I re-watched some games and highlights from last year and am convinced that team belongs among the best of all time in women's collegiate soccer. Don't know how you replace Echegini and Nesbeth in particular. I believe the overall talent and depth of the 24 version will be better than 23. There may be a player or 3 with better talent than Echegini and Nesbeth on this team (sans Dudley). They won't have the experience and fine tuning that made them as great as they were! They may become that down the road, but unless we have discovered another couple of Dudleys, they won't be at that level this year. I am so looking forward to this team, but have to realistically temper my expectations. To be fair, I don't think any other team will have more talent, so there is that!
I think you will be surprised about the level that some new players already have and some that will take new steps in their development but the big question is the cohesiveness given so many new faces and the U20 World Cup. Last years FSU team was so good that expecting a repeat of it seems unrealistic but you only have to be better than the rest of the country this year.
Today is the first preseason practice. Pensky told the media that freshman Lara Dantas will be away with the national team for the next 10 days and from the Rice game on they will be down to 15-16 players including goalkeepers due to the U20 World Cup. The depth will be tested.
IOW, our record is not likely to be unblemished, but by the end of the year, we should be a very very good team. We need to continue the trend this year of nattys. 1st to 2nd was 4 years. 2nd to 3rd was 3 years 3rd to 4th was 2 years, 4th to 5th should be 1 year. Then let's start a new trend.
The flip side is that, from my uneducated observations, players tend to come back from high stakes international competitions playing at a higher level.
FYI - U20 World Cup final is the day you play SMU (9/22). Syracuse is the ACC opener (9/19). Clemson is 4 days after SMU, (9/26). Quarterfinals are (9/15). https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments...lombia-2024-match-schedule-kick-off-confirmed
7 pm TCU exhibition 8/9/24 Friday 2024-25 Women's Soccer Schedule - Florida State University (seminoles.com) I plan to be there with my wife if anyone wants to put a face to a screen name.
No disrespect at all intended but what in the world is Villanova doing? A team that could only beat Seton Hall in the Big East last year going to the Florida sunshine for a Noon game on Sept 1st?? Was this one of the substitute, "need a home game" teams? Wonder what the line is going to be on that one?
It might have been a substitute game, but for Villanova it probably is a no lose situation if the players are not killed by the weather. If Villanova loses, as it almost certainly will, it will not hurt them. And if by some bizarre circumstance, they win or tie, it will help them a whole lot. Big upside potential, though extremely unlikely, and virtually no downside potential, though extremely likely.
Not sure about the line for the game, but the "line" after the game will likely be, "WTF was that?" Villanova plays at Jacksonville State the Thursday before FSU.
I agree with this of course @cpthomas but you could say this for just about every non-conference opponent for FSU! Shouldn't no one be favored at FSU? at least early season, so any draws or losses are big for visiting teams. Nova scheduling Jacksonville first on the trip, assuming to acclimate to the Florida humidity a bit, may be a good call. This summer heat has been nearly as bad in Philly so we'll see. To be clear, you gotta respect Azem for taking the game. Probably says something about her confidence in her position there, and maybe her contract status! Plenty of schools just looking to bag some early wins so kudos to her. Playing rpi #325 a few days before #1 has to be some kind of record! Unless teams have done a similar FL trip I guess. The rpi 'damage' from one game may just balance the other. I'll take FSU and still give Nova 2 goals.
Yeah, #325 and #1 on the same Thursday/Sunday trip - that’s has to be unusual. Does some sports book actually online for WSOC? I’d guess at least 5.
https://seminoles.com/news/2024/8/6...med-to-venezuela-u-20-womens-world-cup-roster Yikes! Down another player!! Although I wish her the best of luck with Venezuela U20!
https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/rankings/college-rankings/ncaa-di-women/ Though not a big fan of this poll because of the few voters involved, starting out #1 was to be expected and deserved. If that buys us some grace when we're playing with a 14- 15 player squad is yet to be tested.
