09-15-2011, 11:53 PM
#1 Stanford women's soccer generally dominated the run of play, but it took a lucky break to generate a goal against a tough Portland Pilots side tonight.
By dominating the run of play: Portland had 1, yes 1 shot in the opening 45 minutes, and it came with less than a minute left. Not 1 shot on goal, or forcing 1 save - 1 shot period. In the second half - they had 1 shot. Stanford had 15 for the game.
The Pilots did what a lot of teams will do this season: keep 8 players behind the ball, drop their forwards and in general play as close to a "bunker" defense as you can without completely giving up on offense. Stanford was patient, working the ball from side to side, and in similar fashion to last week's Notre Dame game, often finding Cami Levin open down the right side overlapping from her right back spot. In the opening 15 minutes, I would estimate possession at about 75%-25% for Stanford, which really wears on a defense constantly chasing the ball.
But, also as in last week's game, the center of the Portland defense held up strongly - most of Stanford's early shots were from well outside, with only a nicely settled ball by Teresa Noyola about 15 minutes in forcing Pilot keeper Hailee DeYoung into a sprawling save to her right. When Stanford started to substitute midway through the half, they lost a bit of flow, and Portland had a bit more possession, but could never really mount a serious threat - long balls through to their unsupported forwards were nicked away by backtracking midfielders, especially defensive midfielder Mariah Noguiera.
Then came the break. A long diagonal ball found sub forward Marjani Hing-Glover at the top of the box, and she tried to pop the ball through three Portland defenders with the outside of her right foot to Noyola breaking toward the penalty spot. The ball trickled through, but Teresa didn't, because one of the defenders had her jersey and arm locked up, and Noyola went down. Then made her way in a more leisurely fashion to the spot, and converted the PK she drew with a low drive into the corner. 1-0, with about 5 minutes left in the half.
Portland's Danielle Foxhoven, a Hermann trophy finalist I think and one of the better forwards in the country, got their only really dangerous chance of the game in the last minute of the first half, converting a sloppy turnover in Stanford's midfield and subsequent through ball onto her right foot clear at the top of the box into a well struck shot, but it went right to keeper Emily Oliver.
In the second half, the Pilots made an interesting adjustment. Their 4-4-2 matched up against Stanford's 4-3-3 wasn't preventing overlaps from Quon and Levin, so they pushed their wing midfielders forward to keep Stanford from knocking the ball around the back, trying to pressure the space between Garciamendez and Kendall Romine in the center and the wingbacks. It worked, but to compensate they had to drop the central midfielders back a bit more, and that gave Noyola a lot of room to operate, as she came back to receive the ball and had time to turn, work her way forward and pick out the run or pass she wanted to make. Teresa may have issues with physical on-ball defenders, especially if they pressure her as she receives the ball, but if you give her time to operate, she'll pick you apart. It's a case of pick your poison, although I think UNC, Notre Dame or another team with a strong midfield would have more success in not giving Noyola or Nogueira any room to work, and take their chances on a long ball over the top to Taylor, freshman star Chioma Ubogagu or their running mate Kristy Zurmuhlen.
When Stanford adjusted and started coming through the middle instead of going wide, the pressure was back on the Pilot backline. Sydney Payne rifled a ball that took a last second knuckle on DeYoung and almost spun hard enough off her chest to go in, bouncing from where the keeper blocked it at the right post across the face of goal and then spinning slowly toward the goalline after hitting the ground. Ubogagu was judged offside on a through ball from Noyola that actually was meant for an onrushing Quon, but DeYoung came out hard and blocked it before the whistle blew in any case.
It was left to Zurmuhlen, who took a diagonal feed from Noyola at the right side of the box and from a narrow angle about 6-7 yards off the line struck an absolute bullet just inside the post into the far upper 90 of the goal. DeYoung had no chance; the ball hit just under the bar and only about a foot inside the post into the seam joining the top and side netting.
From then on, it was simply a matter of keep possessing the ball, and Portland's coach ran up the white flag with some late substitutions to get some players time.
Now Portland is not a bad team (currently also receiving votes, around #30 in the polls); they have a wonderful tradition and are a consistent West Coast power (I'd say historically in the last 25 years they are in the top 4 west of the Rockies, with Stanford, UCLA and SCU), although they are rather young this season. But Mikaela Capelle and Foxhoven are both quality finishers, and they got ABSOLUTELY NOTHING tonight. The Cardinal had never won at Portland before, but tonight Stanford was just dominant.
Next up: at #19 Santa Clara on Sunday night at 8 pm. You going to make it, Mick?
VG
P.S. Went to the women's v-ball game at Kal on Tuesday; not a bad effort, but the Cardinal's talent is all pretty young. They gave up decisive runs in games 2 and 3 way too easily; whenever Rachel Williams was in the back line, there was a danger. Stanford hasn't been this dependent on one hitter since Ogonna Nnamani's heyday. And da Bares adjusted - they showed very little respect to the other hitters, and tried to take away Williams. And it worked. Couple that with Stanford hitting line over and over again and missing just wide, and the 3-1 final is actually pretty respectable.
