed that UP is averaging 4066 per home date so far this year.

Good football, good weather, good schedule, and a good football town and school = 4066 per home date.

I spoke to a number of ND fans tonight who were very impressed by the whole "fan atmosphere thing" at UP. Most said that the soccer environment in South Bend was very "sedate" or "quiet" in comparison. I told them we'd like to have their basketball crowd (men's and women's) in the Chiles Center.

In the three-way competition among the Pilots, North Carolina, and Notre Dame, the Pilots came out on top. Pilots 1-0-1; North Carolina 1-1-0; Notre Dame 0-1-1. Way to go Pilots!

But darn, the Pilots just missed being the only team ever to beat both UNC and ND during the regular season.

Still, it was a great game between two great and really well coached teams. This game will be money in the bank for the Pilots in the future.

Regarding Lorielle, I'm guessing she will not be playing next week against USC. Assuming she had some concussion symptoms, there's a protocol they almost certainly will go through before she can play (and part of it must occur before she even can practice) and it's almost certain the total protocol steps will take more than a week. If all goes as well as possible, she could be back for the following weekend's games. But it's essential that they be careful and pretty conservative.

She went back in after the head knock.

I thought she came out for a knee. She was limping at the half.

I hope the Geez is right. I don't like this head stuff, with which I've had a lot of experience as a coach and as a parent.

Geezaldinho wrote:She went back in after the head knock.

I thought she came out for a knee. She was limping at the half.

That is how I saw it too. Here's her first bump:


(Photo courtesy of the Oregonian)

I turned away momentarily at the end of the game, and when I turned back it appeared Garrett had gotten a yellow card......I know he was being quite emphatic with the ref just a few minutes before........but the box score shows the yellow on Notre Dame after the game was over.

Did anyone on PN see or hear what actually happened?

Amazing game. UP really does it right. Everyone's been terrific.

There was a lot of talk about the crossbar making an impact, but I'd say that no-call on an obvious handball made a difference at the start of the first half. Or maybe I don't let things go as well as the rest of the Pilots fans.

Fairly certain McKluskie2.0 has a concussion. She was playing really well before that, which made it all the more sad. Hopefully she can be back in a few weeks.

I must say, all the Pilot fans and staff I've met have been tremendous. As if I didn't already feel like I made a good decision.

I saw two contact with the hand by Nd players in their box. No call.

Then an incidental call on Taylor that was called for a free kick.

They all looked about the same to me

I think that yellow was on Randy. He was making a little scene for some reason with the #4 referee. He refused to sit down and was in fact standing in play while the ball was in play despite the #4 ref repeatedly telling him to sit or go back to his bench.

The #4 had reached for his horn and was going to call the center over, no doubt for a card, when the game ended.

Randy Waldrum (@NDCoachWaldrum)
9/7/12 10:13 PM
Irish tie 1-1 with Portland..great game for all to see...entertaining start to finish in spite of...never mind

DoubleDipper wrote:I turned away momentarily at the end of the game, and when I turned back it appeared Garrett had gotten a yellow card......I know he was being quite emphatic with the ref just a few minutes before........but the box score shows the yellow on Notre Dame after the game was over.

Did anyone on PN see or hear what actually happened?

It wasn't Garrett. It was ND's Randy Waldrum. He apparently was upset about a corner kick awarded to the Pilots when someone pushed their right defender into a ball so that the defender kicked it over the end line. Waldrum complained a lot at the time and went after the ref when the game was over, for which he got the yellow. He would have had a point except that the Notre Dame players were pushing the Pilots constantly throughout the game without the ref calling it, so the ref was being consistent.

I'm guessing others agree that this was a game between two very well coached teams. In fact, perhaps the two best-coached teams in DI women's soccer?

Well, we got an answer on Lorielle. Ouch!

Lorielle McCluskie (@lo_mccluskie)
9/7/12 11:51 PM
when you play a game and don't remember any part of it what so ever ... thanks concussion #awesome

UP has been very cautious on these. Fortunately, only one match in the next two weeks.