Actually, we didn't miss Shaw as her replacement, Marcano, scored both of our goals. But, yea, we let a win get away as we did in all of our losses (and one tie) this year, except for the florida game. Florida was the only team, IMO, that got a deserved win over us. When you've got a one goal lead late, you have to protect it, and we didn't do it. We didn't have enough people on the left side of our defense; and whoever we did have laid back off the ball some, and the Washington State player, to her credit, hit a rocket from at least 20 yards out--maybe longer--to tie the game late. It was an excellent strike and ultimately led to our demise. Sad to let it get away late like that.
We had a good team this year--but I thought we could have been even better. We have a lot of talent--more than Washington State, but Washington State is a physical team that plays in a tough conference, and this was always going to be a test. We played well enough to win--but didn't. We were unlucky when Marcano's strike with about 30 minutes to go grazed the post. Had that gone in, we would have led by 3-1. I had a bad feeling after they tied it late and didn't even watch the OTs or penalty kicks. Yanez is a good keeper for us--but she could have done better on Wa. State's first goal--it was well struck, from at least 18 yards, but I think Yanez was not expecting the kick and it slipped past her. And I've yet to see Yanez stop a penalty kick--it is not a strength of hers.
I come away from this loss a bit annoyed with Pensky, for a few reasons. First, I've been saying for three years that Marcano needs to play more. She arguably has the best combination of ball skills, pace and athleticism on the team--she is an attacking talent--and yet she's spent more time on the bench than she has on the field over her three years with the program. Pensky was absolutely dumb not to play her more as a freshman as she was demonstrably better than some of our starters. I have no idea what he was thinking. Last year she played regularly in a defensive role (outside back) that isn't her most natural position, but she was very solid. This year Pensky made her Shaw's backup--and so she's played about 20/25 minutes a game. One can't argue with Shaw's success---but Marcano needs to be on the field a lot more than that. We scored 4 goals in our two NCAA games and Marcano scored 3 of them. What Pensky is going to do next year, I don't know. Shaw has to play--but so does Marcano--and so the question is where to play Marcano in the 4-3-3 formation that Pensky loves? What he may need to do is play a different formation. (Pensky suggested on the radio last night that Shaw would play today, so I was a bit surprised that she didn't, but I suppose it was smart to be cautious with her.)
Coaches always mull their personnel--who should be playing where and how much--and Pensky will need to do a lot of personnel thinking and tinkering (if he is smart) in the off-season and spring. Like Marcano, M.A. Vignola is another really talented attacking player who is not really being used to best effect. As happened to Marcano last year, Vignola was moved to (left) outside back this year--and she wasn't bad in the spot. She is athletic and physical, but I wouldn't say Vignola is a great defender--and meanwhile she didn't contribute much in attack. She got upfield but wasn't so good at delivering crosses into the box--and because she is left-footed, that was about all she could do. Vignola needs to be moved to the right side so that she can use her strong left left more--a la Arjen Robben, the great left-footed Dutch player who's made his career playing on the right. Doing so would let Vignola attack from the middle of the field--which is her strength--and get some shots on goal. She was moved to the center or right side of the field against Missouri--and scored a goal (her last)--but I have not seen Pensky move her since.
Like Marcano and Vignola, Paige Franks is another good player who is not being used to max potential. Pensky needs to think about the midfield. It's been good for us--but wasn't great today, and we just don't get much in attack from either Bialczak or O'Keefe. They have been two hardworking, stalwart players--but their roles may need a rethink. We don't really have an attacking playmaker in the midfield. It should be Biaczak, who is an excellent athlete--but her ball skills are not great and her passing is erratic. I would be thinking about playing Paige Franks in Bialczak's spot--if Franks can show the same work rate as Biaczak. O'Keefe does a lot--tremendous work rate--but she is light and gets pushed off the ball a lot and has not done much at all in attack this year.
Another thing that I didn't like: All year Pensky has substituted pretty liberally--and our some of our starters have probably averaged 60-65 minutes a game. He would--in every game--give five or so subs significant playing time in both halves. He played our starters longer against Murray State--and then today many of them were not taken out at all. Bialczak and O'Keefe played the entire first half when typically they are out by the 10 minute mark, at least. I don't know if they got tired in the second half--I can't say if team fatique was a factor in this game--but I'd be surprised if it wasn't. It is common to play your starters a bit more in the NCAA, of course--but if you are a player used to playing 65 minutes a game, and then find yourself playing 85 or 90...you are probably not going to be as effective because you've been conditioned to play fewer minutes. I thought Pensky made a mistake to not substitute more in the first half when we had a 2-1 lead. That is the time to give your starters some rest. Had we won this game, I very much doubt that we would have had the legs to stay with florida (assuming they win) the day after tomorrow. I think we would have been worn out from this game.
Those substitutions that he did make, I question. He brought in Paige Franks with 5 minutes to go in the first half when she could have come in earlier and played more. She's a good, young player. He could have brought in Claire Franks to spell O'Keefe or Bilaczak and didn't do it. What Pensky did do was take out Flynn and bring in Gouner at a forward position--a strange move given that Gouner hasn't played forward all year! WTF? She's played centerback all year. Josie Jennings did a very solid job of replacing Gouner at centerback when Gouner got hurt a month or so ago--so solid that Pensky clearly wanted to keep Jennings in the spot. Fine, but don't put Gouner at forward. She was not effective--and neither was Kupritz, who came in for Marcano. My point is that, even if it is the NCAA, I don't think you should stray too far from what you've done all year. Selera Jordon should have been brought in for Marcano has that is the position she has played all year. Kupritz has played on the wing all year. Don't put people in new positions in an NCAA game.
In any case, very frustrating loss as we should have won the game. This is a good team and it should be even better next year if Pensky can figure out how best to utilize his talent.
