SLU Women's Soccer Thread

[Lord Elrond]

Dr Pestello is here, will someone ever tell him it’s probably alright if he doesn’t wear a suit everywhere? Or is it a lost cause at this point?

[cheeseman]

43 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said:

Dr Pestello is here, will someone ever tell him it’s probably alright if he doesn’t wear a suit everywhere? Or is it a lost cause at this point?

I saw him not in a suit at last year's homecoming.  Maybe he came from a meeting.

[Lord Elrond]

1-0 SLU, Gaebe for the goal!

[slufanskip]

Gaebe created the turnover taking the ball from a CB about 25 yards out. Drove into the box, fought through some contact that she could have went down on and put the ball in the net from about 10 yards out. 

Attn MLS, South and Latin American players, this is what happens when you attempt to make a play rather than draw a foul. 

[slufanskip]

Weak yellow on Hannah Sawyer. Player cut in front of her and stopped. Impossible to avoid that contact. Then she gets taken down from behind no card. 
 

BYU seeming to get the #4 ranking calls

[Lord Elrond]

1-0 at halftime, Billikens have gotten only 4 shots to BYU’s 11, but every shot the Billikens took that didn’t go in required a save, while Emily Puricelli only needed to make 4 saves total.

Concession stands must be doing a heck of a business tonight, every one of those kids let in free by wearing their team shirt is buying some snack it looks like.

[Lord Elrond]

20 minutes ago, slufanskip said:

Weak yellow on Hannah Sawyer. Player cut in front of her and stopped. Impossible to avoid that contact. Then she gets taken down from behind no card. 
 

BYU seeming to get the #4 ranking calls

Sadly correct, BYU getting the benefit when maybe they shouldn’t. Only 1 yellow on SLU at half though.

[slufanskip]

1-0 at the half. 
 

BYU has had more possession and more play in SLU’s defensive third but dangerous chances created are about equal. Both keepers had to make 1 really good save. 
 

SLU’s style hasn’t changed, Defend, create turnovers and attack. They look for the ball Emily can run onto and love to take defenders on 1v1. 

[slufanskip]

2 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said:

1-0 at halftime, Billikens have gotten only 4 shots to BYU’s 11, but every shot the Billikens took that didn’t go in required a save, while Emily Puricelli only needed to make 4 saves total.

Concession stands must be doing a heck of a business tonight, every one of those kids let in free by wearing their team shirt is buying some snack it looks like.

I don’t worry much about shots and to some extent even shots on goal as the quality of a sit is so varied. I like to track dangerous chances created. And in that aspect I’d say they were probably even

[Lord Elrond]

Former Billiken Mattyn Summers in the BYU starting 11.

[Lord Elrond]

Knocked one on the roof of the locker room.

[Lord Elrond]

Crap, BYU ties it up, got behind the defense.

[slufanskip]

14 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said:

Crap, BYU ties it up, got behind the defense.

I thought Emily made the right play coming out of her box, but she hesitated for just a second. No way to know for sure but without the hesitation I think she gets there 1st. In her defense she was caught kind of in between waiting and closing

She has made a couple of elite level saves this half though

Sonething I mentioned last year, I appreciate the Bills direct attack quickly style. However, I think there are many times where they make poor decisions and just play long to no one. Sometimes you have to recognize when it’s better to hold it for a minute

[Lord Elrond]

Crap, tied

 

[Lord Elrond]

10 minutes ago, slufanskip said:

I thought Emily made the right play coming out of her box, but she hesitated for just a second. No way to know for sure but without the hesitation I think she gets there 1st. In her defense she was caught kind of in between waiting and closing

She has made a couple of elite level saves this half though

Sonething I mentioned last year, I appreciate the Bills direct attack quickly style. However, I think there are many times where they make poor decisions and just play long to no one. Sometimes you have to recognize when it’s better to hold it for a minute

I feel the defense should have stopped it from getting to the keeper in the first place.

