If fans of Sky Blue FC were hoping for a spark to distract from the off-season craziness they didn’t get it on Saturday when the team dropped two second half goals to the Washington Spirit in a 2-0 loss. The game was eerily similar to many of their 2019 games where the midfield was erratic and chances at goal were few.
Not too much blame can be put on head coach Denise Reddy. Her team had difficulty signing draft picks in the and the constant state of flux around the team may be making it impossible to stay focused on soccer. However, the tactics could have been altered against a Washington team that had their own problems in 2018. Instead it was much the same as Sky Blue suffered from mental lapses at key moments of the game.
“There are so many things that are different,” said Washington Spirit captain Andi Sullivan when describing the week one winners. “So many new faces, coaching staff is different, everything is different. So on the field, it feels like a totally different team and it’s a fresh start.”
That quote may sting both fans and players on Sky Blue who see many of the same issues from 2018. Washington made significant stride to avoid their horrid campaign, yet Sky Blue seems to be on the trajectory towards another disappointing run.
It is just week one. However it is difficult to separate the issues of last year from what plagued the team on the field against the Spirit on Saturday. In fact, it could be stated that Sky Blue has adopted many of DC’s issues quite literally. Three out of the five players brought in this off-season where from the Spirit last year.
Going into this week’s game against Houston, Sky Blue’s home opener, the search for progress will be paramount. A result of some kind would be optimal but a sense of growth and optimism is what is sorely needed.
Tag: Andi Sullivan
Beyond the Tournament: 5 Takeaways From the SheBelieves Cup
The SheBelieves Cup comes at the perfect time of year, in my opinion. It is right before the start of the NWSL season, prepping the WoSo fan base for the next eight months. It also happens to kick off Women’s History Month. What better way to celebrate the history of women than by putting the best female athletes in the world out on a pitch to battle through the wind, rain, and cold during a seven-day span? Because women can handle shit like that, plain and simple. They worked hard out there, and in turn, we got to see some great (and not-so-great) moments of football. And we also got to learn some things in the process. Here are just five:
1. All Alyssa Naeher All The Time!
Jill Ellis knows who she wants in goal. That much is certain. While other countries, like England, gave their backup goalkeepers some playing time during the tournament, the USA refrained. The only keeper needed (or wanted by Ellis) was Alyssa Naeher. Although she played well and had a couple of great saves, it does beg the question of what would happen if she were to get injured. Who would replace her? Would they be ready? And how does that change the dynamic of the team? The USA has some great options in goal, but Ellis’s motto is simple: if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
2. England is on the Rise
The Lionesses are a good team, and they are only getting better. From their amazing first match against France, to their new dominating outlook on the game, England is definitely a team to watch out for. They are playing with purpose and intent—even after flying basic economy with a non-direct flight. Nothing seems to shake this team, which is a surprise considering what their past year has entailed. But it seems as though Phil Neville is fitting into his role just fine despite the initial criticism of his hiring and the team hasn’t seemed to let the noise around it faze them whatsoever. I’m sure they didn’t mind having Neville’s mate, David Beckham, stop by the locker room to wish them luck, either.
3. Fran Kirby is a Beast
I’ve been saying this for a while now, but for a lot of women’s soccer fans in America, this was a first time seeing the creativity and precision that is Fran Kirby. The English forward is a playmaker and is amazingly fun to watch. Her passing is pristine, her shooting is lethal, and her work ethic leaves the normal player in the dust. If you didn’t get a chance to catch any of her work during the tournament, do yourself a favor and watch it on replay—you can thank me later. Yes, Fran Kirby may just be the future of football, and a potential Best FIFA Women’s Player candidate.
4. France Has Some Kinks to Work Out
The France team that we saw at the beginning of the SheBelieves Cup was considerably different than the one we saw at the end of it. They got pummeled by England, pulled it together to manage a draw against the US, and then finally became the France the crowd is used to seeing when they defeated Germany 3-0 in their final match. Needless to say, they are having some consistency issues. And match that with a coach that said some rather harsh things about the team after their first match and, well… they have a few things that need to be worked on. But, as can be seen by their match against Germany, they are still a threat going into a World Cup on their home turf.
5. Young America is a Great Thing To See
America is in a transitional phase. Certain fan favorites from the last World Cup are getting older and playing fewer minutes. Other staple players have been out with injuries. And while the depth chart for the USA team seems to go on for miles, there have been points where youthfulness wasn’t its strength. But at the SheBelieves Cup, the young blood was on display. The likes of Mallory Pugh, Tierna Davidson, Andi Sullivan, and surprise sensation Savannah McCaskill, showed what the future of the USWNT could very well look like moving forward. And I must say—it’s not a bad look at all. Sure, the US side still definitely needs polishing, but with the young potential that was shown throughout the tournament, that polishing could produce something completely unseen down the line.
