Tag: NCAA

Around The World of WoSo: College Cup Set and U20’s Fall

Posted on by RJ Allen

Melbourne Derby One Sided:

The Australian W-League saw a thrilling Derby between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory on Saturday. Plenty of NWSL talent on display: Jess Fishlock (Seattle), Steph Catley (Orlando), Lydia Williams (Houston), Natasha Dowie (Boston), Christine Nairn (Seattle), Sam Johnson (Chicago), Erika Tymrak (Kansas City), Laura Alleway (Orlando), and Biannca Henninger (Houston).

It was a battle of Houston Dash keepers. In the first half, City had real chances, but Henninger did a solid job between the posts for Victory. Williams kept City in it as well, with a few early saves. The second half was a completely different story, as a certain Welsh midfielder was all over the place, scoring the opener in the 64th minute and finishing the scoring in the 76th minute. In between her goals was Captain Catley, scoring on replacement keeper Bethany Mason-Jones minutes after Henninger left the field with an injury.

City extends their winning streak to three games and sit atop the table with 9 points. Victory remains in ninth through four games, losing their third game. They are still searching for a win.

 

Battle of the Carolinas for College Cup Spot:

North Carolina topped South Carolina over the weekend in the NCAA Quarterfinals match-up. I had the Gamecocks favored (hello, Savannah McCaskill) but the outstanding goalkeeping of UNC’s Lindsey Harris shut them down in every way. The Tar Heels grabbed the only goal in the 22nd minute, thanks to a beautiful chip from Madison Schultz—her fifth goal on the year.

South Carolina had a series of chances within the first ten minutes with nothing to show for it. Kaleigh Kurtz also had a shot hit the crossbar just before halftime. The best chance of the night for the Gamecocks came from the penalty spot. Sophie Groff took it, but Harris made an acrobatic save to keep her team in front. Harris made several impressive saves, showing her strength in the air and her ability to hold on to the ball on an aggressive goal-line challenge from McCaskill. Harris’s eight saves on the night brought her season to total to 91, a new single-season school record after passing Molly Current, who played in 1980.

North Carolina advances to its 27th semifinals, the most of any D1 program. They will play in San Jose against West Virginia.

 

Georgetown Edges Santa Clara:

The Hoyas certainly have performed well. This past weekend they showed why they deserve to be in the College Cup. Usually Rachel Corboz and Grace Damaska are the names covering the score sheet, but Crystal Thomas’s phenomenal strike was all the Hoyas needed to advance. The graduate forward took a chance with 16 minutes left in the contest. Out of nowhere, she let a shot rip from the left side of the penalty area. The distance (22 yards) and tough angle surprised Bronco keeper, Melissa Lowder, who had absolutely no chance to save it. It was a powerful shot—one that is surely the most important of Thomas’s career.

With that wonder strike, Thomas and the Hoyas are headed to the College Cup for the first time in program history. They also recorded their 17 shutout of the season. They move on to continue this incredible season to face USC Friday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

West Virginia Handles Duke:

I wanted the Blue Devils to take this one, but it was a long shot considering how many injures this team had throughout the season. The #1 seeded West Virginia was healthier and overall had a more talented squad. The Mountaineers proved to be too much and found the winning goal from junior Alli Magaletta (transferred from Missouri) in the 16th minute. The midfielder got on the end of a corner to put away the only goal of the game.

Duke had plenty of chances but the freshman in goal for WVU had other plans, Rylee Foster made five saves to keep her team ahead. The second half was all senior Blue Devil Toni Payne, who created most of the opportunities and had a shot stopped right on the goal line. The back line leader Kadeisha Buchanan made sure her group was organized and ready for any attack made by Duke.

West Virginia now set school records reaching 22 wins and 17 shutouts on the season. They continue their historical run Friday as they face UNC on ESPNU at 4 p.m. CT.

USC Slips Past Auburn:

With the year the Auburn Tigers were having, I had them advancing into the College Cup. Wow, was I proved wrong. In another one-goal contest, the Trojans crushed the dreams of Tiger players and fans. The lone goal came just four minutes in, from a header by Alex Anthony (assisted by Julia Bingham). Although I knew USC had a strong defense, I didn’t expect them to get off to that quick of a start on the offensive end.

Auburn boasted an impressive lineup, spearheaded by Brooke and Casie Ramsier and Kristen Dodson. The dangerous trio had a combined 33 goals and 31 assists. Someone would have to slow them down eventually, right? That someone would be Trojan keeper, Sammy Jo Prudhomme, who made six saves to preserve her team’s 15th shutout of the year. Prudhomme has been outstanding all season long, coming up big while recording 18 wins and being the leader of the defense.

USC will play Georgetown in San Jose at Avaya Stadium.

U-20 Fall In Semifinals of WWC:

The United States Under-20 Women’s team may have made it to the semifinals, but in no way have they been one of the better teams in this U-20 Women’s World Cup. They needed a miracle to get past Mexico last week, but against a very technical North Korea squad, one miracle wasn’t enough, and the U.S. was rightfully defeated. The Americans have a talented squad but are just not polished enough on both ends of the ball. The defense was unorganized, giving up 25 shots, while the offense could not finish the several opportunities in front of goal, only producing seven shots.

North Korea unsurprisingly struck first (they have the most goals in this tournament) with a chance from the penalty spot. A handball was called on USWNT defender Katie Cousins as she was challenging for the ball in the 51st minute. Jon So Yon stepped up and easily converted while the U.S. fans were still in disbelief that the call was made. After watching it several times, I would have to say it was a questionable call.

The United States continued to be under pressure, scrambling on defense and, at times, falling over each other due to limited communication. The second half was difficult to watch, as the U.S. attack stalled. The defense was barely hanging on. North Korea showed confidence on the ball and looked fit throughout. The Americans, on the other hand, were noticeably slowing down as the game wore on.

In the 89th minute, an awkward and desperate volley from Natalie Jacobs gave the Americans life, albeit, a life I’m not so sure they deserved, considering their sub-par performance. That goal sent it into overtime. Less than a minute in, North Korea scored again. This time resulting from the run of play, as Sung Hyang Sim slipped a pass to a charging Ri Hyang Sim, who slotted it far post, past keeper Casey Murphy for the game winner.

