Jessie Fleming

[Forgedias]

UCLA wins 1-0 vs California on a goal by Ashley Sanchez her 5th of the season. 

UCLA starting lineup. Hailie Mace and Ashley Sanchez up top. Jessie Fleming, Olivia Athens, Mackenzie Cerda in the midfield and Viviana Villacorta played the holding midfielder. Kaiya McCullough, Karina Rodriguez, Zoey Goralski and Gabrielle Matulich on defense. 

To start off with Annika Rodriguez wasn't available for this game because of a concussion she suffered against Stanford. In that game she took a head to head hit fighting for an air ball. 

The game would start with UCLA on the front foot for most of the first half. One very good thing to see is how often Fleming was on the attack and this created a lot of pressure up the middle against the Golden Bears defense. Emily Boyd the Cal Bears keeper had to be very alert with Athens hitting the cross bar and her own defender knocking a ball and hitting the cross bar as well. Boyd would also make a spectacular save off a Fleming spot kick from 30 yards out. As soon as I saw the foul from that spot, I was hoping Fleming would take the shot and Fleming did, almost scoring another golazo. The ball bent to the left away from Boyd and Boyd had to make a diving save to knock the ball out. Boyd would end up making some 8 saves during the match some of them high quality saves. 

In the second half, California were able to steady the middle and stop most of the attacks up the middle and it wasn't until Ashley Sanchez picked up a long ball sent to her to her favorite left side that she would create some magic. She would knock the long ball down with her foot and then dribble around one defender and then take the ball into the middle of the box. Sanchez would then dribble through another defender to get her shot off from her favorite right foot. I actually thought it deflected off a defender into goal but I think it hit Boyd and then deflected into goal since Sanchez was awarded the goal and not an own goal. But in any case Boyd looked like she was caught off guard by the shot and it went in. 

The Golden Bears did have one chance that they probably should of scored on. They had a counter and moved the ball up. I think Abigail Kim who was one of their few dangerous players for Cal, was able to get a pass to Kelly Fitzgerald who had a wide open net to score on and she one timed a shot and barely missed for the easy goal. Other then that UCLA were able to keep most of the chances down from California. 

About Hailie Mace during this game. She did have some dangerous long range shots that could of scored. She was very direct as she normally is but she does look like she is trying to expand her game more. She is actually trying to play with her back to goal which surprised me. She isn't good at it. It isn't very natural for her to play like that. You could see when she tries to one time passes from that position that she either pops the ball up forcing her team mate to take more touches to control it, or the passes get intercepted. But its noticeable that a direct player like Mace is trying to play with her back to goal because that is exactly what you need to do to break defenses down if they are defending the middle. 

I still would rather have Fleming have the ball and have her break the defenses down like she was doing today. She at one point had a sequence where she dribbled through 2 or 3 players broke into the box and then tried to create a passing lane for another team mate. I don't mind if Fleming doesn't score like today, just so long as she attacks more because the entire UCLA offense flows when Fleming is on the attack. California isn't a team that allows themselves to be dictated and UCLA dictated the attack on them constantly. And a large part of this was Fleming being more on the attack. This is what I want to see.

[Forgedias]

Here is the 30 yard shot by Jessie Fleming on a spot kick forcing Emily Boyd to make a great save. 
 

 

[Forgedias]

This Friday Nov.3 UCLA will host USC. This is the annual derby for both schools. Last year UCLA were one of the few teams to beat USC in a 1-0 win. USC would go on to win the National Championship that year. Jessie Fleming didn't score but she was the best player on the pitch that day. She was dribbling and nutmeged multiple players on the USC side. 

Here is the synopsis through the UCLA website. 

http://www.uclabruins.com/news/2017/11/2/womens-soccer-ucla-hosts-usc-in-crosstown-showdown-friday.aspx?path=wsoc

The Pac12 network will have a feed up. Here is the link. Game starts at 7pm pacific time. 

http://i4atv.info/ggwpforum/?page=p12losa

[carolynduthie]

43 minutes ago, Forgedias said:

This Friday Nov.3 UCLA will host USC. This is the annual derby for both schools. Last year UCLA were one of the few teams to beat USC in a 1-0 win. USC would go on to win the National Championship that year. Jessie Fleming didn't score but she was the best player on the pitch that day. She was dribbling and nutmeged multiple players on the USC side. 

