Tag: NCAA

Around the World of WoSo

Posted on by RJ Allen

This week we have plenty of upsets to catch up on as well as some shocking news from a former a USWNT member concerning her health.

Kealia Ohai can’t be stopped:

Houston are finally playing like we thought they could way back in April at the start of the 2016 NWSL season; more specifically Ohai is simply playing out of her mind. On Saturday night she added two more goals to help her Dash beat the Orlando Pride in a thrilling 4-2 outing. Ohai has scored nine goals in the last seven games to keep her team alive at seventh place and still searching for a playoff spot. Meanwhile, Orlando lost its fifth consecutive game, and is officially eliminated from the playoffs. With Ohai in the lead for the Golden Boot, her play has certainly caught the attention of many fans, but has USWNT coach Jill Ellis been paying attention? I hope so because with her play, she has shown she is ready for another USWNT call-up. The home crowd for Houston was an impressive 6,819 strong and I would think that helped to give the Dash the extra motivation needed.

Washington first to clinch playoff spot:

The Spirit has officially made the playoffs for the third consecutive year after a 1-1 draw with WNY on Saturday night.  In front of a nice crowd of 4,527 at the Plex, the Spirit has performed well at home, grabbing their sixth win to tie WNY for league best. Washington has very consistent this season, and winning the Shield could be next for them, sitting on 36 points while Portland is in second with 29 points. Everything seems to be clicking for Jim Gabarra’s team, so could this finally be the year for a championship title? It certainly is possible the way they are performing.

Lauren Holiday to have brain surgery:

Earlier this week Lauren Holiday’s family announced that a benign tumor was found and will require surgery. The Holidays have known about it since late June. The former USWNT and NWSL (FCKC) star is a month away from giving birth to her first child, but the operation regarding the tumor will have to wait until 6 weeks after the baby is born. Holiday retired last year after the World Cup at the age of 27. A two-time Olympic champion and World Cup champion, Holiday is adored by fans all over the world. I’m sending positive energy and thoughts to the Holiday family as they go through this tough time.

FSU upset by South Alabama:

The number one ranked team Florida State has fallen to unranked South Alabama on Monday night. In their first loss of the year, FSU had a fair amount of chances. None more than Sophomore Megan Connolly who had several chances in the first half alone, but couldn’t find a breakthrough. Although the Seminoles had better possession, South Alabama managed to counter and in the 25th minute forward Charde Hannah found the winning goal. The goal was the first goal allowed by FSU this season, after shutting out its previous three opponents by a combined score of seven to nothing. The Jaguars did a solid job defensively in the second half, putting all 11 players behind the ball to secure the victory. FSU looks to rebound at home against UConn on Thursday. South Alabama should be confident as they face Austin Peay on Friday.

UCLA beat defending champs Penn State:

The Bruins are ranked 11th while the Lions are ranked 13th, but since Penn State are the defending champions, I would still consider this an upset. UCLA are quickly becoming one of my favorite teams to watch. Led by a couple of exciting in freshman Jessie Fleming and Teagan Micah, the Bruins have three wins and one loss to start the year. Fleming has now scored three goals in two games for the Bruins since arriving on campus from Rio, where she helped Canada win the Bronze medal. In goal, UCLA have Micah, who made six saves en route to her third shutout of the year. In a back-and-forth match that needed two overtimes, UCLA finally found the right combination. In the 99th minute, Fleming got on the end of a MacKenzie Cerda cross and headed home the game winner. For me, this was a statement win for the Bruins. The schedule doesn’t get any easier as they host seventh ranked North Carolina on Friday. Penn State faces San Diego State on Friday also.

Clemson fall to South Carolina:

Heading into this match, the Clemson Tigers were ranked sixth while South Carolina was sitting at 22nd. Savannah McCaskill scored two goals late in the first half to lead her Gamecocks to their fourth win on the season. South Carolina played a fast and energetic first half, so by halftime Clemson looked a little tired and a bit shocked. A slow start didn’t derail the Tigers for long, pulling one back in the 79th minute thanks to a 30 yard rocket by Sophomore Sam Staab. It was too little too late and Clemson fell to 3-2 on the season and slip in the rankings as well, dropping to 14th. Clemson play High Point on Friday and South Carolina take the field against Georgia on Friday as well.

