11-28-2014, 11:25 PM
Over those 12 minutes Stanford got a couple of good looks - the best with just over a minute left, Megan Turner turning a header just wide from the center of the box about 10 yards out.
Overtime, and Chi on the right post sent a ball just outside the far post with her less deadly right foot, followed by trying to track back on defense, and getting whistled for a foul just past the half line, and getting a yellow card for dissent, it looked like. I completely sympathized with her; she probably did commit a foul, but there had been several more egregious ones committed on her without a call.
Out of the ensuing run of play, Florida got a great chance, on a ball into Jordan, who flicked a header toward the right post that a diving Campbell picked out of the air on a big bounce. But it was on target, and I was concerned that another free kick or set piece opportunity for the Gators might go in, given their size advantage.
The second overtime had one good chance each way, Chi sending a bullet high from a narrow angle on the left, and a heart-stopping shank by Romine on a bouncing ball about 35 yards out that nearly fell to Jordan, but was cleared away by a charging Campbell.
PKs, with Florida shooting first, and Campbell guessed correctly, either just nudging or at least being in a position to do so a shot into the left post and out. Kendall Romine tucked her ball neatly just inside that same post, and then Campbell dove and pushed the Gators' second attempt wide of the right post. Lo LaBonta followed Romine's example, hitting the ball with pace but fairly far inside the left post, getting it under the Florida keeper Taylor Burke. 2-0 Stanford.
Florida made their third shot, catching Jane guessing the wrong way, then Chi followed by hitting a really mediocre left footed shot that got up off the ground and right into a prime zone for a save - about 2 feet high and well inside the right post. Burke, having guessed correctly, had an easy parry away. And the next Gator caught Jane leaning the wrong way again. But Haley Rosen followed the example of Lo and Kendall, placing the ball low into the left corner and past Burke before she could get down to the ground.
Campbell had one more save attempt, but got caught leaning the wrong way again; I think Florida picked up her pattern of diving toward the side they were looking at, and crossed her up.
But then she stepped up to the spot herself, gave a nice stutter step run-up that caught Burke leaning right, and hit a simple ball back to the left that was well inside the post but well out of the reach of Burke. And Stanford was through.
Deservedly so. Stanford outshot the Gators 20-9, 10-4 in shots on goal, and probably would've been well ahead in a game whistled in a somewhat normal manner through 2-3 penalty kicks.
That said, expect more of the same from semifinal opponent Florida State, a tough physical and athletically gifted team, but with more skill than the Gators, especially through their Icelandic connection, MF Brynjarsdottir and F Thorvaldsdottir.
In other somewhat good news, UCLA got eliminated by Virginia, 2-1. Their great defense gave up a goal off a pinballing deflection in the first half, then another as they started to try to push forward by Virginia's senior national teamer Morgan Brian. They got one back almost immediately, but they couldn't find another in the last 15 minutes, and lost their first game of the season to be eliminated. Like it because UCLA is out of the competition for another NCAA championship, but wish it hadn't been at the hands of an ACC team.
VG
Overtime, and Chi on the right post sent a ball just outside the far post with her less deadly right foot, followed by trying to track back on defense, and getting whistled for a foul just past the half line, and getting a yellow card for dissent, it looked like. I completely sympathized with her; she probably did commit a foul, but there had been several more egregious ones committed on her without a call.
Out of the ensuing run of play, Florida got a great chance, on a ball into Jordan, who flicked a header toward the right post that a diving Campbell picked out of the air on a big bounce. But it was on target, and I was concerned that another free kick or set piece opportunity for the Gators might go in, given their size advantage.
The second overtime had one good chance each way, Chi sending a bullet high from a narrow angle on the left, and a heart-stopping shank by Romine on a bouncing ball about 35 yards out that nearly fell to Jordan, but was cleared away by a charging Campbell.
PKs, with Florida shooting first, and Campbell guessed correctly, either just nudging or at least being in a position to do so a shot into the left post and out. Kendall Romine tucked her ball neatly just inside that same post, and then Campbell dove and pushed the Gators' second attempt wide of the right post. Lo LaBonta followed Romine's example, hitting the ball with pace but fairly far inside the left post, getting it under the Florida keeper Taylor Burke. 2-0 Stanford.
Florida made their third shot, catching Jane guessing the wrong way, then Chi followed by hitting a really mediocre left footed shot that got up off the ground and right into a prime zone for a save - about 2 feet high and well inside the right post. Burke, having guessed correctly, had an easy parry away. And the next Gator caught Jane leaning the wrong way again. But Haley Rosen followed the example of Lo and Kendall, placing the ball low into the left corner and past Burke before she could get down to the ground.
Campbell had one more save attempt, but got caught leaning the wrong way again; I think Florida picked up her pattern of diving toward the side they were looking at, and crossed her up.
But then she stepped up to the spot herself, gave a nice stutter step run-up that caught Burke leaning right, and hit a simple ball back to the left that was well inside the post but well out of the reach of Burke. And Stanford was through.
Deservedly so. Stanford outshot the Gators 20-9, 10-4 in shots on goal, and probably would've been well ahead in a game whistled in a somewhat normal manner through 2-3 penalty kicks.
That said, expect more of the same from semifinal opponent Florida State, a tough physical and athletically gifted team, but with more skill than the Gators, especially through their Icelandic connection, MF Brynjarsdottir and F Thorvaldsdottir.
In other somewhat good news, UCLA got eliminated by Virginia, 2-1. Their great defense gave up a goal off a pinballing deflection in the first half, then another as they started to try to push forward by Virginia's senior national teamer Morgan Brian. They got one back almost immediately, but they couldn't find another in the last 15 minutes, and lost their first game of the season to be eliminated. Like it because UCLA is out of the competition for another NCAA championship, but wish it hadn't been at the hands of an ACC team.
VG