North Korea advances to their third U-20 final while the United States crash out. The coaching concerns voiced by many are now louder than ever (and especially relevant with the recent change in MNT head coach). The system needs a serious overhaul if they want to be one of best teams at this level again. On Saturday, North Korea will face France in the final. The U.S. will take on Japan in the third-place match.

Around the World of WoSo: Elite 8 Set; U-20’s Advance

Posted on by RJ Allen

# 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: NCAA Update and USWNT Close Out 2016

Posted on by RJ Allen

SIUE Stuns Notre Dame:

The Fighting Irish were the number two seed and clear favorites to win but the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougars played out of their minds. More specifically, sophomore goalkeeper Juli Ross was the hero on the pitch that night. Ross shut down Notre Dame’s chances, including 21 shots at goal, all night, making memorable saves in each half and then in both overtimes to take it to penalties. And the goalkeeper’s  5’7″ frame helped her save two pks taken by Notre Dame’s Katie Uhler and Cindy Pineda.

 The winning pk came from SIUE’s Mariah Vollmer, who hadn’t played a single minute of the game but had no problem stepping up in a critical situation when her team needed it. This victory is was only the second time a team from the Ohio Valley Conference has gotten past the first round, and marks SIUE’s first tournament win in program history. The Cougars will face Northwestern University on Friday.

Michigan Falls to Illinois State:

Another massive upset that ended with penalties after the extra time periods did not yield a winner came with Michigan’s loss to Illinois State. Michigan had the momentum after Nicky Waldeck scored an equalizer in the 75′ to force the game into overtime. Then, the score tied at two a piece, Michigan managed to get the ball in the net twice, only to have each goal called back due to fouls. Illinois State’s best chance to take the lead and the game came in the 106th minute off a powerful header by Paige Jarsombeck’s that was saved by Michigan’s Sarah Jackson.

Though both teams netted four pks each, Michigan missed its fifth shot to to give the Redbirds the win. This was the third tournament win in school history for Illinois State, who are on a 15 game winning streak, the longest in school history. The Redbirds will face Duke on Friday in the second round.

NC State Upsets Minnesota:

In its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 20 years, NC State made a memorable return to the big stage this past weekend. Not only did they win, but they beat the Big Ten Conference champions Minnesota. The Wolfpack started strong, firing 10 shots toward goal in the first half while the the Gophers only managed to put up two. The second half saw NC State create several serious chances through set pieces but ended up at the end of regulation with nothing to show for it.

Throughout the two overtimes both teams had a few shots, but neither managed to break through and score. But, what’s another game without nail-biting penalties? Wolfpack goalkeeper Sydney Wootten made two important saves to help her team advance. What’s more impressive about this win is that NC State was without All-ACC freshman forward Kia Rankin, who ranks second on the team in goals, with five heading into this tournament. Reports are she could be available for the second round. NC State will face Pepperdine on Friday. 

A Handful of Conference Champions Still Remain:

Out of the 31 conference champions that were crowned last week, only nine remain in the hunt for the title. Some are expected to advance, such as powerhouses FSU, Stanford, Florida, and West Virginia. They beat their respective opponents by a combined score of 14-0 en route to the second round.

 A few teams were stunned and sent home packing, however, such as Big Ten champions Minnesota, and Ivy League representative, Harvard. Of course serious title contenders like Georgetown (Big East) and UConn (American Athletic) are on to the next round as well.

Second Round Match-ups/Predictions:

Friday should prove to be quite a day for fans of the women’s game, as a handful of exciting match-ups are set to take place. The first is #3 Virginia taking on defending champions Penn State at 11a.m. The Cavaliers’ leading scorer is senior Alexis Shaffer who has tallied 13 goals and six assists on the year. As for Penn State, they are led by junior Frannie Crouse, who has 12 goals and recorded three assists. it should be noted that the Nittany Lions will be with out several players due to the U-20 Womens World Cup; Kaleigh Riehl, Ellie Jean, Maddie Elliston, Emily Ogle and Rose Chandler. With these pieces missing, i dont see how Penn State can get past the second round. That being said, I have Virginia winning this one, not without Penn State giving them a serious threat. 

The second game of the day will be at 3 p.m. when Auburn faces #13 UConn. Auburn has really impressed me this season, led by senior Casie Ramsier with 12 goals and four assists. UConn is no slouch either when it comes to big time players. The Huskies’ leading scorer is a name many fans should recognize from leading the nation in points and in a three-way tie for most goals; red-shirt senior Stephanie Ribeiro, who has accumulated a staggering 21 goals and 13 assists this season. This will be a game for those who love high powered offenses, and I have Auburn just edging out UConn in a close one that could see overtime as well as pks to decide the winner.

The 7 p.m. game will feature Wisconsin against #1 seed Florida. The Badgers will rely on senior Rose Lavelle, a National Team pool member who leads her college team with six goals and four assists. As for Florida, they have one of the fastest forwards in the tournament: Savannah Jordan. The senior has played consistently all year, totaling 16 goals and offering nine assists. Although Wisconsin has a strong group, I have Florida taking this one easily in regulation.

USWNT Finish 2016 with a Pair of Wins:

The United States Women completed the year by defeating Romania in two friendlies over the weekend–the first time the teams have competed–with a combined score of 13-1. Both matches had solid crowds (16k+ & 20k+) and given the high volume of US goals, fans had plenty of reasons to cheer.

 While it wasn’t quite the challenge some were expecting, it gave Coach Jill Ellis the chance to bring in youth once again and experiment with her formations. Ellis hasn’t been afraid to change things up after the disappointing Rio finish, and continues to do just that.  In these matches, she had the US women play in a three-back system, interchanging Becky Sauerbrunn, Julie Johnston, Allie Long, Kelley O’Hara, Ali Krieger, and Casey Short.

While there are many things I might agree or disagree with Ellis about, in my opinion, wasting time on a three-back system is one of the more questionable things she has done with our current personnel. Over the past year our offense seems to have improved, but often at the cost of our defensive play. In a nutshell, it was a difficult year for the USWNT and I hope that 2017 and the start of a new cycle can get us back to being the true #1 team in the world.