Around the World of WoSo

Posted on by RJ Allen

Plenty of good and not so good things happened this week in the world of women’s soccer. Here’s my weekly roundup for you.

Kelley O’Hara Taken Down From Behind:

The tackle heard around the National Women’s Soccer League on Saturday night was on Sky Blue and USWNT member Kelley O’Hara. This was her first game back from Rio. The challenge came in the 91st minute from an unlikely source in Chicago Red Stars midfielder Alyssa Mautz. The tackle came from behind, which usually does not end well. This was an uncharacteristic foul by Mautz, who I’ve seen play in person. I’ve watched countless footage from her A&M days and in the NWSL, and I’ve never seen her make that kind of reckless challenge. I am in no way excusing her decision to make that tackle, as it was a terrible mistake and one that was strange because of the circumstances (Chicago was leading by three goals, clearly about to win). After leaving the stadium in a boot and on crutches, O’Hara seems to be in good spirits, taking to Twitter to update her status:

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Ada Hegerberg Named Best Player in Europe:

If she didn’t have it before, this 21 year-old from Norway certainly has everyone’s attention now, after beating out French star Amandine Henry (PSG/Portland Thorns FC) and Germany’s Dzsenifer Marozsan (FFC Frankfurt/Olympique Lyonnais) to be named UEFA Best Women’s Player in Europe for 2015/2016. This is the first time that a German player hasn’t won (the last three winners include Celia Sasic, Nadine Kessler and Nadine Angerer). Hegerberg has scored an impressive 28 times in just 50 appearances for her national team since being called up in 2011—a feat exciting to see from someone so young. She plays her club ball at Olympique Lyonnais in France (D1 Feminine) and has made 43 appearances since 2014, scoring 59 goals along the way. She is proving to be a special player. Hopefully we will see more of the same from her in the future.

Duke Falls to Arkansas in NCAA upset:

When the number two ranked team in the country traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas last Friday, I was sure they would come away with a convincing win, but I was wrong. Not only did Duke lose, they only managed three shots on goal and gave Arkansas their first win in program history over a top 10 ranked opponent. Credit of course to the Razorbacks for using home atmosphere to their full advantage, playing a very impressive match in front of a record crowd of 3,010. With the disappointing loss this early in the season, Duke has two wins and, looking ahead on the schedule, it doesn’t get any easier as the Blue Devils face North Carolina and West Virginia in the next two weeks (also top 10 teams). The good news for Duke is that it’s early in the season; they have time to improve and learn from mistakes to get where they need to be. For me, this is the biggest upset in Women’s Division I so far. What will it do for Arkansas and Duke moving forward? What kind of effect will this game have on the rest of the season? In the long run, it’s a massive confidence booster for Arkansas, proving they can seriously compete with any team. Duke will need to forget this game and get back to the quality soccer we are used to seeing. Definitely worth keeping an eye on these two teams.

Seattle Show Signs of Life:

The Seattle Reign faced the Portland Thorns this weekend, and they came away with a 3-1 win to end the Cascadia Rivalry with one win apiece. Before the match, the Reign were in sixth place in the NWSL standings and seven points out of playoff contention. With these three points, they move to fifth (helped by a Sky Blue loss) and are still mathematically in the hunt for that fourth spot. Dutch playmaker Manon Melis scored two goals, and Megan Rapinoe added a third to ensure a victory for Seattle. Melis now is the Reign’s leading goal scorer, with five on the year. The way they played, the spirit they showed, and the style in which they won reminded me of the Reign from last year’s regular season. With Jess Fishlock (looking refreshed), Bev Yanez, and the returning Kawasumi Naho all grabbing assists, the Reign looked very comfortable going forward. Haley Kopmeyer stood tall in goal for Seattle and (in the absence of Hope Solo) made six saves, while keeping her back line organized enough to grab three crucial points. It’s no secret the assertion of Naho into the lineup certainly has had a positive effect on the team. For Seattle fans, it feels like they are finally coming together. But with four games left, is it too late? Playing in front of 5,888 at home seemed to give the Reign that energy and spark needed to win. I’m not counting out Harvey’s team just yet.

