Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!
All White Kit will be in Kennesaw blogging all the happenings for college soccer’s showpiece event, starting at 5:00 PM EST. Also be sure to check http://www.nc-soccer.com throughout the weekend for Shane Lardinois’ high quality photos of the matches.
Stanford
1. How Soon Will Paul Ratcliffe Throw Camille Levin Forward If Stanford Struggles…?
You get the sense that against a Florida State team that has conceded just one goal in the NCAA Tournament (and that was a garbage time goal against Portland), Stanford might not have it all their way for once. The Cardinal have generally had it their way outside of about half the slog against Boston College and a stretch of time after they scored against Oklahoma State. When they haven’t been able to pry teams apart with their usual setup, they’ve gone towards a look that resembles what they tried for much of last season with Camille Levin used further up the pitch to run at defenses with Annie Case inserted at full-back as a replacement. It’s worked a treat in almost all instances so far, with Levin’s able to slash through defenses integral to ungumming the works when Stanford’s offense stutters.
But the big question is how soon would be too soon to use Levin in such a proactive attacking role? It’s difficult to say if there’s a magic number in Ratcliffe’s head as far as minutes are concerned, a task made more difficult by the sheer lack of times Stanford’s really been challenged this season by opponents. What if Florida State were to take a lead though early in this one? Would a switch at half-time be a solution? The hour mark? Ratcliffe surely knows many eyes will be pointed his way with a view towards tactics after many criticized the Stanford coach for not throwing a more attacking bend to his tactics until very late against Notre Dame in last season’s final. The downside is that an aggressive move with Levin moving forward could backfire by destabilizing the defense against a very dangerous FSU attack. Case is a solid and serviceable reserve but is certainly not Levin, and you’d figure the Noles would run at and test her early and often if she’s on the pitch for the Card.
2. …Or Might The Card Just Start Out With Levin In Midfield or Attack?
So here’s a thought. What if Paul Ratcliffe decides to throw a massive curveball Florida State’s way, by starting out with Levin in midfield or up front? Unlikely? Probably. Outlandish? Perhaps less so than you might think at first. Levin has quite simply made things happen in midfield upon being moved there in the middle of matches this season, using her dribbling and attacking thrust to give opposing defenses fits. Midfielder Kristy Zurmuhlen has been struggling with an injury she picked up against South Carolina, and Levin could be a natural option to make Stanford a more vibrant attacking force from the start. At a stage when early goals become crucial and scoring seemingly drops precipitously, a quick strike from the Card could give them a huge advantage against Florida State.
You also wouldn’t rule out a Levin cameo up front. Chioma Ubogagu and Marjani Hing-Glover’s scoring records have been poor as of late, the former having scored once in her last eight games, the latter just once in her last nine. Levin has plenty of experience playing as a wing forward from last season and could be an interesting roll of the dice up front from Ratcliffe if he’s feeling in a gambling mood at the start of Friday’s contest. Of course, Stanford could revert back to using Levin at full-back at any time if they pursue the above strategy. It often takes bold moves to win titles, and such a move would certainly count as brave from the Stanford boss.
3. What Happens If Florida State Shuts Down Lindsay Taylor?
Taylor’s been on fire as of late, having netted a point in eleven of her last twelve matches, while scoring in three of four of Stanford’s NCAA Tournament matches. Not one team has been able to hold Taylor without a shot this season, while only Portland and Oregon have held her to just one. Oh. And Taylor’s scored in nine of her last eleven. So that’s a very big “if” as noted above.
But what if that possibility becomes a reality? Florida State’s not a team of defensive slouches as noted above and possess one of the best defenders in the nation in Toni Pressley, who figures to be glued to Taylor’s hip as FSU searches for a way to slow down the speedster. The question that might be racking Stanford fans’ brains at the moment is what happens if Taylor does have a bad night at the office? There’s no question that there are plenty of offensive weapons in reserve for Stanford to use. The problem? None seem to be in great goalscoring form at the moment. Part of that has to do with Taylor being on such a tear and converting the best opportunities, but it’s hard to ignore the litany of goose eggs a lot of Stanford’s ancillary weapons are putting up in recent weeks. Of course, having Mariah Nogueira to get on the end of set pieces is certainly a nice failsafe for the Card if they struggle to score in the run of play. The big junior’s heading presence could be a key this weekend if they expect to lift the title.
