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Post by fan from afar Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:23 am

I have not watched the 2nd semi yet, and I want to comment on the first one while it is fresh in my aged mind. Therefore, I don't want to read the college cup thread below yet and am starting a new thread, with the intention of presenting an hopefully unbiased comparison of UCLA and Stanford to our UP team. I hope people will comment and disagree - I learn a lot about the team that way.

First, and no disagreement here - Kelsey is a superior goalie to what I saw in the first semi. I feel certain she would have stopped both of the goals in regulation, and maybe the overtime winner. Either team would have won in regulation with Kelsey in goal (take THAT, UCLA!!).

Stanford v. UP - It was a lot like watching Portland play. I thought in one facet of possession, they were better than us, and in another not as good. We are better possessing in the attacking third. Their attackers are excellent, but their possession through midfield was yielding only long shots. We are very good - the best college team I have ever seen - with creative runs and through passes around and through the box. On the other hand, and I know I sound like a broken record here, they were much better than us in possession in the defensive third. UCLA had them penned back in their defensive third many times and Stanford was able to pass their way out to midfield. They would complete 2-3 short passes to allow their team time to start moving forward, and more important, to force UCLA to start back into defensive mode, then another pass or two out to midfield. Even when they lost it at midfield, UCLA had been forced to change out of attacking mode and had to start the attack over again. It also seemed that Stanford might have been faster overall than us, and I think their first touch skills were a little better, ESPECIALLY from air balls. I thought our outside defenders contributed to the attack better, especially our right outside people.

UCLA v. UP - I have only been following the Pilots for maybe 3 years, so I haven't had time to develop the hatred for UCLA most UP fans have, but I am definitely a UCLA-disliker. Being fair, though, like them or not, I would have to agree with the U of Ill (I think) coach who called the UCLA attackers the best in college. Larioux and Cheney are a perfect pair - one with speed, the other with the truly great possession skills. Michelle and Danielle are not far behind, though, and I would definitely take our front 6 over UCLA. UCLA was greatly improved from when I saw them vs. USC. They played possession much better and were able to put Cheney and Larioux into dangerous positions a lot.

In summary, based just on this one game, I would definitely say we belong on the field with either team - with Michelle, on a neutral field, 50-50 against UCLA, a slight underdog against Stanford. Without Michelle, a little less.

Please comment and/or disagree.
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Post by Harry Redknapp Sat Dec 05, 2009 12:30 pm

Fan

Appreciate the comments. Don't forget about Cloee too. Early in the season when Cloee and MichO were playing together they were dominating the opposition attackers and playing the ball constructively out of defense. Cloee is more physical, MichO more finesse - but it would have been very interesting to watch the two of them up against Leroux and Cheney, and then Press and O'Hara after we beat UCLA!
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Post by A_Fan Sat Dec 05, 2009 1:26 pm

I agree with you Harry. The loss of Cloee and her take no prisoners style of play was a significant loss for the Pilots. I knew she would be a big factor on defense when in the first summer league game she decked Michelle. It was a yin and yang moment. She decked Michelle and she decked Michelle.
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Post by fan from afar Sat Dec 05, 2009 2:22 pm

I never got to see her play. My two in-person games out there were the first two she missed (Illinois and Miami). I have heard from a lot of you that she is something special, and I really look forward to seeing her play next year. It would have been sweet to see her banging with Cheney.
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Post by ShipstadPilot11 Sat Dec 05, 2009 2:57 pm

fan from afar wrote:It would have been sweet to see her banging with Cheney.
I'm sorry. I know that this board is above inappropriate comments but I'm in college and couldn't help but take this out of context.

Edit me if you want/need to. I mean no disrespect; this just made me laugh and I thought I'd share that.
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Post by fan from afar Sat Dec 05, 2009 3:59 pm

It was a really poor choice of words, wasn't it? Hopefully, you know what I meant, and, yes - you are in college. We older guys are from a more innocent age.
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Post by ShipstadPilot11 Sat Dec 05, 2009 4:01 pm

I know exactly what you meant, no worries.

I doubt you're from an "innocent" age. I'll buy "different" but you'll have to sell me on "innocent" if you want me to believe it.
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Post by fan from afar Sat Dec 05, 2009 4:07 pm

You might be able to make a case for the 40's being more innocent in some respects, but probably it was just more innocent on the surface, in appearances.
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Post by fan from afar Sat Dec 05, 2009 4:08 pm

We certainly had more wholesome media entertainment (radio, very early TV)
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