2026 PSU WSOC Thread

[DaytonRickster]

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Pretty similar. I tried to match up the starters from the last game last year experience-wise, not position-wise, to the starters this year to give you a fair comparison.

Returning starters from the last game last year starting the first game this year were Gress, Martin, Herr, Ayscue and Jordan.

Transfers Boyden (Gr.), Antonucci (Sr.), and Kalal (Sr.) also started this game replacing players that graduated.

Johnson (Fr.) started this game but that was a wash experience-wise replacing Cross (Fr.) who started the last game last year and transferred out.

Kulpa (Jr.) missed the end of last year with an injury, but she started the first game this year. You can also say she is a wash experience-wise with Burger (R So.) who started the last game last year but was on the bench at the start of this first game.

Bang (So.) started this first game this year. That was the only noticeable drop of experience as she would replace a player that graduated.

MacBean could be replaced experience-wise, but it is yet to be seen if she can be replaced scoring-wise.

Thank you for taking the time to detail the lineup. Much appreciated!

 

[Tom McAndrew]

We'll see. ND already played to a 0-0 tie at home with unranked SoCon team Samford in their first game this season.

Sustaining possession against quality teams appears like it will be an issue again just like last season. PSUs 2 goals came off of long balls that advanced the ball over/past midfield with 1 of them leading to a pass an open player on the way to the goal and the other with Kulpa beating a girl one-on-one to break free. The game never felt secure up 2-0.

I felt more secure than you did, at least for most of the game. PSU dominated the 1st half, and continued that through the 2 goals they scored in 1:19 in the 2nd half. For whatever reason(s), their dominance did seem to taper off after that, but I felt things want from PSU dominance to pretty even between the teams.

I did express my displeasure with the PK call in an earlier post. The GK did foul the ND player, in that when they were both trying to play the ball, the ND player headed it whereas the PSU GK didn't touch the ball. And yes, the PSU GK ran into the ND attacker, but it was a bang-bang play, where the headed ball when OOB. So if you look at just the running into the attacker, it was a foul. But if you look at the totally of the play, it was a non-issue (and there are non-issues that aren't called throughout pretty much every soccer game). Alas, the downside of VAR/video review.

I wasn't able to watch the last 10 minutes of the game. If ND was controlling the ball, and attacking throughout that period, then I wold likely have shared your feeling of not feeling secure at that point in the game.

On a broader scale, a few things:

- I thought PSU's defensive line was excellent. It should be a strength throughout the season
- MacBean was fun, and provided a lot of offense last season. But PSU didn't have its normal degree of offensive threats last season, so opposing teams would overplay Bean, which caused problems for PSU's O last season. The lineup that PSU ran out there on Sunday exhibited more offensive threats (IMHO) than they had last season
- ND has had a tough start of the season for being ranked #2 preseason. That said, they played both of those games without their best player

 

[Tom McAndrew]

PSU breaks into the top 25:

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

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[Tom McAndrew]

 

[SkiSkiSki]

It seemed that Kalal going out of the game impacted the team's defense.

The offense is still heavily overdependent on Kulpa in the last third. Sort of like MacBean last year when Kulpa went out. Kulpa is so skilled and fun to watch and her length and speed gives defenders problems but teams will continue to overload on her. Even on Babcock's goal, the ball went across the goal in front of Kulpa where 4 players were leaning her way (I think the pass was intended for her) and the ball ended up on the foot of a wide open Babcock who made a nice shot across the goal to beat the goalkeeper.

The entries on the corners were poorly placed and PSU was no threat to score on them. Except for Kulpa there is a lack of height. I am not sure that they will be able to score a goal from a header off of a corner all year.

Not much of an attack generated on the right side all game.

On the left side, I did like Babcock (Fr.) a lot. Her body looks like she should be in Junior High, but she was great at controlling the ball on the left side and she has the speed to outrun opponents to long balls going toward that side of the field. Did mistime a couple of runs leading to offsides calls. I think she should continue to get starts.

Robinson (Fr.) looked great in the limited minutes she got near the end of the game. Wide body that she uses well to shield off defenders and control possession. If it is me, she gets big minutes from now on (but what do I know?). I think she and Babcock pair well.

The team is a nice mixture of experience and youth that hasn't played together a lot with a good number of the upperclassmen being transfers in. Starting the schedule with ND and WVU on the road was going to be a challenge for most teams. It is a good team that is a bit deficient on offense. Plenty of potential for growth over the course of the season. No reason to hit the panic button after 2 games. They need to take care of business the next few games with teams that they should be able handle.

$.02

 

[Tom McAndrew]

It seemed that Kalal going out of the game impacted the team's defense.

The offense is still heavily overdependent on Kulpa in the last third. Sort of like MacBean last year when Kulpa went out. Kulpa is so skilled and fun to watch and her length and speed gives defenders problems but teams will continue to overload on her. Even on Babcock's goal, the ball went across the goal in front of Kulpa where 4 players were leaning her way (I think the pass was intended for her) and the ball ended up on the foot of a wide open Babcock who made a nice shot across the goal to beat the goalkeeper.

The entries on the corners were poorly placed and PSU was no threat to score on them. Except for Kulpa there is a lack of height. I am not sure that they will be able to score a goal from a header off of a corner all year.

Not much of an attack generated on the right side all game.

On the left side, I did like Babcock (Fr.) a lot. Her body looks like she should be in Junior High, but she was great at controlling the ball on the left side and she has the speed to outrun opponents to long balls going toward that side of the field. Did mistime a couple of runs leading to offsides calls. I think she should continue to get starts.

Robinson (Fr.) looked great in the limited minutes she got near the end of the game. Wide body that she uses well to shield off defenders and control possession. If it is me, she gets big minutes from now on (but what do I know?). I think she and Babcock pair well.

The team is a nice mixture of experience and youth that hasn't played together a lot with a good number of the upperclassmen being transfers in. Starting the schedule with ND and WVU on the road was going to be a challenge for most teams. It is a good team that is a bit deficient on offense. Plenty of potential for growth over the course of the season. No reason to hit the panic button after 2 games. They need to take care of business the next few games with teams that they should be able handle.

$.02

thanks for the analysis. My grandkids came over, so I missed the entire match.