Bonus Takeaway:
German forward Alexandra Popp is a qualified zookeeper. Does that make her the coolest soccer player in the world? It just might…
Regardless of who we cheered for during the SheBelieves Cup, we all got some takeaways from it—some good, some bad. But we also got some great entertainment from some amazingly talented women out on the pitch. And I think we can all agree that we will be tuning in next year to see what the SheBelieves Cup holds for us.
Around the World of WoSo: Elite 8 Set; U-20’s Advance
# 1 Seeds Knocked Out:
Favorites to make the College Cup, Stanford and Florida have been knocked out by Santa Clara and Auburn this past weekend. The Cardinal put up a fight, taking the Bronco’s to overtime. It was short lived because in the 107th minute Jenna Holtz brought the ball down in the box, shook off her defender and aided with a slight deflection, scored the game winner for Santa Clara. It was absolute elation for the Bronco’s and incredible heartbreak for the Cardinal players. Santa Clara will take on #2 Georgetown Saturday at noon.
As for the other #1, I favored Florida but also having kept an eye on Auburn all year, I knew it would be tough. What I didn’t expect were the Tigers to win 3-1 and control most of the game. Auburn struck first, thanks to an outstanding volley by Brooke Ramsier in the 26th minute. In the last seven matches, Ramsier has been seemingly unstoppable, scoring five goals and adding five assist. Scoring two in the second half to seal the win, Auburn stuns Florida and advances to its first quarterfinal in program history. The Tigers will matchup against USC on Friday at 4 p.m.
Duke & WVU Return to Elite 8:
The only returning team from 2015 tournament to make it to the quarterfinals this year are the Blue Devils and Mountaineers. That’s right, no Penn State, Florida State, Texas A&M, Stanford, Virginia or Rutgers. What a turnaround for some of these teams, while Duke and WVU manage to stay on track.
Duke beat Illinois State in the second round 3-1 and escaped Northwestern 1-0 in the third round. Senior Toni Payne led the way, scoring two goals against Illinois State with a breakaway beauty first and a technical hit from just outside the 18 yard box for her second. Against Northwestern, it took a bit more patience but a 40th minute rebound by Ella Stevens gave the Blue Devils all they needed to secure a spot in the Elite 8. The goal was Steven’s 10th of the season, not a bad way to enter double-digits.
West Virginia took on Ohio State and was tested all game long, eventually needing double overtime to decide a winner. Junior Michaela Abam grabbed her 11th goal of the season with a lofted ball from distance that probably should’ve been saved. Nonetheless, they moved on and faced #14 UCLA, another game that needed more than 90 minutes.
The Mountaineers and the Bruins have young Canadian talent to show for, with Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence representing WVU and Jessie Fleming for UCLA. In the first half WVU grabbed the first goal but late in the second half Fleming brought her team back from the dead to stun the Mountaineers. Double overtime wasn’t enough so in penalty kicks, early on Fleming made hers for UCLA while Lawrence converted as well. The fifth and final shot was up to Buchanan, who slotted it home to take her team to Elite 8.
One question many had after was why UCLA coach Amanda Cromwell replaced starting freshman keeper Teagan Micah with junior Siri Ervik. Micah, who in my opinion has been the second best player for UCLA this season only behind Fleming and made several key saves throughout this game. So why take her out and out and put in a cold keeper? Its possible Cromwell had more confidence in Ervik to handle the pk’s, but still, after this loss, it’s reasonable to wonder why.
The Blue Devils and Mountaineers will face each other on Saturday for a chance at the College Cup at 3 p.m
Georgetown & South Carolina Cruise:
The Hoyas and Gamecocks were destined for the Elite 8. Boasting impressive records and each having dynamic duo’s leading the way, it’s possible they could make it to the College Cup.
Georgetown had the more challenging path, facing Rutgers and Virginia, but they beat each by a score of 2-0. The Hoyas are led by junior Rachel Corboz and senior Grace Damaska, who have been so steady all year. Corboz has poured on 11 goals and 16 assist (leading the nation) while Damaska contributed fourteen goals and five assist. The Hoyas recorded their 16th shutout on the season after a UVA own goal and Corboz free kick secured the win.
