Tag: USWNT

WoSo Data Explorations: An Introduction

Posted on by RJ Allen

There are three things I love: data, photography, and women’s soccer. The intersection of all three resulted in the birth of my blog, Positives and Negatives.

My love for photography grew with every game I attended at Memorial Stadium. My love for data has always existed, but after talking to Alfredo Martinez, Jr., founder of WoSo Stats, the desire to tell data stories about the women’s game grew exponentially. It is my belief that photography allows me to make observations and tendencies of the game.

However, statements based on observation or opinion are subjective. They do provide a platform to ask unique questions. For instance, how does defense change with space (field location) and time (during a game)? How are teams built on partnerships, how have they evolved between seasons, and can we identify the linchpin of every team (if she exists)? Instead of relying on the traditional formations (3-5-2, 4-3-3, etc) to describe team organization, what if I visualized the transformation of the lineup based on their location on the field?

This is where data comes in—whether it be the advanced stats from WoSo Stats or the basic NWSL stats, I want to study this game in a new manner and draw upon all of the classes that I have ever taken or taught in math, physics, engineering, and economics. I want to draw inspiration from other sports analytics. If I do not know how to tell the story I want to tell or how to analyze the data, I will just learn something new. If I do not have the data, I might ask for help, as I have done previously.

I am not an expert. I never actually played competitive soccer (I was more a basketball, tennis, tae kwan do, and swimming person). I cannot promise a distinct conclusion for any piece I write, because WoSo data is still sparse (but slowly improving). I cannot even promise if my approach to understanding this data is correct.

The only thing I can tell you is that I am a self-motivated data explorer and a passionate storyteller. There will not be a single mention of expected goals. You can go elsewhere for those stats. I have other priorities. I want to use data to examine things never examined. I want to use data to debunk theories from commentary. I want to push the boundaries of women’s soccer analytics beyond the men’s game—outside of historical data and purely based on new methodology. I want to provide visual interactive data tools to inspire young fans to fall in love with numbers rather than fear them. I am, after all, a woman in STEM [science, technology, engineering, and math] and an aspiring educator.

These are big goals. There is no denying this fact. However, I was never one to think one step ahead. I always dream big and do what I must to achieve those dreams. My monthly contribution to Backline Soccer and the start of Positives and Negatives are only small steps toward a big picture, but they are necessary steps. I like to think of this space as the ground floor of something big, and you, the reader, will get an inside look and an opportunity to influence my explorations from the beginning. I look forward to going into uncharted territories, and I hope you will as well!

Janine van Wyk Helping to Build a Bright Future for South African Soccer

Posted on by RJ Allen

Earlier this year in one of the final tune-up matches before traveling to Rio, the USWNT played the South African Women’s National Team for the first time and nearly everyone predicted the game would be a likely bloodbath favoring the American side. But on game day we were treated to a surprisingly tight game, with Crystal Dunn scoring the only goal in the 35th minute. And while Hope Solo did notch her 100th international career shutout–the most ever in the women’s game–as a whole, the match wasn’t quite the cakewalk that one might expect when a team ranked at #1 takes on #52.

One of the reasons South Africa was able to hold the US to a 1-0 game is centerback and captain Janine van Wyk. Van Wyk is the most capped South African player, male or female, with 130 senior international appearances since 2005. And her influence in the development of soccer in South Africa is felt both on and off the pitch, perhaps nowhere more evident than her work with growing nation’s youth game.

In 2012 van Wyk founded the JVW Girls Football Development Program, and recently Backline Soccer spoke with Lauren Duncan, the program’s project manager, about what has been going on in South African soccer and the JVW program that van Dyk started. 

Backline Soccer (BS): Why was the JVW Girls Football Development Program (JVW GFD) started?

Lauren Duncan (LD): The Program was started in 2012, to improve, develop and expose women’s soccer. Women’s soccer is slowly on the rise in South Africa, but more needed to be done at grassroots and school levels to give girls an equal playing chance. The JVW GFD Program started with a School League with 12 teams and has now grown to 109 teams within 5 years. The women’s club JVW FC was started a year after the School League as we felt there needed to be a stable environment for identified and talented players to play in, and potentially be able to take the next step in the sport.

BS: What are the main goals of the program?

(LD): To develop young, aspiring and talented players. To create a competitive and structured playing environment at schools level and bridge the gap between school and club players. To promote women’s soccer and raise the standard of the women’s game in South Africa. To produce top players and introduce their talent to the professional soccer world.