Here is the synopsis through the UCLA website. 

http://www.uclabruins.com/news/2017/11/2/womens-soccer-ucla-hosts-usc-in-crosstown-showdown-friday.aspx?path=wsoc

The Pac12 network will have a feed up. Here is the link. Game starts at 7pm pacific time. 

http://i4atv.info/ggwpforum/?page=p12losa

Just a note, Fleming is with Canada and won't be playing for UCLA this week or next week. 

Edited November 3, 2017 by carolynduthie

[Forgedias]

I don't think I need to go into a recap on the game with UCLA against USC. They did replay last years game just before this game started. And that game was in my opinion Jessie Fleming's best match last season even though she didn't score a goal. She was spectacular in the game. This game because Jessie Fleming was on call up duty with the Canadian national team. UCLA had to go with a different plan. They used Ashley Sanchez as the 10 position. Sanchez is an amazing technical player. Great at dribbling and in this game she was trying to do her dribble magic but teams have figured her out and always leave 2 defenders to mark her and deny her any freedom to penetrate forward. |

Annika Rodriguez would then replace Sanchez as the 10 midfielder in the second half and would have a good game. A goal and an assist. But the offense would struggle to generate good scoring chances on their own even though they scored 3 goals today. UCLA's defender Kaiya McCullough would go direct from her own back line and charge forward and get to the box and score. And Rodriguez would intercept a very bad forward pass from a defender and go 1v1 on goal and score. Other then that, the chances were very few for UCLA and in overtime, they scored on their best offense chance. 

There is a markedly difference when Fleming is leading the attack and when there is someone else. And if you watched this game, you would see the difference. The offense is always flowing with Fleming. Its just Fleming needs to be more selfish since players like Rodriguez like to free lance and go on the attack so much that Fleming tends to play safe and cover for them when they go forward but that means UCLA struggles to maintain any attack with Fleming not on the attack. Defensively UCLA is much sounder with Fleming on the pitch as well. So its a catch 22, but I would much rather see Fleming on the attack then playing the box to box midfielder that she is playing currently. UCLA is served better that way since they do struggle breaking down bunkers without fleming leading the attack. 

[rkomar]

It was interesting to watch UCLA play without Fleming.  They started off poorly, but got better at it as the game went on.  I think it says a lot about the team that they were able to adjust to such a major change and still be effective.  Fleming is an important part of the team, but she is surrounded by quality players that deserve to be given the chance to shine, as well.  I think that Fleming plays with that understanding, and I wonder if she learned that by watching Christine Sinclair.

[Forgedias]

UCLA will be playing San Diego State university this Friday. Nov 10 for their first round opponent in the NCAA tournament. 

UCLA shouldn't have much problems dealing with them and by next week Jessie Fleming will return to play the next rounds with UCLA. 

The UCLA synopsis link is here. 

http://www.uclabruins.com/news/2017/11/9/womens-soccer-ucla-begins-postseason-play-friday-vs-sdsu.aspx?path=wsoc

Streaming link will be at the Pac12 site. http://pac-12.com/live/ucla-3

Here is the bracket for the NCAA tournament. http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/soccer-women/d1

UCLA would come in as a top 2 seed which is important. Anything lower and they could of gotten a team like Stanford or North Carolina in their quadrant. With UCLA being in their own quadrant they do have some tough teams. Virginia is a strong team and UCLA already beat them 2-1 earlier this year. Pepperdine is another team that drew 1-1 against UCLA and if that were to happen, penalty kick shoot outs are always a crap shoot. So should be another interesting year especially since UCLA could make a good run through the tournament this year. 

[rkomar]

The UCLA/SDS game is on, but not being streamed.  Hopefully it will come on at some point.

[Forgedias]

The game was on but the stream was messed up. I actually clicked on the volleyball game and the soccer stream was on instead. So they had some issues on their end. Still it wasn't a Fleming game and UCLA won the game so the next 2 games if UCLA keeps winning will be home games since UCLA will host their section. Teams will come and visit UCLA and play their games at the UCLA campus for their regional games. Perks of being a high seed. 

[shermanator]

Sounds like Fleming is eyeing a career in Europe when she is done school. I hope that is the route she takes. 

http://equalizersoccer.com/2017/11/12/jessie-fleming-eyeing-europe-over-nwsl/

While Europe offers more of competitive and tactical playing style,  it’s just not for Fleming right now.