South Carolina is reliant on junior Savannah McCaskill and senior Chelsea Drennan. McCaskill leads the team in goals with 17 and adding 11 assist while Drennan has accumulated eight goals and 11 assists. The captain Drennan scored the only goal, a penalty in the 69th minute to give the Gamecocks the win over BYU. That goal also set a new single-season record for South Carolina by recording the 51st goal of 2016.
North Carolina Back Where They Belong:
The Tar Heels are back in the Elite 8 since the 2013 season. UNC beat Kansas 2-0 and edged Clemson 1-0 on Sunday. Considering the storied past of the this program and high expectations, which includes 21 Titles in 32 appearances, the Heels have been less than impressive en route to the College Cup this season. Although I wasn’t expecting them to get this far, they have clearly earned it.
Led by Sophomore Dorian Bailey, who scored in wins at Liberty and notched the game winner from distance against Clemson on Sunday. In just her fourth goal on the year, Bailey couldn’t pick a more perfect time to catch form. The #2 seed will face top seeded South Carolina on Friday at 6 p.m.
U-20 Finish Group C on Top:
The United States Women’s Youth team finished its final group game against Ghana in the U-20 Women’s World Cup. In a less than impressive 1-1 draw on Sunday night, the Americans needed some magic from the Captain Mallory Pugh to salvage a point. Two other players who also stood out with moments of quality were Ashley Sanchez, Emily Fox and Katie Cousins. For the next round the U.S. will need to clean up its passing in the final third and finish its chances. Other players will need to step up, including keeper Casey Murphy, who had a blunder in the first half to give Ghana the short-lived lead.
What many may not know is that to commit to the Youth WC, they must red shirt the 2016 college season. The U.S. is has a total of nine colleges represented but none more present than Penn State, who have five players on this Youth roster. Cousin’s is a Tennessee Volunteer and will be a sophomore in 2017. Sanchez has plans to attend UCLA while Fox will attend North Carolina, both in the fall of 2017.
Moving on the quarterfinals is a familiar feeling for this program, as it has advanced to this stage in each of the previous seven tournaments. The Americans have been crowned U-20 champions three times (2012, 2008, and 2002) but the Germans are the 2014 defending champions. Drawing with Ghana ensured not only moving on, but it made sure they wouldn’t face Germany. Its opponent will be Mexico and its set for Friday (Nov. 25th) on FS1 at 1 a.m. ET.
Injuries Galore For Americans:
Four were injured in last weekend’s W-League action and one injured in College play. Two were extremely devastating as keeper Kelsey Wys (Newcastle Jets, Washington Spirit) and midfielder Andi Sullivan (Stanford) each tore an ACL. Wys was playing in the W-League for the Jets and landed very awkwardly during a play while Sullivan had to leave the game against Santa Clara in OT during Stanford’s Tournament run. ACL’s recovery can range anywhere from six months to a year. Hopeful both have a healthy recovery.
Another W-League injury was to Perth Glory and Chicago Red Star midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo. She has a hamstring injury that has carried over from the NWSL season. A fellow Red Star who is also down under is Jen Hoy, who plays for the Jets and has an upper body injury but is listed as questionable. One last report is regarding Orlando Pride/Canberra United forward Jasmyne Spencer. She went down in United’s win over Brisbane Roar, but remains questionable for the next game.
Around the World of WoSo: ACC Title Shared, Manchester City’s Dream Season Ends, Stanford Still Rolling and Another USWNT Roster Announced
Clemson and Notre Dame Share ACC Title:
Clemson defeated Duke over the weekend to take a share of the ACC Title. Sophomore Sam Staab scored the lone goal in the fifth minute of play to finish out the regular season. This is the first conference title for the Tigers since 2000, and second in program history.
Notre Dame ended the regular season by beating Miami 2-0 with goals from senior duo Kaleigh Olmsted and Sandra Yu. The fighting Irish were dominating at home this season, only giving up one goal in 11 games.
Four Teams Remain in ACC Tournament:
The ACC tournament is underway, and it’s already onto the semifinals, with Notre Dame, North Carolina, Clemson and Florida State the remaining competitors. FSU beat Duke 3-2 on penalties while Clemson beat Miami 5-4 on penalties to advance. UNC shocked Virginia 3-0 and Notre Dame beat NC State on an 88th minute goal by junior Kaitlin Klawunder. The Semifinals are on Friday at in Charleston, S.C. as UNC and Notre Dame go at 5:30pm while FSU and Clemson are set for kickoff at 8pm.
Ribeiro leads UConn to AAC Title:
Senior Stephanie Ribeiro netted her 18th and 19th goals on the year as she led Connecticut to a 2-1 victory over East Carolina over the weekend. She also leads the nation in points (49), goals (19) and game winners with 11. This was Ribeiro’s fifth consecutive game with a goal and fifth multi-goal game of the season.
