It is not you, it is no secret that parking there is terrible. Try parking as a student. Good luck winning the parking sticker lottery. Even then you have to have your car out of some lots for football days. One extended lot is like a 45 minute bus ride away with all the stops. Tailgating at football games is all spread out at banks and other random lots because parking blows. Chapel Hill is such a nice campus. Tough packing 29K+ students, faculty, and locals into a small town. Game day adds even more people. They need to improve parking.
What more can you say about Maycee Bell? I've seen some really great backs - think Cat Whitehill - but I don't think I've seen a player with such foot skills, speed, and poise at center back at UNC and, in the college ranks, for that matter. She just looks like she is completely comfortable there and knows exactly what she is doing. But, to see what more we might see, look at the last 7 minutes of the Notre Dame game (it's still up on ESPN). During that period Bell has 3 shots. During the run of play, you can see here roaming around or holding position in midfield or further. In the first sequence, she comes up for a corner. She's 6-8 years out, right of goal, and with Otto backing her up - 2 pretty good ball handlers there. The original kick is parried back out to W-M who launches a perfect looping pass to MB's head. Her shot goes wide, but you can see that there are 2 defenders directly between her and goal so she didn't have much of a direct look. But, a strong shot that has promises for the future. The other 2 shots she has after that are both in the run of play. The first (~2:30) comes from a clearance she takes ~10 yards inside her half on the right side. She dribbles past one defender, continues toward goal, and plays to ball forward to her left, and continues her run on a diagonal. The ball goes wide left, Bell holds momentarily at the top of the box to remain on side, and continues her diagonal run toward the far post. Again, she gets a great pass in which she catches low on her foot. She's unable to control and her shot goes out, but great strategy, run, and positioning for the attempt. The third sequence (~:50) is really nice. She takes the ball ~30-35 yards out, does a complete spin move on a close defender, and leaves her behind. As she gets near the box, she does a touch and go pass with a teammate, and continues her run far post. She gets the return pass, good control, the keeper comes at her and is able to smother her shot close in. Three very well played sequences by the center back who is doing her defense work but making strong moves forward, under control, and making excellent shots. No score, but this former-forward-turned-center-back is someone to keep your eyes on even is she is not in the run of play at that moment. I have a feeling we will be seeing something special in her over the next three years!
Goff : Jones Otto : Pierce Russo : Rucherera Cox : Dowart Fox : Dorsey Andrzejewski : Gambone Pinto : Strickland I've watched UNC women's soccer for nearly 25 years and never saw them play like they did yesterday. Do they look Strong! Overwhelming! But, of course, they still have to finish their shots. People always talk about their heavy substitution, sometimes likening it to changing a hockey line. But yesterday they were basically playing two different squads in a very systematic fashion. The "starters" came out an played, essentially, the first half of the first half. Clemson came out strong and created some chances. after the first 15 minutes, UNC began to control the game as they controlled the pace. Pressure was high and Clemson looked like they might be just beginning to tire. Then the first wave of "substitutes" came in and the whole pace and look changed; a second smaller wave came in a few minutes later. UNC had been pressing up top but quickly UNC was able to better spread the field, space opened up, and the end-to-end pace picked up. A lot of this was due to Ru's pressure and runs, but the whole team b seemed to be generating more intensity. I think it was in this period that Bell headed a ccorner, that was blocked, and Jones blasted a shot - it looked to me like it hit a Clemson player in the face or upper body and that she was behind the line. So, looked like goal to me, but wasn't called aver video review. Then the surprises started. The b team had looked more intense and the game seemed to be shifting in UNC's favor. They played 10 minutes and then another whole shift to the a team. They played 10 minutes and then a shift back to b. Another 10 minutes and a final wholesale shift to a. Looking at the whole game, you have a team plays first quarter of game and b team the second quarter. Second half, the two teams alternated 10 minute segments. Basically the two teams each played approximately half the game, with each squad always playing fresh. With no really noticeable fall off in quality of play. The "constants" were W-M and Bell. Is this type of two virtually full platoon pattern they way they are going to try to play instead of substitutes for individual or small groups of players? If they stay healthy, don't see how many, if any, teams will be able to stay with them. . . if they finish their shots
Good summary and despite only winning 1-0 the team seemed very active and confident on both ends of the field. Kudos to Clemson for not bunkering in under the pressure and making UNC cover all over the field - made for a great back-and-forth game to watch as a fan. Great to see the team healthy, which I think allows for the lack of dropoff, and even pickup in energy, when the subbing starts. Otto, Dorwart and Pierce all missed multiple games with what seemed to be leg injuries, and all look back in form so the depth is really remarkable. The only difference I saw from your analysis was rather than an a and b subbing approach in the second half, it looked like a new starting lineup with a mix of first half starters and subs, maybe driven by the strong finish in the first half? Then the second half rapid subbing made it difficult to tell who the a and b squads were with the constant mixing and the subbing seemingly based on who had the hot hand vs. some pre-planned formula? Either way, fun to watch and can't imagine the squad going into Duke in better shape.