“I definitely agree in saying that it’s more competitive,” Fleming said. “It’s definitely something I want to do down the line. I guess for me right now, engineering is pretty important to me. I’m happy where I’m at. I feel like I’m still developing, progressing, and enjoying myself.”

...

If Europe is on the back burner for the 19 year-old Fleming, what about the NWSL?

“Yeah, maybe, but I do like to travel,” Fleming said. “I like the idea of going to Europe and experiencing different cultures. I love the type of player that you find over in Europe, like the technicians and the French players. I have so much respect for all of them. I definitely think I want to give that a try.”

[paul-collins]

On 11/12/2017 at 11:55 PM, shermanator said:

Sounds like Fleming is eyeing a career in Europe when she is done school. I hope that is the route she takes. 

http://equalizersoccer.com/2017/11/12/jessie-fleming-eyeing-europe-over-nwsl/

 

 

Music to Vic's ears

[Forgedias]

Nezt game will be on Friday Nov 17. At 8 PM pacific time. UCLA will play against Northwestern. 

Link to synopsis. 

http://www.uclabruins.com/news/2017/11/16/womens-soccer-ucla-welcomes-northwestern-in-ncaa-second-round.aspx?path=wsoc

Link to stream:

http://pac-12.com/live/ucla

Hopefully the stream will be better this week since last week there were a lot of problems with it. 

[rkomar]

Forgedias, are you still alive?  It's not like you to not comment on a game for this long.

From my perspective, UCLA looked pretty good in the last game.  They were just lacking that finishing touch for most of the game (which is what undid WVU last year, so it's no laughing matter).  I had a feeling Rodriguez would score the winner, and sure enough it happened.  At the start of the season, I thought she was a bit too selfish and unaware of others, but since then she has become much more of a team player.  Ironically, it has lead to better scoring chances for herself.  UCLA is a much better team with Rodriguez playing the way she is now.  I hope that Sanchez learns the same lesson about when it's time to spearhead the attack yourself and when it's time to look for a teammate.  Fleming can be a good teacher in that regard.

Edited November 19, 2017 by rkomar

[Forgedias]

I was more frustrated with this game because of how stymied the Northwestern bunker worked against UCLA. Wasn't happy about the finishing and about how Fleming is used. Fleming had 5 header goals last year. She was very clutch in many situations. In the NCAA tournament against West Virginia. Where Buchanan and Lawrence were playing last year. She forced overtime and in the end PK's with a very late header goal off a corner kick. Fleming was an amazing scoring machine last year. This year that has been replaced as she now plays more of a box to box midfielder. Which I hate.

UCLA had 12 corner kicks this game. Fleming never made any attempt to attack those balls. She sat outside the box, defending any counters. Fleming can literally out leap any defender out there with her athletic ability. Yet UCLA isn't using that to their advantage. When you have your best player not attacking. Its frustrating to watch. So I was frustrated with the game.

So I didn't put any post up because I would be complaining about the use of Fleming. Because if Fleming was on the attack instead of covering for her midfield when they are on the attack. I don't see Northwestern stalling UCLA like they did for so long. But credit to Fleming. She isn't in this for the glory. She is an amazing team player. And stats don't matter to her. But I want to see more golazo's from Fleming. I want her on the attack, because the UCLA attack becomes very dynamic not so direct and more 1-2 combination plays which are great to see. Olivia Athens was the only one trying to create combination plays with Fleming that game. 

So now you know why I didn't post. Was going to be more complaining. 

So I should point out the next game will be this Sunday. on the 19th of November. 6 pm pacific time. Use the same link. They don't have a synopsis up at the UCLA website. But these will be quick matches since they are at the UCLA campus playing these matches. So this Sunday, UCLA hosts Virginia who they beat earlier this year 2-1. We'll see how it goes, I don't see the Cavaliers bunkering. They are a possession type team as well. so they will attack.  Lets hope UCLA keeps winning. 

 

Edited November 19, 2017 by Forgedias

[rkomar]

I understand.  They didn't play Claire Winter all game, and Fleming seems to play it safe when Winter's not behind her.  I wonder if they were saving Winter for Sunday because Northwestern wasn't expected to be much of an offensive challenge, so no need for a defensive specialist?  If Winter plays on Sunday, I think we'll see more offense from Fleming.