(BS): Janine van Wyk is the namesake and founder of the program. Does having the captain of the full NT help in drawing players to the program?

(LD): Yes, of course it does. We have a lot of young girls who look up to and want to be like Janine, and there are many girls who want to be part of the program to gain experience directly from Janine. Janine is very actively involved in the program, and gives a lot of guidance to the younger girls.

(BS): How has the landscape of soccer in South Africa changed since the program was founded?

(LD): Women’s soccer is on the rise throughout the world, and by having this program more girls are now able to play football, and aspire to be part of the program. Although the program is only running in one of the nine provinces in South Africa, more awareness has been created for the women’s game.

(BS): When bringing in new coaches what qualities do you look for to make sure they fit with the program’s ideals?

(LD): We have had coaches in the past whilst we were still testing the waters to see what worked and what didn’t work. We have now started looking at our own players in our Senior teams, to see who can add value to our Program/Club, and are looking to bring in more female coaches to grow the sport at different levels. We look for passionate female leaders in the women’s game who share the same vision for the sport as we do.

(BS): In 5 years where do they see the program?

(LD): In 5 years, we are hoping that there is a professional League for women in South Africa in which our First Team is actively participating in. However, we aspire to be one of the top women’s soccer programs in South Africa, producing elite athletes to professional clubs abroad. We would also like to branch out into other provinces in South Africa, to give other girls the same opportunities as the ones currently participating in the Gauteng Province. We also would like to be a feeder for Scouts/Varsities abroad, and give girls in South Africa opportunity to make a career out of the sport.

(BS): Anything else you think people should know about the program and South African soccer?

(LD): The Club caters to girls from as young as 9 years old, which gives them the option to participate in an all-girls club, and progress throughout the years to eventually make the first team. Our first team have currently been crowned Sasol League Gauteng Champions and are heading to National Playoffs in early December. The Sasol League is the highest league for women in the country, but it is still not considered a Professional League. We have six Senior Women’s National Team Players in our first squad, which adds a huge amount of value to the club.

South African women’s soccer is definitely on the rise with the pool of female players increasing on a daily rate, however as a country we still struggle with proper women’s soccer grassroots/development programs as the sport is still not considered as one of the fastest growing sports in the world. We feel the gap is not having a Professional League for Women, and almost all female soccer players have full day jobs, in order to play soccer.

 

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.

In a time when our country is most divided, is the national women’s team most inclusive?

Posted on by RJ Allen

In case you missed it, there was a presidential election in the United States this past Tuesday. No matter how you voted, or whether you were able, you might have had some feelings about it the following day.

There’s Nothing Like an Election to Remind You How Divided We Are

Full disclosure, I was one of those people with feelings. After the election, I was left more than discouraged, plagued with concern for the future of my friends and family, as well their own personal safety – and my own as included. To be even more honest, I was finding it hard to get excited about the upcoming pair of international friendlies the United States national team was about to face. I love sports. I love women’s soccer. How low must I be if I couldn’t get enthusiastic about sports?

The US national team is currently ranked number one in the FIFA standings. They will be facing Romania in these two upcoming matches. Romania is currently ranked 36th overall, and were eliminated from qualifying to the Euros. It not difficult to imagine the US will come out victorious in these matches. I thought maybe I’d skip these games and continue with my post-election processing.

Nothing Like Sports to Show Us How United We Can Be

Sports can sometimes be a way for people to try and find some solace. Sports are a constant in our American culture. Need to take your mind off something? Watch a game. I heard you can even find drone racing on television these days. Sports can be therapeutic at times. Whether you’re out on the pitch, in the press box, or watching in your home – sports can be a source of comfort.

In pulling myself out of political limbo, I’ve tried to remind myself why I should watch a couple of games that ultimately are meaningless in terms of major tournaments. This team hasn’t always been the most diverse. History has shown that. Former USWNT goalkeeper Briana Scurry recently had her jersey and gloves enshrined in the brand new National Museum of African American History and Culture. The same jersey she wore in 1999 just 17 years ago when the USWNT won their second Women’s World Cup.

17 years ago: that’s younger than our nation’s voting age.

In spite of the lack of diversity on this team–largely to things like “pay to play” and the failure, on multiple levels, to make formal youth soccer opportunities available and accessible in ethnic urban areas–the Women’s National Team has always given its fans reasons to cheer. In winning their World Cup championships and Olympic medals. They have also given its fans players who are uniquely their own to root for. Whatever your politics, if you cheer for this team you probably have favorite players.

