2011 Notre Dame

So ND has lost 3 games to ranked opponents (and Duke wasn't even ranked in the top 20 at the time) and tied Santa Clara. Not the start they wanted. They need to get their act together. If they don't, I don't see how they will be a high ranked seed come tournament time.

If anyone saw the Stanford game, how did they get scored on?

 

Against SCU I thought the Notre Dame midfield played very well. They did a great job holding possession and attacking in numbers - they regularly got 5-6 players into the final third when bringing up the ball. I think the front line let the Irish down in this game by being too direct and impatient. SCU has a very disciplined defense and Notre Dame attackers seemed to want to beat them on the dribble all day long. When that stopped working they started shooting from 30+ yards out - that's not going to beat a keeper of Henninger's caliber.

Defensively I thought the team did a good job, but SCU wasn't throwing too many players forward. The Broncos were being very conservative (this is a very young SCU team) but as the game wore on SCU players got more confidence and starting pressuring the Irish backline more. The SCU goal was great (a tough cross, a great header finish) and nobody is to blame on the ND side.

The Irish did look to tire quite a bit. Santa Clara had the run of play for the final 25 minutes and both overtime periods. The first half was even. For the first 20 minutes of the second half Notre Dame was dominating and winning corner kicks and getting great looks at goal but never came away with anything. I think that (and playing Stanford on Friday) gassed them.

 

Overall I thought ND had the better of it. Definitely the faster team.

ND's main problem was the time difference. The game ended 1 a.m. South Bend time. Players finally fell asleep and Stanford scored twice. (As long as Stanford waited to call the lightning suspension I suspect they finally did when they realised how late the game would end. Stanford have a history of scheduling top eastern teams (in all sports) late to take advantage of their circadian rhythms.)

Generally I don't give too much weight to the final result in early season games between top teams. The games mainly give the coaches a chance to evaluate their players against other top players.

Not that ND fans shouldn't be concerned. Team seems to fade late (and not just when it is 1 a.m.) and should have been able to score more on Santa Clara. ND's score in that game was more the Santa Clara defenders getting fouled up than a great play by ND.

You can see the scoring plays from the ND-Stanford game on the Stanford Women's Soccer Facebook Page.

 

You guys have no idea how unusual a mid-September lightning storm is in Northern California. I have been following soccer here for many years and have never, at any time of year, seen or heard of a game halted for lightning. I'm sure it has happened, but in September??? Never.

 

Louisville 1-0 over ND. That's a real shocker. How did that happen?

 

Wow...that is a shocker. Would like to hear from someone at that match for sure.

 

I was nowhere close to near the game, but as soon as I saw the score, I took a quick look at the stats to see if it was "one of those games." From the stats, it doesn't look that way. It looks like Notre Dame had the better of the possession, with about twice as many shots, but the shots on goal were even, 6 each if my memory is right.

Someone who was there, can you enlighten us?

 

IMO, from reading pre-season posts and comments, Randy and ND were too focused on repeating as National Champions rather then winning game by game.

In all the years I have followed college soccer, I have never heard or read about Anson Dorrance, his coaches or UNC players talk about repeating. They just take it game by game and win.

This is not a knock at ND. I'm a UND fan. But I wasn't all that enamoured with the back-to-back repeat talk before the season even started.

Just go out there and play to win each game. When you get to the Final of the College Cup then talk about repeating as National Champions.

 

old proverb: arrogance goes before the fall

 

While I don't disagree with the point of your post, come on, are you saying it isn't the goal of North Carolina, every year, to win the national championship? Of course if is. In fact, I'll suggest that the reason for trying a different formation in the TAMU game (and possibly losing as a result) was to increase the team's likelihood of winning the national championship this year. So, it's not "just take it game by game and win," but instead, it's "do what you have to do now to be better positioned to win the national championship, even if it means losing now."

I trust, however, that you're right that the UNC coaches don't talk about it. (Of course, a lot of UNC fans do!)

 

Great comment. It's a mark of excellent coaching that the players were motivated by "a poor NCAA seeding." The Women's Soccer Committee seeds ND just about exactly where they should be seeded based on the seeding criteria, yet the coach convinces the players they should be pissed off about the disrespect as a way to motivate them. Excellent coaching. (I'm serious, I'm sure the staff knew the seed was appropriate based on ND's record and the criteria, yet they managed to play it to their advantage. I'm also serious that this was good coaching.)

 

ND having a tough year the Bulls are not that good.

 

I have followed Notre Dame soccer for over 15 years. Since Shanon Boxx played there. And I don't remember a lousier start to a season such as this.

 

Some comments from Waldrum about the upcoming Marquette game:

http://www.ndsmcobserver.com/sports/nd-women-s-soccer-irish-tie-usf-hit-the-road-for-trip-1.2608095

 

Watched yesterday's game vs. FSU. For all the skillful players, ND dribbles way too much - maybe try poppin' one touch to speed up play and let the ball do the talking. They will rebound surely.

 

I surely don't think that any seasoned observer is counting them out. They always bounce back at the end of the season and they do have the talent. (Not only last year did they do well late, but in 2009 when UNC killed them early at South Bend 6-0, they came back and played a great NCAA tournament with a fine 1-0 match in the final 4.)

 

I wouldnt count them out either. Courtney Barg hasnt played last few games, maybe she's that important to them. Notre Dame will still be a tough out in the NCAA's. Id bet money on it. The commitee will put them in UNC's bracket. Which will suck..

 

Wow. Notre Dame continues to lose. I know they play a tough schedule but you have to find a way to beat some of these ranked teams.

I do notice in the box score that Courtney Barg is not on the roster. What's going on? Is she injured?
Barg IS their key player. Henderson may score the goals but but the ball goes through Barg before it gets to Henderson.

 

I thought the same thing when I saw that. Schuveiller move like the Fowlkes move.