take a look at the unc subs ~25 in first half, starting lineup in second, and then the substitution around 55, 65, and 75. he was platooning 4-5 group a for group b and vice-versus about every 10 minutes in second half.
Maybe this is the year already, but I’d love to see Clemson (I like public universities in general)join the top tier in the ACC women’s soccer of unc, fsu, uva. Sounds like great compliment to Clemson hat unc played so well and came out 1-0 winners. Hopefully they look back on the Arkansas as the reason they went on to the ncaa title.
Are we really going to have our game against Virginia Tech at the same time as the NWSL championship just down the road, with both games on ESPN channels? Any chance of a change?
Does anyone know what's wrong with Maycee? She's now missed the last two games. Darcy is filling in pretty well, but not the same.
Any thoughts on how to get UNC sports info to update name of soccer field from Fetzer to . . . on Webpage?
I happened to be in Pittsburgh last weekend and got to the Pitt game. Pitt was better than expected, took advantage of their chances. The final statistics were surprising, it did not seem that lopsided. Although Pitt only had three shots on goal they created several other nice opportunities that could have been trouble. Two players who stood out were the first-year forward Amanda West and a defender, number 17, who made a number of good plays. Sometimes when a player is off the field for a good while you forget how good they are. That's the case with Dorwart. Glad to see her back, she really is talented. Russo, Cox, and Dorwart sure do make for lots of threats up front. Not to mention Pinto, etc. And don't forget Ru who must be the most improved player anywhere; she now runs by people rather than through them, is a great spark off the bench. Overall, the ball movement seems to keep getting better and better, to an untrained eye it is the most obvious difference between Carolina and a team like Pitt. For some reason I was paying more attention to Dorsey in back than before, probably because of the good things Dorrance has said about her. And, yes, she really is pretty good, can handle the position quite well, it will be nice to see her continue to improve with experience. It's a deep team and that appears to be necessary since someone or another seems to be banged up each week. I'm assuming the depth allows Dorrance to be cautious and conservative with injuries.
The number 17 for Pitt is freshmen Athalie Palomo. She has been a regular with Mexico's U20 national team and represented them last summer at the U20 World Cup. good chance she will be representing Mexico's Sr National team in the near future. I think she is one of the best outside backs in the ACC
It's an interesting year when 13 or 14 games in, UVA is ranked #1 in the Coaches' Poll and #4 in the ACC standings-- while the Heels are #3 in the Coaches' Poll and #1 in the ACC. Some great games coming up!
Shocked this thread is not busier, UNC has clearly its best team in 7-8 years! I feel like Ru has been at Carolina sine '98. Great game and a well deserved win for the Tar Heels!
Kudos to UNC. We'll look forward to more opportunities hopefully. I suspect FSU and Mark(Staff) learned a lot.
Maycee Bell is an amazing player. Was already impressed with her after the first game of the season but she just keeps getting better and better. Hard to believe she's just a freshman. The poise, speed, strength, she's got it all and.. now she's developing an offensive instinct. This team has the pieces already this year, coupled with some stellar recruiting classes coming up, i think Anson gets a few more championships before he hangs it up.
lol wouldn't surprise me..unfortunately i don't see him coaching for more than another 10 years..he'd want to go out on top and on his own terms