Don't know how much of this game I'll be able cover live, but USC is playing Florida State in College Station TX in the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship.
2.25 EST: about the 17th minute. USC's been playing well so far - good use of the long ball to keep FSU in their half. Rodriguez is doing well. However, FSU is incredibly fast on the counter-attack, which they are doing at the moment because USC is one player down. Sanduval was on the receiving end of a nasty tackle and has been getting treatment off the pitch.
2.26 EST: this commentary team is one of the worst I have EVER heard for soccer, and that's saying something in a world where ESPN allows Eric Wynalda on air.
2.30 EST: A bit more even now in terms of possession. FSU is trying to come up the center of the field and not getting much out of it - SC is well organized on defense, as advertised. SC's having some luck working the wings.
2.31 EST: Shit that was nearly ugly. SC's goalie got caught out of position and FSU was threatening to score - but a foul for a high kick against FSU and a quick recovery save the day.
2.35 EST: I suppose the A Rod to A Rod comparison was inevitable. Without wanting to be too patronizing, Amy Rodriguez is much better looking than the baseball player, for what that's worth, and she's a hell of a lot better on the counter.
2.35 EST: GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL USC! An FSU defender managed to ricochet the ball off the crossbar, the FSU goalie botched the recovery, and Tomer scores for USC! 1 - 0!
2.37 EST - SC nearly scores again - cripes that was close. FSU would have been in real trouble if that had gone in.
2.41 EST - great save by the SC goalie - an FSU forward got behind the defense and Olsen got the ball off her feet. Nice work.
2.45 EST: game's getting a little more physical. SC needs to watch out here - FSU has players from Japan (Yamaguchi plays for the national team), Finland, and the Netherlands, and they are going to be well able to exploit 50-50 fouls.
2.47 EST: corner for USC, nothing comes of it.
2.49 EST: another lovely save by Olsen. SC needs to be less casual with possession in their own half - FSU's not shy about using the long ball.
2.49 EST: Yellow card on an SC player (Brown?) for a "hard tackle" - total crap; unlike Sanduval earlier, the FSU player didn't need treatment. Get a grip, ref.
Moving below the jump so I don't take up the whole page... forgot I was supposed to be doing this in the comments!
Update [2007-12-9 18:36:31 by Paragon SC]: Congrats Ladies!!! Way to play it! DC Trojan will be by later with a complete game wrap.
2.54 EST: bit of a wasted chance there - SC dispossessed Yamaguchi and got the ball into the 18 yard box, but nothing came of it.
2.57 EST: And that's the half. Yamaguchi closed out play by taking a shot at goal that would have landed in row ZZ in a real stadium.
USC looked really good for the half - even though their coach thinks they have a lot of work to do. They've done a good job of forcing FSU to come through the center of the field and hit the long ball - but FSU is really fast on the counter attack; there's no room for complacency. FSU looked a little discouraged at the end of the half, and frankly a little gassed as well. Apparently it's very humid and 80 in College Station, although you would think that would favor FSU... Second half...
3.15 EST: USC's starting out fairly aggressively, but here comes FSU - quick shot by DaCosta and Olsen gets a hand on it to give up the corner. Series of effort etc., but FSU is penalized for trying to bundle over Olsen.
3.19 EST: this ref's an idiot. Meanwhile, FSU definitely faster down the fight flank. They moved DaCosta forward and she's making a difference.
3.20 EST: USC gives up a free kick just outside the 18 yard box. Nice clearance by SC, FSU attacks again, SC counter-attacks and wins a corner...but nothing comes of it.
3.23 EST: A Rod takes on up to 3 FSU defenders, and wins a corner. Wasted shot, unfortunately, and FSU gets a throw near the half.
3.25 EST: Free kick, not bended like Beckham, another USC corner that comes to nothing. SC doing a good job of keeping FSU in their half of the field.
3.28 EST: FSU launches a very nice counter with Yamaguchi picking up a long ball down the left wing, but her cross is headed away by another FSU player. That was close - SC's defense was atypically out of position.
3.30 EST: FSU attacking more but SC is holding steady. FSU is trying to spread the SC defenders across the field with passing but the Trojans aren't biting.
And on that note, I have to bail for a previous social engagement. I'll be back on later to wrap things up - hopefully the Trojans will be able to hold their lead and finish out the game well. Fight On!