Whether you’ve been around awhile and have looked up to a legend like Mia Hamm, or maybe you’re a LGBT youth who has found representation in a player like Megan Rapinoe. Maybe you’re strong in faith and looked up to players like Lauren Holiday. Maybe you’re a young girl or woman of color and are searching for someone who looks like you, and realizing that for the first time, watching this team on the field tonight, you have LITERAL options.

When You Cry Because There Are So Many Players For You to Cheer For

When the national call-ups first dropped, it truly was a welcome surprise. Yes, this team is different than a year ago, but that wasn’t the surprise.  It was the range of diversity and inclusion represented on it. It was mainly because of its diversity and inclusion, something that has been somewhat scarce in games past.  It gave us six players of color to watch and cheer for in these upcoming games.

Along with national team regulars Crystal Dunn and Christen Press, we saw players like Casey Short and Lynn Williams earn their second camp call-ups. We saw the return of Jaelene Hinkle and a first time call-up for Orlando Pride’s Kristen Edmonds. When Hinkle had to decline due to injury, her Western New York Flash teammate Jessica McDonald received the call-up, and tonight, earned her first cap with the senior team. Six players. More than one hand. More than enough to help heal a heart in this divisive time in our country.

To my knowledge, I am unaware of there being any current Asian or Latinx or non-Christian players on this team. I also understand that this is professional sports and one should expect the best roster of players. I acknowledge that could mean the team can literally look different at any time.  Therefore, I will always celebrate these small moments that mean so much to so many.

The Personal Is Political

It’s easy to dismiss people’s feelings when they don’t directly affect your own. There has been a lot of that in this country the last few days. It’s also easy to say sports are just entertainment. However, let’s not act like sports hasn’t been a unifying tool for people in their time of need. Sports has always been a place for people to try and come together. Maybe these November friendlies came at the most perfect time, even if they are ‘meaningless.’

They will allow us a moment to imagine that things aren’t looking so grim.

A large amount of work must take place at a grassroots level to make this game more accessible to everyone. However, these games and this moment will give us a roster that’s starting to look toward a more diverse future. That includes representation for a sector of fans that hasn’t always been so visible. Representation matters, and these players care about that. Crystal Dunn is very good at having that conversation and has been more than willing to take on that role. 

These games might not see all these players on the pitch. Maybe these games will be completely one sided. Maybe we could all use something simple to root for, like our soccer team vs the other soccer team. Maybe as citizens we will get to a point where we will allow more love and less fear.  I will always be on the lookout for the next great national team Latinx superstar, and I will always look for women of color being dominate in their respective sports, but I have never felt more hopeful about the national team’s future than now.

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: USWNT Youth Prevail, NCAA DI Conference Champions Crowned and DePaul Shocks Georgetown

Posted on by RJ Allen

USWNT Youth Show Promise:

In the two friendlies with Switzerland over the weekend, the U.S. Women’s National team had five players make their senior debut. Among those were Lynn Williams and Andi Sullivan. Williams became the 20th player in USWNT history to score in her debut while Sullivan showcased her passing ability and grabbed an assist as well. While Coach Jill Ellis has mentioned that this is an experimental time, these two players looked comfortable and ready for the bright lights.

    Two other players who earned minutes were Casey Short and Kealia Ohai. Short was solid on defense while Ohai also managed to score in her first cap; making it the fastest goal in debut at 48 seconds. Getting these minimal opportunities and making the most out of them are crucial for the young players who want to be included in the next cycle.

    In these friendlies Ellis went with a different formation, a 3-5-2; putting Becky Sauerbrunn paired with Short on the outside and Allie Long at center back. While it’s certainly not a look I would want moving forward, I know Ellis is experimenting. Based on these two games our offense looks ready for adjustments, while our defense needs some work. By work, I mean I’m hoping Arin Gilliland gets a serious shot in the next camp. I was surprised when she wasn’t even dressed for the second game. One more player who I thought would get minutes is Danielle Colaprico, a crafty midfielder who has been very consistent this year for Chicago in the NWSL.

    Overall I believe these were successful victories when you look at all the different players involved and formation. One thing that hasn’t changed is the demand for this team; in Utah a crowd of 14,336 showed up while in Minnesota on Sunday over 23K was in support.

Kentucky Upsets #9 Arkansas:

The Razorbacks perfect home record has been broken thanks to the Wildcats of Kentucky.  With a 2-1 defeat, Arkansas falls to 14-4 and 9-1 at home, still impressive nonetheless. Meanwhile Kentucky had previously lost their last four on the road, so coming into the match, surely Arkansas were the favorites.

