Conference Season Underway

Nice job by Piots to win their first conf game on the road, while picking up their 10th straight win and 9th shutout in 12 matches.

Six matches to go in regular season, 3 at home and 3 away. Goal: To win out. If we can do that, we should control our own destiny and give ourselves a great shot at making the College Cup Final Four.

Nice to see Garrett sitting the Amigas and not playing them until Sophie scored the third goal, putting the game pretty much out of reach. The team has to be formidable and confident without the three if they are to become true title contenders.

They have six more critical matches with which to form that identity and go into the playoffs on a rampage of sorts.

So far, so good!

I think we'll have a better sense of how this might play out after this weekend. It was a strong performance against Gonzaga, to have the game won by the starting XI. Always hard to tell based upon one game. If they can do the same thing in two games this coming weekend then that's a strong indication.

One other thought: I'd been thinking that the value of sitting the amigas was that it gave time to those who have to replace them, and it does. But it also gives responsibility to Megan R and Sophie to be the leaders on the team in their absence and to step up and carry the load. They did that yesterday. They reminded us that we have national stars on this team.

And Michelle O is increasingly looking like a team leader - not by any vocal actions but by a calm authority and they way she plays. She is the boss at the back.

And Kelsey is a general: anyone within a hundred yards of the field can hear her steady stream of commands, directions and encouragement to her colleagues.