Wake Forest Game, Sunday 9/8 @ 2:30 pm

This is a game I've been looking forward to all year as a real test for the Pilots. Here are Wake's end-of-regular-season ARPI rankings over the last 6 years:

2007: 16
2008: 24
2009: 8
2010: 17
2011: 3
2012: 16

In contrast to the case with Central Michigan, Wake is a team that contributes less to its opponents' strengths of schedule than its RPI rankings merit. Here is how its SoS contributions ranked over the same time period:

2007: 41
2008: 54
2009: 25
2010: 52
2011: 15
2012: 34

AllWhiteKit's Chris Henderson projects Wake to finish #6 in the ACC this year, which translates, in his view, to reaching the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament. Chris also identifies' Wake's striker Katie Stengel (#12) as one of the top three forwards in the country.

Wake is 4-0 so far this year:

v Kentucky 3-1
v Alabama 3-1
v North Texas 2-1
v Washington 1-0

This should be a good one!

I saw Stengel was the goal scorer against UW.  UW seemed to play them tough based on box score.  Maybe others caught some of that game?

gnarly wrote:I saw Stengel was the goal scorer against UW.  UW seemed to play them tough based on box score.  Maybe others caught some of that game?

The fellow who sits next to me had it as a tip-in from freshman Sara Teegarden on Stengel's corner, and that's the way the UW site has it. But I see that now the Wake site has it as an Olympico.

Much cooler, but maybe they feel they had to give it to the senior and not the freshman.

He also said neither team would blow the doors off with speed, but that Wake is huge and plays the set pieces well.

The dubs apparently kept the pressure up to the end. They did so well we named the snack truck after the Huskies.

Stengel is both big and skilled, but as mentioned above not very fast. UW had at least one and often two players on her most of the time.

Both teams played a physical match, they were well matched. The WF coach was vocal in his displeasure with the lack of calls on the physical play of the Huskies, however he didn't seem to see the same type of play from his own players as a problem. It will be interesting to see how a smaller, faster Pilot team does against WF. And to see how Central Michigan does against UW.

Caught the last 3:30.
Saw W desperately trying to get the equalizer.
Saw WF doing all they could to defend.

There is a third path to the Wake goal on Friday. I'm told that UW folks at the game thought it was an own goal with the keeper punching the ball into her own net.

So there are multiple views as to what actually happened.

At any rate, Wake will surely try to get their size at the goal mouth on corners.

Check it out!  The PortlandPilots.com video feed has an HD option for today's match...  sweet!  

LINK

What. was. that.

As good as the first half was, there were still a lot of wasted chances and it cost Portland in the second when Wake Forest turned it on. While they still had some opportunities Portland looked really out of sorts for long stretches in the second half.

I know it's still early in the season but the biggest thing the Pilots have to figure out is how to sharpen their attacking edge.

I don't want to get too negative, so that said, Boon and Viera were a decent combination, and Capelle did some great work up front.

Wake looked like a totally different team in the 2nd half. They were more organized and had numbers forward.

Too bad. the Pilots just came out too flat in the second half,didn't close on defense, just gave a very experienced team too much room to work and paid for it. and they rushed some very good chances that didn't lead to goals.

you had to know that the squad of seniors for Wake wasn't going to sleepwalk like they did in the first half, but UP did a little somnambulating in the second.

its something this young team will take as a lesson, I hope.

Oh well we still are top 20 RPI (very early). we now have played our top 20 teams and came out 1-1-1.

2-1-0 would have been a lot better, but the season is young. better making these mistakes now than BYU and Santa Clara.

The 3rd goal came off a set piece after an unfortunate, unnecessary foul. The first Wake Forest goal was just a good, clean shot. Very difficult to stop.

We had a ton of opportunities that should have been converted, but weren't. I also think we got lucky being awarded a PK for our first goal. From my view in the end bleachers almost directly on that edge of the box...I'm pretty sure the foul happened just outside the box, although it was very close.

While at Candlestick Park this afternoon waiting for the 49ers/Packers game to begin, I was sitting two rows behind a woman who was attempting to watch the streamed video of the Stanford women playing Maryland while she mildly cursed the “lack of good reception at Candlestick.”