4. Can Stanford Put The Brakes On Tiffany McCarty?
While a great deal of attention will be focused on Lindsay Taylor and her battle against the Florida State defense, it’d also be wise to remember that the Seminoles have a forward who is almost as hot as the Card’s lead striker has been in recent weeks. McCarty’s been on an unbelievable tear since Florida State has risen like a phoenix from the ashes after the 3-0 reverse to Maryland late in the regular season. Since then, McCarty’s had a point in nine of Florida State’s ten matches, including one in six straight postseason matches, an astonishing feat, even for a player as talented as the junior forward. McCarty will surely be facing one of her biggest tests of the season though against the cultured and talented Stanford defense. Particularly problematic could be the size disadvantage McCarty faces against the Card’s two big center-backs, Alina Garciamendez and Kendall Romine. The size differential could make muscling up against the spine of Stanford’s defense difficult for FSU’s lead gun. With that in mind, don’t be surprised if McCarty looks to get wide to try and avoid Stanford’s size in the middle and exploit the smaller Stanford full-backs while possibly sucking the center-backs out of position and creating space for FSU’s other attackers. Attacking wide would also give Rachel Quon and Camille Levin something to think about defensively, possibly keeping their frequent forward forays in check as well.
5. Will Expectation and Experience Be Stanford’s Ace In The Hole or It’s Achilles Heel?
Stanford finds itself in the quite unusual position this weekend of being the only team in the College Cup field with experience at this stage of the NCAA Tournament. While the Cardinal have been mainstays at the cup recently, it has not been so for their opponents. Florida State hasn’t been here since 2007, Duke in over a decade, and Wake Forest are entirely new to this stage. Already coming in as favorites on talent and form alone, Stanford’s experience under the bright lights and intense pressure and scrutiny that comes along with College Cup weekend should theoretically give them a leg up over their title rivals who might end up being awed by the moment.
But there’s the dark side of that experience and expectation as well. Stanford’s been in the position of being the pre-cup favorite before. Twice. And twice, they’ve gone back to Palo Alto without the big prize. Yes, they’re experienced at this stage, but that experience has ended with stark disappointment after the final the last two seasons. How Stanford responds if they go behind this weekend could be one of the more intriguing shorelines of the entire tournament.
Of course, Stanford could just score first, not look back, and render the above paragraph moot.
Florida State
1. Will Ella Stephan Play?
Not exactly a high concept question, is it? Stephan left early in the second half of the team’s NCAA Tournament match against Portland and hasn’t stepped onto the pitch for the Seminoles since. While FSU has obviously not been stung too hard by Stephan’s absence yet, this could be where they really feel the sting of the senior being out of the lineup. On a team with a whole lot of attacking verve in midfield, Stephan offers much needed balance to the middle of the park for the Seminoles. The senior does the dirty work with little acclaim but has been an integral part of this FSU team’s journey to Kennesaw and the College Cup. If Stephan cannot play or is not her effective self, it could create a cascading effect through the midfield that could hamper the Noles’ balance. Much of the defensive duties in midfield would then fall to freshman Kristin Grubka, who has performed well as a rookie, but asking a youngster with so little experience to do a job against the likes of Stanford’s attack is a big ask. Tori Huster would likely be called upon to take on a more defensive role, which she can certainly do, but the gritty veteran is far better in an all-action role both in offense and with defending duties lumped in. Stephan’s absence would also make a thin bench that much thinner with Jamia Fields or Jessica Price called in to fill the lineup hole. Speaking of which…