[slufanskip]

1 minute ago, Lord Elrond said:

Crap, tied

 

Probably a good result for SLU with the way the 2nd half went. BYU clearly had the better of play and created more dangerous chances. 
 

The official certainly had a lot of respect for BYU, but I don’t think he changed the outcome. 

[slufanskip]

3 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said:

I feel the defense should have stopped it from getting to the keeper in the first place.

No doubt, but that could be said on every dangerous chance and is irrelevant to what the keep should have done. I’m certainly not saying it was a bad play by Emily just that she hesitated and imo it cost her. On the other hand without her it could have been 3 or 4 to 1. The 2nd half shot where the BYU player cut to the middle and took a point blank shot from 10 yards out. Purcelli dives to her left and holds onto the ball. Any rebound and it’s rapped in for a goal as there is a BYU player right there. Super quick reaction and great hands. 

[OkieBilliken]

I’d be feeling a lot better about tonight if it weren’t for that ridiculous UMKC match

[Gremio14]

16 hours ago, courtside said:

 

BYU:

Jenn Rockwood:

24 of last 29 NCAA Tourneys

2 Final Fours in the past 3 seasons.

3 Elite 8’s

8 Sweet 16’s.

 

Probable formations: 

BYU: 4-4-2 Diamond

SLU: 4-2-3-1

 

BYU is a good team, but they’ll have many new players. Mozingo, Wade Katoa, Folino have all moved on from the attack. Fryer and Bailey return. 

 

Stringfellow and Gardner are back from their Missions, as is former Billiken Mattyn Summers to help provide attacking depth and a pace option up top or wide. 

 

BYU tried to move Fryer to a wing position in the preseason, but they moved her back up top with Bailey. These are the two best and most experienced scorers on their team. Bailey did not make the trip due to illness. So, Mattyn Summers will get plenty of opportunity to play up top with Fryer. 

 

Vance, the UCLA transfer will play as a central attacking midfielder. And Krommenhoek, the true Freshman will play in the defensive midfield at Shepherd’s previous position. Dixon and Gardner on rhe wings. 

 

New back line has been good so far for BYU. (Smith-Griffits, Vaka, Stratton, Peterson moved on) Warner and Frischknecht in the middle, Freeman and Rustand outside. Hernaez is a good experienced keeper. 

 

Unlike the recent past, BYU hasn’t been getting the pace, triangles, or trailers up and involved in their attack. They haven’t been as dynamic on the wings with diagonal runs, and, they haven’t gotten their outside backs and dmid involved yet. That’s what they hope to accomplish more each game. They have been playing a very deep back 5, conceding possession. and playing tor some quick transition counters. And that’s how they scored against Wisconsin. A midfield trap turnover, 2 quick diagonal passes, and Fryer split the defense. 

 

The 3-5-2 clog the middle possession game reversing fields, from Wisconsin, bothered them quite a bit. SLU plays a very different style than that. It should be much more of an open game against SLU. I expect BYU to try to be a little more aggressive and player closer to their preferred style. If BYU does get a lead, they may go back to a deeper back 5 which has been their early strength. SLU will be aggressive with high pressure in their 4-2-3-1. 

 

I wish Stringfellow (#10)had stayed on her mission a wee bit longer.  She carved us up almost as much as Fryer did.  

[Billiken Rich]

Looked like we were man-handled out there last night.  My soccer experience is extremely limited but that was physical--like watching Huggy's Bearcats come to town.........   

[WUH]

2 hours ago, Billiken Rich said:

Looked like we were man-handled out there last night. 

One man's man-handled is another man's they were playing their style.

[courtside]

21 hours ago, courtside said:

 

BYU:

Jenn Rockwood:

24 of last 29 NCAA Tourneys

2 Final Fours in the past 3 seasons.

3 Elite 8’s

8 Sweet 16’s.

 

Probable formations: 

BYU: 4-4-2 Diamond

SLU: 4-2-3-1

 

BYU is a good team, but they’ll have many new players. Mozingo, Wade Katoa, Folino have all moved on from the attack. Fryer and Bailey return. 

