Schmidt

Does anybody know if Schmidt is gonna be able to make the trip down to ucla?

im sure that sophie is available for the l.a. matches. my only curiosity is with keelin playing sooooooo well, who do you take out of the lineup. it seemed like every set piece in the box today, keelin what the target. she is exceptional in the air, but more then that, she doesnt seem to panic an wins & pocesses a clear majority of 50/50 balls.
i propose moving keelin to the center defensive back with emily an moving kelly to outside back. i just dont see how you can take keelin out of the starting lineup with the way she's been playing. i admit, i might have a soft spot for defensive players an when i think back on my favorite former pilots, a moajority of them have been on the defensive side of the ball

Sophie was at the game, I'm sure she sat because of jet lag.

She'll be ready next week.

I agree Sophie will play this week-end, after her jet lag recedes and she has a few days practicing with the team. Although she was with the team practicing last spring, I don't believe she has played with the freshman yet.

fuzzywozie - great point. I don't think I would take Keelin out of the line-up either. Your center-back proposal for her is quite doable, I believe, as she is very versatile (as is Sara Jackman, by the way). Putting in Kelli Cronkrite for Jessica Tsao at left back right now makes the most sense to me.

Although Jessica is very talented with a great future, probably in the midfield as a playmaker a la Erin Masaki, I was slightly concerned with some of her judgement and passing today, at least in the first half. I sense UCLA on Friday may try to take advantage of her inexperience in the back. Remember, Jessica was a highly skilled offensive player in high school. She is learning a new position as well as playing for an elite Division I team. The Scifo, Emily, Keelin and Cronkrite back line is much more comforting to me at this time. (I still belive in Jessica. By the playoffs, if we were to meet UCLA again, I might want Jessica in there. Who knows)?

By the way, Sophie can play in the back also, should Garrett want to stay with Keelin at holding mid.

I think that however Sophie S is brought into the team has also to reflect the fact that Steph L should be coming back from WC stardom. If you play Sophie in the back four and move Kelli C to the left defense, you'd have to move her again when Steph comes back, which might be too much chopping and changing.

Any possibiity that Keelin W could move to forward now that we Rapinoe-less?

thank you FANactic,
i appreciate your validatition of my observations. i believe that jackman, while improving, is still timid in the midfield. but, i thought that about besty barr her freshamn year. happily i was proven wrong. i didnt see jessica tsao make many if any critical errors while playg the outside back position.
any one bsides me notice that when angie is in the game she doesnt pass much to ellii reed which i cant say i completely blame her. but when angie, at least this game ran the offense for the most part it ran through the right side of the field as opposed to the left where elli lplays. they are very simuilar players. anyone besides me think there might be some jealously there?

martin jol,
great point about steph l coming back. i dont envy garett at this point. i would really hate to see keelin come out of the line up at this point simply because i believe she is playing so magnifiicently. one game garrett did play keelin up top, so that might be a viable option, especially with the injuries we have occured there. i know i probably sound like a broken record, but outside of chriistine sinclair, i have not seen a u of p player that is better in the air!

any one bsides me notice that when angie is in the game she doesnt pass much to ellii reed which i cant say i completely blame her. but when angie, at least this game ran the offense for the most part it ran through the right side of the field as opposed to the left where Ellie plays. they are very simuilar players. anyone besides me think there might be some jealously there?

I think you may be off base, on several counts. If you haven't seen all the games this year, I might see how you could reach that conclusion, but today wasn't a usual game.
I'm trying to fathom how you can find fault with the play making on a 7-0 game.

1) Ellie plays on the right, at least after game 1 , and Angie passes there quite a bit. For most of today's game, things were a bit different. lots of folks were playing in different positions as the game wore on, and subs were getting experience

2) Look at the box score- first goal Reed, assist Woznuk.
Angie also assisted on Ellie's goal in the Washington game (A beautiful lead pass that left her 1v1 with the keeper). Half of Ellie's goals have come through Angie. A third was unassisted (rebound), The other came from Scifo.

3) Angie is a selfless distributor. She passes to the opportunities. As evidence I cite that today was her first goal this year, and she has lead the team in assists both years she's run the middle. I don't think there is a better distributor on the UP team than Angie, and there hasn't been one as good in a long time.

4) there are lots of targets on this team, not just Ellie. As evidence I cite the even distribution of goals. OK, maybe Budge has a couple more than the rest, but she's earned them. The team runs well when all the targets are being used. Look at Angie's assists for this year. they are pretty evenly divided.


There are three players in recent times that I maintain it is(was) never a mistake to trust with the ball, Huey, Lopez, and Woz. I can think of one or two more, but I'll stop or the list will get too long.

I suppose everyone has a favorite, those are mine.

Looking for fault after a 7-0 romp is a bit harsh, I think.

It seems likely to me that Sophie and Keelin will split time in the mid-field next weekend in LA. After that who knows. It wouldn't be surprising to see Sophie start and Keelin be the first one off the bench if a sub is need in the midfield.

We have all been impressed by Keelin's play recently, but if you watched Canada's games in the World Cup you know that Sophie is an exceptional player. To start on your National team is no mean feat. She brings a physicality and international experience that will serve the Pilots well.

Keelin probably never expected to be a starter in her first season with the experience the Pilots have at mid-field. This early season experience has been good for her. It will serve her and the Pilots well as this season progresses and in future seasons.

Of course this is all speculation and the coaches are going to do what they are paid to do - make the decisions!