2. Will Florida State’s Thin Bench Prove Costly?
Florida State may have one hell of a first team, but if this weekend turns into a war of attrition, the Seminoles could be in big trouble. Already thin as it was coming into the season with the loss of Casey Short to injury, FSU took another blow when Stephan was put out of commission. Getting Stephan back for Friday would certainly help, as it would likely allow the Noles to shift Jamia Fields back into the reserve role she’s occupied for a good deal of the season. If Stephan can’t make it back? Well, FSU certainly has depth issues. You just have to look at the rotation against Virginia in the previous round to get an idea of how deep (or not) the Seminoles are going to go against an elite opponent. Jessica Price is the obvious big hitter off the bench, though she hasn’t scored since the ACC Tournament win over North Carolina. But she’s got experience and the ability to score, which is something most of FSU’s other options lack. The only other subs to see action against Virginia were Japanese midfielder Hikaru Murakami, who boasts potential but is as green as the Kennesaw grass is likely to be this weekend, and utility player Katie Riley. In a deliciously ironic twist, Riley’s currently in her sixth and final year of eligibility for FSU after beginning her injury riddled career with Stanford. Riley’s got the smarts to be a contributor though, with four assists in reserve action for the Noles this year. Her experience is likely an asset for FSU off the bench considering the youth strewn throughout the rest of Mark Krikorian’s reserves. Still, if Florida State is struggling, they won’t be able to count on wholesale personnel changes to help turn the tide in all likelihood.
3. How Much Of A Green Light Will Ines Jaurena Get?
So much of an offensive force that you might want to call her a wing-back instead of a full-back at times, the play of French youth international Ines Jaurena could be key for Florida State on Friday evening. Against lesser opposition, Jaurena’s been given free reign to motor up and down the line to help give the Florida State attack width, but it’s safe to say that Stanford’s not the teams FSU’s faced so far. The challenge facing Jaurena will be multi-faceted on Friday. She may face more defensive duties than ever against the Card, especially if she’s forced to repel the challenges of Lindsay Taylor if Stanford swings their offensive leader out wide to run against the junior. Jaurena also faces the very real threat of Stanford overloading her side of the pitch thanks to the runs of the Card full-backs which could be frequent in number on Friday. Stanford figures to try and defend from the front as well with their forwards to try and minimize the risk of players like Jaurena bringing the ball out of the back to help kickstart the attack. It all adds up to a big challenge for another one of FSU’s continental starlets. But given the aggressive nature of Stanford’s wide defenders, if Florida State can use Jaurena to quickly counter up the flanks, they could well create some dangerous attacking opportunities.
4. Can Kelsey Wys Take The Next Step?
You can’t draw up a shortlist of the nation’s top college goalkeepers without mentioning the collection of talent in Kennesaw this weekend. Emily Oliver and Aubrey Bledsoe are both entrenched in the U.S. youth international system, while Duke’s Tara Campbell has quietly been one of the most underrated keepers in the nation for some time now. The one name looking rise into the category of great keeper is Florida State’s Kelsey Wys. The sophomore came into Tallahassee with no small amount of potential to her name and certainly flashed that potential as a freshman but also had the typical consistency issues that many freshmen suffer through as they deal with the growing pains of evolving into starting keepers at the college level. Wys also got a challenge for the starting spot in goal from Louisville transfer Taylor Vancil over the offseason, the newcomer displacing Wys for a brief time in the middle of the season. But Wys has been ever-present in goal the last eleven matches and has grown into an integral part of FSU’s revival late in the season. The sophomore has been getting effusive praise from her coach Mark Krikorian and dazzled with her penalty shootout saves against Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament final to put her name into lights. A big performance this weekend could see Wys’ reputation surge, ala Oliver’s after last season’s final. Given the opposition, a big performance will also be needed if the Noles are to contend for the national title this weekend.
5. Will Toni Pressley Be Able To Shut Down Lindsay Taylor?
It’s a matchup that won’t just be critical to deciding a winner in this one but also one that should pique the interest of any WPS personnel in attendance. Both Taylor and Pressley are near the top of their craft as far as seniors go and whoever comes out on top in their duel on Friday will provide a major lift for their team as they aim to make Sunday’s final. After a rather frantic start to the campaign which saw Pressley’s position on the field tinkered with as FSU looked for an answer for their midseason struggles, the veteran has once again settled on the backline and been the rock at the heart of the ACC Tournament champs’ defense. She has a whale of a task on her hands on Friday though in dealing with in-form forward Taylor, who has, as noted above in Stanford’s section, been on an unbelievable tear as the seasons have changed and temperatures have dropped. Taylor’s not faced too many defenders as good as Pressley this year though, and it’ll be a major test of her abilities. In a draft class loaded with strong forwards, the Stanford senior will be looking for that extra little something to separate her from the pack. A strong performance against Pressley and Florida State on Friday would be a great start.
