SCU is much quicker this year. Last year SCU allowed 246 shot attempts in 20 games and 33 goals, or just over 12 shots per game and 1.55 goals. This year they have allowed 37 attempts and 4 goals in the 1st 7 games. That is just over 5 shot attempts per game and .55 goals. Obviously some difficult games lie ahead. But in the games mentioned, Cal, Stanford, USD and Portland, SCU should win 50% or more.
Attended a SC men's game last weekend and noticed that the soccer field is showing lots of wear & tear. I guess it's to be expected with the Pride, Earthquakes and the SC men/women teams sharing the field.
I noticed the same thing. Not sure what anybody can do about it this year but I wonder whether the Quakes will do something in the off-season about it... like get rid of FC Pride. I don't know what kind of contract the women have with SCU, but I know the Quakes call the shots since they re-did the stadium/turf.
A strange game and win over Wisconsin. In the first half the Broncos totally dominated the Badgers. By the end of the half the Wisconsin players were barely able to kick the ball they were so tired from chasing the Broncos. The 2-0 lead could have easily been 5-0 if not for three amazing saves by the Wisconsin GK and one defender clearing a ball off the goal line. Then the second half. SCU almost scores in the first ten minutes and then it seems like they decided to play keep-away for the rest of the half. Coach Smith went deep into his bench and the team kind of sat back on the lead. This lead to Wisconsin gaining some confidence and in the last 10 minutes actually putting together an attack. Just a strange game. Was Smith saving players for Sunday's game? Not sure what to think. The best part of the game, however, was the return of Amanda Poach after two years of injuries. She instantly changed the game. Her passing and vision is world class and makes the SCU midfield much more dangerous. If she can continue her rehab and get into game shape by the time WCC play starts I like SCU's chances to challenge for first or second.
A tough game on the nerves, but then again Colorado never had a shot on goal so it wasn't that worrisome. Great play by Colorado GK and nice to see Poach again, but gotta start worrying about the team not scoring. It's been a bit of a storyline this season and against Fullerton, USC, Stanford and Cal over the next four games the scoring chances are not going to come as often as they did this weekend. Still, two good wins moves the team to 7-2. Keep going strong Broncos!
Very nice win over Colorado, a Top 25 team who by the way, beat a Utah team that SCU lost to. Very warm Sunday game and the conditioning of SCU was impressive to play at that pace for almost 90 minutes. The Broncos, statistically and otherwise, really dominated but give Colorado credit for not allowing more goals. No injuries to speak of, and the table is now set for the acid test of USC, Cal and Stanford. Not to overlook Fullerton ( I hope they don't!) but those three teams in 8 days will be very telling. Interestingly, those are all home games, and school will have started so there should be better home crowd support.
Sunday's game was tough for me, I live in Boulder and have adopted the Colorado team, and I graduated from SCU in 1968. Voices right next to me were yelling Go Broncos and we were yelling Go Buffs and I almost slipped up a couple of times. CU graduated five all-conference players and the first substitute last year. This year's CU team is young and still a work in progress, we have two strong offensive players on the back line to hold scores down which worked at Stanford ... Stanford didn't get a shot off until the 18th minute, but then the barrage began, and despite constant pressure, it did take SCU a while to score. And, our GK had the two games of her life last weekend. I'm glad to read that nobody else shoots much against SCU, we sure didn't, we had nine against Stanford, but against SCU, the third and final shot came early in the second half. None on goal. We are not a bad team, and for us to be shut down like that tells me that SCU has something going this year. We don't play for a 0-0 tie even though it may have looked that way, we were just completely dominated. Our 8-1 win over St. Mary's was a goalkeeper issue for them, they have an excellent senior GK but she was injured and the freshman substitute did not have a good debut, it was 3-0 after four minutes. Third weekend in October I am back in the Bay Area with a free Sunday. Who does SCU play? At St. Mary's. I was fearing something like a road game at Gonzaga. I know where Moraga is, and I am there. That was the rivalry four decades ago, and apparently it still is. If you see and old fat guy with a Colorado Soccer cap and a Santa Clara t-shirt, that's me, and I can finally let loose with a GO BRONCOS !!