    The Wildcats opened the scoring in the 23rd minute but Arkansas managed to equalize 10 minutes later. Kentucky would grab the eventual game winner in the 66th minute when Gina Crosetti assisted Zoe Swift to stun Arkansas in front of their home crowd. Arkansas will finish the regular season Thursday at LSU while Kentucky will face Georgia to cap off the regular season as well.

McCaskill Brace earns South Carolina SEC Crown:

    With a 2-0 defeat of Tennessee on Sunday, the Gamecocks are the SEC champions for the third time in program history and first time since 2011.

    They are led by junior forward Savannah McCaskill, who has 17 appearances; scoring 13 goals (career-high) and adding seven assists. She scored both goals to beat the Vols and is having a career year for the Gamecocks. She isn’t afraid to take shots; evidence of that are her team-leading 89 shots. It’s staggering to think the second most shots is senior Sophie Groff with 29. Yet this offense may be centered on McCaskill, this team has spread around the ball quite a bit, having 10 different players score this season.

 Tennessee fall to 10-7-1 and will finish their regular season at Auburn on Thursday. South Carolina improves to 16-0-1 and look to complete this fairytale regular season with another win when they face Ole Miss on Thursday.

#1 WVU Survives Longhorn Scare for BIG 12 Title:   

    The Mountaineers secured their fifth consecutive BIG 12 conference title on Sunday when they shutout the Longhorns 1-0. In their lowest total regarding shots (12) in a single game all season, West Virginia squeaked by on a long range effort late in the game by junior Carla Portillo.  Texas were more than a worthy opponent , creating several scoring chances in the first half, none resulting in a goal of course, but they were resilient all game.

    The Longhorns shouldn’t hang their heads, as many teams were shut out by the Mountaineers this season, 11 teams have failed to score on that defense. Holding the #1 team in the nation scoreless for 78 minutes has to be a small moral victory. Texas played their best game of the year in my opinion, while WVU didn’t play their best. Even so, WVU claimed their eighth straight win and stand at 15-1-1 and will finish the regular season Friday when they host Oklahoma State. As for Texas, they fall to 8-8-1 and look to end regular season on a high when they travel to TCU on Friday.

Auburn Suffers First Road Loss at College Station:

    The 11th ranked Tigers were previously undefeated on the road, going six for six this season and on a seven game win streak. The Aggies are very tough at home this season, earning eight victories in 12 matches and were on a two-game win streak. Something had to give, right?

    A&M struck first in the 54th minute on a beautiful header by Grace Piper, who earned her fourth goal of the season. The Tigers answered a minute later by way of Brooke Ramsier; her fourth goal on the season as well. All four goals by Ramsier have been from set pieces this year. The game winner was a penalty taken in the 82nd minute by Haley Pounds, who grabbed her seventh goal of the season.

    The Aggies improve to 9-7-1 and will finish at Mississippi State on Thursday. As for Auburn, this is a disappointing loss and fall to 12-5-0. With one game left against Tennessee at home, the Tigers can regain momentum heading into the SEC Tournament next week.

DePaul upends #7 Georgetown:

The Blue Demons scored four first half goals to stun the #7 Hoyas. In a 4-1 dominating performance, these top two teams in the BIG EAST seemed to have switched roles in this one. I certainly didn’t have Georgetown losing this one, not to take anything away from DePaul. But considering the Hoyas had won 14 games in a row, I had my reasons for thinking that.

    DePaul were on the scoreboard quickly, proving me wrong immediately. They scored two goals in a matter of 12 minutes to put the pressure on Georgetown on its senior day. In the 31st minute the Hoyas cut the deficit in half but six minutes later the Blue Demons grabbed another to make it a two goal lead once again. The dagger came just before half when senior Abby Reed found her team leading 10th goal of the year.

    This was DePaul’s most impressive win of the season, bringing them to 10-5-2 and they look to finish the regular season at Marquette on Friday. Meanwhile, this was Georgetown’s biggest loss of the season and they fall to 13-2-2. The Hoyas complete the regular season against Creighton on Friday.

Go Watch the USWNT even if Alex Morgan isn’t Playing

Posted on by RJ Allen

The USWNT needs roster turnover more than you need to see Alex Morgan score a goal against a team outside of the top 10 in the FIFA rankings.

I understand seeing Alex Morgan or Julie Johnston or Carli Lloyd can improve your experience or make it into a once-in-a-lifetime thing, I really do. But included in the price of your ticket is not the right to get a say in who is in the starting eleven, who is in the 18, or who got called into that camp.