Wake Forest
1. Will Aubrey Bledsoe Be The X-Factor This Weekend?
First among equals this weekend in goal will be Wake Forest’s Aubrey Bledsoe, who has certainly not been suffering from a sophomore slump this season. Bledsoe made a major impact as a freshman one season ago and has continued to grow into one of the nation’s most imposing keepers and one of its most promising keepers to watch as far as the future of the USWNT is concerned. The second-year starter out of Cincinnati is capable of making spectacular saves while also enjoying a great command of her area and organization skills that have only gotten better after her fine debut season a year ago. Additionally, Bledsoe has proven herself to be a tremendous penalty stopper, putting on an unbelievable show as a freshman in shootouts last season. She could hardly be blamed for this season’s shootout defeat to Florida State, with Wake rather curiously choosing the same shooters and directions as in last season’s shootout win over Maryland. Though a College Cup match hasn’t gone to penalties since 2006, you could argue that this is one of the most closely matched fields in College Cup history, meaning penalties are a very real possibility at some stage this weekend. Bledsoe’s ability to make the spectacular look routine in the run of play and her skill in saving spot kicks could well make her an even bigger star by the end of Sunday afternoon.
2. Can The Demon Deacons Slow Down The Golden Quartet?
You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who’d dare argue that there’s a more dangerous front four right now in the college game than Duke’s attacking quartet. Whether it’s the frightening combination of power and pace from freshman Kelly Cobb, the relentless stream of assists from sophomore Mollie Pathman, the deadly finishing from an in-form Laura Weinberg, or the all-around efforts of second-year midfield maestro Kaitlyn Kerr, Duke has enough weapons in attack to sink an armada. It poses a massive challenge for the Demon Deacons who have given up double digit shots to the Blue Devils in their two previous encounters this season. Ironically, despite giving up six shots on goal as opposed to three in their regular season loss to Duke, Wake was better able to withstand the Blue Devil Barrage in the ACC Tournament and emerge victorious. With a starting back-four that’s more solid than star-laden, it’ll have to be a real team effort if the Demon Deacons are to halt Duke’s attack. With Wake loving to push Jackie Logue and Alisha Woodson up into attack from their full-back spots, the Demon Deacons will also have to be mindful of efforts from the Blue Devil forwards in defending from the front and pinning those full-backs back to try and stunt the Wake attack.
3. For That Matter, Can Wake Forest Stop Those Coming After The Golden Quartet?
Is it possible for a team that has advanced to this point to have a secret strength? If it is, you might point towards the bench depth of Duke, which has already stung Wake Forest once this season in the teams’ meetings. Part of the reason Duke’s attack is so dangerous is that they have a more than competent second wave of attackers to throw at teams late in halves as opposing sides begin to wobble. Among the most dangerous of Duke’s ancillary attacking options off the bench is sophomore Kim DeCesare. DeCesare will be forever remembered as the player who scored the match winning goal against Long Beach State but has been in fine form for much of the season for Duke. A sizable sophomore, DeCesare has three goals in her last eight for the club in reserve duty including one against Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament defeat. Wake will be keeping a keen eye on the second-year player, as DeCesare came off the bench to play nearly an hour against Wake in the conference tournament, giving the Demon Deacons a torrid time with four shots on goal and a headed goal to her name in that one. Chelsea Canepa hasn’t quite been in as torrid a form as DeCesare, but goals against Notre Dame and Florida State earlier in the year suggest she’s got the form to trouble any defense who takes her lightly. Wake stopping Duke’s starting attackers would be a feat, but if they switch off when the reserves start coming in, it could all be for nought.