The poll seems particularly unhelpful this year. Only a single team moved more than two spots from the last release last year.... UCLA moved up four spots. I guess the voters aren't going to bother to try to project with roster losses, additions, and transfers at this point.
So I've been watching the Olympics. I've been impressed with Casey every time she's in. She fast, physical and skilled. Jenna is by far better than Dunn when playing in the midfield. She's excellent at receiving passes, good with the ball at her feet and one of the team's best passers going forward. What she isn't is big or strong or fast. She can be a defensive liability due to the speed and lack of strength, especially on the back line or on defensive set pieces. That's my take. What's your take?
My wife and I just got home in Central Florida just before 3 am. I'm awake now and might as well share a few thoughts. 1. Waaay too early to draw conclusions about many players so take what I say as first impressions w/o the benefit of TV and rewatching. 2. This is a very fast and athletic team. 3. As talented and fast as this team is, they will certainly not perform up to the level of last year's team, at least in the early going. Being young and talented is not the same as being experienced (at this level) and talented. Onyi, Beatta, Jody, LeiLanni and Lauren and Cristina will have people in their places, not sure any on them will be equalled. 4. I believe we started Addie in G with Mimi and Ran out wide and Heather and Sophia in central Defense. Carissa started in HMF while the Taylors (Huff and Suarez ) were in the forward midfield?. Dudley central fwd flanked by Giana Riley on the right and Solai Washington on the left. 5. We are similarly fast up top, but again not experienced. 6. Carissa did a decent job at HMFer, but at one point Mimi moved in there and I think she was tremendous. I think Mimi may have an AA year along with Taylor H and Dudley. Ran Iwai looked All ACC caliber IMO. 7. Simmonds came in Ran's position and looked OK., Camille Ashe came in Sophia's pos Central defender, looked OK. Nina Norshie also got a look there. Nina Norshie also got a look in Heather's spot and looked very timid and unsure with speed of the game vs junior college. McGovern played a good bit in Taylor S's position. She is small, but looks to be very skilled and clever sorta like Nighswonger was. Jimenez was in only a short time, but was not afraid to run at people and was skilled with the ball. Wriana Hudson played a lot at Fwd. Much faster than I thought she'd be. Had 3 dangerous chances that were very close, but not converted. All 3 GKers played. No opinion. Didn't get to see enough of Puerta to have an opinion. Lara Dantas is off with Brazil Claire Rain was w/o a brace, but did not warmup with the others. Didn't see Nourse or Lebdaoui play, but I could have missed it b/c there were a ton of subs. 8. I like McGovern's game, Hudson will be a stud, just not sure when. Giana Riley has the physical skills, needs to tighten up her passes. Too many give aways. Solai will be dangerous to deal with in time. 9. Missing 5 or 6 players for a month will probably yield a loss to UGA with possible losses to UF, Syracuse, SMU. I suspect one losses and a couple of draws IMO. Hopefully, all the girls will be ready for Clemson. TCU is not a bad team. It will be interesting to see how they fare going forward.
5-2. We started out 4-0 with liberal subs throughout the game. TCU was actually very good passing the ball in midfield. We were just good at times at counters.
Thanks, Tom. I found this while searching for the score. https://www.wctv.tv/2024/08/10/florida-state-soccer-defeats-tcu-5-2-exhibition-match/
https://seminoles.com/news/2024/8/1...-named-to-brazil-u-20-womens-world-cup-roster Not another! PB has to be pulling his hair out!
Really sorry I have to resort to this but-we need a game. I’ve had some nice, funny and outlandish convos regarding scheduling a game H/H with a guarantee and guaranteed a great student-athlete experience🥰-any interest please let me know. Need to finish this schedule🙏🏾— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) August 9, 2024 We were discussing earlier about how FSU was struggling to put a schedule together. This is evidence that it can happen to top teams in other sports as well. ...