 

Stringfellow and Gardner are back from their Missions, as is former Billiken Mattyn Summers to help provide attacking depth and a pace option up top or wide. 

 

BYU tried to move Fryer to a wing position in the preseason, but they moved her back up top with Bailey. These are the two best and most experienced scorers on their team. Bailey did not make the trip due to illness. So, Mattyn Summers will get plenty of opportunity to play up top with Fryer. 

 

Vance, the UCLA transfer will play as a central attacking midfielder. And Krommenhoek, the true Freshman will play in the defensive midfield at Shepherd’s previous position. Dixon and Gardner on rhe wings. 

 

New back line has been good so far for BYU. (Smith-Griffits, Vaka, Stratton, Peterson moved on) Warner and Frischknecht in the middle, Freeman and Rustand outside. Hernaez is a good experienced keeper. 

 

Unlike the recent past, BYU hasn’t been getting the pace, triangles, or trailers up and involved in their attack. They haven’t been as dynamic on the wings with diagonal runs, and, they haven’t gotten their outside backs and dmid involved yet. That’s what they hope to accomplish more each game. They have been playing a very deep back 5, conceding possession. and playing tor some quick transition counters. And that’s how they scored against Wisconsin. A midfield trap turnover, 2 quick diagonal passes, and Fryer split the defense. 

 

The 3-5-2 clog the middle possession game reversing fields, from Wisconsin, bothered them quite a bit. SLU plays a very different style than that. It should be much more of an open game against SLU. I expect BYU to try to be a little more aggressive and player closer to their preferred style. If BYU does get a lead, they may go back to a deeper back 5 which has been their early strength. SLU will be aggressive with high pressure in their 4-2-3-1. 

 

SLU 1 BYU 1

 

10th minute, Houck forced a turnover up to Sawyer on the right wing. She used her speed to take the space with a diagonal run across midfield, She lofted a nice diagonal ball to Gaebe who bests the defender, gets a 15 yard shot, save Hernaez. She’ll score from a similar spot later. Best chance for either team in the first 10 minutes. 

 

Several times (4/5) in the first 10 minutes, SLU had the same play/opportunity, but the pass/execution wasn’t there. Ground passes behind the play. Center midfield turnovers for transition. Good things happen when SLU sharper there. Bad things when they aren’t. Where you turn the ball over matters. 

 

BYU is a high volume shot team. They took a few from 30-40 yards out which was fine. They also launched some balls into the box. Most of these were harmless, but there is value to doing it and SLU could have done it a little more themselves.

 

BYU plays through the middle. Center backs to dmid to wings who make interior diagonal runs or passes. Their wings also punch the middle and find space to receive center back passes down the field. And they also have center back/dmid long passes to their central attacking midfielder. It’s how they play. Wisconsin played 5 midfielders and that completely frustrated BYU in their first game.

 

16th minute, Houck distributed up to Larson at midfield, who made a nice through ball pass with some pass and loft for Gaebe, who was in alone, but it was just a step too far. Again, the midfield pass connecting to forwards, when it’s good, it’s dangerous. When it’s not, it’s transition the other way.

 

Earlier in the half, Larson was pulled down from behind inside the 30, center of goal no call, transition the other way. 17th she made another run to the 18, but her slot pass to Gaebe was well defended by Warner. Le forced the turnover, played it ahead to Simon. Simon squared it to Larson off to the races. 

 

18th minute, Freeman and Vance play led a nice give and go, and Sawyer took down Freeman from behind for a foul, and a ref warning. This is mentioned because she received a yellow later in the 25th minute for fouling from behind. She was fouled first from behind which wasn’t called, and then she fouled a BYU player which was called. Card for dissent.

 

19th minute goal for SLU, 50/50 midfield ball gets deflected ahead to Gaebe who overpowered both Frischknecht and Freeman for a l-0 lead for SLU. Better finish to her previous similar chance.