Marta and Schelin lead FC Rosengard to Swedish Cup Victory:

Less than week after the Olympics ended, many players were back with respective clubs, including five-time Ballon d’Or winner Marta and Olympic silver medalist Lotta Schelin. Both play for FC Rosengard in the top Swedish league, the Damallsvenkan. FCR are known for bringing in top players from all over the world; in the past they have fielded the likes of Ramona Bachman (SUI), Nilla Fischer (SWE), Formiga (BRA), Ana Mittag (GER), and Manon Melis (NLD). The rich history is understandably quite the draw for many players. The Svenska Cupen final against Linkoping FC had many recognizable players on display for Rosengard: Marta, Schelin, Emma Berglund (captain), Ali Riley, Ella Masar, and Lieke Martens. For Linkoping, one standout player is Stina Blackstenius, who many should remember played a superb tournament for Sweden in the recent Olympics. She scored the only goal for Linkoping but just didn’t have enough star power to find the win. As for Rosengard, they put on a dominant 3-1 performance, with goals from Marta, Schelin, and Martens to earn the victory.  This was the club’s third Svenska Cupen in program history, and with that kind of roster, one of its most impressive, surely.

Dunn Hasn’t Been Crystal Clear For Washington:

Last year’s NWSL MVP has yet to score a single goal in 2016. Yes, you read that correctly. Crystal Dunn had a breakout year in 2015, scoring 15 goals in 20 appearances. Last season she took 84 shots and 48 were on frame, yet this season, in 10 games Dunn has managed 23 shots; only seven have been on goal. Dunn hasn’t scored yet, but she has tallied four assists on the year. One explanation could be that teams have figured out how to frustrate her. With her speed, that is a difficult task, but players all across the league have shown the ability to contain her. Dunn has done tremendous work in games this season—her effort is next to none; she’s just contributing in a different way this year. It’s clear the Spirit, as a whole, have done a better job spreading the ball around, as 10 different players have scored this season, as opposed to seven players last season. Washington are sitting pretty in first place and have earned 35 points. They have more than proven that Dunn doesn’t need to do all the heavy lifting for them to have success.  If you would’ve told me at the beginning of this year that the reigning MVP wouldn’t have a goal to her name with four games left, I would’ve laughed and said that’s crazy. Turns out Dunn and Washington are the ones laughing all the way to the playoffs.

Around the World of WoSo

Posted on by RJ Allen

As part of a new series at Backline Soccer, I will be discussing and offering my opinion on a weekly basis, gathering news and topics from all over the world in women’s soccer. That includes (but is not limited to) the U.S. Women’s National Team, National Women’s Soccer League (U.S.), NCAA, and international matters as well.

Let’s start with the good news:

The NWSL is back:

After a two-week Olympic break, the NWSL is back in action. Last week marked the return of USWNT member Ali Krieger to Washington as the Spirit beat Houston 2-1 to claim top spot in the standings. In front of a solid crowd of 5,012, this makeup game (rescheduled from May) proved to be worth the wait. With two beautifully constructed goals from Christine Nairn, the Spirit were on their way to another shutout (seven on the year), but the Dash’s leading scorer, Kealia Ohai, had something to say about that. She managed a goal in the 90th minute to bring her total to five on the season.  In the next week or so, U.S. and foreign international players should be returning to their respective teams. The next game is scheduled for August 26th, as Washington travels to Orlando to take on the Pride. With five weeks left, teams will be looking to make a final push in hopes of earning a playoff spot.

College Soccer is underway:

The 2016 women’s campaign has started, with ACC and SEC powerhouses already colliding, as first-ranked Florida State opened the season by defeating eighth-ranked Texas A&M 1-0 in a tough battle at Ellis Field. Another top 10 encounter saw West Virginia and reigning champions Penn State take a 1-1 draw in a grueling double overtime contest. Santa Clara and USC played a thrilling match that was finally decided in overtime, a 3-2 decision in favor of the Broncos.  Plenty of talent on display every week as young players are eager to make their mark while veterans look to lead their teams to the promised land. That’s what is so great about college soccer—a star could be found anywhere. Sure, big name schools usually have great recruiting classes, but smaller schools in Division I are full of surprises that will unfold throughout the season.

