BSM
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Post by BSM on Jul 30, 2021 1:47:14 GMT -5
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Jul 31, 2021 13:04:13 GMT -5
Good and interesting schedule, I think. The trip to Austin is intriguing - I can't recall us going down to Texas before, and I feel like typically when the soccer teams do these cross-country plane trips, they try to get two games out of it. I wonder if they tried to do something like that this time with someone like Baylor, Texas A&M, or UTSA and it fell through for whatever reason.
The trip down to William & Mary is a nice one - good destination. And it's always good to see WVU and Rutgers on the schedule - few programs have the combination of talent and physicality that they do, making them great preparation for the Big East.
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Jul 31, 2021 14:25:27 GMT -5
Lots of quotes here in this Princeton, NJ community newspaper article on Devon Lis's summer: |
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Jul 31, 2021 14:30:36 GMT -5
www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/college-soccer-games-to-watch:-fall-2021_aid49655Texas vs. Georgetown - August 29, TBA We had a little glimpse at the future Texas team during the spring with the early arrival of Alexis Missimo. The talented freshman had three goals in three games during the spring - all wins for Texas. Missimo has some friends joining her on the roster in the fall. Trinity Byars is expected to make a big splash with this group. With Missimo and Canada national team midfielder Julia Grosso setting the stage, Byars is going to have a field day with most of the defenses in college soccer. Georgetown will be a fun challenge. The Hoyas are one of the best coached teams in college soccer. They’ll be prepared for the new studs on Texas, which should make this a fascinating battle early early in the season.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Aug 6, 2021 14:24:02 GMT -5
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Aug 12, 2021 18:19:20 GMT -5
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Post by bearsandbulls on Aug 16, 2021 14:39:46 GMT -5
Congrats to Kelly Anne. I'm a bit surprised no menion of Royson and Vicari. Solid performers. Cream will rise to the top...
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Aug 19, 2021 21:21:30 GMT -5
Well, it felt pretty weird...but pretty good...to be back at Shaw Field for the first time in 2 years. Definitely had a bit of a family reunion atmosphere. I found myself sitting behind Timothy Ighoefe and Dante Harris in the first half, next to Naomi Meiburger's husband and kids in the second half on one side, next to Alton McKenzie on the other side, and right next to the men's soccer team. Several former women's players were in attendance nearby as well. It even felt good to see the likes of Lee Reed and Dan O'Neil and Erik Smulson in the flesh again lol. As for the game... well, it definitely didn't look like the first game of the year for either team! I guess that's what such a short off-season gets you. No one on either side, not even the freshmen, looked tentative or like they were having to reacclimate to the speed of the game. Full credit to NC State for coming away with a draw on the road. They had ACC-caliber athletes and a really forward-leaning gameplan - a lot of high press, a lot of breakouts and counters into empty space (I thought a fair amount of their moves were into a little too much space...they were so open because no one at this level could deliver a pass that far), and a general willingness to throw bodies forward and rely on speed to snuff out counters. It's a script that worked pretty well - I cannot remember the last time the Hoyas gave up 2 at home. But I do also think this approach may have taken its toll by the time the last 30 minutes or so of the match rolled around, though, as the Hoyas had the run of play after what had been a seesaw affair. I fully expect the defense will improve on this performance as the new keeper gels with a very experienced and capable backline. Assuming that happens...I believe this team has a very, very high ceiling. It might seem weird to feel that way after a draw that was in no way an unfair result, but...all in all, I liked what I saw. The attendance figure looks low.--Adminguhoyas.com/boxscore.aspx?id=18529&path=wsoc |
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Nevada Hoya
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Post by Nevada Hoya on Aug 19, 2021 23:45:43 GMT -5
It seems as if Russky sat next to 27 people by himself.   |
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hoyaduck
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Post by hoyaduck on Aug 20, 2021 1:33:29 GMT -5
Well, it felt pretty weird...but pretty good...to be back at Shaw Field for the first time in 2 years. Definitely had a bit of a family reunion atmosphere. I found myself sitting behind Timothy Ighoefe and Dante Harris in the first half, next to Naomi Meiberger's husband and kids in the second half on one side, next to Alton McKenzie on the other side, and right next to the men's soccer team. Several former women's players were in attendance nearby as well. It even felt good to see the likes of Lee Reed and Dan O'Neil and Erik Smulson in the flesh again lol. As for the game... well, it definitely didn't look like the first game of the year for either team! I guess that's what such a short off-season gets you. No one on either side, not even the freshmen, looked tentative or like they were having to reacclimate to the speed of the game. Full credit to NC State for coming away with a draw on the road. They had ACC-caliber athletes and a really forward-leaning gameplan - a lot of high press, a lot of breakouts and counters into empty space (I thought a fair amount of their moves were into a little too much space...they were so open because no one at this level could deliver a pass that far), and a general willingness to throw bodies forward and rely on speed to snuff out counters. It's a script that worked pretty well - I cannot remember the last time the Hoyas gave up 2 at home. But I do also think this approach may have taken its toll by the time the last 30 minutes or so of the match rolled around, though, as the Hoyas had the run of play after what had been a seesaw affair. I fully expect the defense will improve on this performance as the new keeper gels with a very experienced and capable backline. Assuming that happens...I believe this team has a very, very high ceiling. It might seem weird to feel that way after a draw that was in no way an unfair result, but...all in all, I liked what I saw. The attendance figure looks low.--Adminguhoyas.com/boxscore.aspx?id=18529&path=wsocThank you for the report, Russky! |
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Aug 20, 2021 7:20:29 GMT -5
It seems as if Russky sat next to 27 people by himself. Hahahaha yeah, granting that it's difficult to estimate attendance with no ticketing... there were a couple hundred folks in attendance. |
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Post by bearsandbulls on Aug 20, 2021 8:50:30 GMT -5
As always a good report Russky...Streaming at home I saw some things a bit different that elevated some concern. Our backline was beaten with speed and moves a number of times, the most noteworthy was Joseph's move on the first goal. Unfortunately, that was not the last time that our "D" was wanting a bit.