Around the World of WoSo: Stanford Roll, Florida outlasts Arkansas for SEC Title, TCU Collapse, and 64 Teams Set to Dance

Posted on by RJ Allen

Stanford Keeps PAC-12 Title:

 Stanford was my favorite to win this one, but the #21 ranked California Bears put a decent effort in. Within the first 15 minutes, each team had already scored, making for an exciting and unpredictable match-up. In the middle of it all was Andi Sullivan, a player you should be familiar with by now. She leads this team in goals with 11 and is second in assists with 7. Sullivan has proven that she is one of the best players in the nation, even as a junior. She grabbed her goal in the 56th minute by way of a brilliant one-on-one effort to beat Bear keeper Emily Boyd.

    The Sullivan goal seemed to spark the rest of the offense, as sophomore Kyra Carusa and freshman Beattie Goad also contributed goals in the second half to cruise to a 4-1 victory. This was the second consecutive PAC-12 title and 11th in program history for the Cardinals.

FSU outlasts UNC in ACC Showdown:

    Going into this game, I had many expectations, one being that Florida State would win. But I also knew North Carolina would put up a fight. First half was possession-heavy for the Tar Heels, while the Seminoles had troubles connecting the final pass.

    One thing I didn’t expect was for redshirt senior, Kirsten Crowley, to struggle as much as she did in the first half. She gave away bad turnovers, there was a lack of communication between Crowley and the defense, and her passing was horrific. Not sure if it was nerves, fatigue, or just having a rough start, but she did settle in a little more in the second half. A few mistakes by Crowley led to several set piece opportunities for UNC, but they ended up with nothing to show for it.

    One player who is arguably FSU’s best offensive threat is Deyna Castellanos, the explosive freshman from Venezuela. She had her best scoring chance early in the second half, but was stopped by Lindsey Harris, who stood tall for FSU all game. UNC’s best player for me was Maya Worth, who pressured the backline of FSU all game and nearly had a few goals herself. Worth was impressive and very solid in her effort.

    In penalty kicks, the Seminoles converted four while UNC only made three, missing the last one to keep the ACC title in Tallahassee. This is FSU’s fourth consecutive conference title—fifth in sixth seasons.

Georgetown Handles Marquette for Big East crown:

    Two of the best players in the nation happen to be on the same team. Yes, I’m talking about junior Rachel Corboz and senior Grace Damaska. The dynamic pair each scored to lead Georgetown to a 2-0 win and secure its first ever Big East conference title in program history.

    Damaska opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, going unassisted on a loose ball in the box and putting home her team-leading 13th goal of the year. The Hoyas unsurprisingly controlled possession, and they found their second goal early in the second half thanks to Corboz pouncing on a rebound and blasting it home for her 10th goal on the season.

    This win was Georgetown’s 13th shutout of the year, which ties the school record. Another impressive stat was that Marquette only managed one shot on goal, a real testament to the strong defense the Hoyas have put together. This is Georgetown’s seventh bid to the NCAA Tournament in program history.

TCU Collapse Gives West Virginia Big 12 Championship:

    The Horned Frogs got off to a fast start, pressuring and grabbing loose balls, until Michelle Prokof capitalized on a turnover and scored in the 5th minute. That goal was her sixth of the year, putting her at second all-time on the TCU scoring list, with 27 goals to her name. The Horned Frogs struck again just before half. Super sub Allison Ganter earned her ninth goal of the year. What’s notable about that is that Ganter has scored all of her goals when coming off the bench.

    The second half, West Virginia looked more like themselves, pressuring and creating serious scoring threats. Still, the defense of TCU was hanging on. With less than two minutes to go, TCU lost focus, and West Virginia senior defender-turned-forward Kadeisha Buchanan buried a loose ball in the six yard box (from a beautiful dummy by her teammate) to tie the game and give her team life. TCU had the title in their hands, and then it was gone.

    Heading into overtime, the Mountaineers definitely had the momentum—rightfully so. Just seven minutes into OT, senior Ashley Lawrence got ahold of a low cross on the back post for the game winner. It was a remarkable comeback—one that will surely haunt TCU for a while. This was WVU’s third Big 12 championship in four years.

Florida & Arkansas Entertain For SEC Bragging Rights:

This match-up was my favorite of the day, mostly because I enjoy seeing Arkansas continue to prove people wrong. Another reason is that Florida has one of the best forwards in college in senior Savannah Jordan, and she’s got some serious wheels. Jordan and Razorback defender, Qyara Winston, tangled in a few tackles early on, and that seemed to set the tone for the rest of the night. This game brought serious energy, tough challenges, and chippy plays—all the makings for a highly entertaining game.

    Jordan grabbed the opening goal for Florida in the 19th minute by backing down her defender in the six yard box and turning on a dime to score her 15th goal of the year. It also moves her into second place all-time in scoring for the Gators with 80 goals, only 16 behind USWNT and Florida legend Abby Wambach.

    Arkansas continued to hang and pressure the Gators’ backline, and finally capitalized on a mistake. Florida gave a weak and dangerous back pass to keeper Kaylan Marckese, who then had a deflected clearance that fell to Razorback, Sparky Fischer. Marckese took her time getting into position, and Fischer took advantage of that to send a laser into the upper left corner for the equalizer. It was a beautiful goal to keep hope alive for Arkansas.

    This game, like so many others, went into overtime. But both teams were energized and had chances to end it. Both defenses stepped up big time to neutralized those chances. That is, until the final minute, when Gator, Brooke Sharp, headed home a lofty back-post cross by Dougherty Howard. It was a great team goal. This was quite a match, as Arkansas was very tough and gave it all without a doubt. Florida earned their 12th SEC title and first since the 2012 season.

NCAA DI Tournament Selection:

On Monday, the fate of 64 teams looking to get into the NCAA DI tournament was official. The 31 conference winners received automatic bids, along with Stanford (PAC-12), Harvard (IVY), and Pepperdine (West Coast), who each won the regular season in their respective conferences.

    Plenty of the usual powerhouses are included: North Carolina, Virginia, Florida State, Notre Dame, Duke, West Virginia, and UCLA. Teams who are back after a long absence are NC State (1996), Bucknell (2005), UNLV (2006), SMU (2006), and Charlotte (2008). Every year, new teams emerge onto the national stage. This year, four are making their debuts: Alabama State, Kent State, Eastern Washington, and Northern Kentucky.