[mtlfan]

BTW UCLA won 1-0

[Forgedias]

UCLA wins 2-1 over the University of Virginia. Annika Rodriguez would again play hero with the last minute goal to win it in regulation. 

Goals also by Jessie Fleming on a penalty kick and for Virginia. The goal by Virginia was an considered an own goal but I am pretty sure it was off a header but I didn't see a replay of the goal so not so sure about this. 

UCLA had more of the run of play then the Cavaliers. The Bruins were on the front foot more, combined more with each other and had more of the pressure in the box then the Cavaliers. But the Cavaliers would be the first ones to strike first. I didn't see a replay, but it looked like it came off a Virginia player on a header and it went over Teagan Micah's hands into goal. If there saying it came off a Bruin player, then I am not sure who that is then. 

About a minute later, the Bruins would get a penalty spot kick when Ashley Sanchez was given a long ball to run onto and she would be a step ahead of her defender. Her defender dragged her down and the spot kick was awarded. I was praying that Fleming was going to get the spot kick because UCLA were 3-6 on penalty kicks this year. a 50% success rate is pretty bad and I wanted Fleming to take it and someone was listening because she did and got the goal out of it. 

Hailie Mace during that half, had several good looks on goal that if she could of finished better might of scored on one of them. When Mace gets played directly with through balls or balls over the top, she can attack it. She didn't look good combining with her team mates since her foot work would let her down. 

But here is where my issue with how UCLA plays. Fleming was nearly non existent in the first half on the attack. She was constantly covering for attacking players and playing deeper in her own half. Which I think everyone knows is frustrating as hell to me to watch. You want your best players to attack and be a little selfish. Fleming isn't selfish. But in the second half. Something must of clicked for Fleming. She started attacking more and making a lot of pushes into the Virginia box. Because the second half was different and Fleming was shooting and creating space for players around her. Something I was very happy to see. I don't need to see Fleming score, I want Fleming attacking to create for her team and the second half was much better. 

Where else Ashley Sanchez may be the better dribbler. what Fleming does is she out thinks her player in front of her and dekes and forces them to commit in directions and then reverses to create space for herself. She was constantly doing that today in the second half. She had the ball a lot more and that was good to see. 

Very late in the second half, like the 87th minute. Virginia would lose a defender to a red card. Picking up her second yellow of the day. She would trip up Annika Rodriguez and this created a lot of space for UCLA. Space that the Bruins would take advantage off soon after. Ashley Sanchez would force a turn over deep in the Virginia side and then send a through ball to Rodriguez would was wide open in the box and sent a shot that would beat the Virginia keeper for the goal and would end the game. 

Annika Rodriguez despite my problems with her had another good game for UCLA. My issues aside with her, she plays with her heart out. I just want to see Fleming on the attack more and Rodriguez tends to force Fleming to play safe and that is where my problems with Rodriguez lie. Do you want Rodriguez on the attack or Fleming? 

So UCLA now make it into the Elite 8. I don't know who they are playing next, I haven't looked yet. But they match last seasons run into the NCAA tournament and that should be congratulated. 

[BreadBoy]

On 11/18/2017 at 10:46 PM, Forgedias said:

I was more frustrated with this game because of how stymied the Northwestern bunker worked against UCLA. Wasn't happy about the finishing and about how Fleming is used. Fleming had 5 header goals last year. She was very clutch in many situations. In the NCAA tournament against West Virginia. Where Buchanan and Lawrence were playing last year. She forced overtime and in the end PK's with a very late header goal off a corner kick. Fleming was an amazing scoring machine last year. This year that has been replaced as she now plays more of a box to box midfielder. Which I hate.

UCLA had 12 corner kicks this game. Fleming never made any attempt to attack those balls. She sat outside the box, defending any counters. Fleming can literally out leap any defender out there with her athletic ability. Yet UCLA isn't using that to their advantage. When you have your best player not attacking. Its frustrating to watch. So I was frustrated with the game.

So I didn't put any post up because I would be complaining about the use of Fleming. Because if Fleming was on the attack instead of covering for her midfield when they are on the attack. I don't see Northwestern stalling UCLA like they did for so long. But credit to Fleming. She isn't in this for the glory. She is an amazing team player. And stats don't matter to her. But I want to see more golazo's from Fleming. I want her on the attack, because the UCLA attack becomes very dynamic not so direct and more 1-2 combination plays which are great to see. Olivia Athens was the only one trying to create combination plays with Fleming that game. 

