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2024 Soccer Team

My wife and I just got home in Central Florida just before 3 am.

I'm awake now and might as well share a few thoughts.

1. Waaay too early to draw conclusions about many players so take what I say as first impressions w/o the benefit of TV and rewatching.

2. This is a very fast and athletic team.

3. As talented and fast as this team is, they will certainly not perform up to the level of last year's team, at least in the early going. Being young and talented is not the same as being experienced (at this level) and talented. Onyi, Beatta, Jody, LeiLanni and Lauren and Cristina will have people in their places, not sure any on them will be equalled.

4. I believe we started Addie in G with Mimi and Ran out wide and Heather and Sophia in central Defense. Carissa started in HMF while the Taylors (Huff and Suarez ) were in the forward midfield?. Dudley central fwd flanked by Giana Riley on the right and Solai Washington on the left.

5. We are similarly fast up top, but again not experienced.

6. Carissa did a decent job at HMFer, but at one point Mimi moved in there and I think she was tremendous. I think Mimi may have an AA year along with Taylor H and Dudley. Ran Iwai looked All ACC caliber IMO.

7. Simmonds came in Ran's position and looked OK., Camille Ashe came in Sophia's pos Central defender, looked OK. Nina Norshie also got a look there. Nina Norshie also got a look in Heather's spot and looked very timid and unsure with speed of the game vs junior college. McGovern played a good bit in Taylor S's position. She is small, but looks to be very skilled and clever sorta like Nighswonger was. Jimenez was in only a short time, but was not afraid to run at people and was skilled with the ball. Wriana Hudson played a lot at Fwd. Much faster than I thought she'd be. Had 3 dangerous chances that were very close, but not converted. All 3 GKers played. No opinion. Didn't get to see enough of Puerta to have an opinion. Lara Dantas is off with Brazil Claire Rain was w/o a brace, but did not warmup with the others. Didn't see Nourse or Lebdaoui play, but I could have missed it b/c there were a ton of subs.

8. I like McGovern's game, Hudson will be a stud, just not sure when. Giana Riley has the physical skills, needs to tighten up her passes. Too many give aways. Solai will be dangerous to deal with in time.

9. Missing 5 or 6 players for a month will probably yield a loss to UGA with possible losses to UF, Syracuse, SMU. I suspect one losses and a couple of draws IMO. Hopefully, all the girls will be ready for Clemson.


TCU is not a bad team. It will be interesting to see how they fare going forward.
 
I like the 3-4-3 formation to change to because it allows deep runs and clogs the middle on defense. It also takes advantage of our top end speed. It also funnels to the middle into the teeth of our defense. More than anything it supports kick and run mentality allowing us to go even more direct with our expert finshers.. we can still use triangle passing through the middle and wings. And possess the ball high!! We don't have the enforcer to control the center! Nesbeth is missed more than anyone who left IMHO!! Let's move Van Zanten inside! She is fierce and technically gifted!! She need to bulk up some but I see her as the next Enforcer!!
 
I agree on missing Nesbeth. I always thought Nesbeth and Echegini would be the most missed of any of the studs we lost.
I also agree re: Van Zanten at HMFer. The problem with the 3-4-3 was exposed in the exhibition numerous times. Counters out wide.
TCU had a very fast player who got behind our defense numerous times on Ran's side. She got one on one's with the GKer a couple of times and made dangerous crosses on others.
The defense definitely needs work.
I'm personally glad VanZanten is not on U20. Maybe her age didn't qualify; otherwise, it was stupid of the U20 people not to choose her.
I didn't mention Suarez above, but she looks to be another young stud who will develop into an All ACC type.
 
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My wife and I just got home in Central Florida just before 3 am.

I'm awake now and might as well share a few thoughts.

1. Waaay too early to draw conclusions about many players so take what I say as first impressions w/o the benefit of TV and rewatching.

2. This is a very fast and athletic team.

3. As talented and fast as this team is, they will certainly not perform up to the level of last year's team, at least in the early going. Being young and talented is not the same as being experienced (at this level) and talented. Onyi, Beatta, Jody, LeiLanni and Lauren and Cristina will have people in their places, not sure any on them will be equalled.

