Tag: UVA

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: 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.