    Two teams that I had on the bubble were Texas A&M (11-8-1) and Texas Tech 9-8-2). They both managed to make the tournament, even with less than impressive records and wins. The Aggies’ biggest win was 2-1 against Auburn. Other than that, they didn’t stack up against top-20 opponents all year. They struggled in conference play, finishing with five wins, five losses, and a draw. Certainly a team I wouldn’t have picked, but it’s a new season, and anything could happen. As for Texas Tech, they finished conference at an abysmal two wins and six losses. The biggest win on the year for them was at Oklahoma, a narrow 1-0 victory.

    The first round will take place November 11, 12 and 13.

Around the World of WoSo: ACC Title Shared, Manchester City’s Dream Season Ends, Stanford Still Rolling and Another USWNT Roster Announced

Posted on by RJ Allen

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.

Around the World of WoSo: South Carolina Survive, Wilkinson Continues to Shine and NWSL Pair End Year With Injury

Posted on by RJ Allen

Top 5 showdown between Duke and Virginia:

These ACC powerhouses are ranked #4 and #5 respectively, and the Blue Devils backed that up with a big win over the Cavaliers on Saturday. It was a perfect senior night at Koskinen Field, as all six Duke seniors started the game and one scored the game winner. Christina Gibbons was called upon to take a penalty kick in the 63rd minute, and she buried it to grab her fourth goal on the season.

With this important victory, Duke snaps a 10-game regular season losing streak to Virginia. The Blue Devils are 11-2-2 on the season and are still unbeaten in ACC play this year. It doesn’t get any easier for Duke as they travel to Tallahassee to face another tough ACC opponent in FSU on Thursday. As for the Cavaliers, they fall to 10-3-2 and look to rebound Thursday night against NC State.

Arkansas Falls to Auburn in SEC clash:

The 3-2 score line doesn’t really do Auburn justice.  The Tigers controlled this match from the first whistle and never looked back. With three second half goals from Brooke Ramsier, Kristen Dodson and Casie Ramsier, Auburn pushed past #12 Arkansas for a sixth consecutive conference win. For Brooke Ramsier, it was her third goal of the season. Ramsier has come alive as in the last two weeks, tallying two goals and three assists to continue to the Tigers six-game win streak.

Auburn improves to 11-4-0 and has a tough road game ahead in Baton Rouge as they face off with LSU on Thursday. Arkansas only had one loss in the last nine games before losing to South Carolina and now Auburn in the same week. The Razorbacks still have an impressive record at 13-3-0 and look to get back to winning ways. They won’t have to wait too long as they host Missouri (who are on a two-game winning streak) on Thursday.

Tennessee’s Wilkinson shining bright:

Many know this 24-year-old from her rapid success on the New Zealand National team (two Women’s World Cups, two Olympics), but she has had a remarkable career at the University of Tennessee here in the states. The Whangarei native is a great comeback story after getting injured in preseason last year, her senior year. She graduated but was able to return to finish her playing career as a grad student.  

In 63 appearances for the Vols, Wilkinson has 31 goals and 17 assists. She is tied fourth in program history with 10 game-winning goals to her name. This season she has led Tennessee to a 9-6-1 record, while also leading the team with nine goals and adding nine assists.  For me, this is one of the best stories of the year in women’s college soccer. Wilkinson has scored in three consecutive games helping her team to two wins and a draw in that span. The Vols return to action Thursday versus Mississippi State.

Nadim and Dydasco injured as NWSL season ends:

    Portland Thorns forward Nadia Nadim suffered a Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) tear in the semifinal loss to Western New York two weeks ago. The Danish international has played in the NWSL all four years and this season led the Thorns with nine goals. She announced she had surgery last Tuesday to repair. An LCL tear is a result of a crucial blow to the inside of the knee and overstretching the ligament, according to USCF Health. Recovery time takes anywhere between six weeks to three months.

Washington Spirit defender Caprice Dydasco went down in the 17th minute after a challenge from Makenzy Doniak in the NWSL championship game against WNY. Two days later it was confirmed to be a torn left Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Meniscus for the 23-year-old. These can be caused by many things: twisting of the knee in a swift movement, stopping suddenly or some kind of collision.  Unfortunately this is a common injury among female soccer players. With surgery, Dydasco is expected to be out six to nine months, but each case has a different timeline according to degree of tear and athlete.

I hope both of these players have a healthy recovery and get the rest they need. I’m looking forward to seeing them back on the field next year for their respective clubs.

NWSL players take their talents to Australia:

Entering its ninth year of existence, the Westfield W-League has begun its preseason that consists of practices and a few scrimmages. It’s a popular destination for many players who are in the NWSL and looking for a home in the off-season. Signed to a contract that will last only a few months, it’s time well spent keeping in game shape and sharpening skills.  Of course, many of the Australian internationals return to their homeland at this time every year. Most notable are Boston Breaker Kyah Simon, the Houston Dash’s Lydia Williams, Sky Blue FC’s Sam Kerr, Orlando Pride’s Steph Catley and recently crowned champion with WNY, Alanna Kennedy.

Many Americans have made announcements and are on their way to Australia to start right away. Of the first signed was Katie Stengel (WAS), Alex Arlitt (FCKC) and Seattle duo Kendall Fletcher and Paige Nielsen. Following them was Stephanie Ochs (HOU), Hayley Raso (POR) and Chicago duo Alyssa Mautz and Vanessa DiBernardo.

The W-League season will begin play November 5th.

Gamecocks survive tough test from Gators:

It took 102 minutes to decide a winner between these SEC opponents. With South Carolina dominating every team they face, (boasting a 14-0-1 record) they have more than earned the #2 rank. But on Sunday, the #17 Gators gave them a serious challenge. Florida is no slouch either, showcasing a 10-3 record and had a four-game win streak heading into this matchup.

The Gators have one of the top forwards in the country this season in Savannah Jordan who has 12 goals and seven assists to lead her team. South Carolina’s leading scorer Savannah McCaskill almost matches Jordan’s stats, contributing 11 goals and seven assists. But neither managed to get on the score sheet in this one. Two minutes in to the second overtime, fellow Gamecock Simone Wark got taken down in the box and Senior Chelsea Drennan stepped up and buried it top shelf.

