Stanford v. Portland

No doubt today, given our wins to date, is the most important game on our schedule. Any problems with RPI will cease to exist if we can pull off a win--home field advantage in the playoffs will almost certainly be ours if we win today.

My worry about today's game is whether we are, as is rarely the case, playing a team that may be more talented position by position?

Good luck to the ladies today.

Absolutely. And a #1 ranking is probably on the line too. No pressure there, huh?

I know it's already been talked about, but it's worth noting again that Stanford has tied both North Carolina and Boston College, who appear to be in the "top tier" along with Portland and maybe Notre Dame.

My point is... though of course you have to take everything in context, if Portland wins tonight, it's an indicator that the Pilots just may truly be the best team in the country.

This has been an interesting season so far, I think, for all of us fans. Because the Pilots haven't necessarily been blowing people away, I think a lot of people might think the team isn't as good as previous years or maybe doesn't belong in the conversation with the likes of Stanford, North Carolina, etc. But what I saw against Texas A&M leads me to believe that, when clicking, the 2010 version of the Portland Pilots is a bona fide national title contender and no one can convince me otherwise.

Can't wait for the game tonight... high stakes, big pressure, the eyes of the country (well, the percentage of the country that follows women's college soccer, anyway) on you... that's what you live for as a player and a fan. It's gonna be great!

from Portlandpilots tweet:

Position vs position we are in trouble... offensively we just do not have the experience up front ---yet... but think it will be a fantastic game!
I would love to see Capelle and Fox start this one together and see Halle sub in with Fox for that
sudden impact burst she has. Halle reminds me of the WPS player Natasha Kai (spelling?)
She has that put me in coach attitude but seems to be a better burst player not a full game time player. Put her in and she is totally aggresive to go for the goal off the bench... Capelle and Fox could maintain that fine oiled machine if they get more play together this season .. could be a great combination to see develop. Capelle and Foxhoven seem to feed off of each other and have similar play thought and styles. Formula suggestion to watch ....Fox= Experience/finisher + Capelle=speed/drive + Halle= aggression= WIN
not the mention we have one of the best defense's in nation!

I don't really know Stanford position by position, but I doubt if they can match us across the defensive line and center midfield. You could add outside mid to that without injuries, but you play with the cards you are dealt. That leaves the attackers. I agree with scrfn about the best way to use our attackers, but no matter how you look at it, Capelle is our only attacker who can take someone on one-on-one, and she does not yet have the maturity she needs to get herself into position consistently to be dangerous. I think this is why we have not been blowing teams away, like Stonehouse mentioned. This really is a great team, but we will win lots of close games, including Stanford - 1-0, maybe 2-1.

When Keelin and Sophie are in the midfield, no one can touch the Pilots player for player there -- they simply own the turf. The starting 4 defenders are second to none with power, speed and experience. That's the core of a great team even without mentioning the forwards and outside mids.

Forward Cristen Press for Stanford stands out. Stopping her with team D will likely be crucial. Her Stanford roster writeup says: " Outstanding skills ... one of the fastest players on the team ... great quickness with the ball ... has the ability to score inside and outside ... enters the season ranked sixth at Stanford in career points (123), sixth in goals (45), and tied with Julie Foudy for third in assists (33) ... "one of the best strikers in the country," coach Paul Ratcliffe said."

This should be a fabulous matchup just ahead. The Pilots have the players, fitness, attitude and work ethic to succeed.

I agree FFA! The back line of Olivier, Colohan, Tsao and Reed are the best in the country. And our mid-fielders? Winters and Schmidt are the backbone! I'd say they''re the stronger pair against Noyola her partner.

I think the key to victory is how much pressure offensively Tsao and Reed put on Stanford's wings. Those 2 can go really deep! And will cause a lot of havoc for Stanford. And maybe hold Press and the other Stanford forwards back to help. Jessica and Ellie overlap the attacking mids (Brooke, Cruz, Johnson and Bridges) often...and will demand the Stanford defense to mark and account for their threats from the wing. Since we play a heavy outside-in style of attack from the flanks....they will be key to opening up free space and opportunites in the middle of the pitch and box.

I expect Stanford to defend us well...but eventually our style and fitness will wear them down if we can win out on possession time.

GO PILOTS!!!

PH...are we on the same page or WHAT?

http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&KEY=&SPID=237&SPSID=4314

Giggling* Did anyone see this?

Ducks count down to Pilots

I wish the Pilots would use Twitter as Live Stats or some sort of game tracker when playing at schools that only provide live audio. I'm in South Bend after watching Stanford win and would like to follow our ladies but wont have audio internet access.

There are two twitter accounts sure to have something on the game.

PortlandPilots is one, and the enemy is sure to tweet ad Nauseum from StanfordWSoccer. they have no other timely method of keeping us up on their games.

Also, CS360updates will be sure to mimic other sources and keep you up to date

But live audio will be in two places.

http://www.truetalk800.com/ (click on the "800 AM" live feed at the upper right)

and

http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/up.portal#

will both have the same audio feed. if one cuts out, try the other.

you might have to download a radio client like wunderradio for iphones or ipads (free or 99¢), but i have had 100% success getting the audio feed from one of those sources.

Beautiful conditions here at Stanford. Pilot fans are here in good numbers. Cloee appears ready to play, suited up not limping. They are predicting a sellout.

merlogirl wrote:

I wish the Pilots would use Twitter as Live Stats or some sort of game tracker when playing at schools that only provide live audio. I'm in South Bend after watching Stanford win and would like to follow our ladies but wont have audio internet access.

If you go to the Stanford sports site, and bring up "Schedule", I think you'll find GT there.

http://www.gostanford.com/sports/w-soccer/sched/stan-w-soccer-sched.html

Now whether it works or not is another question.

PortlandPilots tweets that he tree has been trimmed to a stump!

My theory is that they are trying to kill it.

heading to the chat room.


they just announced the starters


Tree players:
Levin, Garciamendez, Verloo, Paine , Noyola, Quon, McCann, Taylor, Nogoya?(that can"t be right), Press. must have missed one .

UP players:

DeYoung, Brooke, Reed , McKClusky, Colohan, Winters, Bridges, Schmidt, Tsao, Capelle, Parker.