Outside of matches meant to reward or thank fans after a World Cup or Olympics, the games played, even the friendlies, are meant to test new players and check up on more seasoned players. They should matter to the evaluation of the coaching staff for the next major tournament and not be an eleven packed with fan favorites just for the sake of making those fans happy.

Alex Morgan shouldn’t start every single USWNT friendly. Neither should Carli Lloyd. Even Becky Sauerbrunn should be rotated to the bench a few times a year to give other players a chance to grow their experience and for evaluations. Not to mention resting some of your best in some of the less challenging games is a benefit to the players.

And while the chance of seeing Alex Morgan and Julie Johnston and Meghan Klingenberg have remained high in the past, with the newest 24 person roster for the upcoming camp and pair of friendlies, these games will happen without all three being even possible subs.

The USWNT needs to expand the list of names that the coaches are able to look at during the year. It’s even more important in the next two years as they gear up for France in 2019.

Some of the World Cup winning 15ers have retired. More will in the coming months. Some still will be cut. While it’s disheartening at times to see players left out in the cold, it is a necessary evil when it comes to sports.

Rosters aren’t 50 players long. You want some of the great NWSL players to get a shot? Someone has to go.

To all of those who have a friendly in their city and are thinking of not going? Go. Maybe you’ll get to see the first game of the next great USWNT player’s career. Maybe you’ll just see the first game of a player who has waited her whole life for the shot to step on the pitch with three stars above her heart.

Either way? Go to the game. Support the team. Hope in 2019 we have the best 23 the World Cup has ever seen. Your favorites or not.

Around the World of WoSo: NWSL Champions Crowned, Stanford Falls; New Blood for USWNT

Posted on by RJ Allen

Flash Stun Spirit in NWSL Final:

Let’s be real. This game was messy, foul driven, and ended in penalty kicks. Not exactly the dream final between Western New York and Washington that I was hoping for. But the last 45 minutes of action, between the 30 minutes of extra time and then PKs, was highly entertaining.

In the first half we saw two great goals. Washington struck first in the ninth minute when Crystal Dunn found WNY keeper Sabrina D’Angelo in no man’s land and slotted it home for the early lead. WNY were not fazed at all. Less than five minutes later Samantha Mewis fired a shot from distance to grab the equalizer. After those first minutes of excitement, the game turned into a choppy bit of play, with plenty of fouls for each team and no more goals in regulation.

In extra time, Dunn was at it again. Somehow finding herself wide open inside the eighteen, she fired a rocket courtesy of her left foot into the near post. The flash struggled to string passes together for the next 20 minutes, but then a miracle happened. In the 124th minute, Jessica McDonald sent in a hopeful cross than found the head of Lynn Williams, beating two Spirit players and keeper Kelsey Wys to the ball, and it dropped in the back of the net. An incredible moment that gave me instant flashbacks to the 2011 Women’s World Cup semifinal between USA and Brazil, when Megan Rapinoe found Abby Wambach’s head in the box to level the score in the 122nd minute, pulling of the seemingly impossible.

This moment wasn’t quite as momentous, but it had the same feeling of improbability and was fun to watch unfold. One minute later (literally), the whistle blows. I’d have to imagine it’s a cringing reminder that the Spirit had the championship in their hands. In penalty kicks, WNY keeper D’Angelo made three saves on Ali Krieger, Diana Matheson, and Tori Huster to secure the title for the Flash. An incredible outcome that I don’t think anyone could’ve predicted. In front of 8,255 fans—many of whom were supporting Washington—WNY managed to shock everyone. Quite a determined performance to take the NWSL world by surprise.

Anson Dorrance Reaches Milestone at UNC:

North Carolina has been a powerhouse from the second the program began in 1979. That was the first year of Dorrance’s tenure as well, and he’s never slowed down in his 37 years in charge.  A few days ago, he secured his 800th victory. What’s more amazing is that he did it in his 900th game. In his career, he has accumulated 800 wins, 65 losses, and 35 draws. All staggering numbers anyway you look at it.

Dorrance has coached so many players who went on to have fantastic careers at the U.S. senior national team level. To name a few: Mia Hamm, Cindy Parlow, April Heinrichs, Kristine Lilly, Carla Overbeck, Heather O’Reilly.  This past weekend, his 15th ranked Tar Heels defeated Wake 2-1 to make this historic night an unforgettable one. They improve to 8-2-3 on the season while winning their fourth consecutive game. They face Notre Dame on Friday and look to continue their winning ways.