With the win, they are off to the best start in program history. Plenty of former players in attendance, including 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist and recent NWSL champion/MVP Sabrina D’Angelo. South Carolina is back in action Thursday at Vanderbilt, while Florida looks to rebound on Thursday at Alabama.

Around the World Of WoSo: NWSL Semis Go Bananas

Posted on by RJ Allen

Washington Advance to NWSL Championship:

The first ladies of professional soccer have finally advanced to the National Women’s Soccer League Championship after beating the Chicago Red Stars over the weekend.

In a cold and rainy game, this was such a great matchup to have on TV for all kinds of fans to see. Casual, extra passionate, and new fans to the league all had the opportunity to tune into FS1 to watch the 2016 NWSL Playoffs get underway.

The crowd on hand was very impressive as well—officially 4,249 fans filled the Plex to see this one. Washington drew first blood late in the first half, courtesy of veteran defender and captain Ali Krieger. The right back used her head to find the back of the net in the play following a Spirit corner kick. And it shouldn’t be forgotten that the service was absolutely PERFECT from fellow defender Shelina Zadorsky. The Spirit controlled the tempo in the first half, having several scoring chances, but the post was busy all night-stopping both teams on more than one occasion. The biggest chance perhaps came from Crystal Dunn minutes into the second half, but her shot was of course denied by the post. Chicago finally found their breakthrough in the 81st minute when Christen Press grabbed the equalizer on a beautiful volley from Casey Short. It seemed to energize them for a short amount of time, actually pressing Washington quite a bit until the end of the game.

Heading into overtime, the Spirit had the momentum despite giving up a late goal in regular time. In the 111th minute, that momentum and hard work paid off as Christine Nairn worked her magic in the midfield to find Francisca Ordega for the game winner. I must say, Nairn played a very solid game, as did Krieger.

They finally advance to the championship game, and it is well deserved after that performance.

WNY Stun Portland in a Seven-Goal Thriller at Providence:

In arguably the toughest place to play in the NWSL, Providence Park is home to the Portland Thorns and 20,000+ fans as backup on any given night. But Western New York didn’t care about the atmosphere, the opponent, or expectations.

They not only went to Portland and won, but they did it in incredible fashion, scoring four goals on a defense that allowed only seven goals at home all year. And The Flash only won on the road three times this season—not exactly a great road team…until now.

The scoring stared early and came often. WNY was led by the 2016 Golden Boot winner, Lynn Williams, who scored twice in the first overtime period (including the game winner) and seemed to be everywhere on the field at once. Samantha Mewis gave WNY the early lead in the 16th minute, and just before half, in the 38th minute, Makenzy Doniak doubled the lead. Although this was certainly unfamiliar territory for Portland this season, those who have followed the team will note that this was the third time in three NWSL semifinal appearances that the Thorns found themselves facing a 0-2 scoreline. But Portland refused to see their season end quietly, and one minute later Christine Sinclair pulled one back off a furious volley to breathe life into the Rose City. In the 78th minute, after a scramble in the box, the Thorns found the equalizer by way of rookie center back Emily Sonnett,  forcing the match into overtime.

Heading into overtime, it was anyone’s game. Ultimately, the speed and physicality of the Flash had took a toll on the Thorns. Overtime was William’s time to shine—she scored twice in the span of six minutes to bury Portland and all their hopes of a championship this season. Portland managed to score one more two minutes later, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

In front of a record playoff crowd of 20,086, WNY stunned plenty of people, myself included. This was sweet redemption for WNY coach Paul Riley, who was in charge of Portland the previous two years, now heading to the final in his first year with WNY—though he won’t be allowed on field, due to the red card he picked up.

The Championship is set for Sunday October 9th, at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Curse of the NWSL Shield:

Four years. Three different Shield winners. Zero championships. That’s enough to constitute a curse, right?

A small sample size, but the numbers and outcomes speak for themselves.

In 2013, the WNY won the first NWSL Shield, then the next two years the Seattle Reign were declared Shield winners, and now in 2016 the Portland Thorns were crowned. All, of course, having high expectations and sights set on a championship for their respective clubs.

But here we are. Another year, another shield winner bowing out in a semifinal or final and coming away with nothing. So it rightly begs the question: Is winning the Shield a curse?

I honestly think it might be a thing. It might be a coincidence or just how it turned out. But let this be a warning to other teams who chase it next year. In this league, a regular season title is a nice accomplishment, but ultimately you want a championship trophy and a star, not some silver platter and a footnote in history. Speaking as a Reign fan, it’s not good enough. It’s not ever satisfying enough. 

So, yes winning the shield is indeed a curse. Now we have to wait another year to see if it can be broken. Thanks, Portland.

NWSL ROTY announced:

The NWSL Rookie of the Year is Raquel Rodriguez.

The Sky Blue midfielder played in 18 games (starting 17), scoring one goal and making one assist. To be honest, I was surprised at this pick. I had a few other candidates in mind that I thought contributed more to their respective teams.

I can’t deny Rodriguez has had a great last calendar year, from winning the College Cup with Penn State, to being a consistent starter in this league, to now winning ROTY. She helped her team compete all year, and although they finished seventh in the table, that doesn’t quite represent how well this team performed.

I look forward to seeing how she further develops in this league and with Sky Blue.

Parsons Grabs Coach of the Year:

While Portland won’t be competing for the championship, they do have a lot to be proud of, including winning the shield, And now their new coach has earned some hardware of his own.

Mark Parsons has rapidly evolved into a winning coach and one that is very well respected across the league. He led the Thorns to a 12-3-5 record and gave them a home-field playoff berth for the first time in club history. Parsons put together a very impressive and diverse squad in just a short amount of time after taking the job. Boasting the likes of Christine Sinclair, Tobin Heath, Amandine Henry, Nadia Nadim and Dagný Brynjarsdóttir, Parsons managed to apply a system that worked for all of these high-profile players.

I think this was well deserved for Parsons, a coach who will only continue to do great things for this league.

BYU Senior Can’t Stop Scoring:

Ashley Hatch has played in 12 games this season and already scored 15 goals with four assists to help her team to a 10-1-1 record.

