SMU / Oklahoma St.

fan from afar wrote:Just really hoping Kendra is going at full speed by the NCAA's!! Redshirting a few of the younger players might then become a sensible option.

I THINK I would love seeing Kendra at attacker paired with Danielle.

I don't think redshirting players around Kendra's injury is much of an option. If they redshirt, they can't play at all, or get an injury in the first half of the season and play in less than 30% of the schedule.

Although we are optimistic about her coming back, we don't know yet when that will be or if she will be game ready and fully fit. And it wouldn't seem fair to the freshmen for them to burn their redshirts and have their development suffer because her injury. you only get 5 years in which to use up your 4 years of College eligibility.

Redshirts are OK, but they should make sense for their own careers. If you redshirt them, they won't have game experience when this Senior class is gone. They will be asked to fill some huge gaps next year without their having game experience.

Besides, I'd love to have the problem of having too many hungry, fresh players at the end of the season. the last few years, it seems we have had the other issue. We have what may be the biggest roster since I've been watching the team. lets use it. I like the idea of players getting more rest each weekend.

It would be a gorgeous sight to see Kendra back and playing at the level she was at last fall -- attacking with speed, going for every header, really stressing the other team's defense. As Geez says, there's no guarantee of when or how she will play. I agree with the comment that Michaela is not afraid of contact. She goes right at the other team. She's the type of player the opponent hates to face -- a real pest with great moves, a feisty spirit and a knack for scoring.

As much as I hate to disagree with geez, I'm not talking entirely about our frosh. Right now, from what I can see our walking wounded are Molly, Emma, Kendra an Ellen. Of the four, I could see red shirting Emma and Molly. As for the bench that hasnt any action, my first choices are Elinor an probably the other frosh keep. We are so incredibly deep this year we can afford to red shirt a few players even if there are a couple or three injuries. Does anyone really think Kendra isnt coming back?!

Kendra is coming back. Word is that she could be on the field in September. Let's hope so. If she is anything like she was last year before she got hurt then she will have an impact.

Fozzie,

I think Kendra is coming back, but she will need some time t get game fit when she does, and I don't think it should be rushed.

I'm just saying if kids need to redshirt, it should make sense. Even for the ones that are hurt, they should be ready to come in if the team needs them later in the season. It's WAY too early to plan a redshirt for any of them.

One Possible exception I could see is Nicole. with two other keepers no the team, she would be a logical choice to redshirt. Staggering her graduation with Erin would enhance both their careers and ensure good goaltending well into the future.

That plan worked great with Angela an Cheryl.

I agree whole heartedly geez about redshirting should make sense.

That is why my suggestion of Molly an Emma resdhirting was stratigic. We are losing both Elli an Jess this season an Molly an Emma are both outside backs. I loved Molly last year, think she has an incredible future with our program. As for Emma, I view her as another Jess, an did the minute I saw her play, but how many people can replace Jess?

It seems we agree that the third keep should be red shirted, so that leaves a possiblility of a fourth player. My suggestion is Elinor Priest. Liked her a lot last year an thought that this year she would be Halley from her 1st to 2nd year progress. Since she hasnt gotten on the field this year when frosh have, seems like a good idea. I still believe in Elinor

I also am a big fan of Elinor's. It certainly seems to me that Coach G has a preference for smaller forwards - and with our playstyle, I can see why. That being said, shes probably the most physically dominant player on the team (I still remember when the first stat she collected was a foul by steamrolling a defender going for a 50/50... oops), and we know she has a cannon.

I see a lot of parallels between her skillset and physical attributes with Keelin and Sophie, but those two players are also personally directly responsible for half of our wins to date.

The insane depth of talent and frustrating lack of finishing is going to make it tough for the players who don't start this year.

I too agree with all the main comments to date regarding UP's offense. (It's coming together.)

However, I am looking forward to see how our starting defense performs against a team that actually brings their offense to the game!

The game against OS would have been a better test if not for the fact that two of their best forwards were indisposed - one due to knee injury, the other due to the after-effects of a fist fight!

