University of Virginia -- The 2019 Thread

Discussion in 'Women's College' started by Val1, Jun 23, 2019.

  1. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    True, in fact the SEC coaches pre-season poll picked them to come in 6th. So did I, because I have rules I have to follow that wouldn't let me put them where their trend said they would end up, which was around #8. It's definitely hard to accept that a team in that area of the rankings is going to move up next year at the same rate they've been moving up. On the other hand, Chris Henderson had them at #3 in the SEC, based on his very sophisticated pre-season evaluation system.
     
  2. Val1

    Val1 Member+

    Arsenal
    Mar 12, 2004
    MD's Eastern Shore
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Hoos Place review: https://hoosplace.com/content.php?inc=2019111205

    Injuries Mount as Virginia Falls to North Carolina in ACC Title Game

    Virginia faced off against North Carolina for the ACC title missing two starters and a key reserve. UNC scored in the opening minutes of play. It looked bleak for the women, but as I have written before, these women do not give up.

    North Carolina 2
    Virginia 1


    UNC is the strongest, deepest and fastest team in the country. While UVa coach Steve Swanson typically plays one of the deepest benches in the country, only UNC’s Anson Dorrance plays more subs, this year utilizing a second line of six players, much like a hockey coach. And when his second line comes in, he’s got them playing a different formation, so game planning for UNC must be a nightmare.

    As for Virginia, we were short-handed from the get-go. Starting left back Courtney Petersen is out. The player who would have replaced her, Claire Constant, lost her fitness race and missed both ACC games this past weekend. Midfielder Anna Sumpter, perhaps the most improved player on the team, was also missing. Against Florida State in the semifinals, Swanson used a pair of forwards, Ashlynn Serepca and Alexa Spaanstra, and a midfielder, Sydney Zandi, to fill in on the back line. Against UNC, Swanson opted to change formations from his standard 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2. This was an extreme change on the fly so late in the season, but it reflected the challenge of playing the deepest team in the nation.

    And the game could have been catastrophic. UNC came out on fire – they usually do, they may be the fastest starting team in the country – and off a corner, ACC Freshman of the Year, Macie Bell headed home. It was as glaring a mistake on Virginia’s part as Florida State leaving Zoe Morse wide open on a similar corner.

    For the remainder of the 1st half, UVa was under relentless pressure but the back line of Morse, Phoebe McClernon and Talia Staude held firm. You know how announcers always talk of how the struggling team just has to make it to half time, keep the score line down, and then re-group? In this case, that was Virginia’s task, and to be frank, it’s not one we’ve been forced into this season. For the record, Virginia had only been behind once before all season, and that was against Wake Forest for three minutes.

    But in this case, half-time was crucial because the Cavaliers came out with renewed purpose and pretty much controlled the second half. As per usual, Dorrance swapped in his second line, and on Virginia’s only corner of the game, freshman Diana Ordonez scored to level the game. Dorrance rushed his starters back in and it was game on.

    Until the 85th minute.

    Trying to play a chipped ball, UNC’s Brianna Pinto and UVa keeper Laurel Ivory both challenged for a ball at the six yard box. Pinto missed the ball, lowered her head slightly and demolished Ivory. While Pinto was surely not trying to take out the keeper, the fact is that it was a reckless challenge. It could have been a red card and an immediate ejection for Pinto. Only the ref didn’t see it that way. He didn’t even call it a foul and awarded a drop ball to Virginia.

    You can decide for yourself.

    Ivory left the game under her own power, but she has been lost for the season.

    Backup keeper Michaela Moran came in, the game went into overtime, and UNC’s Alessia Russo scored the Sudden Victory goal in the first overtime period. Game, set and match to UNC who won their 22nd ACC title game under Anson Dorrance.

    The women, nevertheless, have much to be proud of. Writers often talk about teams “clawing their way back into a game,” and while a cliché, it was very much true for this game. Injuries are part of the sporting landscape, and many times, it is the healthiest team that is cutting down the nets at the end of the season. Steve Swanson is as needlessly close-lipped as any other coach as regards the injury status of his players, so there is no word as to when Claire Constant is coming back. But I’m going to presume her return is a given. There’s no word as to if Courtney Petersen and Anna Sumpter will feature the remainder of the year. Ivory’s season is done.

    And yet, I know that Swanson must be so proud of this team. While short-handed, they battled a physically stronger UNC team to a standstill. They got no favors from the ref. This was a tough game to call, I will give the ref that, but he wasn’t up to the task. He missed a potential handball in the box against us, he missed a slightly more obvious handball in the box against UNC, he called Meg McCool for a penalty in the box that seemed pretty much of a 50/50 call that could have been a penalty for us. Those were all kind of “niggling”. I get that refs don’t want to be the ones to decide the game, but I think Pinto should have been ejected, and that surely would have changed the scope of the game. And lastly, the ref had to deal with the “home” crowd. The game was played at Cary’s WakeMed stadium, so any game there is going to be a home game for Duke or UNC. I came of age when the ACC was an 8-team league, and yes, four of those teams were from North Carolina. Yes, this is still very much a Tobacco Road league. But with expansion, the league stretches from Miami to Boston, Syracuse to South Bend. Why North Carolina continues to be the home for so, so many ACC tournaments, across all sports, is a mystery to me.

    These women have proved that they are truly one of the elite teams in the nation this year. They have suffered their fair share of adversity this season, but they have played hard and have given us attractive, yet smart, soccer all season long. The season has not ended and there is still a lot of soccer left to play. Despite the loss, UVa secured a #1 seed for the upcoming NCAA tournament, and as befits a #1 seed, get to host the next several games at Klockner. First up is Radford on Saturday night at 7pm. The women have a doable bracket – we’ve already beaten four of the teams in our region – and I am going to hold out hope that we can see some of our walking wounded back on the pitch as we challenge for the College Cup.