The planned retirement of Silvia Neid:

Ok, so this isn’t exactly the best news, but I feel we should take this opportunity to celebrate what she has done for women’s soccer in Germany over the last few decades. While she is stepping away as head coach, she will now take part in setting up a scouting department for women’s soccer at the GFB (German Football Association). In charge since 2005, Neid has certainly set the standard for women’s soccer in her home country. Under her direction the German Women’s National Team won the 2007 World Cup, two EURO titles in 2009 and 2013, Olympic Bronze in 2008, and now an Olympic Gold, to add to her long list of accomplishments. Neid first captured my attention in that 2007 tournament when she took down Marta and Brazil to claim the championship. What was most impressive about that run was the fact that they didn’t give up a single goal and scored an impressive 21 goals in 6 games. Neid has always shown a desire for winning, and she has done it on every stage.

It wouldn’t be a conversation about Neid if I didn’t mention her choices over the years when it comes to her game-day outfits. She has set the bar extremely high when it comes to fashion on the sidelines. Seriously. Neid has shown an impeccable style and a quiet intensity to match. What I will miss most about Neid on the sidelines is the way she carried herself and the way she wanted the team to carry itself. The expectations were to be champions every year, whether that be the World Cup, Olympics, or Euros—she has done it all. Twice named FIFA World Coach of the Year (2010 & 2013) and hailed by many as the greatest female to ever coach, I forever applaud what she has done for the game as a whole and hope the work she has completed be remembered for a long time.

Moving on to the bad news:

Brazil failing to medal in Rio:

This team always has high expectations as long as Marta is on the field. With fellow veteran Formiga once again in the mix and leading the way, this team could’ve and probably should’ve medaled. As the host country of the Olympic Games, the pressure was probably the highest it’s ever been; even for a women’s team that has not quite been embraced like the men’s side has in its rich history. When they finally reached the bronze medal match, it was not secret they looked tired after playing in back-to-back 120 minutes + penalty kicks in a win vs. Australia in the quarterfinals and a loss to Sweden in the semifinals. Add on the travel Brazil had to do and (not to diminish Canada’s effort) Marta and Brazil just didn’t have enough left to earn that Bronze medal. Not medaling in these games was extremely disappointing, I do find it comforting that in the last game for Brazil was in front of 70,000 excited fans. Which is something that rarely is achieved for the women’s side. And to be embraced for these last few weeks—I know it meant the world to the players who have worked so hard to grow the game in their beloved country.

Brazil Federation still not supportive:

Even with arguably the best player in the game since she was 18, no matter what Marta does to lead her team, Brazil’s soccer federation still doesn’t want to put in the time, money, and resources to support their women’s national team. With plenty of clubs and schools dedicated to males all across the country, they refuse to invest in their female counterparts. With such a proud and successful history, as a whole, within the soccer world, why not support the women who wish to play; who could be the next Marta? During these Games, Brazilians went to games, cheered for the women’s team; created such a memorable atmosphere for them to play in. Isn’t that enough evidence to start seriously investing?  Moving forward and thinking about the next big tournament (the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France), can the women’s team survive another cycle? I sincerely hope this is not the last time we see Marta and her incredibly talented teammates on the field at the biggest stage. It would be cruel and wrong of Brazil’s federation to continue to treat the women’s team like this, with such little respect and recognition. They have more than earned a place in the sport.

Injury for USC Senior:

Not to be drastic or to undermine the talent of the 11th-ranked Trojans this season, but a knee injury to starting center back Dominique Randle (Red Shirt) in the preseason has certainly caught my attention. No stranger to injury (she was forced to redshirt freshman year and saw no playing time in 2013 due to injury), resilience and patience are things she has plenty of. Randle started all 23 games in 2015 and only allowed 11 goals through 20 games (a conference best). She earned PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Week (August 17-23) and went on to lead her team to the third round (Sweet 16) of the NCAA College Cup before losing to top-seeded Virginia 2-0. With the loss of Randle, I do expect the younger players to step up and fill that role nicely. Even with a tough schedule early on, with returning defensive players Sammy Jo Prudhomme (GK) and Kayla Mills (PAC-12 DPOY), I still predict USC doing well and once again making an appearance in the College Cup.