UP v. Denver 9/23/2012

next up, Denver (7-1-2) 31 in the ARPI. 28 in the URPI to date.

Here is their schedule to date this year.



best wins are Colorado and Kansas. their only loss this year was Colorado College, which is having a pretty good year.

Last night they went to 99 minutes to score the 2-1 winner against TCU, so they had to work a bit for their win.

Denver is a solid side this year and will be a great test for the Pilots.

Looking forward to a nice afternoon at Merlo.

It will be interesteng to see who's fit and healthy to play.

It will be certain we won't have the subs available Denver does. They used 8 subs in the TCU match.

From the DU website:

SCOUTING NO. 15 PORTLAND

Amanda Frisbie leads the Pilots with 13 points on six goals and one assist through Portland's first seven matches. Goalkeeper Erin Dees has started five of the Pilots' matches, recording two of the team's five shutouts. Portland has scored 15 goals and conceded just four in seven matches. The Pilots have earned marquee results against No. 4 North Carolina (W, 1-0), No. 22 La Salle (W, 3-0) and No. 21 Notre Dame (T, 1-1). Head coach Garrett Smith is in his 10th season with the Pilots, recording a 142-20-8 mark during his tenure.

We were a little dinged and flat, but Denver is a very good team. Blend of finesse, speed, passing game, and physicality. Looked like UP when we are on our game.

Kendall suited but did not play; Ellen still on crutches; and (a surprise) Rebecca with a heavily taped leg, after a solid game Friday. I don't remember her getting injured against Seattle.

Final was 3-1, with a hat trick for Denvers #17 (Hamilton, maybe). Cameli got the Pilot score. We need to mend up before the league starts.

OldePilot wrote:We were a little dinged and flat, but Denver is a very good team. Blend of finesse, speed, passing game, and physicality. Looked like UP when we are on our game.

Yes, Denver is good! Regardless of our injuries and short bench, this would have been a tough win for UP.

You can't tell players to "back off" to avoid injury, but with two physical teams in Northridge and SDSU coming up, and then a quick turnaround to go on the road to begin WCC play in Spokane, the next two weeks of play could be a lot to ask of the young squad.

Two days after GU we are back home against BYU......yes, this next stretch of games could be crucial in UP’s hopes for the postseason.

A bump in the road. Denver was good, but the Pilots seemed to be a step slow on a lot of plays. It was tough having both Kurle and Parker out in mid-field and Kendall on the outside.

Playing without both starting center midfielders was a big problem.

Amanda Frisbie filled in at the front of the diamond and did OK but that meant she was not upfront and that was a loss. Kurle was greatly missed.

Sarah and Lorielle will be having nightmares about #17 for a while!

Denver looked excellent today. They appeared to have the extra motivation, while our players looked a little on the ragged edge. Not that we didn't look fit, just perhaps fatigued.

DU was far more skilled than I had anticipated, especially their striker Hamilton. I recall thinking during the OSU game that we were a lot more talented, but this match left me thinking that the Pioneers matched us in talent department. Like the OSU game, though, I still left feeling confident about the rest of the season.

Now if we can just increase our success rate on 1v1s . . .

I think it was more than fatigue. We had a freshman D-mid who stepped in on one day's notice, and three to five freshman filling in for seasoned vets. The center of the midfield had never played or even trained together in those positions that I ever saw.

But our team playing the second game of the season after most players playing a full 90' will be a challenge the rest of the year. We will do better with vets in those slots on only one day's rest.

We might at least get Kendall back next week. And if we have to go with a similar lineup, at least they will have worked together a week

The Pilots never seemed to get in a groove against a very strong and determined Denver squad. I agree with OldePilot that Denver was the team playing Pilots soccer with possesson, aggression and dangerous attacks. The depleted midfield highlighted how well Rebekah Kurle has played at holding mid, and she was missed on D just as Ellen Parker was missed on the attack. Overall the team's passing was off the mark and the Pilots looked to be slow to the ball. The central defense was burned by the Pioneers' speed, just the way Michelle Enyeart used to burn Pilots' foes. Such is life. Time for the team to regroup and get healthy.