Yes, I've neglected my blog severely. I was still recovering from Inception. I've actually had this entry sitting on my laptop for the last three days, begging to be finished. "But no," I said. "My mind has be turned to mush, and it must have time to reorganize." So here we are.
So, the Ladies missed the conference tournament for the first time in five years in 2009. What went wrong? Well, the obvious answer is "they didn't score enough goals," burying just 16 shots in 18 contests, but it's hard to score when you can't control the ball. It's a real shame they didn't make the tournament, because Megan Masch was having a spectacular year. The Lady Bucs gave up 346 shots to 162, and Megan Masch kept an .801 save percentage, third in the Atlantic Sun. She posted three clean sheets and gave that team a chance to win every time they suited up.
The key this year for the ladies will be controlling the ball, moving methodically down the field, and generating and capitalizing on set piece opportunities (something they didn't do much of last year). A major blow was struck to the offense with the departure of the team's only all-conference player, Jordan Monty, but it's not a void that can't be filled. Henson has plenty of veteran forwards to work with; Terri Miller and Rachel Van Horn will both be seniors, and Van Horn's height (5'11", tallest outfield player on the team by far) makes her an ideal target in the box. Sophomore Tori Head is also in the mix up front, but with so many other young forwards (Henson brought in four this spring), Head might drop back into the midfield to give Van Horn and Miller someone to get them the ball off the wing. Or, even better, Henson could stick with a Christmas Tree, with Miller at the head and Van Horn and Head as secondary attackers. That should go a long way to preventing scoring chances, and hopefully they can win games with fewer goals. It’s tough to say, though, because the Ladies have a good mix in the midfield as things stand.
With Brinkman in the middle and Petersen holding down one of the flanks, there’s margin for error. Not much, mind you, but some. Jessica Huntington or Morgan Jutras should get every opportunity to crack the starting XI in her senior year, which should round out the midfield nicely in theory, but seniors can falter just as much as they succeed (*coughJocolbyDaviscough*). The Ladies have a perfect developmental situation in the midfield as well, with four freshmen and two sophomores all looking to establish themselves behind this year’s senior class. Musacchio is very likely to see her role expanded, but a lot really depends on how the freshmen play in the early fixtures. Some of them, however, will likely have to slide back into defense.
There’s a legitimate reason for that: Henson has just five natural defenders this year, and that’s counting the return of Jen Altimier for her senior season, which gives the back line a huge boost if she’s healthy. Alex Meehan is also a senior, and Jessica Hiltenbrand is coming off a sophomore campaign in which she started every contest (as did Meehan). Incoming freshman Samantha Kron got a glowing review from Henson and will likely be the first choice for the flank opposite Hiltenbrand. Or Henson could just pull four names out of a hat the night before each match. It would probably be just as easy, since the defense’s main responsibility will be throwing bodies in front of shots (NOT an alcohol joke).
In the end, the season will ride on Masch and the midfield’s ability to control the ball. Forwards can finish, and defenders can defend, but a strong midfield and a very good goalkeeper are at the heart of every successful footy side. One out of two is not bad, but it won’t cut it if the Ladies want to get back into the thick of the A-Sun table.
Oh, and Inception is a really, really good movie. Go see it, or Leo will send Jackie Earle Haley to haunt your dreams.
(Yes, the conference preview is coming. It's not like anyone reads this anyway.)
No comments:
Post a Comment