Women's soccer shuts out Cal State-Fullerton

[Oldkeeper]

I don't think the schedule is the point. We've competed at this level in the past. It doesn't seem we can anymore...I hope I'm wrong.

[FragileBill]

Granted the team is not nationally ranked and might not win the conference. But is it this coach's fault? Wasn't he hired in January 2007? If so, then this year's freshmen were 2nd semester high school juniors at the time. That's a very late start when recruiting in women's soccer. And despite the late start, there appears to be some talent in the young group.

[DallasDiehard]

Funny that everyone turns to the freshmen when things are not going as planned and then talk about the players that Coach Erwin said were "over rated" (Gunter, Phillips, May). Remember the freshman class of the Bailey sisters et.al.? That freshman class and then with the class that followed (Phillips, Gunter, Moran...) these teams were very young but yet were nationally ranked, beat teams like USC and Stanford, took Santa Clara to overtime and tied Texas (to name a few games). They also won the conference and played in the NCAA tournament - unlike any team that Erwin is producing. Lets face facts, it is the coaching and lack of team management that is causing the worst start in women's soccer history.

The difference is that those teams that welcomed the players like Gunter and Phillips (how did May make that list? She's a freshman) and the Bailey sisters were loaded with experienced, talented veterans like Jill Heinemann, Amanda Jordan, Erin MacCallum, Olivia O'Rear, Morgan Field, etc. This year's team has some great upperclassmen - Gunter, Phillips, Peabody, Leonard, etc. - but not nearly enough of them. I'd take this year's seniors and juniors any day, but we need more of them. Those other teams were able to work the newcomers in one or two at time - Coach Erwin doesn't have that luxury. Raw numbers alone dictate that he has to play a bunch of freshmen at all times, but the good thing is that as he acqures more talent, he'll have a big group of sophomores and juniors and seniors from whom the newcomers over the next couple of years can learn. This team is laying the foundation for a very bright future, and it's exciting to watch.

How sharp is that axe you're grinding?

[Otto]

The difference is that those teams that welcomed the players like Gunter and Phillips (how did May make that list? She's a freshman) and the Bailey sisters were loaded with experienced, talented veterans like Jill Heinemann, Amanda Jordan, Erin MacCallum, Olivia O'Rear, Morgan Field, etc. This year's team has some great upperclassmen - Gunter, Phillips, Peabody, Leonard, etc. - but not nearly enough of them. I'd take this year's seniors and juniors any day, but we need more of them. Those other teams were able to work the newcomers in one or two at time - Coach Erwin doesn't have that luxury. Raw numbers alone dictate that he has to play a bunch of freshmen at all times, but the good thing is that as he acqures more talent, he'll have a big group of sophomores and juniors and seniors from whom the newcomers over the next couple of years can learn. This team is laying the foundation for a very bright future, and it's exciting to watch.

How sharp is that axe you're grinding?

Bulls-eye!
Well played.