The senior led her team to a pair of huge wins against Ohio State and defending champion Penn State. Hatch scored a hat trick in the 3-2 win earlier in the season at #5 PSU and grabbed a goal in the win at #19 OSU as well. She netted her THIRD hat trick on the year on Monday as they defeated USF handily 4-0. I approve of her new nickname of Hatchtrick.

It’s fitting and well deserved. BYU faces Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine this week. Can Hatch continue her scoring ways?

Around the World of WoSo: FAWSL Winners and College Soccer

Posted on by RJ Allen

FSU & UVA couldn’t beat the elements:

  In a top three showdown between Florida State (2) and University of Virginia (3), I expected goals and plenty of highlight reel material. Both teams did manage a goal, but the game was called in the 100th minute due to excessive lightening. This ACC matchup gave us an early goal by way of Alexis Shaffer in the ninth minute to give UVA the lead. The Cavaliers held the lead for the next 59 minutes until FSU took advantage of a turnover which led to 1v1 opportunity for Freshman Kristen McFarland. She calmly found the back of the net after shaking off the UVA keeper to salvage the draw. The Seminoles travel to Pitt on Saturday and UVA host North Carolina on ESPNU on Sunday.

South Carolina notches 10th consecutive win:

The Gamecocks are playing some serious team ball right now, evidence of that came Sunday when they earned their 10th straight victory. With second half goals from Sophie Groff, Kaleigh Kurtz and Lindsey Lane, South Carolina cruised past Kentucky. The eighth ranked Gamecocks only allowed two shots from the Wildcats, clearly putting extra work on the defensive end to ensure a win. It was also the sixth shutout on the year, matching last season’s total in just 11 games. Looking to remain undefeated, up next for them is a powerhouse SEC matchup against Texas A & M on Thursday night at College Station. As for Kentucky, they ended what was a tough week, adding on a loss to Missouri a few days ago and a less than impressive 1-1 draw with Alabama earlier in the week. They hope to rebound on Saturday at home against Ole Miss.

Nebraska hat-trick defeats Ohio State:

    Nebraska Senior Jaycie Johnson scored three goals (29, 37’, 60’) to lead her team to its eighth win on the season. This was her second hat trick of her career, and the first since 2013. Johnson now leads the team with seven goals, all coming in the last six games. Her last goal on the night was special, as it was her 38th of her career, putting her eighth in program history. It should be noted that Ohio State was without starting Goalkeeper Jillian McVicker, who suffered an injury over a week ago. The Buckeyes drop to 7-4-1, slowing down considerably after starting the season with six wins in a row. Nebraska faces off with Indiana Friday while Ohio State hosts Northwestern on Saturday.

NWSL playoffs are set:

Heading into the final regular season games on Sunday, the 2016 National Women’s Soccer League playoffs were already a lock. Washington, Portland, Chicago and Western New York all made the cut. Washington have made the playoffs three consecutive years while Portland has won the championship (2013) and last made the playoffs in 2014. Meanwhile Chicago made history last season when they secured their first ever trip to the playoffs; they are back once again in hopes of winning its first ever title. Western New York started off the franchise strong, meeting Portland in the Finals in 2013, but since then, hasn’t finished better than seventh. All that changed this season as they finished fourth to grab the last playoff spot by winning their last regular season game against Boston. Certainly each team has strong leadership; Ali Krieger for Washington, Tobin Heath for Portland, Christen Press for Chicago and Jessica McDonald for WNY. The first semifinal is set for Friday, September 30th. The second semifinal is Sunday, October 2nd.

Lianne Sanderson done for the year:

The England international and WNY midfielder will miss the playoffs after tearing her ACL in a friendly against Thailand last week with the Flash. After being acquired from Orlando late in the season, she appeared in nine games for WNY, scoring three goals and contributing to an already bolstered attack led my McDonald, Lynn Williams and Samantha Mewis. Sanderson only lasted 13 minutes before suffering the injury to her right knee. The 28 year old has played for a handful of clubs throughout her career, finding some form of success at each. After this kind of injury, it will be interesting to see what happens next.

FAWSL champions crowned:

For the first time in program history, Manchester City Women are champions of England. After beating rivals Chelsea on Sunday on two goals, the title officially belongs to the women of Manchester, even with two games to play. With a record crowd of 4,096 on hand at Academy Stadium, it proved to be a worthwhile matchup. The first goal came by way of veteran Jill Scott, tallying her third goal of the season. The title-clinching goal in the 49th minute was scored by Toni Duggan on a Penalty given from a foul on teammate Lucy Bronze. It was Duggan’s fifth goal in her 15th appearance. After the match, the team received congratulatory wishes from the Manchester City men’s side, from players like Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne. I think it has shown that in just a few short years, Manchester Women have built something special and are deservingly being recognized for it.

Around the World of WoSo: Farewell to HAO

Posted on by RJ Allen

HAO Says Goodbye to the USWNT:

It was a bittersweet week for fans of the U.S. Women’s National team as midfielder Heather O’Reilly officially retired. While it is sad that she will be gone as a member of USWNT, the good news is that we get to remember all the amazing things she accomplished over her 15-year career at the National level. The other good news is that she is only retiring from International soccer but will continue to play for her NWSL club team, FC Kansas City. Simply known as HAO to her many fans, O’Reilly had a historic career–231 caps, 47 goals, 55 assists. These came along the way as she won the U-19 World Cup in 2002, three Olympic Gold medals (’04, ’08, and ’12), and most recently became a World Cup Champion in 2015. HAO also holds the record for most games played consecutively at 74. She was a crucial part of creating a new team image during the transition from the 99ers, even getting to wear the number nine that was passed down from Mia Hamm herself all those years ago. I’d be lying if I said seeing Mia on the field to honor HAO didn’t make me emotional, because it did.

In her last game in a U.S. jersey against Thailand last week, HAO scored one last goal and grabbed an assist to lead the gals to a 9-0 victory. It was certainly an emotional night for all; teammates, coaches, fans and any soccer fan who knew how special she was to the sport over the years. I think it’s safe to say she will be remembered for her iconic game face and record setting beep test numbers. She was the very definition of determination; every practice, every game, no matter if she was starting or on the bench, Heather O’Reilly gave it her all. Like many fans, I am forever grateful for her work and her dedication to make this team great for so long.

