2023 Griz Soccer thread

[MissoulaCanucksFan]

This offseason has been quite an active one for Griz soccer. Just like with football, they're in the middle of their spring season. So here has what has happened this offseason.

J. Landham is back on the coaching staff, after spending last season coaching the goalkeepers at Villanova. Which means that Damian Macias is no longer with the program. And Landham's return couldn't have come at a better time. Why you ask? Because Cam Xu--the British Columbian brick wall--entered the transfer portal and announced her decision to transfer to Minnesota (IMO a massive step up going from a mid-major to a Power 5). Sophia Pierce (a Missoula Hellgate alum) also left the team. This will mean that come fall, there will be four goalkeepers without a second of collegiate soccer playing experience. Only returning GKs are Ashlyn Dvorak and Shelby Stordahl, with incoming freshmen Bayliss Flynn and Devan Webb joining them. I don't think this young group of goalkeepers couldn't have asked for a better mentor than J. Landham.

The team added multiple transfers in the offseason: D Hazel Dirk (Kansas), F Abby Gearhart (Bucknell), F Audrey Teague (Regis), and D Mia Parkhurst (Georgia). I'd be very curious to see how they will fit into Chris Citowicki's system. Allie Larsen and Molly Massman will be playing their fifth-year seasons at defending league champion NAU.

In spite of all of the big changes that have taken place (I wouldn't be shocked if there were more between now and August), the Griz have plenty of great players coming back. They're returning their star goal-scorer Delaney Lou Schorr and do-everything midfielder Maysa Walters, as well as the Sin City Silencer in Sydney Haustein, who is using her COVID year in the fall.

With the loss of Larsen and the graduation of McKenzie Kilpatrick, seniors to be Charley Boone and Molly Quarry both have big shoes to fill on the back line. Hazel Dirk and Mia Parkhurst should very much be in the mix to join them, as do Maddie Seelhoff and Ally Henrikson (who ended up redshirting after an early season injury ended her 2022 season). Additional depth in the back includes Georgia Boone (Charley's sister), Reeve Borseth, and incoming freshman Riley Carolan and Lucie Rokos.

Out on the midfield (along with Walters and Haustein), UM returns Kat Aitchison (who like Haustein, is using her COVID year), junior Bella O'Brien, and sophomores Maddie Ditta and Emma Pascoe. The incoming freshman joining a very veteran group of mids is Perrin Perrington of Georgia.

And on the attack, Schorr is back, as are fellow juniors Ava Samuelson and Skyleigh Thompson, along with the transfers in Audrey Teague and Abby Gearhart. Sophomores Riley O'Brien, Kayla Rendon Bushmaker, and Eliza Bentler are joined by freshmen Abby Smith and Taija Anderson.

[grizzlyjournal]

Thanks! Wow, a lot of changes. Good to see coach Landham back.

[DoubleNicks]

Anybody hear how the 2 Spring exhibitions/scrimmages against Idaho State and BYU went today? There's some pics on the Griz Soccer twitter page but no score noted. From ISU's twitter, one of the pics looks like ISU is celebrating a goal.

[MissoulaCanucksFan]

Not only did the Griz go 2-0 in North Dakota, but they also swept conference POTW honors as well.

[DoubleNicks]

Griz move up a spot to #8 in the West Region

West - Poll 2 - August 29, 2023
Rank.......School.....................................Prev.........W-L-T
1. Santa Clara University.........................1.............4-0-0
2. Gonzaga University.............................2.............3-1-0
3. University of California-Irvine............3..............2-2-0
4. Long Beach State University.............5..............2-2-0
5. Pepperdine University........................4..............1-0-3
6. Saint Mary's College Of California....NR...........2-2-0
7. University of California, Davis...........7..............3-1-0
8. University of Montana.......................9..............3-0-1
9. South Dakota State University..........NR...........4-0-0
10.University of Portland........................6............1-1-0

This Sunday's opponent, Oklahoma, dropped from #4 to #10 in the Midwest Region. Oklahoma plays #24 nationally ranked Gonzaga this Thursday in Spokane.
https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/ranking ... n-midwest/

Also of note, BYU moved up to #7 in the National poll (#1 in Midwest Region). According to Coach Citowicki, the Griz played respectable against them in an exhibition game this spring.
https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/ranking ... -di-women/

[DoubleNicks]

Also, another POTW

[DoubleNicks]

Also, Thursday's opponent, Utah Tech, looked pretty good against Idaho last week (IMO, Idaho has looked the best in the BSC outside of UM). I only watched part of the game but it was past the 75th minute when Idaho finally broke through with the game winner. Utah Tech's new coach was an assistant on the Gonzaga staff that has given recent Griz teams a lot of issues so hopefully the ladies come out fired up and don't letdown at all after the emotion of the Ohio State game.

[DoubleNicks]

Another win! Don't know why I was worried ha. Griz stay undefeated and move to 4-0-1!

[DoubleNicks]

I'm just following the stat tracker and their Twitter but play-by-play has been stuck at 68:26 for awhile so hard to tell how much time left.

[DoubleNicks]

Clock fixed now at 81:37. Still 1-0 Griz

[DoubleNicks]

After 5-4 OK shot advantage in first half, Oklahoma is bringing the heat. 10-2 shot advantage in 2nd. Shots on goal is equal at 5 apiece, though.

clock 85:17 Time to finish!

[DoubleNicks]

[PeauxRouge]

I don't know sh!1t about OK soccer, but this feels big!

[grizzlyjournal]

Respectful congrats to GirzSOC on a big win! Next challenge: Colorado State this Thursday in Missoula.

[DoubleNicks]

Another POTW


All-Tournament Team from Gonzaga tourney



https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/ranking ... omen-west/
-Idaho also moves into West Region's poll at #10.
-I'm a little confused why the coaches moved Portland from #10 to #5 this week (leapfrogging Montana)...apparently a 1-0 UC Davis home win and a tie against the preseason's last place Pac12 team, Oregon State, is more impressive than staying undefeated after 6 games and 4-0 Utah Tech and 1-0 Oklahoma neutral site wins. (Portland is 2-1-1 overall. Their other win was 1-0 at CSUN and they have a close home lose to Washington State 0-1).
https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/ranking ... -di-women/
-BYU (Spring exhibition opponent) moved up to #1 in the nation, Gonzaga with the same two wins (beat Oklahoma 3-0 and Utah Tech 3-0) moved up to #23 nationally, #2 in West Region.

[DoubleNicks]

It looks like the Griz had some chances (outshot 12-16 but had a 5-4 SOG and 6-4 Corners advantages)

[DoubleNicks]

Griz finish OOC 6-2-2 despite playing 3 Power Five teams (Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Oregon State) and 6 teams with FBS budgets (previous + Colorado State, Georgia Southern, Miami (OH)).

Griz outscored OOC opponents 19-5.

Have a bit of a wait before conference play starts at EWU on Sep. 28.