U.S. U-17 Eliminated from WWC:

In the final group game, the United States faced Japan and lost 3-2. They struggled defensively against the technical and quick Japanese players. At one point in the second half, the USA gave up 2 goals in a span of three minutes. They absolutely collapsed and couldn’t recover from it. One bright spot was 17-year-old captain Ashley Sanchez, who scored both goals for the Americans. She now has 18 goals in 18 appearances for the Youth National Team.

Considering they lost to the defending champions, some could look the other way, but I think this was a glaring failure that leaves me with questions about how the youth systems are operating. I had high expectations for this group. Another exit by a U.S. women’s team in a major tournament. In my opinion, the world has definitely caught up to us, if there was any real doubt about that.

2016 NCAA College Cup Finds New Home:

Over a month ago, the decision to remove all NCAA championships from North Carolina due to the state’s anti-LGBTQA laws was officially announced. This week, we have a new home of many NCAA DI tournaments, more specifically the DI Women’s Soccer final will now be played in San Jose, California at Avaya Stadium, which is the home of MLS side San Jose Earthquakes (holds 18,000). While tradition will be missed for those in NC, this was a much needed change. I fully support this relocation and look forward to seeing what kind of atmosphere fans will bring to San Jose in December.

USC Upsets #1 Stanford:

Coming into this game, Stanford had showcased an impressive amount of quality wins, including Minnesota, Santa Clara, and UCLA. But USC outhustled them in this one, were more aggressive, and simply shut out the number one team in the nation. Maybe Stanford needed to lose this one? You know, to bring them back to earth and figure out what weaknesses they can improve on. They fall to 11-1-1 on the year.

The Trojans came in as the number seven team and riding a ten-game win streak. They put three goals past Stanford. (It should be noted that starting goalkeeper Jane Campbell was out due to suspension for the Cardinals.) Nonetheless, I still had Stanford at least drawing this one. This was another strong win for USC, who have also defeated North Carolina, Arizona, and Georgia. The Trojans are now 10-3-1 on the season. They travel to Tempe to square off against Arizona State on Saturday.

Ellis Names USWNT Roster for October Camp:

Jill Ellis has named 24 players to a roster for October camps ahead of two upcoming friendlies against Switzerland. The first will be October 19th at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, while the second is October 23rd at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  

Notable players not included are Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Julie Johnston, and Meghan Klingenberg. I don’t want fans to worry. This is just a reminder that we are moving towards new blood for the new cycle, and that means there will be some rotation in the rosters. And that’s a good thing.

It seems the NWSL play is making a real impact. Ellis has called 11 new players in. A variety of familiar names—but only at the club level. Kealia Ohai, Lynn Williams, Danielle Colaprico, Shea Groom, Casey Short, Arin Gilliland, Abby Dahlkemper, and Merritt Mathias are all representatives of the league. Three YNT and/or Collegiate players were chosen as well: BYU standout Ashley Hatch and the Stanford duo of Jane Campbell and Andi Sullivan.

This is the perfect time to bring in new players—a test of the waters really. See what the program has to work with in preparation for the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France. I know I’m looking forward to these matches and learning who will not only standout but bring something new to the table. Let’s get our fans and federation excited again for the possibilities this team has.

The German Curse

Posted on by RJ Allen

Most people are familiar with the women’s soccer statistic that if a team wins a World Cup one year, they will not win gold at the following Olympics.

But, there’s another trend I’ve found while looking back over old statistics that is both odd and intriguing.

I’m calling it “The German Curse.”

The curse (which is completely real and not conjured up by me yesterday) is based on the fact that if a team beats Germany in a major tournament, the team will not win the following major tournament. Of course, one could chalk this up to coincidence, but since 1991 no team has been able to achieve this feat.

1991 World Cup

USA beats Germany in semifinals:

A hat trick from Carin Jennings sealed the deal for the US’s victory over Germany in the 1991 semifinal match. Germany was outscored 5-2 by team US, who ultimately went on to win the inaugural Women’s World Cup. Though Germany had only conceded one goal throughout the entire tournament, the combination of Jennings, April Heinrichs, and Michelle Akers–a trio better known as the “Triple-Edged Sword”–proved to be too lethal for the German defense.

Sweden beats Germany in the 3rd place game:

After losing to the US, Germany suffered an even worse loss to Sweden in the 3rd place game. The team was shut out by Sweden’s defense and was scored on 4 times; once by Sweden’s current coach, Pia Sundhage. While Sweden seemed only marginally better than Germany on paper, the loss against the US could have drained the energy from the German team. They finished fourth, while Sweden took third.

