definitely still not good enough to compete in the ACC but I will give Waldrum credit. His first recruiting class has made his program much better than they were last year. There are a few players in it that you can definitely start to build a program around. Like West. Hopefully he has a few defenders in the upcoming classes because that looks to be the big weak spot to me.
So far, he's looking pretty good. Both of their wins so far were expected losses, from my perspective.
1-16-1. Updated with Pitt's two wins, it's now 3-14-1. Obviously poor in either case. But better than predicted.
The team came out flat today. The only signs of sustained life seemed to be in the first 7 minutes of the 2nd half when we scored. For the most part a lack of possession due to so many turnovers and lack of aggression in the midfield killed us. Dartmouth's two scores both started from turnovers on our side of the field. Dartmouth got a little lucky in my opinion on their first goal. As the play developed around our box we had 6 players around 2 of theirs. Our holding mid fell down as she tried to toe poke the ball away from the attacking player. The player got around her and found a small window at the top of the box to shoot from and she buried it in the net on a forceful shot. No chance for our goalie to stop it. The second goal our holding mid stayed 5 yards off the attacking player in our final third allowing her a wide open running lane to connect a picture perfect pass to a player in the box that split our outside and center backs. Both were beat on the play. The goalie came out and the player put it by her for the score. I believe we played three different players at holding mid today (Holding, Veltri and Vasquez) so he is seeking someone that can make plays at that position. The coaches are playing a lot of different players and some at different positions depending on 1st and 2nd halves so continuity I realize is asking too much at this point in the season. To end this on a positive note Amanda West continued her scoring streak by putting one in the net on a corner kick from Juliana Vasquez. I am hoping to see more intensity on the field against UMass.
obviously its going to take time to figure out what Pitt has with 21 new players this year. Im sure the coaching staff doesn't have that figured out yet. they have started a different starting 11's in each other their 3 games so far. wouldn't be surprised if they start a 4th different line up tomorrow against UMASS
The coaching staff has tweaked the lineup in a few positions each game. However, the starting lineup has had a consistent 8 players in the same spots for the last 3 games. Those are the ones I am most interested in watching today.
Mojo were you at the UMASS game? I didn't see it. Doesn't seem good to be losing to Umass but the stats seemed like Pitt was pretty dominant. I did see Pitt switched the GK and played another new lineup. Not sure why they didn't play Palomo. maybe an injury or something
No I wasn't there but I watched it live and have now replayed it a few times. The teams were pretty evenly matched but I thought we had better overall team speed. I know we out shot them. 0-0 at halftime. They had one off the crossbar and we had one off the post by Sydney Marasco at the end of the first half. Marasco had real nice game and has some speed. I think we will see her on the field more often in the future. Not sure why Palomo didn't start or play in the game. She made some plays against Dartmouth but also got beat a few times at left back so maybe the coaching staff just wanted to look at a different starting lineup and a few different players throughout the game. We set up their first goal in the 58th minute of the game. Just a temporary brain freeze by our left back at the time (a senior player). She got a little pressure and decided to dump it to our center backs. Unfortunately that was in our final third and the center backs were further back than she realized. Two of their players jumped into the space and snatched the ball and it was off to the races and a score for them. We answered back after Amanda West got tripped in the box and she put it home on the PK. UMass scored their second goal scored with about four minutes left in the game. It was setup by our holding mid (senior player) being out of position and jogging back to where she was supposed to be. All she did was watch the play develop. The play started at midfield when our attacking mid (senior player) shadowed the attacking player. She didn't try to shut her down or lay a shoulder on her. The attacking player passes off to a player in the gap caused by our AWOL holding mid. The score wasn't the attacking mid's fault but at some point we need to start getting more physical with opposing players in our midfield. Neither of our center backs stepped up to apply pressure on the player that received the ball so the left back started coming forward to do it. Meanwhile two more attacking players started racing up field past our left back. Finally one of our center backs stabs at the ball as the attacking player advances but the center back missed and the attacking player made a pass off to the left of our defense. Our left back hustled back and did a slide tackle making contact with the ball but the attacking player recovered it near the goal line outside the box and crossed it. Meanwhile in the box we have two unguarded UMass players, one center back covering the player that crossed the ball (even though the left back got on her feet) and our right back standing near the goal along with the goalie. One of the unguarded players takes the cross perfectly as she rushed forward unopposed and headed it home. Our right back made a play on the cross but the ball went over her head to the UMass player. Holding mid and other center back were missing in action on the play. Very wordy but I hope that explains what happened. This was a tough one to let slip through our fingers. I believe we should have at least come out of this game with a tie. I can forgive the brain freeze because everyone messes up now and then but not the lack of hustle leading to their second goal especially from a senior player.