So now you know why I didn't post. Was going to be more complaining. 

So I should point out the next game will be this Sunday. on the 19th of November. 6 pm pacific time. Use the same link. They don't have a synopsis up at the UCLA website. But these will be quick matches since they are at the UCLA campus playing these matches. So this Sunday, UCLA hosts Virginia who they beat earlier this year 2-1. We'll see how it goes, I don't see the Cavaliers bunkering. They are a possession type team as well. so they will attack.  Lets hope UCLA keeps winning. 

 

I haven't followed College Soccer before but I'm wondering is this normal for the coach to do? Is this part of a 4 year project to make Fleming a better all round soccer player? No idea, just wondering about the discrepancy between how you feel she should be played and how she is being played.

[Forgedias]

On 11/21/2017 at 10:06 AM, BreadBoy said:

I haven't followed College Soccer before but I'm wondering is this normal for the coach to do? Is this part of a 4 year project to make Fleming a better all round soccer player? No idea, just wondering about the discrepancy between how you feel she should be played and how she is being played.

 

I'll dig deeper into this question. Most programs would put their best player forward. So if its a forward, then that forward would be featured and used prominently. Because you can't afford not to since the coach needs to beat teams to show improvement and hopefully make it to selection in the NCAA tournament. So in essence not to play your best players in their best position would be shooting their own foot. 

About 7-8 years a go. There was one program that sucked all the top recruits into their program. And that women's program was the North Carolina Tarheels. In the past 40 or so years, they have won 22 national championships. In some years back to back and back. They were the dominant women's soccer program in the United States. So naturally the best players gravitated to that program wanting to win and be noticed by the national team for call ups. So North Carolina was the mecca for soccer in women's soccer for a long time. 

In the past few years, this has changed. Colleges like Stanford started recruiting the top talent in the United States. They could offer superior weather, life style and education. A Stanford degree went a long way for any students thinking past their college soccer days. And then there is how much support does the school provide to the student athlete. Rich schools could offer more. All of this matter. And then you could also boil it down to where is the strongest growth of women's soccer in the United States. And that answer is fairly easy. Its California. Its a major hot bed for women's soccer and some of the strongest teams in the nation for highschool soccer is played there. 

So over time, the demographics of women's soccer changed. More and more soccer players were coming from the west coast and for many of them, they want to stay in the west and you have good programs coming out from there. Stanford, Portland, USC and UCLA. All of these programs have won NCAA championships. Some with multiple ones like Portland and USC. 

The big programs right now in the west is Stanford, UCLA and USC. They attract the bulk of the top recruits. Last year UCLA had the top recruiting class, the class Jessie Fleming was in. This year it was Stanford and UCLA was closely behind them and UCLA bagged the number one recruit in the nation in Ashley Sanchez. Its not like North Carolina can't compete, but they are not picking up the top recruit every year like they used to. And so when you see a Stanford or a UCLA picking up top classes year and after year, then its only means that these programs will be more stronger and this year Stanford and UCLA are still in the NCAA tournament which is ongoing right now. North Carolina got knocked out last round. 

But lets focus on your question since you now understand a little how programs recruit. Because these programs are recruiting top recruits every year. They have to find minutes for them and positions they should play. If they were a small program, then Jessie Fleming would be playing like a forward. She would be constantly on the front foot trying to score for her team and carry them forward like she did last year when injuries slowed UCLA down. They lost their top forward in Darian Jenkins and Fleming in turn had to carry more of the load, so she attacked more. A lot more then this year. 

This year for UCLA, its completely different. They recruited a very strong class and add to their strong class from Fleming's year. They had a young but talent loaded team. For Coach Cromwell finding starting spots for players and rotations for subs had to be the big question. Fleming is a 90 minute player. She almost always plays the full 90 for UCLA which tells you how valuable she is to Coach Cromwell. But Cromwell also had loads of attacking talent and so Fleming is given a lot of leeway to decide what she wants to do. Does she play the box to box midfielder that she plays for Canada? Can UCLA afford to allow Fleming to do this? The answer is yes they can because they can ask their other players to step up on the attack and allow Fleming to dictate her roll on the field by either attacking if she is needed or play more defensive and act as a linking player which she does amazingly. 

