2016 NCAA Women's Soccer College Cup - Final Four

At the risk of sounding like a horrible Republican, I think of FSU and WVA as outlier programs because while nearly all collegiate coaches spend their time recruiting American players, their coaches seem to spend most of their time recruiting players from other countries--and not just any players, but experienced foreign players. I think three of WVA's best players are veteran members of the Canadian national team. Hey, it's not illegal, but it's like they're bringing in mercenaries. I don't know about the Canadians who stock WVA's roster, but some/a lot of the Europeans who play for FSU are at least a year older than they're class year American counterparts at other colleges--freshman who are 19, for example. It makes a difference. If you've been around sports, you know there are certain high school coaches who've created strong programs because they emphasize recruiting ringers from other schools and areas outside of the school's home district. The foreign players are just that--ringers. A number of schools have one, in a few cases maybe two foreign players, but FSU and WVA have really made foreign players a focal point of their programs. The FSU coach has claimed that recruiting foreign players is the only way he can compete with ACC powers like UNC, Duke and UVa. That's an absurd claim, but hey, other coaches don't seem to have a problem with the practice, as far as I know, so I shouldn't either! It's certainly no coincidence that WVA and FSU have been so strong in recent years--we know the reason why. They are outlier programs in this way.

 

Do you know anything about college soccer Kazoo? I played against a team of almost entirely UK men's players in the 90s. I think it was Coastal Carolina. They had 1 starter from Jersey. Go look around at some NAIA mens rosters. This has been going on for years. It's why the applicant pool for every college soccer job is over 50% Brits trying to stay in the country!

They don't have pro options but US women have it pretty good in terms of access to college soccer compared to the pool of foreign players. Ask any "suburban" US boy looking for a college scholarship these days about foreign competition.
Sorry - maybe a new thread.
Oh, and for Kazoo - dem forreneers shur is good at kickin dat ball..

 

For those of us who love the game at every level, one would think we were 'over' the nationalist thing? How many men's pro teams are international? Maybe more than a few...?

As a long-time fan of UNC women's soccer, I will be the first to admit that much of our prior success was that we had the pick of the national pool of talented female players. I will also observe that as 'parity' has emerged in the women's game, that does not mean that a number of squads have risen to the level of UNC's past rosters. Rather, the talent is more evenly distributed, and as a result, the quality of play for any given women's team is somewhat diminished/diluted.

While I would strongly defend the premise that the quality of the women's game (overall) is improving at the college level, UNC's inability to concentrate talent (as it once did) results in a more diffuse distribution of player talent--more good teams-- fewer great teams.

Recruiting truly talented international players into this environment (in my opinion) just introduces more really good players into the mix and improves the college game for all involved. If importing foreign players raises the bar on what it takes to win, then why is that not a good thing for the game and a fair challenge for college coaches?

 

Congrats to West Virginia. Very nice win.

 

Understandable to me that the NCAA pulled out of Raleigh, but not holding the event with the CASL Showcase took away a minimum of 8500 people in stands. Although it's a beautiful venue, the stadium looked empty today, which is sad for the Women's Final Four. Hopefully the the planners of the Orlando event partner with the ECNL and Orlando City to run a showcase event similar to CASL.

 

I just watched both games (recorded). All four teams were very even, but in each case I felt the better (slightly) team won. Neither of the losing teams would feel like they were way better but lost due to the fickle soccer gods. That's great!

And, both goals were awesome. Especially the West Virginia goal, which could be a goal of the year candidate, but also the USC goal. Neither of the losing teams would feel like the ref messed up, costing the game.

So, I'm happy with the result. (But, maybe I"m biased. West Va and USC were the two teams in my "personal picks" to make it to the finals. To be honest, I can't remember how I managed to pick them.

As NCAA Tournaments go, this has been a great tournament. If my memory is right, all four QF games were 1-0; and both SF games. To me, that's a great tournament.

 

Except ECNL already has an event in the Orlando area between Christmas and New Year. Nice idea, but unlikely to happen.

 

So, you're willing to bet that there will NOT be a showcase event in Orlando associated with the College Cup? Those fields at Disney and the regional parks will just sit there vacant instead of helping fill hotels and stadium seats on a random early Dec weekend? How much because I'll take that bet right now.
and btw -

Let's Gooooo.................Mountaineers!

 

No, Eddie, if you read carefully you'll see that's not what I said at all.

