BYU women soccer plays at Stanford now

[Topper]

BYU is number 9, and Stanford is number 2.

You can hear the audio.

http://byucougars.com/athletics/cougar-img-sports-network

[Topper]

BYU gave up its first goal of the season. BYU's possession is not clean and giving up a goal is not good.

[Topper]

Hatch almost equalizes in the 75th minutes, off the frame.

[Topper]

BYU loses at Stanford, 1-0. Stanford played better for most of the game.

[cougjunkie]

BYU loses at Stanford, 1-0. Stanford played better for most of the game.

Great analysis.

[Topper]

Great analysis.

Based on the audio, Stanford maintained possession through the middle, and enough attacks to keep BYU off balance. The audio does not explain the formation, but one could hear that BYU had trouble stringing passes together and failed to vary its runs.

After Hatch's shot off the post, BYU was able to keep possession in Stanford's half, and created several corner kicks, which Stanford hadn't given up prior to the BYU game. BYU's failure to play the whole game allowed the talented and skilled Stanford team to maintain its perfect record at this early juncture. Hopefully, BYU will learn to vary its attack under pressure. Again, analysis is limited when you don't have video.

[Goatnapper'96]

BYU loses at Stanford, 1-0. Stanford played better for most of the game.

It seems to me that BYU has improved quite a bit in women's volleyball and soccer since the split with the MWC. I think in those two sports the WCC is a better conference than the MWC and perhaps the better competition improved recruiting?

[Moliere]

Listening to a soccer game Is that more or less boring than listening to a golf match on the radio?

[Goatnapper'96]

Listening to a soccer game Is that more or less boring than listening to a golf match on the radio?

It is Greg Wrubbel!

[Topper]

It seems to me that BYU has improved quite a bit in women's volleyball and soccer since the split with the MWC. I think in those two sports the WCC is a better conference than the MWC and perhaps the better competition improved recruiting?

That is difficult to tell. BYU had a legend who retired from volleyball and saw a lot of ups and downs. It seems the new volleyball coach is doing well, but I haven't followed the recruiting for women's volleyball closely.

Soccer is showing signs of improvement, but there still are some technical issues. We had one national team player before switching to the WCC. It is more a question that there have been several good crops of LDS players which BYU has harvested.

I still question BYU's attack, as it is often subject to a direct attack while ignoring the indirect attack formations. The girls also seem to lack a bit of touch under pressure, but they are performing well against most opponents. The keeper is very good this year, but I have not been able to see the defense which was weaker last year. Historically, BYU has played good defense but an immature offensive attack. You can't develop strikers, strikers are born, and every coach is looking for that natural striker. BYU has not had many good attacking players, although Hatch is appearing to have some abilities.

The answer to your question is that I don't believe the change in conference affiliation has had an affect one way or the other, but perhaps the coaches would offer a different opinion.

[Topper]

It is Greg Wrubbel!

Greg did a commendable job, but the female color commentator offered no color or comments of any value. I am often critical of Greg, but he actually did a good job describing what was occurring and appeared to have a grasp of the game.

[Eddie]

Great analysis.

I liked this analysis better:

BYU gave up its first goal of the season. BYU's possession is not clean and giving up a goal is not good.

Because, you know, I wasn't sure if that was a good thing. Or a bad thing.

Listening to a soccer game Is that more or less boring than listening to a golf match on the radio?

I listened on the radio for a bit when BYU played the U as I was driving home Friday night. From my experience, I can tell you that soccer on the radio is less boring than golf on TV.

[Goatnapper'96]

That is difficult to tell. BYU had a legend who retired from volleyball and saw a lot of ups and downs. It seems the new volleyball coach is doing well, but I haven't followed the recruiting for women's volleyball closely.

Soccer is showing signs of improvement, but there still are some technical issues. We had one national team player before switching to the WCC. It is more a question that there have been several good crops of LDS players which BYU has harvested.

I still question BYU's attack, as it is often subject to a direct attack while ignoring the indirect attack formations. The girls also seem to lack a bit of touch under pressure, but they are performing well against most opponents. The keeper is very good this year, but I have not been able to see the defense which was weaker last year. Historically, BYU has played good defense but an immature offensive attack. You can't develop strikers, strikers are born, and every coach is looking for that natural striker. BYU has not had many good attacking players, although Hatch is appearing to have some abilities.

The answer to your question is that I don't believe the change in conference affiliation has had an affect one way or the other, but perhaps the coaches would offer a different opinion.

A few years ago BYU picked up the Nevada Player of the Year, from out your way, who is the kid of a couple of LDS folks I grew up with in Simi. Two years later she is essentially transferring because the talent had increased enough that she knew she would never play much. She ends up at Ohio State and a is clearly a go to player on a marginal top 25 team for her junior and senior seasons. Perhaps it is coincidence and the LDS talent pool provided a glut of good players who would have gone to BYU no matter conference affiliation. She also dumped her boyfriend and he is like really wealthy, I understand.

[Topper]

A few years ago BYU picked up the Nevada Player of the Year, from out your way, who is the kid of a couple of LDS folks I grew up with in Simi. Two years later she is essentially transferring because the talent had increased enough that she knew she would never play much. She ends up at Ohio State and a is clearly a go to player on a marginal top 25 team for her junior and senior seasons. Perhaps it is coincidence and the LDS talent pool provided a glut of good players who would have gone to BYU no matter conference affiliation. She also dumped her boyfriend and he is like really wealthy, I understand.

I remember her, and yes her bf was super wealthy.

BYU has to avoid just signing the Utah girls. Some of BYU's better classes include a few from Utah, Texas, California, Arizona and somewhere back east. LDS girls if they are involved in sports often choose soccer, so LDS produce a fair number of talented soccer players. The challenge has been for BYU to keep track of them.

[Topper]

I listened on the radio for a bit when BYU played the U as I was driving home Friday night. From my experience, I can tell you that soccer on the radio is less boring than golf on TV.

Greg did a much better job than expected, and I was disappointed it wasn't on BYUtv or the Pac12 network.