Do I agree with every move by Cromwell? No I thought moving up Hailie Mace up to forward is a huge mistake. She is fast, a great direct player but she doesn't have any technique or dribbling skills. She has a horrible time trying to dribble through a defender or playing with her back to goal. So teams have been bunkering in on UCLA and clogging the middle. So you need a forward to play with her back to goal and one touch and combine with another player to break those bunkers. But Mace is just bad at it. And that flaw limits how UCLA can attack and turns it into a one dimensional attack. 

Its why I want to see Fleming move forward so she doesn't play the box to box midfielder anymore and stays in the attack. Some of the attacking formations I have suggested is a 4-3-3 where Fleming plays the 9 for her team and Mace and Sanchez play on the wings. Or a 4-2-3-1 formation with Fleming up top and Annika Rodriguez as a holding midfielder since whenever Rodriguez attacks, she likes to be aggressive and attack like a forward. Well this forces Fleming to sit deep and protect her back line for counters so you rarely ever see Fleming attack because of this. Rodrigues as a holding mid would prevent her from moving forward like this and allow Fleming to stay up top. 

But with the wealth of talent that UCLA has, they don't need to change how they play, they haven't been forced to change how they attack and sometimes I want to go back to last year and have that Fleming over this years Fleming. Fleming is still the key piece for UCLA and without her UCLA will not win a championship, but her role is so much more different then it was last year. This year, Fleming is more about the team and what the team needs her to be. The other players can be more selfish, but not Fleming who is your best player. Who can do dynamic plays on the field and that is frustrating to watch. 

[Forgedias]

UCLA hosts Princeton tomorrow on the 25th. 

This game will put UCLA into the college cup and it will be the last game they will host. Happily there will still be a stream available for you guys since its not going to be on ESPN. 

Here is the synopsis from the UCLA website.

http://www.uclabruins.com/news/2017/11/22/womens-soccer-ucla-hosts-princeton-in-ncaa-quarterfinals.aspx?path=wsoc

Here is the link to the game. 

http://pac-12.com/live/ucla

Edit, the game is on at 5:30 pm pacific since I forgot to put that up. 

Edited November 25, 2017 by Forgedias

[rkomar]

I rewatched the Stanford/UCLA game last night on youtube, and saw again how close the game actually was.  I watched some of Stanford's domination of the very good Penn State team today, and that made UCLA's performance against Stanford even more impressive.  Sullivan was dominant in today's game, but she and Fleming more-or-less neutralized each other last game they faced each other.  UCLA will have to beat Princeton and Duke to get there, but I think a Stanford/UCLA rematch for the Cup would be a great game.

[Forgedias]

Andi Sullivan was marking Fleming all game long in that game this year. It really says a lot about how talented Fleming is that Sullivan was tasked to do this. 

 

[Forgedias]

UCLA wins 3-1 vs Princeton on goals by Hailie Mace who had 2 of them and Olivia Athens.

UCLA would start Hailie Mace and Ashley Sanchez up top. Jessie Fleming, Annika Rodriguez, Olivia Athens and Viviana Villacorta as the holding mid in the midfield with Kaiya McCullough, Karina Rodriguez, Zoey Goralski and McKenzie Cerda in the back line.

On the starting line up, I am glad to see Olivia Athens starting to get more starts as she has now been starting regularly in the midfield. Villacorta seems to have solidified herself as the holding midfielder. Is Claire Winter injured? I don't know but the senior midfielder tends to be the starter so Villacorta has started the past few games.

So UCLA would host their final home game for the NCAA tournament. If UNC wasn't upset by Princeton one week ago, UCLA would of had to make a travel to North Carolina but with a home crowd and Princeton having to fly 3000 miles or so. This worked into UCLA's advantage in a big way.

I would of thought Princeton would of bunkered in against UCLA. Playing 10 players in front of the ball to prevent any attacks up the middle. That didn't happen. Princeton were willing to open it up and try to attack. Which surprised me since most teams who struggle to keep possession against UCLA prefer to allow UCLA to try to break their defense and that tends to be low scoring games that UCLA tend to struggle to score in.

Because of that, UCLA were on the front foot all game long and were constantly attacking the box. UCLA would score 2 goals fairly early on. With Hailie Mace scoring off a header and 2 minutes later Olivia Athens would score off a scramble in the box that Rodriguez would send a pass into. Mace would add another goal in the second period off a long ball that should would beat her defender to and go 1v1 against the Princeton keeper and beat her cleanly.

