UW

purple haze wrote:
On the plus side, the student support was awesome. The giant "Legends" banner was cool. The student body was out in force, chanting, singing, swaying and urging the team on. On a gorgeous September night, Merlo was a sea of purple.

This is how it's done. Proper supporter culture at a small university. An amazing, beautiful sight.

purple haze wrote:Some adult fans sitting near me, however, are turning negative about the team and openly criticizing, not encouraging, the team. I hear disappointment in many voices. The feeling is easy to understand when nearly 30 shots yield one goal, but the negativity is a downer. It can also be contagious.

If you want to criticize the players that's fine. I certainly saw some mistakes out there. But the stadium is not the place for it. They don't need to see or hear that.

What a relief that game was. Yes, 1-1 against 10, but we saw Pilot hustle and aggression out there. I thought Cloee looked pretty good at holding mid, but she's also critical to the back line. And Dani is obviously back where she belongs. I understand trying her at center mid due to lack of an obvious replacement at that position, but she's a forward is a forward is a forward! Ellen Parker looked the best I've seen her all year in her new position, and although she appears to be fragile, I think there might be some tough in her. With any luck, she could be a Lindsay Huie type of center mid once she gets her feet on the ground.
Great game from Taylor, and Emily looks like she'll be the latest in a long line of fast red heads on the outside for Portland. Disappointing result, but glimpses of the Pilots we're used to.

It was good to see the pilots back in form last night, though it can be tough to watch so many close calls.

Looks like the offsides call on the goal was blown.

http://www.portlandpilots.com/news/2011/9/10/WSOC_0910112507.aspx?path=wsoc

Yes, fun game but also frustrating - that highlight reel brings it all back because the UW goalie is stellar! It's her highlights too, I guess.
Any theories as to why GS/UP is so committed to the offense that brings the ball back across the middle of the box?
It looked several times last night like Brooke/Cappele/ etc could beat the wing defender on the dribble, but pulled back for the cross. They are obviously being coached to look for the center.
I understand it's a higher percentage shot/harder for the goalie to defend the movement, but the pass completion in the box seems to be as low percentage as a shot from the wing.
I'll provide my own counter argument: I know that's how they scored & I could watch that Brooke to Foxhoven cross/shot all day on repeat.
But why not more variety?

I believe the goal was disallowed, not for offside but for the tackle on the GK in the goal area. That's what I thought at the time and the video confirms it. I think it was a bad call but women's college soccer tends to be more protective of players. The keeper just barely pinned the ball and the Pilot (don't recall who) slid cleats first to put it in. I think it should have been allowed but I understand the ref making the call.
I thought UW was much weaker than last year, especially on defense. They had gaping holes that we weren't able to probe sufficiently in the first half but they did give up a lot of chances. Contrary to others opinions, I don't think the UW keeper played all that great. Most of the shots she saved were not well struck, a testament to the tentative nature of the shots and the lack of confidence in finishing. A good example was the first shot after the missed PK. Instead of driving it into the net, it was kind of side footed to try to guide it. The keeper dove (almost in slow motion) to steer it around the post but it actually wasn't that far away from her (I sit behind the goal and have a decent angle). The header that was missed at the end of the first half was plain unlucky. Feet got tangled just before the shot and couldn't get off the ground. The rocket cleared off the line late in the first OT was just dumb luck for UW, they didn't know anything about it and 6 inches in any direction and the Pilots win.
Soccer is like that. When things aren't going your way, the goal gets small. The best thing about the game was, as others have mentioned the improved play. Still a ways to go and I still think rebuilding is the key, but the play of Ellen in the middle and some of the play of Dani with her back to the goal is showing hope. When the goals come, I think they will start to come in bunches. Maybe a Beaver blowout will help regain the confidence and swagger that the Pilots need to see them into the coming brutal part of the schedule.

"We walk in the footsteps of legends."

The names at the bottom are obscured, but there's also Cherundolo, Steph Cox, Milbrett, and MacMillan.

Makes me proud to support the Pilots seeing the students make something like this.

Photo by @steeple3k, a true Timbers and Pilots supporter.

Thanks for the photo, PPT. Long live student creativity.

I saw the UW vs New Mexico game and was very surprised...it was like watching Friday's game.
New Mexico outplayed UW all over the field technically, but when they got near the goal (except once) UW had legs kicking right and left, causing the ball to go to midfield so that no second chance was available to NM. The Huskies seemed to be mostly defensive throughout the game and when they were on offense they just kicked hard and hoped for the best...which not only worked against Portland, but also against NM...as UW scored the equalizer with 1:30 left in regulation and the win with about 40 seconds left in the second OT...with wild kicking (no finesse) from every player.
I may not know as much about soccer as most of Pilot Nation, but I still stand by my previous post...their keeper is my choice for 1st team All American, but if there was a game with no keepers, Emerald City or FC Portland could keep up with UW, but if they keep this kind of luck and Jordan doesn't get hurt...they could win the Pac 12...it's enough to cause me to lose my dinner (which so far has just been MacTarnahans).