Upper90 posted this near the end of the Nike Classic thread from this past weekend, so this seems like a good way to start the new thread for this coming weekend's matches. Texas makes me very nervous, but of course we should be nervous about A&M before we start thinking about the Longhorns, right? Texas, by the way, gets the day off on Friday while we're battling the Aggies. Well, we can put our newly vaunted depth to the test, I reckon.
Here's some info for anyone planning to make the trip: http://www.challengesoccer.com/college_classic02.php Anyone besides me and Upper90 going? I'd love to hear from some Aggies (or Heels) about Friday's game. For anyone going Sunday, I would recommend getting there early. I don't know what capacity will be (I think they use temporary bleachers), but both Texas and UNC are huge draws. And they have been selling tickets through local clubs and soccer stores. Better safe than sorry--I plan to do some tailgating before the game.
Two key absentees. Good luck to the Tar Heels, called by some the Road Warriors, who will be playing tonight against Texas A&M and Sunday against Texas. We are making the trip down to Houston with two players remaining behind in Chapel Hill: senior GK Jenni Branam, still not over the knee injury she sustained last season, and freshman defender Kendall Fletcher, about whom I have no information.
Calling all UNC fans in Texas! If you will be at either of the games this weekend, please, please post your impressions here on BigSoccer, right here on this post, on which all the rest of us will be keeping our eye. Thanks!
UNC 3 Texas A&M 1 UNC defeated Texas A&M 3-1 in Spring Texas. Goals by Chalupny and White and a PK by Ramsey.
Correction on UNC score The score was 4 to 1. Lindsay Tarpley also scored on a back heel shot. I'm told Winget played well in goal.
Carolina victory Thanks, MoHeel! Here's the write-up on the Texas A&M site: Link They give the score as 4-1, and, as you can see, they give Tarpley two goals and Gaston one, along with Ramsey's PK. We'll have to wait for Dave Lohse's write-up to know the truth!
UNC Womens Soccer Website The UNC website has posted the story. Their goals agree with my corrected report. The site is: www.tarheelblue.ocsn.com/w-soccer/recaps/091302aab.html
Correction Again MoHellfan is having a bad night. The correct website is: http://tarheelblue.ocsn.com/sports/w-soccer/recaps/091302aab.html
Texas looms Now it's Sunday the 15th and we've got to play Texas in a little while. All of us fans stuck nowhere near Houston are eager to know how this goes. Not just who won and who scored, but how our team looked. Please!! It's worth repeating that two key players are absent, senior GK Jenni Branam and freshman defender Kendall Fletcher. Aly Winget has been playing very well in goal and she's got a terrific back line in front of her. (BTW, is EB still filling that right back spot? No kidding, what would we do without Elizabeth Ball?) I just checked the weather for Houston and the temperature is predicted to get up into the high 80's and the humidity is expected to hit the same level. But in case you don't know this, it can get mighty hot and humid here in Chapel Hill too, so I won't say that Texas has any advantage on that front. Good luck to our team.
UNC 3 Texas 2 UNC beat Texas in a wet, lightning delayed game 3 to 2. UNC goals by Tarpley, Morrell and Chalupny.
Back to the A&M game for a minute While I was waiting for more details on TarHeelBlue on the Texas victory, I saw that the box score for the A&M match had been posted, including all the usual stuff, scoring, play-by-play, etc. Some odd things were there, like the positions given to our starters meant that we used a 2-3-5 formation, which is extremely unlikely. Also, Maggie Tomecka didn't start, which is possible I'm sure (maybe she was late to a meal!), but I wonder what the deal is on that. Also the scoring was different from all previous reports, with two by Tarpley, one by Kacey White, and one by Alyssa on a PK. Assists went to White, Tarpley, and Sara Randolph. Here's the link to the box score.
Official Tarheelblue report Tarheelblue has its full version on the site: http://tarheelblue.ocsn.com/sports/w-soccer/racaps/091502aaa.html They did credit Ramsey with the goal, not Chalupny. It will be interesting to see how the Jones ratings come out next week. Portland killed Nebraska which was rated 8th in the Jones rating and Texas was only 17th. Not that it matters, UNC needs to take one game at a time in their tough schedule.
