Zero pressure on tenn weak defense

Just a typical last game for G 25 straight years

Can we at least wait until tomorrow to have this discussion again?

It really is amazing how many idiotic posts you roll out. Maybe you need a hug.

During this analysis I'll try to keep in mind that most of us believed this would be a rebuilding season after losing the big four last year, so reaching the Sweet 16 is a good season in hindsight. The frustrating part is that during the season it looked like we had enough good pieces to be playing next week. If it weren't for a bad 2-week stretch at the end of the regular season, A&M would have most likely been a #1 seed or no worse than a #2 and today's game would have been played at home. I didn't expect to win this match after being shellacked 4-0 at home by the Vols a few weeks ago (Coach G's worst home loss), but Tennessee is not 7 goals better than A&M. For some reason the Vols are just a bad matchup for us over the years. Coach G is now 1-5 vs Pensky. Only the College Cup team in 2014 have beaten them since we joined the SEC. If LSU owns A&M in football, Tennessee owns A&M in soccer. The Vols have a nice team and two terrific strikers in Marcano and Shaw, but they are vulnerable in the back and very average in the midfield despite having Cousins (a former #1 prospect in the nation) there. Stanford is going to score several goals on them next week for sure. A&M just couldn't connect enough passes or take enough effective shots to score over the course of two matches against them.

A&M started the season 10-0-0 and finished it 6-4-1 down the stretch. What was the biggest factor for the slide? We opened with 10 consecutive multiple goal games offensively and led the country in scoring at one point. Over the last 11 games we only had 4 multiple goal games, scored only 1 goal 4 times, and were shut out 3 times (A&M also set the school record for the longest stretch without a goal this season). Outside of the showing against TCU in the 2nd round, the offense was just ineffective over the last month of the season. Watt was really the only real scoring threat and it made things easier for opponents to defend one player. One of the main problems we had during this stretch is that A&M lacks enough dynamic players that can take on defenders 1v1 and stretch the defense to open space for Watt or another player to get good looks at goal. I think I only counted two times in today's game when Bates or Watt ran directly at the defense and attempted to beat someone to get into the box. Watt spent too much time ball watching today and had she hustled after a few shots in the box, she would have been there for a rebound goal or two. There is just too much stagnant passing outside the penalty area and very little getting wide and crossing into the box to try and get the defense off balance. And the times when we did get chances on goal, the shots were just not effective, usually right to the GK or very wide of the goal. And the long passes forward from the backline were also ineffective and just plain poor at times. The set pieces were not dangerous at all and that is another reason why the offense dropped off late in the year as it accounted for almost half of our goals in the first part the season. The connective passes between the midfield and strikers must be a big point of emphasis in the Spring, along with more 1v1 play to stretch defenses.

The midfield was pretty disappointing in the 2nd half as they were unable to connect enough passes to keep possession for long stretches as they did in the 1st half. You have to keep the Vols pinned in their defensive third as they struggle to clear balls out of there effectively. McCain didn't have a good game and it's clear to me that Piper was just not healthy enough to be out there. I really question why she started over Asdis who is a quicker and faster player. Arietta did her best to create some chances when she came in, but her shots had no power in them. Finally, Bates had a good first half but then disappeared in the 2nd half with no real runs at the defense.

I'm assuming Alston was injured and not ready to play, thus Walton's start. But Walton really struggled today and was beaten several times in the back. Alston did come in late and seemed okay for the most part so it does make me question what might have happened had she started the game? We probably aren't down 1-0 in the first 2 minutes of each half. Sample didn't play as well as she has been since returning to the field, although she did have a couple of good takeaways from Bunny Shaw. Hill was eventually pulled from the game and Ritchie didn't stand out one way or the other. The first goal by the Vols was just poor defense on the outside and then a mistake by Morche. The second goal saw 3 different Aggies get beat in a row. And the final goal was just a complete misplay by Morche, who unfortunately had maybe her worst game in goal as an Aggie in her last match. It's going to be interesting to see if Coach G stays with the 4 back lineup next year as Sample and Alston could play together in the middle of the defense. The question will be who will play opposite Hill on the outside? Move Lopez back to defense or possibly Katie Smith?

Overall, I can't really complain about a Sweet 16 finish this year, but what might have been if not for the offensive collapse at the end of the season? It's hard for some of us that think we should be doing more as a program, especially after the College Cup run in 2014. We didn't really capitalize on it to improve as a program as we are now back to our normal 2nd Round/Sweet 16 level. That's why last year was so tough to accept as the Notre Dame loss in PKs still stings when we had such a talented roster. And losing to Tennessee is getting old fast, especially since I think we have as good or better of a roster outside of Shaw/Marcano. I do think the addition of Taylor Ziemer and possibly Ali Russell (depending on how quickly she adapts to this level) is going to really help Watt up top and force defenses to play honest. The Ziemer/Watt duo is going to be considered one of the best tandems in the country by most coaches entering the season. We should score a lot of goals next season barring injury. Coach G is going to have a lot of options for different lineups as well. Where do we play Asdis long term? What do we do in the middle of the field and at outside back? I could see A&M ranging anywhere from a Top 5 to a Top 15 team next year. But I do think the pieces are there to make a run at the College Cup, so my expectations are much higher in 2019. Anything less than Elite 8 would be a huge disappointment for me.

Bummed the season ended like that. Really bummed the season is over period.

Season started as a question mark for me, but after that start, we had final four dreams. Then we swung back to a big question mark. I suppose sweet sixteen is a good result to cap a tumultuous season. We've got something to build on next year. Which can't come soon enough.

As always, I've enjoyed the conversation this year and our reoccurring characters. Thanks y'all for the ongoing season discussion.