 

SLU subbed out Simon and moved Larson to central attacking midfield. BYU took a few more 30 plus yard shots, 1 off of a short keeper punt in transition. which resulted in a nice corner.

 

Freeman had a nice game at right back for BYU. Similar with Smith last year, BYU likes to get its right back forward into the attack. She stepped up nicely into play in combination with their center mids, or provide passes down the line to Fryer.

 

26th minute center back pass ahewd to Sawyer who wins the ball v defender and she gets yanked down from behind in wide open space. Foul call, no card. Good foul there as she was off to the races. 

 

Gaebe had another chance right side of the box after beating Rustsnd 1v1. Save Hernaez from 12. 27th minute.

 

30th minute, nice combination play from former high school teammates, Addy Lang and Hope Kim. Kim made a strong right side run into the box, nice short cross to Sarnowski. Her header was tipped wide full extension from Hernaez. A few chances there for SLU to add to their lead including that great one. 

 

A typical BYU play in the minute. Center back long ground pass up the middle to attacking mid finding space. Turn, through ball inside the 18, and cut back cross around the 6. Well defended by SLU. But a nice build up from Frishknecht to Vance, to Gardner across to Fryer. 

 

………………

Half time adjustments. 

……………..

SLU dominated the first 10 plus minutes of the 2nd half. And they did it by pressing higher with an extra player,(central attacking mid, Simon, next to Gaebe) and they moved up a defensive mid (Brinkman) to press 2-3. It was very effective. SLU still fell back into its 4-2-3-1. But this is a new wrinkle and it had some success. 

 

Much more front foot pressure. winning 50/50 balls, forcing turnovers. Had BYU on their heels a bit. 

 

47th minute Kim forced a turnover, sideline run edge of box slotted to Gaebe who put it over the goal without a clean hit. 

 

48th minute. Houck forced a turnover where she was repeatedly fouled without a call from behind. Ball goes out of bounds to BYU. Houck raises her hands looking for a call. She instead received a yellow card. Stunning. 

 

This was some of the most animated Katie Shield has been on the sideline of a game involving officials in a long time. 

 

But this stretch of play was more to SLU’s style. Waves of pressure in and around the 18. SLU was unable to stretch the lead. These missed opportunities in both halves would come back to hurt them. 

 

Heckel, Stram, and Le will need to be the set piece targets, without having Lawler, Miller, Kelly. going to have to try some things to be more dangerous there. 

 

67th minute. Another great chance for SLU was Gaebe winning a 50/50 ball at midfield, and then she made a rub, outmuscled Hamberlin into the box to the 10. She goes down as 3 defenders collapse on her at the 6 yard box. Good no call there. Loose ball falls to Leonard who blasted a 7 yard shot just beyond the open corner post. 

 

As can happen, an opposing goal shortly after a near miss. 68th minute BYU goal. BYU throw in up the line, and Stringfellow was able to hold off two defenders on the wing. She sent a nice through ball behind the defense. Fryer split The two defenders, and she maneuvered around Puricelli at the 18 and tap it in. 1-1 game. BYU had a few chances and won a few corners to that point, but SLU was good most of the first 23 minutes of the 2nd half. 

 

69th minute. Sawyer plays it up the wing to Gaebe who was off to the races. She was fouled from behind by Frishknecht, no call.  Lots of inconsistencies with the fouls from behind in the game. BYU was able to transition the other way multiple times without a call, let alone a card. 

 

73rd minute. Despite being hounded by Larson. Krommenhoek was able to launch a long pass into the left corner for Fryer. Houck was pressung someone else, which left Fryer 1v1 with Stram. Stram made the choice to back down to inside the 18 vs take a chance out wide on the wing. She waited for support. But Fryer was able to cut in from 12. Nice shot and save. 

 

During this few minute stretch, SLU had a few center of the field turnovers as they did early in the game. Most of the in between time was better. 