UCLA would also have a spot kick right at the 18 yard line and Sanchez, Rodriguez and Fleming were at the spot kick. I really thought Fleming would the one to take the shot since she is very good at those long range shots but Sanchez took it and missed high. 

On the topic of Hailie Mace. She was very good, very dangerous off directed balls that she could run onto. She actually should of probably scored 2 more goals if we want to be honest. She had 2 other 1v1's the first one was in the first half where she forced the Princeton keeper Natalie Grossie to come off her line and all she had to do was chip her and instead she took a shot and missed wide. Those are actually painful to watch since she is a converted defender so learning how to make touch shots or putting spin on the ball isn't going to be Mace's strength. Her other opportunity was in the second half and another 1v1 where Grossi made a great save on her shot.

Annika Rodriguez was very active all game long. She also had 4 1v1 looks on goal. 3 of them she took feeds from Jessie Fleming who either sent lofted passes, through balls or clever passes that could of gotten several assists for Fleming in this game. Grossi made several great saves off Rodriguez to prevent her from scoring.

Grossi also made a parry save off Ashley Sanchez, Natalie Grossi despite allowing 3 goals this game. did play very good. She had 10 saves this game even with those goals with several great saves mixed in.

I thought Jessie Fleming was spectacular which she normally is at this level but she at certain points would launch attacks into the box, dribble through 2 or 3 Princeton players and then create chances in the box. One time she got into the box and fed Mace the ball and Mace had just Grossi to beat and Grossi managed to scramble and stop the attempt. And through out the game Fleming was making dekes and turn arounds on players trying to mark her. And you could see 2 sometimes 3 Princeton players surrounding her trying to force her to play the ball away. Fleming did have some good chances to score. She hit the post from a 20 yard shot and then nearly had a golazo when she deked a defender and had a clear shot on goal and missed wide. 

But as I point out previously, Fleming doesn't attack the box like she did this game as much as I would want to see. In fact if you watch Fleming all game. She isn't fighting for corner kicks since we would see McCullough and Karina Rodriguez in the box looking for headers, the center backs for UCLA and where is Fleming? Outside the box defending the counter. She has scored 5 header goals last year, none this year. Its a weapon that UCLA are denying themselves but this is how Fleming plays. She isn't selfish and it irks me a lot.

Still UCLA played beautiful football today. There is a worry on my end its Teagan Micah and if Grossi was making these 1v1 saves against Mace or Rodriguez and getting to the ground to stop the balls. That goal scored against Micah was in that same vein. Micah didn't make the stop and to me that is a stoppable ball. Probably the only thing you could question in this game since nearly everything played to how UCLA wanted it to play out. Maybe finish some of those 1v1's that Mace and Rodriguez had. But otherwise its a complete game by the team.

UCLA now travel to Orlando to play in the college cup. They will face off against Duke which has Rebecca Quinn leading them. On the topic of Quinn. When Quinn was called into friendly duty, Duke was playing in the final against North Carolina in their conference championships. Duke absolutely struggled without Quinn and lost the game 1-0. They would also play their first round NCAA tournament game without Quinn and again struggled to score without Quinn barely squeaking out a 1-0 win against a much weaker team. But when Quinn returned, Duke would proceed to smash every team they met. Scoring 7-0 against Oklahoma State, 3-0 against Texas and 4-0 against Baylor. Quinn drives the midfield for Duke if it wasn't already apparent. 

The rest of the games should be televised by ESPN so there won't be any streams available for those games. 

Edited November 26, 2017 by Forgedias

[rkomar]

I agree with your comments, but maybe I'm more pleasantly surprised than you.  I was expecting the game to be closer, but it wasn't really.  Once UCLA scored twice early on, they seemed to shift it down a few gears and they let Princeton back into the game.  I see that as a sin of youth.  More experienced players probably wouldn't let them get the feel of the ball and settle into a more comfortable rhythm because they thought the game was already decided.

I'm also curious about Winter not playing recently.  She did have to come out due to injury late in the season, and I wonder if it's still bothering her.  Anyway, I was impressed with Villacorto tonight, especially with her calmness on the ball.  Maybe some of that was down to Princeton not pressuring her enough, but I think it bodes well for the future when Winter will have graduated.

[mtlfan]

Here is the bracket 

 

http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/soccer-women/d1