How the heck are ND supposed to get their season back on track if Bragg is still out (anyone know her status?) and now Henderson has been called into a U23 Camp from oct 2-7. She'll miss at least 2 games.
Melissa Henderson is headed to the U-23 camp. So conceivably she can play on Friday's game against Connecticut but will miss Sunday's game against providence.
I'm hoping she'll play against UConn tonight and then against Rutgers on Oct. 9, missing only Providence and Seton Hall. The camp is in Carson, CA, ending on Oct. 7, so that will be a long trip to Piscataway for making the Rutgers game. Despite the awkward timing of the camp, it appears to an important one for evaluating the younger players with a shot at the Olympics, so good luck to Mel. This also is a major opportunity for younger forwards to shine for the Irish in conference play in Mel's absence.
On another thread, someone posted that the players will not need to miss Sunday's game. I have no idea whether that is right or not. In either event, however, the bigger issue may be fatigue management. The players at the camp are going to want to perform really well. Managing fatigue for star players is probably a bigger coaching challenge than managing without the players for some games.
I agree. Injuries can happen at any time for any number of reasons, but a bad result of the camp would be if Henderson (or any other attendee) hurries back to play a conference game for her college team and gets injured or run down due to fatigue. With ND's disappointing season so far, there will be a great temptation to use Mel for short-term results, but careful handling is indicated. Another reason that coaches (and fans) go gray.
Ouch! 0-0 draw with Rutgers in Piscataway. Mel Henderson played over 100 minutes; she also played 45 against Seton Hall in a win on Friday, according to the box score (I don't understand how the U-23 camp worked last week - pretty quick hit). Courtney Barg returned to action this weekend, which should be good news for the Irish. Each game had attendance of 1000+. G'Town Hoyas visit ND next Friday; I attended the Georgetown-Louisville game in DC today, which Louisville won 2-1 in the 2d OT period. So Louisville (leading the Big East) has beaten both Notre Dame and Georgetown in conference play - strong season for the Cards.
The thread is about the 2011 Irish season, but this tweet yesterday from Coach Randy seems germane: "Can someone just give me a schedule of who is in my conference and what my schedule is going to be for the next 3-5 years?"
A season to try the patience of Irish fans - On Friday, Hoyas beat ND at South Bend 3-2. Samantha Baker wreaked havoc against the Irish, scoring a goal and setting up two (count 'em -two) own goals against the ND defense. Big big win for Georgetown. Ms. Baker gave ND fits in last year's 1-1 tie also. ND did win 3-1 against Villanova on Sunday, clinching a bye in the first round of the upcoming Big East tournament.
So whats the deal with this team? Everyone is talking about Portland crumbling, but ND is silently slipping away. And they have had qualtiy recruiting classes. So what is it? Championship hangover Lost valuable players Randy doesn't know how to coach anymore Climate change
IMO, there may be several differences from last year to this year for the Irish. Inexperienced goalkeeping in early big games. In early big games against UNC, Duke, Randy was experimenting with a freshman goalkeeper which did not work well. Freshman mistakes were made and the defense did not have the confidence it needed like with a seasoned goalkeeper. Too much talk of a repeat. Before the season started there was talk, articles, and twitters of a National Championship repeat. That was silly and arrogant, IMO. Just play the schedule game-by-game and when you get to the Final of the College Cup then talk of a National Championship repeat. The importance of Lauren Fowlkes. Fowlkes was the leader and glue that kept the Irish together last season and willed them to a National Championship. It seemed like she played every position on the field for Notre Dame last year. She probably would have stepped between the pipes if a goalkeeper was needed. The importance of a confident goalkeeper. Notre Dame had a confident goalkeeper last year in Nikki Weiss who also had size and poise and that's hard to replace. 3 players do not make a team. Melissa Henderson, Courtney Barg and Jessica Schuveiller do not make a whole Irish team. 11 players make a team on the pitch. Last year Randy got contribution from every and anyone he put out on the field and this showed early in the season. I'm not sure this is happening now. Bulls-eye on your back. When you are the National Champion everyone plays their best game against you. Everyone prepares for you. Everyone is gunning for you. You cannot let your guard down for one minute of any game. If you do, you will get beat.
