Martinez hasn’t played since opening weekend. I assume she is injured because she was one of the first reserves off the bench that first weekend.
I think that poster is meaning Samantha Rich, not Miller.
UNC Women's Soccer 2026-2027
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I think that poster is meaning Samantha Rich, not Miller.
This is the inexperience of our young players with the exception of Bella, Summer, and Plum.
Miller is not on this team. I meant to say Samantha Rich, the freshman from California
Hope Scottie is ok! Good gutsy win. Was ugly but this team has to be exhausted- been on road for 13 days to Ireland and then to Arizona without 4 main players Thursday and without 3 today. I'll take it. Get home and get some rest and recovery!
Another fine showing by our student athletes
Can they complain to the league about this? If so then Damon and his staff will need to do this before someone seriously gets hurt for the rest of the season.
As much as our midfield controls a lot of possessions, we don’t have many dangerous plays. We can knock the ball around with the best of them but our final 1/3 needs a lot of work. Need more wide runs and cutbacks to generate more corners or getting behind the defense.
Agreed. But they were obviously gassed for most of this match. It was just too much travel.
The girls haven’t slept in their own beds for almost 2 weeks, right?
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Love the win, hopefully get a little break and some rest and get some ladies healthy.
Losing Antonucci for an extended amount of time would make this problem even worse. She is our most dangerous / creative attacking player. Pennie and Kennedy are terrific at maintaining possession, but do not cause problems for opposing back lines.
Stratton was also fantastic at CB today and should be our starter there going forward, regardless of who is back later in the season.
Very disappointing loss by our U20 women in their opening WC game today vs Italy. They still have to face a very good Japan team in their group too. We may be getting our 3 players back a lot sooner than expected. Good for UNC but would be shocking and a huge failure for US Soccer.
Ulmark, Alvarez, and Straun all played today. Straun was active late and scored what looked like the tying goal at the very very end, but was (correctly) called offsides by inches. Munson did not play.
Ulmark, Alvarez, and Straun all played today. Straun was active late and scored what looked like the tying goal at the very very end, but was (correctly) called offsides by inches. Munson did not play.
I can't stand how little we use our bench. We had 8 players play all 90. Why? Subs can be used and the players subbed out can return. Take advantage of college rules. This team is exhausted. Need to use substitutes.
Agree…it says to me that Damon doesn’t trust his reserves. It’s going to be hard to hold up over a full season playing that many minutes.
Anyone see any updates about Antonucci’s injury?
“I can't stand how little we use our bench. We had 8 players play all 90. Why? Subs can be used and the players subbed out can return. Take advantage of college rules. This team is exhausted. Need to use substitutes.”
w 3 players gone, maybe Damon is playing his subs?
w 3 players gone, maybe Damon is playing his subs?
The only two subs available (that have played somewhat more minutes than the deep deep deep reserves) that did not play yesterday were Caitlin Mara and Wylie Roosien. Mara only plays if we go to a 4 back usually... and Roosien plays very sparingly - 5 minutes against Arizona.
This is where the depth comes in. Did he play Martinez and Rich at all yesterday. I was not able to watch that game. I was watching the women's field hockey games yesterday, us and NW and BC. Go Heels!
This is the main reason why Damon will need to play Martinez and Rich some each game. He must continue to build up his depth since three of our players are gone to the U20 team. We do not want to lost either one of them to the portal because he refuses to play them. In today's game, having and build up your depth coming off of the bench is crucial IMO.
That is what I have been saying the whole time. She is a senior. She transferred in from from BYU. She is a defender that is tall, physical, has tons of experience, and has logged a lot of minutes over her career at BYU. She should start. Only a a fool would be dumb enough not to play her or not start her if you are trying to win games now. Somebody will have to go to the bench on the defensive side. They have more time to develop. Damon must win now. He does not have time to try to develop an underclassman defender right now. If that is not the case then why did you bring Stratton in. Surely you did not bring her in from the portal to sit on the bench or play sparingly.
Now, Antonucci could be hurt by playing her too many minutes. Playing her 90 minutes a game is not good on her and the other young women that are playing those kind of minutes. Their bodies are not going to hold up if he continues to do this. We have not even played any ACC games yet. By the time we start ACC play these women's bodies are going to be worn out. This is when injuries start to occur. Somebody needs to tell him this if he cannot figure this out. Last year was a prime example of this. He is doing the same crap that HD did for the men's basketball team by not playing his depth and having a very small number of players play off the bench which is just crazy IMO. This is how you lose good or top level players like Martinez and Rich at the end of the season by them going into the portal; especially when you have three players gone to the U20 team. So when those three return Damon should have any starter playing 90 minutes a game.
UNC has 23 field players who may currentky be available (injury reports are not public, it may be less)
of those 14 played Sunday. That leaves 9 who did not play.
Of those, four are defenders. someone like Mara has real experience and could perhaps play, but teams do not usually sub their defenders a lot unless necessary, like for an injury. But sure, Mara can play.
The others either are freshmen who did not come in with accolades, or have been deep bench their entire career.
Maynor may not be cleared to play; I don’t know. Her season last year ended in injury. She DNP in the Quinnipiac blowout (10 subs used) which tells me she may not be 100%?
the other 5 are MF or F, positions you do sub a lot. But of the ones who did not play, they are all either unheralded freshmen or over their career they have always been deep bench, only playing in the occasional blowout.
Fr Roossien has played the most, arguably well outpacing her HS accolades. she seems to be the most trusted of the 5 who do not play in close games.
not every player at UNC is ready to play against a top 25 team. we do not know who is 100%. It is entirely possible UNC is using all the subs that they should in most games.
the actual substitution rotation in terms of when and where is certainly up for debate. But I do not think there are any potential major contributors or future stars languishing on the bench right now.
of those 14 played Sunday. That leaves 9 who did not play.
Of those, four are defenders. someone like Mara has real experience and could perhaps play, but teams do not usually sub their defenders a lot unless necessary, like for an injury. But sure, Mara can play.
The others either are freshmen who did not come in with accolades, or have been deep bench their entire career.
Maynor may not be cleared to play; I don’t know. Her season last year ended in injury. She DNP in the Quinnipiac blowout (10 subs used) which tells me she may not be 100%?
the other 5 are MF or F, positions you do sub a lot. But of the ones who did not play, they are all either unheralded freshmen or over their career they have always been deep bench, only playing in the occasional blowout.
Fr Roossien has played the most, arguably well outpacing her HS accolades. she seems to be the most trusted of the 5 who do not play in close games.
not every player at UNC is ready to play against a top 25 team. we do not know who is 100%. It is entirely possible UNC is using all the subs that they should in most games.
the actual substitution rotation in terms of when and where is certainly up for debate. But I do not think there are any potential major contributors or future stars languishing on the bench right now.
Antonucci is not hurt from playing her too many minutes. It was a contact injury. She has only played full time twice this season.
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That is good that he did play them. He needs to continue to do this. If it were me, I would increase their minutes by 2 to 3 minutes, or have the both play 11 minutes a piece.
Yeah but here is the thing. Teams are being extra aggressive towards fouling her. Last week she could have easily gotten her ankle messed up for good which would have taken her out for a few games. Someone just stated that there was another hard foul involving her which was not called. If this trend continues, she is going to get hurt at some point which would be a huge blow to our team. Her passing ability, putting the ball on the money, ball control, etc. is top notch to be a freshman. The other knock that I have on her is her ability to put the ball in the net which I know can be a quick fix. She seems to rush her shots and she does not have both feet squared up to control the ball when she tries to score. This is the inexperience of not playing enough games right now. She is a heck of a player.
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