Loved the comeback after getting down one early. It is always a good sign of grit. Then we dominated through taking the lead 2-1 on a beautiful set play. Thereafter, NCS held their own, and may have even dominated.
The nice thing is that it is preseason, and too many conclusions need not be drawn. The worry is that NCS is rated #10 in the ACC preseason (I find that hard to believe), but plays with many international, especially German, players so the pundits really don't know. Sixteen new players as reported.
At times we overload a side and leave a lot of space on the opposite side which NCS tried to capitalize on often, and gave them sideline runs with crosses where it might have been shut down at midfield without the "packing".
As predicted Livingstone, Leas and Vicari shined which was nice to see. As always the preseason schedule will be very telling as Dave loves to play strength for post season ranking. Go Hoyas.
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Nevada Hoya
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Post by Nevada Hoya on Aug 20, 2021 12:48:49 GMT -5
Did Melissa Riggins play? May be the fastest defender on the team, as she is also on the track and field team specializing in the 800m. Reminds me of Emily Menges, who started out as a two sport player, but dropped track after her first year.
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Post by bearsandbulls on Aug 20, 2021 13:27:09 GMT -5
Do not remember seeing her in the game. You forced me back to the individual stats and the answer is no.
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Aug 20, 2021 20:03:16 GMT -5
As always a good report Russky...Streaming at home I saw some things a bit different that elevated some concern. Our backline was beaten with speed and moves a number of times, the most noteworthy was Joseph's move on the first goal. Unfortunately, that was not the last time that our "D" was wanting a bit. Loved the comeback after getting down one early. It is always a good sign of grit. Then we dominated through taking the lead 2-1 on a beautiful set play. Thereafter, NCS held their own, and may have even dominated. The nice thing is that it is preseason, and too many conclusions need not be drawn. The worry is that NCS is rated #10 in the ACC preseason (I find that hard to believe), but plays with many international, especially German, players so the pundits really don't know. Sixteen new players as reported. At times we overload a side and leave a lot of space on the opposite side which NCS tried to capitalize on often, and gave them sideline runs with crosses where it might have been shut down at midfield without the "packing". As predicted Livingstone, Leas and Vicari shined which was nice to see. As always the preseason schedule will be very telling as Dave loves to play strength for post season ranking. Go Hoyas. Definitely NC State had superior all-around speed - Gia Vicari was the only Hoya on the pitch with elite speed. And to your point about moves - the Wolfpack won their fair share of one-on-one battles...and probably then some. My sense, though, was that the speed and moves into open space were not where NC State was most dangerous. Our defense was able to recover and move into a good defensive shape, for the most part. Rather, they created their opportunities mostly through the press and turnovers. The first goal surrendered was textbook high pressure: You're not going to win every 50/50 ball, but you'd sure like to win most of the important ones. Even still, both the two defenders and the GK could've acquitted themselves better there following the turnover - and very nearly did. That's why I highlighted backline/keeper communication and gelling together: good situational awareness in the back stars with a goalie who can scan the field and direct the fullbacks as needed. Good communication, verbal and non, between the backs is key as well, of course. You'd expect this group to mostly already have that figured out - the only new addition is a graduate student - but a miscue 4 minutes into the season isn't the end of the world. So that's the first goal. The second was a failure of marking on a free kick. Set pieces were the one area of the game where it kinda did look like it was the first game of the year. On the Hoyas' 2nd goal, I remarked to myself ahead of the kick that Kelly Ann was all by herself on the far post and would have an unimpeded look at goal if it got to her. As it was, NC State failed to mark the people in the middle of the box all that well either. It is a bit ironic that we have readily available highlights of the Wolpack goals but not the Hoyas' even though the game was at Georgetown... Anyway, lastly, some interesting stats here. Can't vouch for their accuracy or 'truthiness' - this shows GU doing way more high pressing than NCSU, which I suppose *could* be true if the definition was broad enough - but I found it interesting nonetheless.    |
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Aug 20, 2021 22:27:32 GMT -5
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Post by bearsandbulls on Aug 21, 2021 10:46:36 GMT -5
Russky....As always appreciate the detail and analysis. I have a question of you about two points in my years of watching G'town WSOC. What is your opinion of the "side overload" (left or right) leaving opposing players wide open on the opposite side? I find with a long lateral pass it gives opposing offenses too much time to set up plays and get the ball downfield with little restriction? And maybe my bigger question is why, with the number of corners we get, do we not have a player set and squared away to the goal beyond the far post? At least 25% of corners wind up going long whether deflected or just kicked long, and a player so positioned is like "cherry picking" in basketball. We never seem to so set up.