Let's also try: The opposition may be better. In general, at least, the teams below the top seem to be getting better.
Feel your pain on the goalkeeping! Texas A&M struggled with their two freshmen goalkeepers in their early season loses. Unfortunately, they are the only keepers they have so it has had to be on the job training. Looks like the experience is starting to pay-off.
I don't think the problem is with the goalkeeper or her confidence, once Randy switched back to the Junior. The ND attack is where I see real issues as the team gets the ball to the scoring area and doesn't do much. While ND is credited with a lot of shots, their shots on goal percentage isn't great nor are their goals per game. Way too many direct shots taken at the goal from outside the box with easy saves for the keeper or missing the goal mouth completely. It often looks like the offense isn't working well together. If that starts clicking they could make a run for it at the end of the season.
ND vs. Louisville at 3PM Friday at WVU in the Big East semis. The Cards beat the Irish 1-0 at ND earlier this year- great year for that program.
This is Notre Dame's time of the year. The post-season. They seem to get their sh_t together and start peaking. This year, I don't expect to see them at the College Cup, but I would not be surprised. They may not be a #1 or #2 seed in the NCAA but who ever gets them in their quadrant will have to be concerned.
It's tournament time so that means Notre Dame is getting hot and Melissa Henderson is scoring goals! She would have gone down as the best EVER if she would only play the beginning of the season like she plays the end of a season. Not sure why she can score in October and November but struggle in September. Not sure this team has the same drive as last year but it will be interesting to watch. Where do you think the NCAA will send them, assuming they get in?
NCAA likes to regionalize teams although I have seen Florida come to Wisconsin. I'm thinking they may come to Milwaukee early and play at Marquette. It is not inconceivable that ND can get first round either. New stadium. Central location in the midwest. I have followed Notre Dame for many, many years and and I have seen many greats play for ND and although Melissa Henderson will go down as one of the best ever at Notre Dame, in my mind Anne Mackinen was the best player I have ever watched play for the Irish.
Yes, I remember Shannon Boxx when she played for Notre Dame. The best Notre Dame team ever assembled IMO, did not win an NCAA championship. In 1997 I saw the best college soccer game I've ever seen still to this day, between Notre Dame and North Carolina in South Bend. I was working in Columbus, Ohio back then and drove to South Bend just for that game. It ended in a 2-2 tie due to lightning. That day the Irish fielded the best team in its history still to this day, IMO: GK: LaKeysia Beene. D: Kate Sobrero, Jen Grubb, Kelly Lindsey. MF: Holly Manthei, Shannon Boxx, Anne Makinen, Kara Brown. F: Jenny Heft, Jenny Streiffer, Monica Gerardo. Shannon Boxx and Kate Sobrero went on to do the best out of that group but in my opinion Anne Makinen was the dominating player. And BTW, for that game, North Carolina's line-up wasn't too shabby either: GK: Siri Mullinix. D: Lorrie Fair, Nel Fettig, Staci Wilson. MF: Aubrey Falk, Rebekah McDowell, Tiffany Roberts, Laurie Schwoy. F: Robin Confer, Raven McDonald, Cindy Parlow.
Sorry to create a best ever debate. I remember watching Anne and Jen Grubb play in amazement. I do think the 2008 team was pretty special. Think about Hanks, Bock and Henderson as your forwards! You had a Carrie Dew and Elise Weber in the back with Jess Schuveiller. That team was special 26-1 and only trailed for 4 minutes all season. Unfortunately, 2 of those were the last two in the national final! This years team still has Henderson, Schuveiller, and Barg complemented with young players like Laddish, Tucker, and Scofield but maybe not enough. I would love to see Henderson take this team on her back and take them to the Final Four.
Notre Dame has had many great players go through over the years. One magazine that was writing about last year's team (and I forgot who) said: "If it wasn't for North Carolina, Notre Dame would be North Carolina".
Absolutely! You have UNC at the top historically, then ND, then another group of teams. I hate when people put Stanford even or ahead of ND yet they have not won a championship compared to 3 in South Bend. They have not been to as many final fours even lately. They are good but not at that level yet. They need some hardware first!