I am confident our squad will perform -- I am just looking forward to seeing them play against some kind of pressure.

I would also like to see them challanged a bit prior to facing back to backs against Rutgers, PSU, Texas A&M, Cal and Stanford.

(Let them have a warm up before entering that campaign.)

No sympathy for OSU. If you think fighting and hair pulling are part of the game, you need to sit, your team should suffer. The fighting red should be for the specified two games, also. The last time a team played us with that attitude, we lost both Rapinoes for the year.

Reports out of UCLA are that Wisconsin bunkered heavily in their game, so we may see yet another team in it's shell. The last time they played us at Merlo, they didn't get a shot off until about 10 minutes left. The student section cheered.

Was there a bunkering clinic at the last NSCAA coaches convention or something?

If somebody ever plays us straight up, I think the forwards will feast. They ought to be motivated enough.

I agree whole heartedly Geez.

When a team ever plays us straight up, I believe our defense will rise to the task and our offense will play like they've had their handcuffs removed.

(I look forward to that day.)

"Bunkering" is apparently the tactic of choice for many, perhaps always has been--UO outshot SMU 22 to 3 on Sunday. Erickson complemented the Mustangs for "putting a lot of people in the box," if that is a complement. We know of what she speaks.

I agree that it will be nice when a high caliber team plays us straight up--I suspect that will give us more information about where this team is and likely to go. OS was no slouch though.

Go Pilots.

In the first half, I really didn't feel like OSU was bunkering. As the Pilots would bring the ball into their half, they would have 4-6 players back near the 18, but they more or less played our midfielders up the field. It wasn't until our attack started to pin them back that they retreated behind the ball. At least they seemed less one-dimensionally defensive than the first two home opponents and tried to contest the midfield when they could.

To some extent the Pilots may invite a bunkered defense because we tend to get7-8 players forward into the attacking third while probing around the perimeter with passes. It seems pretty natural to have 9-10 players back near the box when the opponent has 8 coming forward.

To some extent the Pilots may invite a bunkered defense because we tend to get7-8 players forward into the attacking third while probing around the perimeter with passes. It seems pretty natural to have 9-10 players back near the box when the opponent has 8 coming forward. [/quote]

That's a real good observation. When Elli and Jessica come forward, their defenders have to come with them. Same with Keelin. It's really hard to tell for sure on the little computer screen, but there are times when it looks like it might be better to attack quicker and not wait for all the support to come up.

On the other hand, maybe you need a Michelle to do that. She was dynamite in those situations. I still remember (when I was out there) the anticipation that built in the stands when Michelle started to get wound up for a run, with or without the ball. You could feel it even when she started an overlap run through the box (knowledgible fans!!)

To some extent the Pilots may invite a bunkered defense because we tend to get7-8 players forward into the attacking third while probing around the perimeter with passes. It seems pretty natural to have 9-10 players back near the box when the opponent has 8 coming forward. [/quote]

That's a real good observation. When Elli and Jessica come forward, their defenders have to come with them. Same with Keelin. It's really hard to tell for sure on the little computer screen, but there are times when it looks like it might be better to attack quicker and not wait for all the support to come up.

On the other hand, maybe you need a Michelle to do that. She was dynamite in those situations. I still remember (when I was out there) the anticipation that built in the stands when Michelle started to get wound up for a run, with or without the ball. You could feel it even when she started an overlap run through the box (knowledgible fans!!)

[On the other hand, maybe you need a Michelle to do that. She was dynamite in those situations. I still remember (when I was out there) the anticipation that built in the stands when Michelle started to get wound up for a run, with or without the ball. You could feel it even when she started an overlap run through the box (knowledgible fans!!)]



Regarding your observation above, I noticed the same thing when I watched Megan Rapino play in 2008. She created a certain electricity when she was on the field. I imagine Christine Sinclair did the same thing.

Reminds me of when Reggie Jackson played for the Yankees (during the World Series)..... you didn't know what he was going to do when he came to the plate - You just know he was going to do SOMETHING.