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Aug 22, 2021 10:25:27 GMT -5
Russky....As always appreciate the detail and analysis. I have a question of you about two points in my years of watching G'town WSOC. What is your opinion of the "side overload" (left or right) leaving opposing players wide open on the opposite side? I find with a long lateral pass it gives opposing offenses too much time to set up plays and get the ball downfield with little restriction? And maybe my bigger question is why, with the number of corners we get, do we not have a player set and squared away to the goal beyond the far post? At least 25% of corners wind up going long whether deflected or just kicked long, and a player so positioned is like "cherry picking" in basketball. We never seem to so set up. Thanks, as always, for the kind words. On the "side overload" question, which we saw against NC State repeatedly, I think of it as a calculated risk to gain immediate tactical advantage weighed against the risk of the sort of breakout you described. Obviously, having more defenders on and around the ball gives you an advantage for blocking advances and taking the ball away. It also creates a crowding effect, blocking sightlines and potentially overwhelming the player with the ball in terms of variables to keep track of. Generally speaking, it presses the issue - rather than giving the team in possession time to possess and build out an attack, it forces a decision: try to dribble ahead (hard to do, given the numerical disadvantage), try some short-range interchanges (made tough by the crowding and the small margin for error), pass back to recycle, or...pass out wide. That passing out wide is the most obvious risk. But this is easier said than done, especially at the women's college soccer level. If you're the player with the ball on the side being overloaded by the defense, you have to see the open player on the opposite side (made more challenging by the crowding) and then deliver a pass that is not too lateral (otherwise the defense has plenty of time to shift back) and not too forward (otherwise the keeper or the 'last man' will get to it first...and there's offside to think about as well). You've got to deliver the ball just right. And it's not like you've got the time to position the ball just how you like it, take a nice big windup, and deliver it to the spot you want all the way across the field - because you're being crowded and pressed! That is really a lot to ask of a player at this level. Not to say it never works, but it's not a high-percentage situation for the offense. On the corners... I'll have to pay closer attention this afternoon, as I hadn't noticed what you were describing, aside from very much noticing it on the corner that was scored for a goal, where I spied Kelly Ann roaming near the far post. If I take your observation as a given, the one thing I'll offer is that if you're *beyond* the far post, then you face some angle problems. Inswingers are coming back toward the end line, and if you're close to the end line and beyond the post, your angle on goal is so acute that getting the ball on frame becomes exceptionally difficult. You might be able to get it back across into the mixer - still valuable! - but otherwise you've traded proximity to goal for an angle where your shot selection is limited. Outswingers leave open the possibility of having a less acute angle if the ball makes it past the middle and out to you, further away from the end line than with an inswinger. But it's still not an easy angle, and now you're further away from goal. And chances are you're going to have to trap/settle the ball and then take at least one additional touch before you can have a go, which takes at least a little bit of time. When you're inside the 18 on a corner, there's not much time at all before a defender will converge on you. All of the above has to be weighed against the benefit of having another body in the mixer. There's likely several more matchup- and player-specific considerations that go into the specific positioning decisions on a given kick. |
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Aug 22, 2021 12:13:28 GMT -5
So, ironically, first Hoyas corner kick against LMU, Kelly Ann is again beyond the far post...but is rushing toward the six as the ball is kicked. She meets the ball head on and pushes it back across frame for a goal.
That's a better set-up than being static, imho, although it does create the possibility that the ball will sail over your head as you rush in.
Leas was in the general vicinity of back post as well, but more around the corner of the six.
Edit to add: you better believe there was someone close marking both of them on subsequent corners.
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Aug 22, 2021 13:04:47 GMT -5
Unfortunately someone with website responsibilities is asleep at the wheel, as all the links for stats take you to the NC State stats. Looks like the Sidearm portal is a single URL and you have to reset the 'current game' from game to game. Woops.
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