4. I believe we started Addie in G with Mimi and Ran out wide and Heather and Sophia in central Defense. Carissa started in HMF while the Taylors (Huff and Suarez ) were in the forward midfield?. Dudley central fwd flanked by Giana Riley on the right and Solai Washington on the left.

5. We are similarly fast up top, but again not experienced.

6. Carissa did a decent job at HMFer, but at one point Mimi moved in there and I think she was tremendous. I think Mimi may have an AA year along with Taylor H and Dudley. Ran Iwai looked All ACC caliber IMO.

7. Simmonds came in Ran's position and looked OK., Camille Ashe came in Sophia's pos Central defender, looked OK. Nina Norshie also got a look there. Nina Norshie also got a look in Heather's spot and looked very timid and unsure with speed of the game vs junior college. McGovern played a good bit in Taylor S's position. She is small, but looks to be very skilled and clever sorta like Nighswonger was. Jimenez was in only a short time, but was not afraid to run at people and was skilled with the ball. Wriana Hudson played a lot at Fwd. Much faster than I thought she'd be. Had 3 dangerous chances that were very close, but not converted. All 3 GKers played. No opinion. Didn't get to see enough of Puerta to have an opinion. Lara Dantas is off with Brazil Claire Rain was w/o a brace, but did not warmup with the others. Didn't see Nourse or Lebdaoui play, but I could have missed it b/c there were a ton of subs.

8. I like McGovern's game, Hudson will be a stud, just not sure when. Giana Riley has the physical skills, needs to tighten up her passes. Too many give aways. Solai will be dangerous to deal with in time.

9. Missing 5 or 6 players for a month will probably yield a loss to UGA with possible losses to UF, Syracuse, SMU. I suspect one losses and a couple of draws IMO. Hopefully, all the girls will be ready for Clemson.


TCU is not a bad team. It will be interesting to see how they fare going forward.
Were you at the Plex, Tom? Good crowd?
We lost a ton of experience and skill. I guess the last of the extra year Covid players have moved on. Thinking back over the years, that is likely the biggest “graduating” group of talent FSU ever lost at one fell swoop.
As you posted, there is a ton of elite talent on the team, but decidedly less experienced talent. They will grow and jell together, maybe take some lumps, but there is no doubt that FSU has stepped into the upper level in the NCAA ranks. The Olympics obviously agree.
 
I agree on missing Nesbeth. I always thought Nesbeth and Echegini would be the most missed of any of the studs we lost.
I also agree re: Van Zanten at HMFer. The problem with the 3-4-3 was exposed in the exhibition numerous times. Counters out wide.
TCU had a very fast player who got behind our defense numerous times on Ran's side. She got one on one's with the GKer a couple of times and made dangerous crosses on others.
The defense definitely needs work.
I'm personally glad VanZanten is not on U20. Maybe her age didn't qualify; otherwise, it was stupid of the U20 people not to choose her.
I didn't mention Suarez above, but she looks to be another young stud who will develop into an All ACC type.
Long, strong, talented, and driven. Those two are amazing.
 
It started out to be a crowd between 1/2 and 2/3s full IMO, but 2+hour delay whittled it down to 20% or IMO.
 
Is Payton Nourse still on this roster? I haven't seen her on the field yet.

Edit: dang, saw where she tore her ACL in January and wiil not see the field this year. Sucks for her given she was just recovering from the same injury out of high-school.
 
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Well, hopefully soccer can pull me through another seemingly mediocre year of football, lol. Go Noles!
 
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A win today would have been great, but it was still good to see us dominate a ranked team even though we had 6 starters out for the U-20 cup. It's looking like this could be another special year for the team!
 
Very solid showing again today en route to a 2-0 shutout vs Villanova. As has been stated by many, lots of good experience being gained while much of our talent is away at the U-20. uf next Sunday on the road and then a long 11 day break before hosting Syracuse at the Plex.
 
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