Colorado Buffaloes • 22

Discussion in 'Women's College' started by unkiemark, Jun 11, 2022.

  1. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
  2. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
    Kornieck on for the final three minutes or so for a very tired Rose Lavelle. US defeats Canada 1-0 to qualify for the 2024 Olympics! They had already qualified for thee 2023 World Cup.

     
  3. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
  4. mpr2477

    mpr2477 Member

    Jun 30, 2016
    Club:
    Vancouver MLS
    What position do ya’ll think your team will finish in the PAC 12 race?! Is this an ncaa tourney team?!

    I’d say Stanford is a “for sure” number 1 this year, but the next 6 spots are up for grabs imo between UCLA, USC, Colorado, Wazzu, Oregon, and maybe Cal
     
  5. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
    On paper and having watched the Buffs a bit in the spring, my feeling is that they are most definitely an NCAA tourney team. It looks like they have the talent and depth to be very difficult to defend and they also have some very experienced defenders. I expect this season's side to be more consistent at scoring that last season with junior Shyra James the leading scorer but with plenty of others chipping in.

    Last season was a disappointment not making the tourney. The talent seemed to be there but a week non-conference scheduled really hurt their RPI. This season CU plays at BYU, Michigan and Michigan State. If they are able to get some results in these matches they'll be in good shape heading into conference play.
     
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  6. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
    In addition to the attacking talent mentioned in the previous post the Buffs defense also looks to be solid to very good. Senior Dani Hansen is a very good keeper with a lot of experience.

    Of course good defending begins way before the ball gets near the box. In terms of defenders, 5th yr. senior Hannah Sharts who was first team all conference last season. She will perhaps have sophomore Phoenix Miranda next to her in center of the back line.

    At this time it's hard to figure who is going to start at outside back in part due to three or four solid to very good candidates vying for playing time.
     
  7. mpr2477

    mpr2477 Member

    Jun 30, 2016
    Club:
    Vancouver MLS
    What about Cardenas?! I know she’s had multiple injuries and lost 2 seasons because of it, but if she’s fully healthy don’t you think she gets the starting CB spot?! Or is this too much to ask at this point?
     
  8. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
    I didn't write about Cardenas as I don't have a sense of how healthy and fit she is coming into practice and the fall season. And as you mentioned, she hasn't played for two seasons, so it would seem to take her a while to be at game speed if she is healthy.

    My best guess is she will slowly be worked back onto the pitch. Prior to injury she was looking to be one of the best center backs in school history and at least a first team all-conference caliber player.
     
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  9. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
  10. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
     
  11. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
  12. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
  13. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
  14. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
  15. mpr2477

    mpr2477 Member

    Jun 30, 2016
    Club:
    Vancouver MLS
    I agree with the top 5. But I think the Oregon schools have better rosters then Cal and UW.
     
  16. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
  17. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
    Was at the scrimmage this morning. My opinion of this team's potential is the same it was after the spring, they could be one of the best teams in program history and definitely will be much improved in the attack.
     
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  18. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
    Continuing from my statement in the previous post, here are some other thoughts and observations:

    • It appears the team is healthy going into the season. Defender Hannah Cardenas who hasn't had a fully healthy season since her freshman year looked good on the ball and played the entire match without a knee brace. Looks like she will be in the rotation at center back with Hannah Sharts and Phoenix Miranda.

    • Midfielder Jenny Beyer is currently in Costa Rica for the U-20 World Cup. She is returning from an ACL and looked very good in the spring. Beyer will most likely be a starter when she returns to Boulder. In Germany's two group stage matches she has yet to play.

    • All the newcomers looked good and confident in the system. And they scored most of the goals beginning with Civana Kuhlmann in the first 30 seconds. Looks like they many will have a chance to make important contributions this fall with the possible exception of transfer keeper Lindsay Smith.

    • Not many long balls in the scrimmage, rather the midfielders were used to advance the ball or the ball was quickly played to the wing to get behind the defense.
     
  19. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
  20. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
    I have stated that CU's home non-conference opponents are weak while the three away matches are going to bee really tough. Here the non-conference opponents' RPIs from 2021:

    CU Soccer Opponents RPIs from '21

    Weber State 211

    San Diego 146

    Valparaiso 207

    @ BYU 9

    Texas A&M - Commerce ?

    Omaha 174

    @ Michigan 5

    @ Michigan State 58

    Denver 84

    Colorado’s RPI was 56 at the end of last season.



     
  21. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    From a scheduling perspective in relation to the NCAA Tournament, a team wants three things:

    To be playing approximately 7 (or more, depending on how high the coach is aiming) teams that will be in the RPI Top 60 at the end of the regular season including conference tournaments; and

    For the remaining non-conference games, to be playing teams that will have good winning percentages, but that you expect to beat. For these teams, their RPI ranks are not particularly important -- team ranks as strength of schedule contributors often are very different than their RPI ranks. The winning percentages matter because they account for roughly 40 percent of the RPI in effective weight; and

    To have a record of at least 0.500.
    Looking at the schedule, Colorado has 9 opponents that were in the Top 60 last year, so that appears to be well covered. Of their other opponents, here are their records last year in order of desirability from an RPI perspective:

    Denver: 13-6-2
    Valparaiso: 9-6-2
    Weber State: 11-9-0
    Omaha: 9-8-2
    San Diego: 6-11-1 (interestingly, was ranked ahead of Valpo, Weber State, and Omaha by the RPI)
    Texas Commerce: new to D1, I project them to go 1-11-6

    As an additional consideration, sometimes coaches want a really easy game to get rest for normally starting players and game time for normally bench players. And, they may have other considerations such as traditional rivalries.

    So in scheduling a coaching staff must balance the above three considerations, plus any others they think are important.
     
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  22. mpr2477

    mpr2477 Member

    Jun 30, 2016
    Club:
    Vancouver MLS
    Chris, awesome explanation!
     
  23. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
    Jenny Beyer started and played the full 90 as a center back in Germany's 0-1 loss to Mexico which knocked them out of the tourney. This means Beyer should be back in Boulder soon. Hope she had a great experience despite the disappointing results.

     
  24. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
  25. unkiemark

    unkiemark Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Boulder
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