International Break for EURO 2017 Qualifying:

This past week, several NWSL players were off for their respective countries for European Qualifying. Countries that have made it and the NWSL players involved:

England- Rachel Daly (Houston Dash),

France- Amandine Henry (Portland Thorns FC)

Iceland- Dagny Brynjarsdottir (Portland Thorns FC),

Scotland- Kim Little & Rachel Corsie (Seattle Reign FC).

Other countries who have qualified are Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. 

Hoyas Continue to Impress:

Last week, Georgetown upset the number three team in the nation (Virginia); this week they managed one better. The Hoyas needed a double overtime goal (102nd minute) from Grace Damaska to best West Virginia, who are ranked number one. Another impressive outing, considering the Hoyas are ranked 16th, and will surely crack the top 10 when the latest rankings are released. With the win, they snapped a two-year streak of 30 games won at home by WVU. With huge wins like this on their resume, Georgetown is surely grabbing everyone’s attention. Up next, the Hoyas will host Providence on Sunday while WVU travel to Richmond on Friday.

FSU has a pair of Aces:

Florida State has two players who are playing very well and have grabbed my attention: Megan Connolly (M) and Deyna Castellanos (F). The two have combined for seven goals and two assist in eight games so far. Connolly had a breakout season last year and now as a sophomore, she is aiming to do even more damage. The 19 year-old Irish international is leading the Seminoles in shots with 24, one of which was a game winner against Middle Tennessee earlier this season. The other notable standout is 17 year-old Castellanos, who hails from Venezuela and is only a freshman. She already has three game winners in her catalog; against Texas A & M, UConn, and added another versus Miami on Sunday. Castellanos is second on the team in shots, with 23. The Seminoles have started the season strong with seven wins and one loss. Their next two opponents are Wake Forest and number three ranked Virginia after that. This team is worth keeping an eye on to see what they can do against other top ten teams. With Connolly and Castellanos engineering the offense for FSU, I think they could go very far into the College Cup.

USWNT Friendly with the Netherlands:

Sunday night proved to be a very competitive match between the United States and the Netherlands. Not that I wasn’t expecting one, but the Dutch really impressed me with how they executed their game plan. They started out fast and the Americans were exposed in the first two minutes when forward Shanice Van De Sanden pounced on a loose ball to give the Netherlands the lead. For most of the Dutch found ways to stretch our defense, which was interesting in itself considering we had three centerbacks on the backline.  Fielding Whitney Engen, Julie Johnston and Becky Sauerbrunn, the U.S. struggled to find a rhythm in the first half hour. Meghan Klingenberg was the only true outside back starting the game and she had a sub-par game to say the least. She got beat more than enough to count and for me was the worst player on the field in the first half. With ten minutes until halftime, the United States finally got on the board. Tobin Heath broke free on the right side and found Carli Lloyd alone, who tucked inside the eighteen to blast it top shelf for the equalizer.

 The second half was a little bit more organized than the first for the United States, but still the Dutch continued to win battles in the air and work through Van De Sanden and Danielle Van De Donk. In goal for the U.S. was Alyssa Naeher and in her 14th appearance, she was tested plenty. As the game went on, Naeher seemed to get settled in and that showed as the Dutch couldn’t get anything else past her. After an own goal in the 50th minute by the Netherlands, the United States tightened up on defense and brought on subs to push the match up a notch. Two of those included Crystal Dunn and Megan Rapinoe. On several occasions, Dunn blew past multiple defenders but couldn’t control in the final third to get any dangerous shot off. The third and final goal came by way of a Rapinoe cross that was headed back towards the Netherlands goal by Lloyd and Allie Long made sure it found the back of the net.

Overall, I really enjoyed this game by both teams. While the U.S. certainly have areas to improve, for a friendly it was solid effort. As for the Netherlands, I am excited to see what they can do next. They really impressed me with not only the style they perform with, but the physical nature they imposed. I was familiar with a few players before the match and now I am exposed to a handful of quality players. Nothing but respect and newfound love for the Netherlands, they have a solid foundation to build on.

Arkansas Shocks Florida:

The Razorbacks had yet another tremendous outing at home against a top five opponent; the first you may recall was beating number two Duke almost a month ago. This time they beat SEC rival Florida for the first time in program history. The Gators were ranked fourth and went into the game with a three game win streak in which they scored 13 goals over that span. Arkansas was more than up to the challenge, scoring twice in a three minute span in the first half. Junior Jessi Hartzler dominated Florida’s defense to give Arkansas the lead and never looked back. It was a brilliant individual effort and as the game went on, the rest of the Razorbacks started to believe they could once again pull off an upset. Florida managed to get a goal back early in the second half but that wasn’t enough to fully recover. Even with a two hour lightening delay, the crowd of 1,155 stayed until the end. Florida drop to six wins and two losses. They look to recover against Auburn on Thursday in Gainesville. Arkansas climbs to nine wins and one loss; the best start in program history. They face off against Alabama in Fayetteville on Thursday.

Around the World of WoSo: A weird week

Posted on by RJ Allen

Seattle Reign Captain Announces Retirement:

Keelin Winters has been captain of the NWSL club Seattle Reign since day one back in 2013 when the league began. She has been the heart and soul of this club without question. In her 85 appearances for the club, her role hasn’t necessarily been to score goals, but to create opportunities for her teammates. She does the little things right every game and has helped guide her team to two Shield titles and two trips to the NWSL championship. She’s been absolutely remarkable in her role and became one of the most consistent players in the league. The script couldn’t have been written any better for Winters-in her last professional game at Memorial Stadium this past weekend, she scored the game winning goal against Washington.  Winters’ representation has been nothing short of class both on and off the field. It’s been a pleasure watching her play and while I am sad to see her leave the game, Winters’ will continue to work for Pro Skills Soccer—a company she founded to assist youth and adult players in the Seattle area. The next chapter of her life will be of service, as she has plans to join the Kirkland Fire Department in January 2017.