There was already a showcase in the works when the plan was for this year's CC to be in Orlando. ECNL was not directly involved...and won't be next year.

 

If you read carefully, the suggestion was "partner with the ecnl" and "similar to CASL" and YES, that will happen. It will not be an 'ecnl' event of course, but like the CASL event, there will be ecnl teams and flights. The ecnl really has to extend the same courtesy to Orlando FC that they do for CASL now, and there are ecnl-only divisions in their event. Whether there's 'partnering', who can say. Certainly for an ecnl club sponsored event inviting other ecnl teams, there's at least some coordination. The USYSA could easily move their National League event to Florida as well. OR, Could this also become a big Girls DA event??
So a Showcase, "like CASL" will occur in conjunction with the College Cup and lots of very good ecnl and usysa teams will participate. I think it's an easy bet.

[caveat - depending on what the Florida Legislature does this session!]

 

I will be in Orlando during New Years for a few days. There is a Girls Soccer Show Case at ESPN Wide World of Sports.
I was looking to go to it on one of the days and check it out. Is that an ECNL event? If not what is it?

 

Disney Showcase with the adjoining USYS National League event.

 

So who are normally the teams that participate in this? Is there teams from all over the country or mainly Florida/Southeast? Thanks,

 

There is an ECNL event Dec 28-30 in Sanford (just NE of Orlando): http://www.eliteclubsnationalleague.com/ecnl-florida/

 

It's a great showcase that draws teams from all over the country, but mainly the eastern states. The USYS event captures some of the best teams from all over the country as well, but many of the west coast teams elect to fulfill their commitment by playing in Las Vegas in early 2017. It all leads to the United States Youth Soccer National Championship in July, 2017.

 

Yeah, there's no partnership directly with ECNL on this. Not all ECNL clubs at CASL play in the ECNL brackets. And the ECNL brackets played on some truly awful fields this weekend so there was no real special consideration given to those clubs by CASL aside from bracketing.

If by partnering you mean ECNL clubs will sign up and then the showcase will place them together in brackets if the clubs desire, that will happen but hardly qualifies as a partnership.

 

Well Morgan Andrews just won herself the Herman player of the year award!

 

Wow, oh Canada! Lawrence with a rocket of a shot to equalize!

 

75' 2-1 WVU pressing at arc top, USC collect at arc top center, blast quick inside-out longball up wide left to 35m. Pruitt chases the RCB, one-touch kicks ball up wide left as she veers into near touch, chases further to arc top wide left. One swim-move with right-arm-upon-left, RCB whiffs on a tricky/rushed left foot high clearance try -- Pruitt leans past her, collects to box top mid-left, draws the LCB over. Simple square pass to K.Johnson totally unmarked at 17m center, she touches once to settle, opens hips, rolls right instep pass into back right low with GK lunging up centerline. Kick and chase ftw

80' 2-1 WVU dribble up centerline with the post-up offense (3 pairs of 1-v-1 backshields) strung out across arc top -- a canonical starting position with a miserably low conversion %. What's the attack plan? Generally, give-and-go, or one-touch diagonal pass across body to mid-box cutter for a 1st-time volley -- it works a few times a year worldwide. WVU tries: pass to arc top, one-touch square pass to box top right, sharp diagonal pass to 13m 6-left to Kaleiohi in the mid-left 1-v-1 -- perfect settle-ccw-spin beats the RB's too-tight pressure, into wheelhouse! Shoots across mouth, Prudhomme dives and catches. That was actually a very, very good solution to the pattern ...

 

This assessment of the game is ridiculous.

First, hats off to WVU on the win. They were deserving and I have no complaints with them advancing. However, the game was far closer than you're suggesting and a true tale of two halves, with WVU dominating the first and UNC controlling most of the second. WVU does have fantastic players who move the ball around well...but they did nothing with it in the final third. In fact, UNC produced more meaningful scoring opportunities and WVU was fortunate to not concede twice in the final 14 minutes of the game.

UNC was no less settled or prepared than WVU - an absurd claim given the fact that a man with 20+ championships was on their sideline and this team played in the country's best conference, making its championship game. WVU is a more athletic team, which certainly challenged UNC at times. But, again, UNC did very well, particularly considering how infrequently WVU produced any real attacking threats. In the second half, UNC had plenty of time on the ball and kept the game in WVU's half for much of it.