Spring Schedule 2013

BTW, SMC coach Kai Edwards was in the stands observing the u20 players.

I asked him why he was here, since surely all those players were spoken for.

He smiled and said " not all of them"

In the first half Canada had most of the possession and lots of movement and passing but no penetration or effective action in the final third. Pilots struggled to retain possession but did have a couple of breaks that hinted at offensive threat.

Second half saw more composure on the ball by UP and more chances several of which they converted. Kaila Cameli is fast! Micaela Capelle can finish!

And Merlo was cold last night!

This turned out to be an impressive performance all around by the Pilots.

Canada put in several new players to start the second half. The starters never returned.

The O got a report up.

http://www.oregonlive.com/pilots/index.ssf/2013/03/micaela_capelles_hat_trick_hel.html

Got te goals wrong, though

GUPhantom wrote:That's gotta be a first....NO Pac-12 school on the schedule. Not even one!??

As PPT said, that's just the home schedlule; UP could be playing any number of Pac-12 schools on the road.

But if you can't wait until next season, UP makes its first trip to Corvallis since the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2011 when they take on the Beavers at 1 o'clock, Saturday, April 20, I'm told.

Actually when you think about it, we've had most of the local schools at home recently so it will be our turn to travel.

Two comments on the Pilots v Canada U20s:

1. It was a really fun game to watch. It's great to be out there seeing a good game, even if it was really cold.

2. There was not a noticeable weak link for the Pilots. With a premier recruiting class coming in this Fall, I think it's going to be really fun.

Sarah Bridges did not play nor did Shelby Vaver. Everyone else did. Bindle was excellent as a central defender. When Kaila came in, she wreaked havoc on the Canada defenders, who were about half her speed, which freed up Micaela to wreak her own havoc.

I liked our "sagging" defense -- which gave Canada room at mid-field but no room at all in the Canadians' attacking third of the field.

UPSoccerFanatic wrote:

Sarah Bridges did not play nor did Shelby Vaver. Everyone else did.

Always good when you can mass platoon your field players ( both of them) to wear the other team out.

True, UPSF, there was not a noticeable weak link. Lorielle McCluskie and Sara Bindl played well in the middle of the defense. Hope they filed that good feeling away because on Saturday they have to face another Canadian who will offer a different level of challenge. Be gentle with them Sinc!

Be gentle with them Sinc!

Yes. Not since her graduation...so excited to see Sinc play live again! No doubt she will terrorize the defense. But, the player I'm also excited to see again is Angie. She'll execute the Thorn offense. She's my all-time favorite attacking-mid and was key to a lot of the 2005 team's success. Her ball management, ball possession and dribbling skills are exceptional. Unfortunately...but fortunately, the young Pilots will get a first hand look at the standards Sinc and Angie left for them at Merlo.

Not sure if Alex Morgan is in town yet, but for a midfielder like Angie Wozniak Kerr the opportunity to feed AM and CS has to be a dream come true.

She is supposed to arrive tommorrow.

PurpleGeezer wrote:She is supposed to arrive tommorrow.

Are you stalking her? I thought you'd be busy monitoring the Argentina-Vatican beat.

Speaking of the Vatican; I gave up beer for Lent, but as today is Sunday, and I'm told Sunday is a "day off" from Lenten abstinence, I had one or two while watching basketball on the TV.

But then the news came on, and I swear I saw TWO popes....yikes, I must really be an easy drunk now.

....it's going to take awhile to get back in shape after Easter.

DoubleDipper wrote:Speaking of the Vatican; I gave up beer for Lent, but as today is Sunday, and I'm told Sunday is a "day off" from Lenten abstinence, I had one or two while watching basketball on the TV.

But then the news came on, and I swear I saw TWO popes....yikes, I must really be an easy drunk now.

....it's going to take awhile to get back in shape after Easter.

Silly man. Modern canon law only requires abstinence up to age 60, a milestone we both hit a while ago. So, feel free to glutonize any old day of the week. (thank me with a beer sometime)

Papa Francisco is exempt also.


He and I were never bound by that anyway, since in 1081 the Pope gave dispensation to Spanish Counts for tagging along on one of the Crusades, which was then extended to all Subjects of dominions of Spain ( including Argentina) in 1571 by Pope Urban the something for the bang up job the Spanish did ridding the Iberian peninsula of the Moors In 1492 and that swell Mop-up job they did in the subsequent inquisition ridding just about everyone else from the region.

Meat wasn't sold on Wednesdays and Fridays in Argentina when I was a kid, but that was to save it for export, then as now Argentina's largest positive in her balance of trade.

up7587 wrote:

PurpleGeezer wrote:She is supposed to arrive tommorrow.

Are you stalking her? I thought you'd be busy monitoring the Argentina-Vatican beat.

That's how I found out. It seems the Pope has more interest in soccer than CA San Lorenzo

up7587 wrote:

PurpleGeezer wrote:She is supposed to arrive tommorrow.

Are you stalking her? I thought you'd be busy monitoring the Argentina-Vatican beat.

Sighting yesterday.

Looking forward to the Pilots - Thorns match Saturday. No taxes to work on this weekend. I will migrate over to the field railing nearest main entrance at the first break to meet up with any PilotNation posters that want to "come out of the Forum". I am "feeling Piloty", take off on "feeling Thorny"...

Indigo Kid wrote:I will migrate over to the field railing nearest main entrance at the first break to meet up with any PilotNation posters that want to "come out of the Forum". I am "feeling Piloty", take off on "feeling Thorny"...

"....oooh, sounds like the highway to the danger zone....

Remember too, the Pilot Club, on the other end of the pitch will be open at least through half time.

Does anyone know if the concessions will be open for us non-Pilot Club members?.

Good news for Lorielle McCluskie and Sara Bindl, Christine Sinclair will be with Canada team on Saturday. Still plenty of challenges for the central defenders.

Does that mean LeBlanc will be absent also?

Good news for Amanda Frisbie and Michelle Cruz.

Stumptownfooty tells us there will be no WNT players tommorrow.

http://www.stumptownfooty.com/2013/3/29/4161622/portland-thorns-fc-portland-pilots-preview/in/3440635

So now the Pilots only have to play 20 all Americans fighting for jobs....

PurpleGeezer wrote:Stumptownfooty tells us there will be no WNT players tommorrow.

So now the Pilots only have to play 20 all Americans fighting for jobs....

It is a disappointment we won't see the "old" established stars; on the other hand it will be exciting to see everyone fighting for a starting spot, if not a roster position.....

Tommorrow's game  will probably be pretty well attended, since it is nominally free.
Gates open at 6:00, there will be concessions and the Pilot Club will be open, so don't be late. 

There is a requested donation To help Providence's heart screening program for kids.

My question is, who is this team practicing on Merlo's hallowed ground?