NWSL Golden Boot Race Still Lively:

With one game left in the 2016 season, the Golden Boot winner has yet to be decided, a different race compared to last year where Washington’s Crystal Dunn ran away with it mid-season. Currently, four players are within reach to win the award. Leading the pack is Houston’s Kealia Ohai and WNY’s Lynn Williams each with 10, while tied at nine is WNY’s Jess McDonald and Portland’s Nadia Nadim. Ohai has been a on a tear the second half of the season, with all of her goals coming after July 9th, and in a total of nine games. Williams on the other hand has had a more complete season, scoring 10 goals in 17 appearances. McDonald and Nadim have also been a little more consistent than Ohai. But nonetheless, the Dash forward has been the best player in the second half of the season. So, who has the better chance of actually winning it? Ohai will be going against Seattle, a team that shut out the number one team in the league in Washington last week. It will be a tough task but certainly one that Ohai is capable of doing. Williams and McDonald will be going against the weakest team in Boston, but anything could happen and stopping two of the best forwards in the game doesn’t seem likely for the Breakers. Lastly, Nadim will be up against Sky Blue FC, a team that has given up the third most goals this season with 27. All of these players have the opportunity to go out and control their own destiny. Friendly reminder: The NWSL is on International break, so play will resume September 24th finishing the regular season.

Two Chicago Red Stars Down:

In a hard fought 0-0 draw last week in Kansas City, Chicago clinched a playoff spot but two players left the game with injury concern. First was Arin Gilliland in the ninth minute after a scramble for the ball near the sidelines left her clutching her ankle. Gilliland has been very solid for the Red Stars in her two years in the league. Starting 17 matches as a rookie in 2015 and starting in 19 matches this season. The defender has been a crucial part of the defense that has only allowed 19 goals. For Chicago’s sake, hopefully it’s not a serious injury and while her replacement Sarah Gorden has done reasonable in her limited minutes, no doubt Gilliland is a key piece to Chicago’s success. With any luck, she could return in the final regular game of the season against Washington. The second injury was to forward Stephanie McCaffrey in the 25th minute. Having played her first year and a half in Boston, McCaffrey was traded to Chicago mid way through the season. In her six games as a Red Star she has contributed with two goals. While most of Chicago’s goals have come from Christen Press and Sofia Huerta, McCaffrey provides the width and service needed for serious scoring opportunities. Coming in for her was Alyssa Mautz, a player who has been improving each year in the league since arriving in 2013 and became a starter in 2014. Mautz is more than capable of filling the role for the remainder of the way, should McCaffrey not be available. But the concern is do these two injuries disrupt the chemistry of the team going forward? Can they go deep into the playoffs without these two out? We will find out in two weeks when play continues.

UVA Loses to Georgetown:

After winning its first seven games of the year, Virginia is no longer undefeated. The number two team Virginia played to a 3-2 loss this weekend to a surprising Georgetown team that’s ranked 20th. This was the first regular season non-conference loss since 2012 (lost to Penn State) for UVA.  The good news for UVA is that it was the last non-conference match of the season. This one started out great for UVA, leading by two goals after nine minutes of play, but seemed to hit a wall the rest of the game. The Hoyas came storming back with three unanswered goals in the first half to stun the Cavs. It’s certainly an impressive feat when in the previous seven games UVA had allowed zero goals. The defense was bound to collapse at some point, but I didn’t have Georgetown winning this game at all—and not in that fashion. The Hoyas scored its first goal a few minutes after UVA scored its last. In the 14th minute Taylor Pak hit a lovely ball from distance to give her team life. That was all they needed. The tying goal came by way of Chloe Knott, who capitalized on a mistake by the Cavs and beat the keeper 1v1 to level.  The game winning goal in the 38th minute was constructed all by Rachel Corboz (Who was named to our Player to Watch List before the season started). Corboz hit a beautiful free kick from 25 yards out and into the net to give her team a very convincing win. For her effort, Corboz was awarded the Big East Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season. Up next for UVA is Virginia Tech on Friday while Georgetown faces George Washington on Thursday.

Manchester City Women Close to Title:

Last weekend, City beat Arsenal Ladies to improve to 38 points and move one step closer to the Super League Title. The only other serious contender is Chelsea, who is sitting in second place with 31 points. They defeated Reading to keep themselves in the race for another week.  Ironically the next match is on September 25 against City, so if they win, City will have to wait to celebrate the Title.  It will be a tough task for City. Chelsea has the likes of Hedvig Lindahl (GK-SWE), England star midfielder Karen Carney, Eniola Aluko (F-ENG), Fran Kirby (F-ENG) and Gemma Davison (F-ENG). All nine teams in the league have quality squads, but City might have the most complete. Led by a handful of England’s finest in Karen Bardsley (GK), Lucy Bronze (D), Captain Steph Houghton (D), Jill Scott (M) and Toni Dugan (F). It’s easy to see why they are on top. They also have Ireland’s young talent on defense in Megan Campbell and the American midfielder you might recognize in Daphne Corboz, (the sister of Georgetown Hoya Rachel Corboz). I don’t gamble, but if I did, I would put my money on Manchester to win its first title in club history by beating Chelsea.

NCAA College Cup Moved Out of NC:

On Monday it was announced that the NCAA Women’s College Cup will not be played in North Carolina. The main reason is a legitimate one, and backed by the NCAA President Mark Emmert, is due to the anti-LGBT laws that are currently in place. In his statement, Emmert made it clear that it was a decision that needed to be made, saying this: “We believe in providing a safe and respectful environment at our events and are committed to providing the best experience possible for college athletes, fans and everyone taking part in our championships.”

The four factors that played a part in removing the College Cup and are as follows:

  • NC laws invalidate any local law that treats sexual orientation as a protected class, or has a purpose to prevent discrimination against LGBT individuals.
  • A statewide law in NC that prohibits anyone using the restroom of the gender not on birth certificate, regardless of gender identity.
  • NC law provides legal protections for government officials to refuse services to the LGBT community.
  • Five states (New York, Minnesota, Washington, Vermont and Connecticut) prohibit travel to NC for public employees and representatives of public institutions, which could include student-athletes and campus athletics staff.

Six other events will be relocated as well; Men’s and Women’s DIII Soccer Championships, 2017 DI Men’s Basketball first/second Round, 2017 DI Women’s Golf Regional, 2017 Men’s and Women’s DIII Tennis Championships, 2017 Women’s DI Lacrosse Championship and 2017 DII Baseball Championship. Without question, this was the right decision for the NCAA and the Board of Governors to make. Anyone who has a moral compass should be perfectly ok with these relocations.