Small correction to make from my last post. Looking again at the gaming winning goal showed three UMass players in the box when they scored. Our three defenders showed good hustle in getting back but were not close enough to affect the attacking players in the box. Our other center back does come into the picture until late trailing well behind the attacking players. Not sure what took our second center back so long to recover after stabbing at the pass that set the play up. The camera was not on that section of the field after the ball went forward.
I ended up seeing the goal. I would put it more on the midfield. They had an opportunity to make a tackle as soon as Pitt turned the ball over and never did. Then 2 of them get caught ball watching and lose track of runners in the middle. Once its played wide the midfield never even tries to recover as Umass has multiple people crashing the goal. Midfield just let the runners go and bam game winner
Hey Wildcatter Dartmouth's game winning goal (about 16 minutes into the 2nd half) was much of the same. The turnover on our side of the field did not help but our weak midfield defensive play can be attributed to assisting Dartmouth's efforts on that goal as well. I hope the coaching staff can shore this up soon and find players who want to actually challenge players with the ball and that have the physical and mental capacity to sprint back and help on defense. Too much jogging around by certain players on the team. We keep this up and I can see the scores against ballooning once we hit the better teams in conference play. Any predictions for the Rhode Island and Saint Joseph games coming up?
I think the Dartmouth 2nd goal was more on the CB McKay. She turns the ball over trying to play long out of the back. Its sent right back into her. she just blindly heads the ball back into the middle even though there's no pressure on her. She should of just settled the ball down and play. just heading it gave it right back to Dartmouth who plays one ball and finishes it. Think the gk is to blame as well. No need to be that far off the line with the defense right there. If she stays on her line that's an easy save. . I do think Pitt needs to get much more physical in the midfield or it will be a long year. Seems like they keep trying different combinations in there. Will be interstesting to see who they throw in there this weekend. I do know Pitt had 2 other CB's that were suppose to be there this year and I think both of those kids would of made a huge difference. both would probably be starting over their current 2. both kids were out of Canada. Heard 1 of them bailed on Pitt about 2 weeks before preseason started and just decided to stay in Canada. The other was Kiki Lowell who was a transfer from Cincinnati. I know she was at Pitt in the spring but don't know what happened to her. she would of made a big difference in that back line! Will be a big weekend for Pitt. They are doing senior night on Friday night against Rhode Island. Also heard they are having their entire 2020 class in Friday night for the official visit. Its also a double header with the men which last time they did that they had a massive crowd. Could be a bit overwhelming for Rhodes Island. I imagine it will be a lot like Bucknell. Pitt will dominate the play but might struggle to actually finish. I say they beat Rhode Island 2-0. I think they could slip up against St. Josephs. St. Josephs will have an extra days rest and this Pitt team isn't consistent. If they play well against RI they will drop St. Jospehs 1-3
I hope the coaching staff makes a few tweaks to the starting lineup starting tomorrow. Hopefully it will give us a kick start. Neither Rhode Island or St. Joe's look to be offensive power houses so that should give us a chance in both contests. St. Joe will be an interesting match up on Sunday. I am interested to see how we fare in a physical game if that is what it turns out to be.
shouldn't be surprised but I am with the fact Pitt tied Rhode Island 1-1. for the second game in a row the defense literally just passes a blind back pass to the opposing teams forward sending them on a breakaway to give away a game. Looked like Pitt had several kids in on an official visit and hopefully they are all defenders and midfielders. That backline is terrible. They will get eaten alive once ACC Play comes Waldrum did start his 5th different starting line up tonight. biggest surprise was probably Tava getting the start after not seeing any action in the previous 4 games. she did bring a little bit of physicality that Pitt has been missing. Also someone other than West finally scored tonight. It was another freshmen Marasco getting the games tieing goal with about 5 minutes left. West looked off tonight. Kinda looks tired and beat up.
Overall a real snooze fest. As slow as Rhode Island was we, once again, were unable to capitalize. Turnovers continue to haunts us. We will need to clean that aspect of our game up or good teams will punish us repeatedly for those mistakes. I agree that Tava showed some potential at holding mid which is an encouraging sign. I hope she gets more playing time so we can see what her fitness level is. She made some plays for us in that position which is a far cry from what we have seen from a few other players in that position. From my perspective we lack offensive punch from our midfield. Our co-captain (attacking mid) is good at finding open players with passes but possesses no speed to attack space in the midfield. Her defense is less than stellar as well whether playing attacking mid or holding mid which she has played in a few games. I would like to see the coaching staff try a few different combos in that attacking role before we hit conference play to see if we can create pressure on our opponents defense from our middle. I fear that our ability to run by players on the outside with West, Rico or Marasco is about to dry up once those good teams in conference sink their teeth into us. It may be a long day against St. Joe's on Sunday if we are unwilling to put a body on a body which some of our players have shown a reluctance to do. I think a few players that the coaching staff seem enamored with at present time may get exposed. My guess is that any Pitt recruits that were at the game were probably licking their chops thinking, yes, I can play on this team and actually have a chance to start next year. I was happy to see Marasco get her first goal as a Panther with a nice assist from West. Hopefully we can see more good combo play like that in future games.