1995 World Cup

Sweden is beaten by China PR in quarterfinals:

Although they won silver at the Euros in 1995, the Swedish international team was beaten by China PR in the quarterfinals later that year. China had been on a small upswing since making the quarterfinals in the 1991 World Cup, which could have fueled their win against Sweden, but they ultimately went on to lose to Germany and the US, respectively, earning them fourth place.

US is beaten by Norway in semifinals:

In a rematch of the 1991 World Cup, Norway found revenge by defeating the US in the semifinal. The US brought a very similar squad to their history-making 1991 roster, but Norway came prepared and held them to a 1-0 scoreline. USA moved on to defeat China PR and receive 3rd place.

Norway beats Germany to win the 1995 WWC:

Norway continued their domination by leaving Germany scoreless in the final match of the 1995 World Cup. Germany used all three available substitutions (Norway used zero) to try and keep up their pace and break down the Norwegian defense, but they failed to do so and in the end, walked away with 2nd place.

1996 Olympics

Norway loses to US in semifinals:

After defeating Germany in the World Cup the year prior, Norway fell to the US with a score of 2-1 in the semifinals. Norway began the second half of the game with a 1-0 lead, but the US tied the score with a penalty taken by Michelle Akers in the 76th minute. Ultimately, the US won the game with a golden goal in extra time. The US then went on the dominate China PR and win gold. 

Norway beats Germany in the group stage:

Before Norway lost to the US in the semifinals, they defeated Germany 3-2 in the group stages. 1996 was the only year that Germany did not make it out of the group stages. This could be due to them being grouped with dominant teams like Norway, Brazil, and Japan, but nonetheless they finished the group stages 1-1-1 and were eliminated. Shortly after this, their head coach, Gero Bisanz, resigned. And so began a new era for the German team with head coach, Tina Theune, and assistant coach and former player, Silvia Neid.

1999 World Cup

Norway loses to China PR in semifinals:

After dominant Women’s World Cup performances in the early 1990s, Norway was obliterated by China in a 0-5 loss in the semifinals. Norway also went on to lose to Brazil in the third place match. This came to a surprise to many people, as the Norwegian team had been undefeated throughout the group stages and quarterfinals.

USA beats Germany in the WC quarterfinals:

Germany seemed to be gaining ground from the last Olympics, but the US’s 1999 World Cup team proved to be too lethal for the German team to contain. Even one of Germany’s two goals in the quarterfinal match that ended 3-2 was an own goal scored by Brandi Chastain. Eventually, the US went on the win their second Women’s World Cup that year. 

2000 Olympics

USA loses to Norway at the Sydney Olympic games:

The 2000 Olympics kicked off with Norway losing to the US in the first game of the group stage. It seemed that the US was going to take the gold, entering the final match undefeated, but Norway managed to beat the US in extra time with a golden goal still considered questionable by some.

Norway beats Germany in semifinals:

This semifinal match was probably the most heartbreaking for Germany, given that the 1-0 game was determined by an own goal from Tina Wunderlich in the 80th minute. Germany continued on to win the bronze medal and would soon move on to dominate over the next decade. Since these Olympic games, Norway has not placed higher than 4th in a major tournament.

2003 World Cup

Norway is beaten by USA in the quarterfinals:

Norway started the group stage by losing to Brazil 1-4 in the group stage, and then went on to lose to the US in the quarterfinals of the 2003 World Cup thanks to a lone goal from Abby Wambach. Norway had been on a decline since Åge Steen had taken over in 2001 and this was particularly evident during the 2003 World Cup which stands as their worst performance since the 1991 World Cup.

Germany wins first Women’s World Cup:

Germany won their first World Cup in 2003 after a dominant showing against Sweden in the finals. They went undefeated in the tournament with the help of Birgit Prinz, who won the Golden Shoe and Golden Boot for her performance, netting seven goals over the course of play.

2004 Olympics

Germany loses to the USA in the semifinals:

Germany’s fall in the semifinals came from a game winning goal by the US’s Heather O’Reilly in extra time. The Germans had opened up the tournament with an 8-0 win over China PR, but after struggling in their win against Nigeria in the quarterfinals, they ended up being knocked out in the semifinals. The US went on to win  gold.

Germany wins bronze:

Germany eventually went on to win bronze against Sweden, the team they defeated to win the Women’s World Cup just a year previously.

