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The Vols closed out their non-conference schedule on Sunday with an impressive 3-1 win over ACC foe Va. Tech. The win pushes Tennessee to an 8-0 record, one of our best starts in years.
Our previous seven wins were against a weak group of opponents, so the Vols needed a bigger test. They got it, and passed it, though IMO this isn't one of Va. Tech's better teams--I think they're going to struggle in the tough ACC this year. Nevertheless, they Hokies are better than anybody else we played, and the Vols pretty much dominated this game, throttling Va. Tech's attack and creating quite a number of opportunities for themselves. We had a 2-0 lead at the half but it very well could have been 4-0 had we shown a bit more polish after getting turnovers in Va. Tech's defense half of the field. We rushed some passes, missed passes, and muffed some potentially good attacking chances. That was especially irksome when Va. Tech scored fairly early in the second half to cut our lead to 2-1. But the Vols reasserted themselves, got a third goal from Meghan Flynn and salted away what can be called something of a statement win.
UT coach Brian Pensky made a couple of moves that I liked and thought were needed. It's been obvious that our midfield has been solid defensively but lacking in attacking bite. To change that, Pensky moved Anna Bialczak back to the starting center mid spot in place of Christy. Bialczak is the best athlete on the team, and the way to enhance her influence on games is to have her in the midfield as opposed to the forward position. The move paid off as Bialczak started the sequence that led to our first goal, making a run at the Va. Tech defense, then laying the ball off for Bunny Shaw, who crossed the ball in front of the Va. Tech goal. There, Mary Alice Vignola met it with her head and put the ball in the back of the Hokie net, giving us an early lead. Nice play. Further hoping to jumpstart the attack, Pensky had moved Vignola from the outside back position she had been playing up to forward. He's done the same with D. Marcano. Both had been playing more of a defense role as outside backs. The move worries me a bit as Marcano is a very good defensive as well as offensive player, but Paige Franks and Josie Jennings acquitted themselves nicely as our outside backs on Sunday--and the Vol offense had a lot more punch then we'd seen previously. Pensky is a bit of a bind because this is a team with a lot of good midfielders. and so players like Vignola, Marcano and P. Franks, whose most natural position is midfield, have found themselves in positions for which they are not ideally suited--but their soccer skills and athleticism are making it work.
Katie Cousins was my star of the game. She was absolutely brilliant in the first half--winning balls, playing great defense and asserting herself in attack too. She scored our second goal with a quality finish after Bunny Shaw belted the ball off of the Va. Tech crossbar. Cousins was there for the rebound and finished with the quality that got her a starting position on last year's U20 USA Women's National team. Cousins, the hard-working Rylie O'Keefe and Bialczak really dominated the midfield in this game, especially in the decisive first half.
The team now has a lot of positive momentum going into the tough SEC schedule, which starts on Friday, I believe, with a game at home against kentucky. We need to take it to the wildcats, as we did tonight against the hokies, and get a win.
Our previous seven wins were against a weak group of opponents, so the Vols needed a bigger test. They got it, and passed it, though IMO this isn't one of Va. Tech's better teams--I think they're going to struggle in the tough ACC this year. Nevertheless, they Hokies are better than anybody else we played, and the Vols pretty much dominated this game, throttling Va. Tech's attack and creating quite a number of opportunities for themselves. We had a 2-0 lead at the half but it very well could have been 4-0 had we shown a bit more polish after getting turnovers in Va. Tech's defense half of the field. We rushed some passes, missed passes, and muffed some potentially good attacking chances. That was especially irksome when Va. Tech scored fairly early in the second half to cut our lead to 2-1. But the Vols reasserted themselves, got a third goal from Meghan Flynn and salted away what can be called something of a statement win.
UT coach Brian Pensky made a couple of moves that I liked and thought were needed. It's been obvious that our midfield has been solid defensively but lacking in attacking bite. To change that, Pensky moved Anna Bialczak back to the starting center mid spot in place of Christy. Bialczak is the best athlete on the team, and the way to enhance her influence on games is to have her in the midfield as opposed to the forward position. The move paid off as Bialczak started the sequence that led to our first goal, making a run at the Va. Tech defense, then laying the ball off for Bunny Shaw, who crossed the ball in front of the Va. Tech goal. There, Mary Alice Vignola met it with her head and put the ball in the back of the Hokie net, giving us an early lead. Nice play. Further hoping to jumpstart the attack, Pensky had moved Vignola from the outside back position she had been playing up to forward. He's done the same with D. Marcano. Both had been playing more of a defense role as outside backs. The move worries me a bit as Marcano is a very good defensive as well as offensive player, but Paige Franks and Josie Jennings acquitted themselves nicely as our outside backs on Sunday--and the Vol offense had a lot more punch then we'd seen previously. Pensky is a bit of a bind because this is a team with a lot of good midfielders. and so players like Vignola, Marcano and P. Franks, whose most natural position is midfield, have found themselves in positions for which they are not ideally suited--but their soccer skills and athleticism are making it work.
Katie Cousins was my star of the game. She was absolutely brilliant in the first half--winning balls, playing great defense and asserting herself in attack too. She scored our second goal with a quality finish after Bunny Shaw belted the ball off of the Va. Tech crossbar. Cousins was there for the rebound and finished with the quality that got her a starting position on last year's U20 USA Women's National team. Cousins, the hard-working Rylie O'Keefe and Bialczak really dominated the midfield in this game, especially in the decisive first half.
The team now has a lot of positive momentum going into the tough SEC schedule, which starts on Friday, I believe, with a game at home against kentucky. We need to take it to the wildcats, as we did tonight against the hokies, and get a win.
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