4. What Happens If Stengel and Nuzzolese Can’t Score?
Just the thought of the above happening is likely enough to freeze the blood of Wake Forest supporters. Granted, you might question the likelihood of it happening at all considering the fact that both Stengel and Nuzzolese have been both shutout in the same match just five times this season when they’ve both played. You’d also doubt it might happen considering that both have been in electric form as of late, with each bend held without a point just once in their last seven. Stengel in particular has been in scorching form, having scored in every round of the NCAA Tournament, with a five match scoring streak overall. Stengel missed the first encounter in the regular season, but combined with Nuzzolese for seven shots, four on goal, and a goal and an assist in the win over the Blue Devils in the ACC Tournament, showing the potency of the pair. But if Duke is able to stop the duo in their tracks on Friday? Well, that might be rather disconcerting for the Demon Deacons. Wake has very much been a two-headed monster this season with Nuzzolese and Stengel doing almost all of the scoring, with thirty of fifty-two goals to be specific. You can’t really blame Wake for letting their stars strut their stuff, considering how talented they are, but the rest of the team has shown a rather decided lack of punch in front of goal. Nobody besides Stengel and Nuzzolese has more than three goals all season, a real worry if Wake’s main attacking force has two ill-timed off nights on Friday. Perhaps though it’s more a matter of a reluctance to pull the trigger than anything else, with the next highest amount of shots coming from a player going to Marisa Park, with twenty-seven on the year. Then again, Wake hasn’t had to lean on their other players for goals that much this season and will be hoping Stengel and Nuzzolese can carry the load again versus Duke.
5. Can Set Pieces Lead Wake Forest To Glory?
Attacking and defending on set pieces can be life and death matters for teams in the later rounds of the NCAA Tournament as the gaps in talent between squads vanishes. With that in mind, Wake Forest must surely feel confident going into this weekend with a squad more than capable of punishing opponents from dead ball situations. In particular, the Demon Deacons are proficient at scoring from corner kicks as many vanquished opponents can attest to. Unsurprisingly, it’s one of the team’s prolific strike partnership behind Wake’s set piece mastery, with Rachel Nuzzolese bending in balls that her teammates have so expertly dispatched into the back of the net. Duke is no stranger to the devastating effects Nuzzolese’s deliveries can have. The sophomore whipped in the corner that eventually led to Kim Marshall’s opener in the teams’ ACC Tournament match weeks ago. If the Demon Deacons can keep their dead ball proficiency going in Kennesaw this weekend, they have a great chance of walking away with the national title on Sunday.
Duke
1. How Much Defending From The Front Will Duke Do?
There certainly won’t be a shortage of talented full-backs on display in Kennesaw this weekend. With the likes of Rachel Quon, Camille Levin, Ines Jaurena, and Jackie Logue on display, fans of marauding defenders plowing forward and getting into the attack should be more than satiated by the end of the weekend. With that in mind, success in the College Cup may depend on a side being able to pin those full-backs back and keep them from racing up the line. With so many sides sporting a 4-3-3 setup this weekend, how much defending each set of wide forwards does and how well they do it could play a huge role in the outcome of each match. In that regard, Duke might just have a slight advantage over their rivals thanks to sophomore Mollie Pathman. Making waves last year for her goalscoring and this year for her boatload of assists, Pathman also has been training with the U.S. U20 team as a full-back. That bit of extra defensive practice could be a big edge for the Blue Devils and Pathman as they try to put the clamps on opposing full-backs. Defending from the front does come with some drawbacks though. Pressing so far up the pitch can wear players out quicker than usual, which could be problematic given how dependent Duke is on their front four for goals. But then again, the Blue Devils have a decent amount of punch on their bench as well, which should make a heavy pressing game more palatable.
2. Will The Blue Devils’ Relative Inexperience Cost Them?
In a tournament where new ground was being broken constantly, Duke gets to break another barrier down on Friday night. The Blue Devils will in all likelihood be starting zero seniors in their semi-final match against Wake Forest (ironically, so will the Demon Deacons probably). While that certainly bodes well for Duke getting back to the cup next season, it could also be a bit of a detriment this weekend. It’s true that three of the four teams this weekend are without recent College Cup experience (or in Wake’s case, any experience), but Duke are less experienced than most. While the Blue Devils’ are loaded with juniors in defense in addition to Tara Campbell in goal, their attacking quartet is perilously young, with three sophomores and freshman Kelly Cobb to call upon. You could argue that age certainly hasn’t proven to be any detriment for Duke thus far as they did manage to win the ACC title in one of the toughest league title races in history. But the College Cup, with the bright lights and the national title on the line, has been known to shake even the most veteran players and teams. If anything though, drawing Wake in the semi-final should help them out. Though the Demon Deacons have a bit more experience in the starting line on the whole, they also don’t have any seniors and could be feeling the jitters as well.