My bad again. Ok, its been a real bad typing weekend for old Moheelfan. The correct link is: http://tarheelblue.ocsn.com/sports/w-soccer/recaps/091502aaa.html At least with these reposts I got to 25 posts!
OK just returned to home sweet home i will post more later but the 3-2 is a tad misleading. One goal for Texas was a ball that Gaston looked like she dummied expecting Ali to get but it bounced in fron t of Ali and then over her head and rolled into the goal. The game winner by Tarp was a ball that their keeper bending over to pick up but Tarp never let up and got a toe on it just before the stationary keeper could grab it. Texas was very good and much improved. GTG for now but will rave on Kacey when i return.
Texas version UTexas has posted this recap on their website, along with a small pic (Sara Randolph ? tugging on Kelly Wilson's jersey). Upper90, looking forward to hearing more from you about the game. I know you're a fan of Kasey White...so am I. Apparently Lori Chalupny had a game high 6 shots, as well! So 90 - what was your impression...was the battle as even as the reports so far seem to indicate? Is there parity between these two teams?
oops Here's that Texas link: http://www.texassports.com/mainpages/sc_pages/2002_03/002/sc_091502_20.html
Newbie no more! Hey, MoHeelFan is not a "newbie" anymore! Congratulations!! We all knew you would make it!!! P.J.B., you're next.
OK I am back. Here is the setting, dark clouds all morning but about 1 hour before game rain starts coming down softly. But right as team take the field lightning is visible and referees postpone match for 30 minutes. I run off to grab a quick lunch taco and figure that teams will need a little time to warm up before a restart so I come back 45 minuteds later. Mistake. Guess what it is already 1 - 1. They play about another 10 minutes and then lightning is seen again. Another 30 minute delay. When the team return the field is starting to get soft and players occasionally lose their footing. Not ideal conditions but both teams had to play in them. Tarheels have a shot that is deflected by a defender and both my friend and I swear was in the bake of the net but apparently went sidenet. On the subsequent corner the ball is played around about 4 touches in the box and finally Anne Morrell finishes from the 1 with a chest trap into the net. Petrucelli is screaming about a handball but I am standing just beyond the endline and right of the goal ( much closer than him and it was not a Maradonna finish). Early in second half Tarp finishes a ball that if Texas keeper steps to the ball at all, Tarp never gets to. 3-1 and I am commenting on how much play is in Texas end and how much space UNC is getting. MY English friend is commenting on how well UNC is playing possesion soccer( which I can remember him saying previously that UNC did not paly attractive soccer). Made a believer out of him. The freak goal happens and Texas does press and make things rather interesting near the end. I was impressed with Texas, but they are not yet a threat to UNC. They do not have much depth and they really need to get another threat up top with Wilson ( who was fun to watch today). Kacey was good at outside mid in first half and good at attacking mid in second half. The overlooked freshman, the one who did not get the u-19 invite was a factor as much as Chalupny and Tarp were today (all three were very very good). Fletcher did not travel with team due to some medical condition. If Branham gets back ,the keeping gets better. When Fletcher returns they get even deeper. Just think, Texas deliberately did not schedule a Friday contest, so they were daisy fresh. I really see those rotating forwards and attacking mids as wearing out most defenders, and they are just learning each other and how to play together. The cake will start rising soon, look out world!
I wouldn't read too much into this game for either team, with an hour of heavy rain before kickoff and a half hour delay in the first half allowing the field to get even more soaked. There was no rhythm until the rain slowed a little well into the second half. UNC confirmed that they are the team to beat. Their defensive speed was amazing and neutralized Wilson (although UT found some room for the other forwards). The midfield also was dominant. However, once UT established some rhythm in the second half I thought the teams matched up very well. Both defenses made some mistakes. Both keepers made some good saves (Winget's best save was in the final seconds of the first half when she prevented an own goal off a deflected Texas cross). And UT mounted some good attacks down the stretch. It's hard to judge this game by the score. It could easily have been 5-1 to UNC, but then again it could just as easily have been 3-3. At least the second half was entertaining, and encouraging for Longhorns fans. Especially those of us who drove from Austin and then expected the game to be cancelled due to weather.