    While the women were shafted to some degree in the awards for All ACC selection, the national All American teams were more favorable to the Hoos. Meg McCool was selected as a first teamer, while Diana Ordonez, Courtney Petersen, Alexa Spaanstra, Tarryn Torres, and Phoebe McClernon were named to the second team. Laurel Ivory was a third team selection. If you’ve been paying attention, these were the same selections as the ACC teams, but as I’ve long contended, ACC coaches are idiots. These selections reflect just how the rest of the soccer community values the contributions of Steve Swanson and his girls.

    Congratulations, ladies. The second season is about to begin. Wahoowa!
     
  3. Number007

    Number007 Member+

    Santos FC
    Brazil
    Aug 29, 2018
    UNC have 2 legit fast players - Bell and Fox. They may look fast because the game plan is to run three players at the ball at all times and assume that the opponent cannot get their head up and pass thru pressure. A team like UVA who usually let the ball do the work may look slow, but i dont think there is much difference in team speed. POressing teams often look busier

    UVA tried to soak up pressure and created one BIG chance - McCool. The GK thing was big. Cant imagine how nervous Moran must have been entering a game at that stage in UNCs back yard. Really tall order for her. Even on the goal, I felt that if she is more in tune with the speed of the game, she saves it. Oh well.

    As far as awards. It still blows my mind that the captain and defensive leader of a UVA team that gave up fewer goals than anyone is not rewarded with anything. She defends like a champion ALL year, leads the team in minutes
    played and then, post snub, she scores the opening goal vs FSU. Now thats a resilient kid. Im glad to see the All tournament team recognized some of the less heralded UVA players.
     
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  4. Val1

    Val1 Member+

    Arsenal
    Mar 12, 2004
    MD's Eastern Shore
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
  5. Soccerhunter

    Soccerhunter Member+

    Sep 12, 2009
    I just want to note that I am sorry to see this thread just fall silent. Much could be said about the great season Virginia had and the quality of their players and play.

    I personally have the greatest respect for Steve Swanson and what he has done at Virginia. I am hoping that the Hoos will have another great season next year.
     
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  6. Number007

    Number007 Member+

    Santos FC
    Brazil
    Aug 29, 2018
    Unless you go deep in the tournament, no one really seems to care. I could say a lot about UVAs season, but it would probably come across wrong. Bottom line, they lost key defensive players at a critical time in the season and it showed vs Washington State. The back up GK was put in an impossible position and struggled. The played a back 3 because they only had one real full back available and she was coming back form injury. They one really physical defender they have was unavailable.When the chips were down, certain players stepped up and others wilted a bit. Yet more evidence that these All ACC awards are pretty bogus. Morse is one of the ACCs best and most consistent defenders and Jarrett is one of the most dangerous players in College, let alone the ACC.

    The Cougars played a very direct pressing game a la UNC but nothing that UVA could not handle at full strength. You could see that the UVA team played without confidence bar a few players. Yet given all of that, they had every chance to win the game.

    They overcame a lot this year and im sure once this wears off, they will come again next year. The Ivory incident cannot be overstated in its importance in shaping the Wash State game.

    I closing I will say this. UVA will struggle to play deep in the NCAAs. The type of player Swanson recruits and the style he plays is not well suited to end of year play. His teams just lack toughness. You have to win the battle s before you win the games in the late rounds of the NCAAs and UVA rarely win them. You cant out pass and out finesse teams at this time of year,
     
  7. Tom81

    Tom81 Member+

    Jan 25, 2008
    I sympathize with your reactions and the points you made.
    Many of them are spot on.

    The point about the style of play is one I disagree with.
    FSU and Stanford play that style.
    If either win the CC this year that will mean 5 of the last 9 winners
    were of that style.
    Maybe you are further breaking down possession style teams.
     
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  8. Number007

    Number007 Member+

    Santos FC
    Brazil
    Aug 29, 2018
    We can agree to disagree. They really dont. Both the teams you mention play far more long diagonal balls from CB. They also employ far more athletic/ physical players in those positions and at CDM. Stanford may well be in a different league to everyone, but talking this year, FSU may win it, but they have struggled to beat any ranked teams so far.

    For me, winning the CC, is great, but does not invalidate what you see in the regular season
     
  9. Val1

    Val1 Member+

    Arsenal
    Mar 12, 2004
    MD's Eastern Shore
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Thanks, @Soccerhunter. I'm just really depressed, I guess. Still. I was surprised by how good the team was, to be honest, and I got carried away. This was going to be our year, so losing to Wazzu just really stings. I haven't been able to follow the rest of tourney, you know, beyond knowing that they made it to the Final 4.

    Usually, you can predict the winner of any tourney in any sport just by knowing who is healthiest, and we just weren't healthy. In words of several syllables: @#%$^*&! and &*^%(?<$#.
     
  10. Soccerhunter

    Soccerhunter Member+

    Sep 12, 2009
    I understand, but do hang in there , Val. Next year (and perhaps especially the year after) should be strong year for the Hoos. Enjoy watching (and hopefully reporting on) the beautiful soccer Steve has the young women playing. I am convinced that more good things are in store.
     
    Val1 repped this.
  11. Val1

    Val1 Member+

    Arsenal
    Mar 12, 2004
    MD's Eastern Shore
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Thanks.

    I'll keeepcovering the women. I'm pretty sure I have written more on the women the past two years than anyone else on the planet.

    But now it's hoops season.and I'm covering the men. I do have more readers there...
     
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