At halftime of the football game I mentioned to her that it was probably not a “reception” problem at all by showing her an absolutely clear feed of the Pilots/Deacons game…..on her tablet!  She was impressed, and said she was impressed with Pilots team as well, after seeing them in Palo Alto last week.

Recognition comes one step at a time, and in many forms……..

dholcombe wrote:The 3rd goal came off a set piece after an unfortunate, unnecessary foul. The first Wake Forest goal was just a good, clean shot. Very difficult to stop.

We had a ton of opportunities that should have been converted, but weren't. I also think we got lucky being awarded a PK for our first goal. From my view in the end bleachers almost directly on that edge of the box...I'm pretty sure the foul happened just outside the box, although it was very close.

Yeah, it was very close, but I think it was the correct call.


There were actually two fouls he could make. The grab and clipping the heels. It began on the line and went into the box. Any hold that Continues into the box is a PK.

The second Wake goal was also very close. Tough to say if the upper body is off, but Viera might be even with the feet.



the frame before is looks a little more off, but Stengel still has a foot on the ball

Indigo Kid wrote:Wake looked like a totally different team in the 2nd half. They were more organized and had numbers forward.

Actually, we looked like a different team, too. We are young and will learn.

On the replays, we had great chances we need to do better with.

Now there is finally coverage in the O: Pilots Blow Lead.

I agree that Wake came out to begin the 2nd half with the intent to put the ball in back of the net immediatly.....and did!!!! I regret the obvious lack of shots taken!!! Are the women not allowed to shoot before making a set number of passes in the box???? And it was VERY obvious that we need someone with a left foot!!!! Does anyone know if we have anyone with left foot skills.......?

You know the old saying, there is no such thing as bad publicity. At least the Oregonian covered the game. I thought the article was pretty fair. The team is still learning to play together. This was another test, how they respond will be measure of how far they go.

I don't recall there being a lefty on the field for WF and they are 5-0.

Too early to rip on the girls. Both games this weekend showed a team that has a ways to go. Not sure if it was just me, but Friday night there didn't seem to be a high level of energy for much of the game. That said, I like what I saw from Ellie Boon. Sunday, it was as if the 2-0 deficit gave WF a wake-up call that the Pilots did not see coming and match with their own effort. Based on the 3 games I've seen, Stanford, CMU & WF, I'm not sure they are a top 4 team this year, but with hard work may have a top 8 in them. It may be they are a year away, but will be fun to watch them as they grow. They have some good pieces to build around.

We had a lefty on the pitch.

Who is our lefty? And I think the skill to score left footed isn't just a function of being a 'lefty'. I see to many ladies at all levels, spending too much time trying to turn themselves and the ball around to only let them get off shots with their right foot.

Think how pumped up we (and the team) would be if the halves of the match were reversed.  If Wake Forest scored its 3 goals in the 1st half and, in the 2nd half, UP played as it did in the first half.  Think how finishing with such great play would have everyone elevated.

I think the UP's play in the 1st half was the best half of soccer I have seen from them in several years.  They attacked, they looked for the openings, if there wasn't one, they pulled the ball back and tried elsewhere.  I was very impressed.

Yes, there was a let down in the 2nd half, but they showed us what they can do.  I agree with Garrett's quote in The Oregonian:  “It was perfect. We played the game exactly how it should be played. We showed how good we can be,” Smith said.

There were a lot of positive things.

And Amanda is our left-footed player.

Thank you

Sarah Bridges is also a lefty.

UPWomenSoccerRookie wrote:I think the UP's play in the 1st half was the best half of soccer I have seen from them in several years.  They attacked, they looked for the openings, if there wasn't one, they pulled the ball back and tried elsewhere.  I was very impressed.

Yes, there was a let down in the 2nd half, but they showed us what they can do.  I agree with Garrett's quote in The Oregonian:  “It was perfect. We played the game exactly how it should be played. We showed how good we can be,” Smith said.

There were a lot of positive things.

Couldn't agree more. The second half was a total bummer, but WOW that first half!!!!!! The Pilots were spectacular.

Start playing like that for 90 minute stretches, and you could easily be holding a trophy over your head at the end of the season.