It is like I said. He has the same MO as GM, but is given a free pass because of his history with Notre Dame. He cut all of the players, told them they weren't good enough, then recruited a bunch of players that were the exact same as the ones he cut. His non con schedule only serves to pad his resume. There isn't a single even remotely decent team on the schedule in the non con. VCU, the best non-con match they play will stomp them. It was an understandable hire by Pitt, but his motivation isn't to help Pitt grow the program, it is only to help his tail coat riding son. Do the research and you will see. He had other opportunities, but he wouldn't take a job that wouldn't let him hire his son. And there is a BIG reason people didn't want him to hire his son.
His son was hooking up with girls who were on the soccer team at Notre Dame. This is well known and I am shocked that Pitt let this hire even happen.
I don't think the players are the same as the ones he cut. I think they are so much better. Pitt has never had a player like West. She has already set several Pitt records and she is only 5 games into her career. last years team didn't even have athletes on it. This is a much improved team from 1-2 years ago. They are just making some mistakes you expect freshmen to make and they are adjusting to the physicality of college soccer.
Devad I agree with Wildcatter regarding 2018 and 2019 team comparisons. Most of those 2018 players were not cut out to play in the ACC. The 2019 team has already found some new bright spots to build on and we haven't seen the full extent of the bench yet. I don't personally know what Randy Waldrum's motivation was to come to Pitt and it doesn't really matter. Pitt hired him and he is the coach. Can he turn this program around? Time will tell. Let's say for argument purposes the ACC women's soccer conference is comparable to the SEC in men's college football as far as power and prestige goes. If any of those SEC football teams were comprised of 3/4 freshman football players they would be crushed in conference and probably even out of conference. That is what Pitt women's soccer is faced with this year. Am I frustrated as a fan, yes. I am sure the coaching staff is even more frustrated seeing some of the mistakes the team is making right now. Some of those mistakes are correctable. Lack of productivity will necessitate roster changes throughout the course of the season. I bet we will see a few more freshman players in starting positions as they gain more confidence by the end of the season. We still have three more non-conference games so I am interested to learn if we can continue to improve. I think this year for Coach Waldrum is less about resume padding than it is about finding out who your best starting 11 are and who can sub in the game without penalizing the team with their play.
I have no direct connection to the program, but I find it interesting that GM was blasted and RW is being given a complete pass. If I remember correctly there was a disgruntled poster on here with a connection to the program which may have magnified the GM blasting. The freshman thing is great, but there aren't ACC level freshman on those teams. They just tied Rhode Island. Last year RPI 312. And came back in the dying minutes to do it. Give a good coach 11 ACC level freshman and they kill the 312th ranked team in the country. We aren't talking about beating ACC teams with ACC freshman. We are talking about beating awful D1 teams with ACC freshman.
Also, I was curious on the Rhode Island match. Pitt started 5 freshman. Rhode Island started 7 freshman and 2 sophomores. Do you think Rhode Island also has ACC level freshman?
I don't think every one of those freshmen are ACC level. no one said they all are. there's few pieces there that are ACC level and more coming in. GM had 4 or 5 years and he didn't improve the program. Randy is in season 2 so far and he is much improved in year 2 than he was in year 1. Should Pitt beat Rhode Island? Absolutely. but at least they dominated the game which is what they should do. Every now and then teams run into the game they dominate and they don't get the result. Thats soccer. This team still has a lot to learn but if you watched at all you know its so much better.
Some posters' expectations seem unrealistic. Based on historic trends, Pitt's results so far this year should have been: Loyola Marymount, loss -- actual result, win Bucknell, loss - actual result, win Dartmouth, loss - actual result, loss U Mass, loss - actual result, loss Rhode Island, win - actual result, tie So far, Pitt is surpassing reasonable expectations. Two wins that should have been losses; one tie that should have been a win.
cpthomas, you mentioned earlier your projection had Pitt 1-16-1 on the season. If Rhode Island was a the projected win, who was the projected tie for Pitt?