By dominating the run of play: Portland had 1, yes 1 shot in the opening 45 minutes, and it came with less than a minute left. Not 1 shot on goal, or forcing 1 save - 1 shot period. In the second half - they had 1 shot. Stanford had 15 for the game.
The Pilots did what a lot of teams will do this season: keep 8 players behind the ball, drop their forwards and in general play as close to a "bunker" defense as you can without completely giving up on offense. Stanford was patient, working the ball from side to side, and in similar fashion to last week's Notre Dame game, often finding Cami Levin open down the right side overlapping from her right back spot. In the opening 15 minutes, I would estimate possession at about 75%-25% for Stanford, which really wears on a defense constantly chasing the ball.
But, also as in last week's game, the center of the Portland defense held up strongly - most of Stanford's early shots were from well outside, with only a nicely settled ball by Teresa Noyola about 15 minutes in forcing Pilot keeper Hailee DeYoung into a sprawling save to her right. When Stanford started to substitute midway through the half, they lost a bit of flow, and Portland had a bit more possession, but could never really mount a serious threat - long balls through to their unsupported forwards were nicked away by backtracking midfielders, especially defensive midfielder Mariah Noguiera.
Then came the break. A long diagonal ball found sub forward Marjani Hing-Glover at the top of the box, and she tried to pop the ball through three Portland defenders with the outside of her right foot to Noyola breaking toward the penalty spot. The ball trickled through, but Teresa didn't, because one of the defenders had her jersey and arm locked up, and Noyola went down. Then made her way in a more leisurely fashion to the spot, and converted the PK she drew with a low drive into the corner. 1-0, with about 5 minutes left in the half.
Portland's Danielle Foxhoven, a Hermann trophy finalist I think and one of the better forwards in the country, got their only really dangerous chance of the game in the last minute of the first half, converting a sloppy turnover in Stanford's midfield and subsequent through ball onto her right foot clear at the top of the box into a well struck shot, but it went right to keeper Emily Oliver.
In the second half, the Pilots made an interesting adjustment. Their 4-4-2 matched up against Stanford's 4-3-3 wasn't preventing overlaps from Quon and Levin, so they pushed their wing midfielders forward to keep Stanford from knocking the ball around the back, trying to pressure the space between Garciamendez and Kendall Romine in the center and the wingbacks. It worked, but to compensate they had to drop the central midfielders back a bit more, and that gave Noyola a lot of room to operate, as she came back to receive the ball and had time to turn, work her way forward and pick out the run or pass she wanted to make. Teresa may have issues with physical on-ball defenders, especially if they pressure her as she receives the ball, but if you give her time to operate, she'll pick you apart. It's a case of pick your poison, although I think UNC, Notre Dame or another team with a strong midfield would have more success in not giving Noyola or Nogueira any room to work, and take their chances on a long ball over the top to Taylor, freshman star Chioma Ubogagu or their running mate Kristy Zurmuhlen.
When Stanford adjusted and started coming through the middle instead of going wide, the pressure was back on the Pilot backline. Sydney Payne rifled a ball that took a last second knuckle on DeYoung and almost spun hard enough off her chest to go in, bouncing from where the keeper blocked it at the right post across the face of goal and then spinning slowly toward the goalline after hitting the ground. Ubogagu was judged offside on a through ball from Noyola that actually was meant for an onrushing Quon, but DeYoung came out hard and blocked it before the whistle blew in any case.
It was left to Zurmuhlen, who took a diagonal feed from Noyola at the right side of the box and from a narrow angle about 6-7 yards off the line struck an absolute bullet just inside the post into the far upper 90 of the goal. DeYoung had no chance; the ball hit just under the bar and only about a foot inside the post into the seam joining the top and side netting.
From then on, it was simply a matter of keep possessing the ball, and Portland's coach ran up the white flag with some late substitutions to get some players time.
Now Portland is not a bad team (currently also receiving votes, around #30 in the polls); they have a wonderful tradition and are a consistent West Coast power (I'd say historically in the last 25 years they are in the top 4 west of the Rockies, with Stanford, UCLA and SCU), although they are rather young this season. But Mikaela Capelle and Foxhoven are both quality finishers, and they got ABSOLUTELY NOTHING tonight. The Cardinal had never won at Portland before, but tonight Stanford was just dominant.
Next up: at #19 Santa Clara on Sunday night at 8 pm. You going to make it, Mick?
VG
P.S. Went to the women's v-ball game at Kal on Tuesday; not a bad effort, but the Cardinal's talent is all pretty young. They gave up decisive runs in games 2 and 3 way too easily; whenever Rachel Williams was in the back line, there was a danger. Stanford hasn't been this dependent on one hitter since Ogonna Nnamani's heyday. And da Bares adjusted - they showed very little respect to the other hitters, and tried to take away Williams. And it worked. Couple that with Stanford hitting line over and over again and missing just wide, and the 3-1 final is actually pretty respectable.