last year's loss to Santa Clara was, IMO, a combination of one of those "that's soccer" games plus a loss of composure toward the end plus the one weakness in our lineup last year. Santa Clara's strategy, facing a far superior opponent, was to bunker down in the box and prevent us from scoring any goals, hoping to either (1) steal a goal on a counterattack or (2) win in a penalty shootout. Really the best strategy they could adopt (their coach is one of the best). We played into their hands somewhat by taking lots of very long-range shots that did not go in, and we generated several close-in almost goals of which at least one usually would have gone in but didn't in this game (excellent play by GK, but you had the sense we were eventually going to score one of them). Then as we went into overtime, we became desperate and kept trying to rush to score in a hurry but this resulted in rapidly turning the ball over to Santa Clara. (This I believe was a major cause of Andi's injury, with her super-competitive spirit she tried to do it all and tore her ACL rushing over and trying to get the ball back. Then we were without our best player). (I think the desperation was unlikely to generate a goal, plus it was unnecessary in that I think our chances of winning a penalty kick shootout with Jane Campbell in goal were at least 75%). At the end of the game, our season-long weakness at one outside back position bit us; one long pass in to the forward being guarded 1 on 1 by the inexperienced player in that position who was filling in but is not actually an outside back resulted in an easy goal (not blaming that player who was being asked to play out of position with little experience at it--I don't even remember who it was).
If we play them again in the NCAAs this year, I would hope the team will benefit from learning the lessons from that game. I think it is unlikely that Santa Clara could pull it off again. What of course usually ends up happening is that, in order to save on travel expenses, the NCAA matches us up against Santa Clara when they are a better opponent than we should be playing in a low round. Last year, for example, they made it to the regional final where they lost 1-0 on the road to Georgetown.
This year, BTW, last year's hole at outside back has been filled in a big way by frosh Kiki Pickett (current Pac-12 defensive player of the week). I would bet there is not a better pair of outside backs (Pickett and McGrady) in the country. We have no holes in the starting lineup this year, although we are being forced to use Davidson in center back instead of her usual spot as a midfielder because we have no better options (fortunately she is excellent at it; our pair of center backs is one of the best in the country. As are our set of midfielders and our set of forwards!).
If we play them again in the NCAAs this year, I would hope the team will benefit from learning the lessons from that game. I think it is unlikely that Santa Clara could pull it off again. What of course usually ends up happening is that, in order to save on travel expenses, the NCAA matches us up against Santa Clara when they are a better opponent than we should be playing in a low round. Last year, for example, they made it to the regional final where they lost 1-0 on the road to Georgetown.
This year, BTW, last year's hole at outside back has been filled in a big way by frosh Kiki Pickett (current Pac-12 defensive player of the week). I would bet there is not a better pair of outside backs (Pickett and McGrady) in the country. We have no holes in the starting lineup this year, although we are being forced to use Davidson in center back instead of her usual spot as a midfielder because we have no better options (fortunately she is excellent at it; our pair of center backs is one of the best in the country. As are our set of midfielders and our set of forwards!).