Ability to score is one of the keys to Santa Clara success this year. I would rate them as an ok to good scoring team, but when they play someone with a really good to great defense, it will be tough for SCU to put one in the back of the net. One good addition in the last few games has been Allie Vernon. She is a good ball winner and appears to have a heavy shot. Great header by Bosio to close it out off an excellent service by Klei. Bosio went high and got over the ball to nail it downward into the goal.
Huge four game stretch coming up for the Broncos just before league play starts. With three of the top Pac-10 teams coming to town and one of the Big West Conference's best it will be key to get some results to help secure an NCAA bid. To me, this weekend's game are the key. Must wins vs. Fullerton and USC. The players will be fresh and two wins this weekend will assure at least a split of these four games. Cal and Stanford the following weekend is going to be very difficult. Tired legs, two top 10 teams. I'd be thrilled with the only loss coming against Stanford.
Scrappy W against the Titans Friday night. Scoring opps going begging but definitely creating more offense and from what I am hearing about the previous two years that is a big improvement. Worried about speed of Stanford and Cal when our D commit high. USC will be good test.
A frustrating 2-0 loss to USC. In the first half the Broncos dominated the Trojans so badly I was wondering if USC had quit by half but SCU struggled to get off quality shots on goal. They were there to be had, but the Bronco players seemed to bypass the shots. USC played a little bit better in the second half, but SCU still dominated and seemed to hit every quality shot right at the USC goalie. USC gets a lucky goal about half way through when a player "crosses" the ball into the upper back corner of the net. SCU finally pushed forward with authority but could never find the back of the net despite repeated good looks. USC gets the second goal with about a minute left when SCU was pushing everybody forward (a great shot, by the way). SCU needs to find its offensive fire. Too many times the team dominates possession but is not coming out with quality shots on goal. Next week it doesn't get any easier with Stanford and Cal coming to town. Really need at least one win between the two to keep a decent ranking before conference play starts.
Broncos whirling like dervishes and not connecting effectively in final third-lots of possession but reluctant to take the easy shots -seems they are overpassing into the goal box and getting stuffed there. Tired legs second half not quick enough to break through but recycling the ball back and across before going forward into the crowd of waiting defenders.
You trolls are fortunate we SCU people don't report you. I was kicked off another teams thread when I suggested that perhaps the reigning nat'l champs shouldn't whine about the referees when they outshoot their opponents 40 - 4. We are made of sterner stuff here. Frustrating loss for SCU, encouraging win for USC. SCU has to start putting balls in the back of the opponents net, until they do, more of the same. We moved Angeli up late in the game, that girl can score, but not last Sunday. Stanford and Cal will be very interesting to me. I'm sure our goals will be hard to come by, can we slow down the opponents, however?
Watched last years game vs Cal at Berkeley-the Broncos staged a valiant holdout of the Bears until the last minute of overtime-a well fought battle to the end-the Bronco defense was stellar as it was in the 110 minute tie with UCLA on national tv. Stanford game last season was a rout! Forwards were off to the races on every counter. Not sure the Broncos have scored on the Cardinal in the last three match ups.
Big fan of your neighbors to the North but also SC admirer. Have to disagree with casoccerfan. Score notwithstanding, great fun to see twenty two SOCCER players always on the field. Everyone's commitment to technical excellence very unusual in D1. SC has nothing to be ashamed of. Love and respect Coach JS's uncompromising devotion to the "good" game, even when challenged with unfortunate injuries to star players.
Brandi's in Copenhagen, you troll. You cannot blame this on injuries. Santa Clara has a player or two out, but so does everybody at this point in the season. You can blame it on poor weakside defending and Stanford just being a heck of a team. SCU needs to bounce back against Cal, and I think they can, but it won't be easy.
The entire back line defended poorly in the 2nd half. Way too much space given to very talented and quick attacking players. The blame also goes to the midfield for letting Stanford midfielders to run directly at the defense with the ball.
There is no shame in losing to Stanford. Stanford is the best team in country right now. They dominate oponents even more convincingly than UNC. This season may be a bit boring until we get the inevitable Stanford vs UNC matchup in the finals...
Well said. Really, really impressed with Stanford. Outstanding side. Too bad the Broncos couldn't duplicate the first half effort in the second half, but Stanford seems to be doing that to many teams - wearing them down in the first and blowing them out in the second.
Cal has also lost 2 in a row with today's 1-0 setback to Sacramento State. So, SCU winning doesn't seem quite so impossible now. It should be a great test to see which team is deeper in the toilet.