Game recap:
http://www.udpride.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29623
Wow. Dont get much tougher to swallow. I think UC was the better side, but UD really hung in there despite some obvious shortcomings in the size/speed department across 10 field players. Not having O'Malley hurt.
If we can develop the work rate UC showed, I think we can become better than UC. From a technical ability standpoint I didnt see much difference. They just had a few more athletes and athletes do what athletes do.
One thing we did not do well that contributed to those 50/50 challenge defeats was letting the ball bounce. Sometimes 3-4 times before playing it. We need to take everything out of the air we can. UC did this and redirected back into our defensive half. At times we had trouble breaking the cycle of having play turned back at us b/c of an inability to win stuff near the center circle. Felt like that persistent UC ball-winning was going to eventually bite us -- wasnt sure we could hold on much longer. We turned away a lot, but after a while it tires you out. At one point I counted six 50/50s lost in a row in mid second half. It would be easier to say "we didnt hustle enough". And I think we have another gear. But UCs players were just better athletes in some spots -- you cant take that away from them. 5-9 150lb is going to do damage to 5-5 125lb over the course of 110 minutes. It just is.
Alexis Kiehl looked very good. Her speed seems better this year. Either that or everyone else got slower. We'll wait and see who else can step up beside her and do some dynamic stuff.