 

79th minute. Gaebe was hounded and fouled from behind by Krommenhoek and Dixon. No call. Turnover. Big no call as the ensuing ball goes wide in transition to BYU. Give and go Fryer to Dixon, back to Fryer, back to Dixon who had a chance from 7 yards, save made. This time Welker took a chance wide on Fryer, couldn’t get there. Fryer 1 v1 with Stram again, lays it off to Dixon. weak side  help was late. 

 

84th minute. Le forced a middle of the field turnover. She gets pulled down from behind 35 yards from goal 4 on 2. No call and we headed the other way, and Vance gets a nice chance in transition, from 15. save again Puricelli. It helps to add some context to a few of these chances. The no calls the other way, transition, getting an outside back out of position, where a scorer is 1v1 in space isolated with a center back. 

 

88th minute, throw in up the line, Gaebe 1v1 draws the foul from 20 yards out side of the box. Can’t convert

 

…………..

Need to start games on the front foot, with more efficient middle of the field connecting passes into the final third. Need to out more dangerous balls into the box, and even get a few shots up from distance at times. Midfield turnovers can lead to transition opportunities against teams like BYU. Players like Fryer will make you pay more often than not. 

 

Freeman had a nice game at right back. Krommenhoek as a true Freshman. Hernaez made some saves when needed. BYU’s wings gave them better than expected minutes. 

 

This is the open end to end game that was expected without the higher scoring. Formations as expected with SLU ‘s 2nd half 2-3 press wrinkle. Unfortunate to not add the 2nd goal for SLU to extend the lead when they had the chances in both halves. Need to get more out of players not named Larson and Gaebe. Nice game for a few of the Freshmen. Some veteran players need to be sharper from the opening whistle. 

 

Both teams played a short bench. 4 and 3 players each beyond rest minutes. 29 of 30 SLU players were available. (Jackson still isn’t cleared with her injury)

 

This is the pace, efficiency on the ball, and physicality, you have to play at for 90 minutes defeat the better teams at this level. Good game to play early to keep getting better. SLU did some things well, and they have some things to work on too. 

 

Hopefully BYU wins a lot of games. 

[Billiken Rich]

On 8/23/2024 at 12:36 PM, WUH said:

One man's man-handled is another man's they were playing their style.

Can't disagree.  Just never seen bully-ball women's soccer before........

 

 

[courtside]

Mizzou:

Mizzou wants to play a 3-5-2. They tried it in the Spring and the Fall. They’ve already abandoned it twice. But I will expect them to open with it v SLU. 3 solid center backs, 2 defensive midfielders, 2 wings, a central attacking mid and 2 forwards. If Mizzou switches it up, they will possibly move Spriggs in as the 4th back (with Yang, Meador, and Kutella) play more of a 4-2-3-1 similar to SLU.

Under Golan, Mizzou has gone from some lopsided losses to good teams. to 9 one goal losses last season. They are in many of their games. They will be a tough game. 

Mizzou is good defensively. They will try to clog the middle and limit transition. Their Arkansas State transfer Kutella center back adds size in the middle.

Simmons is their primary scoring threat up top. They haven’t been able to get enough from their wings. And Buels hasn’t been available there for them. Canada will be their impact Freshman in the central defensive midfield.

Much of Mizzou’s offense has been via sideline East West crosses, and  diagonal balls misplayed by the opposing keeper.Since that area has been a slow go, I expect to see some of that to take some of the pressure off.

This is definitely a game that has interest in the St. Louis and Kansas City recruiting markets. Mizzou often recruits there, Texas, Georgia, and the Upper Midwest where Golan used to coach. 

Mizzou has mostly kept a short bench this season. 

SLU will look to use the width of the field, and to find some space in the attacking corners, to get some numbers and room with Gaebe, Larson. etc…get an early goal, force Mizzou to open up a bit. Put pressure on the back 3. Limit mistakes in your own half/3rd, and get a comprehensive win. SLU will need to be more efficient on set pieces, and they’ll need to get more service into dangerous positions in and near the 18. Need a high level 90 minute effort, and a little bit sharper execution. Start on the front foot. 

[brianstl]

Golan’s seat is super hot.