3. Has Duke Learned From Its ACC Tournament Defeat To Wake?
Two games, two different stories. Duke took the first match between these two clubs in the regular season in rather decisive fashion with a 2-0 win thanks to a pair of Laura Weinberg goals. There, of course, is a rather large caveat to that match though, as Wake Forest was missing Katie Stengel through injury, and Jackie Logue only played forty minutes. With both back in the lineup, Wake Forest overcame their rivals in the ACC Tournament after scoring twice in the first fifty minutes and holding on for a 2-1 win. On paper, it would appear that after considering the evidence of the two previous matches, you’d probably install the Demon Deacons as slight favorites after looking at what they did in the most recent meeting between these two teams with a full lineup in place. But past performance is certainly not a foolproof indicator of future results at this stage of the tournament(just ask UCLA in 2007). The key for Duke will be whether they’ve learned enough and improved enough to win the rubber match between these two on Friday. They gave up seven shots on goal in the ACC Tournament loss. If they give up that many or more on Friday, it’s going to be asking a whole lot of goalkeeper Tara Campbell to keep them in with a chance of advancing.
4. Can The Blue Devils Really Stop Both Stengel & Nuzzolese?
If you read much of the above in Wake Forest’s section about just how prolific their terrific tandem is, you’ll understand just how hard it is for any team to be able to corral them both. Few have been able to shut down one, fewer still have been able to lock down both of Wake’s dynamic duo. Then again, there are few defenses like the one Duke will put out on Friday night. A group that was riddled with questions after Ashley Rape was cut down with another serious knee injury early in the year has instead blossomed into one of the nation’s finest. That’s largely down to the presence of her replacement in the center of defense, ACC Defensive Player of the Year Natasha Anasi. But that’s also due to the team’s less heralded defensive stars as well. Juniors Maddy Haller and Erin Koballa out on the flanks and Libby Jandl in the middle don’t get the headlines as much as Anasi but have been just as vital in ensuring this Duke team throttles opposing offenses. Add in goalkeeper Tara Campbell, and you’ve got a unit capable of stopping just about any offense in the nation. Whether they’re capable of keeping Wake Forest off the board is up for discussion, especially after the ACC Tournament loss. But you figure they’ve got as good a shot as anyone with the talent on hand.
5. Will Duke Be Able To Get Out of The Blocks Fast?
Duke head coach Robbie Church bemoaned his side’s slow start as a key contributing factor to the team’s ACC Tournament defeat against Wake a few weeks ago, but the Blue Devils haven’t exactly jumped on teams on the scoreboard since. Duke has in large part controlled the run of play against opponents up to this point in the NCAA Tournament, but early goals have been hard to come by with the exception of the opening match against Radford. Duke had to wait until the last ten minutes of the first half against Georgia to go up after an own goal, had to mount a comeback against Ohio State, and had to wait until the second half to find the breakthrough against Long Beach State. While it’s encouraging that the Blue Devils are finding a rhythm early, their lack of cutting edge in those early minutes could be something to worry about for Church and his staff. With Duke and Wake Forest so razor tight in terms of form and talent, any little thing could give one side an advantage over the other. Given how vital an early goal would be for either side, you better believe Church will be looking for the Blue Devils to shake off their slow starter tag and fighting like mad for the early advantage in Kennesaw against their conference rivals.
And A Bonus Question…
1. How Will Teams Cope With The Pressure of The College Cup and Playing In Front of Potentially 10,000+ Fans?
It is truly the great unknown. These four teams are more used to playing in front of crowds of one or two thousand in matches with little media other than that provided by the home team. That certainly won’t be the case this weekend with general admission seats sold out and standing room only tickets likely to go quickly as well. The crowd could easily swell into five digits when all is said and done, with the stadium in Kennesaw already enjoying a growing reputation for being a great conductor of sound from eager fans. The bright lights of a national television audience and increased attention is bound to have an effect on some. For the last four standing, the week has largely been a whirlwind of travel, media interviews, and even the occasional practice.
Who will rise to the occasion? Who will engrave their name as legends in the annals of college soccer history? Who will we be talking about on Sunday afternoon after the curtain has come down and the trophy has been raised?
We’re about to find out.
Send to Facebook
Tweet This Post
Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!
Filed Under:
This post is related to an ongoing story:
- 2011 NCAA Soccer
View Original Post at allwhitekit.wordpress.com
View jennaawk's Full Profile
No one has commented on this yet. Be the first!