2007 World Cup

USA is beaten out by Brazil in semifinals:

The US opened the tournament with a surprising draw to North Korea, but held on to win their group. Brazil ultimately ended up dominating the US in a 4-0 shut out in the semifinals with a helpful brace from Marta. The US then went on to beat Norway and claim third place.

Germany wins second World Cup:

Brazil’s national team had just begun to heat up at the World Cup, but after the German goalkeeper, Nadine Angerer,  saved a penalty kick taken by Marta, and then two goals from Birgit Prinz and Simone Laudehr in the second half, Brazil lost the finals. Germany walked away with their second consecutive World Cup.

2008 Olympics

Germany loses to Brazil in semifinals:

Germany and Brazil drew in the opening game of their group in a rematch of the World Cup final, but when they faced each other again in the semi-final round, it was Germany who finally fell to Brazil. Germany had gone up 1-0 early with a goal from their recurring standout Birgit Prinz, but soon Formiga, Cristiane (2), and Marta answered and sent Brazil to the gold medal match. Eventually, Brazil lost to a late game-winning goal from the the US’s Carli Lloyd, which earned the South American team a second silver medal. 

With the loss to Brazil, Germany was sent to the bronze medal match where super sub, Fattier Bajramaj, put up two goals in the second half against Japan to claim the bronze medal. 

2011 World Cup

Brazil is beaten by USA in quarterfinals:

In a game that boasted one of the greatest goals in Women’s World Cup History, Brazil was knocked out in a quite dramatic fashion by the US in the quarterfinals. The game had been tied 1-1 by an own goal from Brazil and a pk from Marta. Marta then scored in the 92nd minute of extra time to give Brazil a 2-1 lead, but it was a goal from Abby Wambach in the 122nd minute that led the game into penalties where Brazil was outscored 3-5. The US continued on only to be defeated by Japan in the final game, 3-1, after extra time and penalties.

Germany is beaten by Japan in quarterfinals:

Germany fell to a powerful Japanese team in yet another game that was determined by extra time (four of the final seven games went into extra time that year). This game broke Germany’s sixteen-game undefeated streak in the World Cup. Japan went on the win their first Women’s World Cup.

2012 Olympics

Japan loses gold medal match to USA:

In a rematch of the 2011 World Cup final, Japan and the US battled it out at Wembley Stadium, but this time it was the US, with two goals from Carli Lloyd, who defeated the Japanese team to win gold.

Germany does not qualify for Olympics:

Following the loss to Japan at the World Cup, Germany did not finish as one of the top two UEFA teams at the tournament, and were therefore disqualified from the Olympics.

2015 World Cup

USA beats Germany in semifinals:

After beating France 5-4 in penalties, Germany met the US in the semifinals. In the 63rd minute, Germany was awarded penalty kick, taken and missed by Célia Šašic. After that the US went up on Germany 2-0  when Carli Lloyd made a pk against goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, and Kelley O’Hara netted her first international goal only minutes after being subbed into the game.

England beats Germany in third place match: 

Germany and England battled for third place, with neither team managing to score during regulation time. The Lionesses then beat Germany in extra time from a penalty earned by Lianne Sanderson and converted by Fara Williams. Germany left the 2015 World Cup without a spot on the podium.

2016 Olympics

USA loses to Sweden in quarterfinals:

In their earliest exit ever in a major tournament, the US was knocked out in the quarterfinals to the defensive beast that was Sweden, coached by the very woman who’d led them to gold in 2008 and 2012, Pia Sundhage. Sweden progressed to the gold medal match, but lost to Germany and earned silver.

England does not play in Olympics:

Okay, actually England was kept from the Olympics due to the political disagreements and concerns regarding national identity between the four nations that make up Great Britain’s Olympic committee, but we can still blame that on their win over Germany, right?

Germany wins gold:

The Germans finally found a way to defeat Sweden and take their first Olympic gold medal.

One thing I found very interesting in this trend is that each time a team beats Germany and then falls in the next tournament, the primary cause isn’t always because the team is worse by any particular measure, but because the team they compete against wins in an extraordinary or surprising fashion. Case in point: Norway in the 1999 World Cup vs China PR, USA in the 2000 Olympics vs Norway, USA in the 2007 World Cup vs Brazil, Brazil in the 2011 World Cup vs USA, and USA in the 2016 Olympics vs Sweden. 

So, has the German national team placed some sort of Deutschland hex on any team that defeats them? Probably not. But, if your team beats Germany in a major tournament, don’t expect to win the next one.

Ellis Names NWSL Heavy Roster for Switzerland Friendlies

Posted on by RJ Allen

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)