With the win, the #19 ranked Huskies finish the season at 16-2-1. With an impressive 10 wins at home, they have serious home field advantage. They earned their fourth consecutive AAC tournament berth and have the right to host.
Sullivan and Stanford Continue to Impress:
The second ranked Cardinals are on a six game win streak, with California being its latest victim. In those Stanford have tallied 13 goals and conceded three in the process. Junior Andi Sullivan has been a key reason for the Cardinal success, scoring nine goals and grabbing six assists in just 15 games. Sullivan has been showcasing her on penalty abilities, converting four out of four en route to beating Arizona, and Arizona State. Stanford now has 16 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw and currently are first in the PAC-12 standings with nine wins in conference play.
Manchester City’s Fairytale Season Comes to End:
The Ladies of Manchester City have had one memorable season, going unbeaten and earning two trophies along the way. They have the FAWSL leading scorer in Jane Ross, who has been outstanding and consistent all season long. She ends the year with 13 goals and helped the Blues clinch its first title in program history.
This remarkable season came to an end Sunday as City played to a 1-1 draw with Birmingham City LFC to officially be crowned champions. They end with an incredible 16 wins, three draws and no losses. Manchester had no problems sharing the ball, as nine different players getting on the score sheet this season.
USWNT Name Roster for November Friendlies:
Coach Jill Ellis has once again named a 24 player roster for November camp for two games against Romania. The first will be held in San Jose on the 10th, while the second will be in Carson on the 13th. Romania are currently ranked 36th in the world and this will be the first ever meeting between these countries.
Just like the two October games, Ellis has brought in a steady group of veterans and leaving a handful off the roster as well. Among those back after a deserving break include defensive vets Meghan Klingenberg and Ali Krieger. As for the midfield, Megan Rapinoe and Morgan Brian are called in and Alex Morgan has returned after time off. More familiar faces include goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, defenders Kelley O’Hara and Captain Becky Sauerbrunn. The midfield has the Portland Thorn trio of Tobin Heath, Allie Long and Lindsey Horan.
Orlando Pride midfielder Kristen Edmonds gets her first call-up and Western New York Flash defender Jaelene Hinkle is back after a lengthy absence. Portland Thorn goalkeeper as also been called in, replacing Stanford star Jane Campbell. Speaking of Stanford, Andi Sullivan has earned her second call up, making her the only collegiate player on the roster. Chicago Red Star Casey Short has also been called up to camp.
It will be interesting to see if Ellis continues to experiment with a 3-5-2 or if she will put Long (who is used as a midfielder for Portland) at center back once again. Plenty of options for the personnel Ellis have brought in who have shown they can play diverse. Dunn, O’Hara and Christen Press all have the ability to be moved around.
Players will report to camp in the next week and these will be the final two matches in the calendar year for the USWNT.
Ellis Names NWSL Heavy Roster for Switzerland Friendlies
Jill Ellis, head coach of the USWNT, has named her 24-person roster ahead of friendlies against Switzerland (October 19th at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, and October 23rd at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota).
And out of the 24 women called up, 11 players have yet to earn a cap with the senior team: Jane Campbell, Danielle Colaprico, Lynn Williams, Kealia Ohai, Shea Groom, Andi Sullivan, Ashley Hatch, Casey Short, Arin Gilliland, Merritt Mathias and Abby Dahlkemper.
18 players will dress for matches, meaning that several of those eleven players will earn their first caps with these matches.
Notably absent are Meghan Klingenberg (D), Ali Krieger (D), Julie Johnston (D), Megan Rapinoe (M), and Alex Morgan (F).
A full roster can be seen below.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jane Campbell (Stanford), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)
DEFENDERS (7): Abby Dahlkemper (Western New York Flash), Arin Gilliland (Chicago Red Stars), Merritt Mathias (Seattle Reign), Kelley O’Hara (Sky Blue FC), Becky Sauerbrunn (FC Kansas City), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Morgan Brian (Houston Dash), Danielle Colaprico (Chicago Red Stars), Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC), Carli Lloyd (Houston Dash), Allie Long (Portland Thorns FC), Samantha Mewis (Western New York Flash), Andi Sullivan (Stanford)
FORWARDS (6): Crystal Dunn (Washington Spirit), Shea Groom (FC Kansas City), Ashley Hatch (BYU), Kealia Ohai (Houston Dash), Christen Press (Chicago Red Stars), Lynn Williams (Western New York Flash)
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