College Cup: Stanford vs. Duke Game Thread

by Scott Allen on Dec 4, 2025 9:50 AM PST

College football could learn a thing or two from college fútbol, such as how to crown a champion. The top-ranked and undefeated Stanford women's soccer team meets Duke in the College Cup final today at 10 a.m. PT on ESPNU. The game marks the final chapter in the collegiate careers of Stanford seniors Camille Levin, Teresa Noyola, Lindsay Taylor, and Kristy Zurmuhlen. For a Cardinal squad making its third straight appearance in the final and still in search of its first NCAA title, the time is now.

Use this thread to discuss all of the action. Go Stanford!

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Former 3rd String Walk On Stanford Goalkeeper checking in

Go Stanford

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 9:56 AM PST reply actions

Holy early 90s hair Batman!

of the announcers

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 10:01 AM PST reply actions

I think it's just me here

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 10:04 AM PST reply actions

Follow me @porters on twitter

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 10:04 AM PST reply actions

That should have been a goal

Good start. What do you think, Spencer?

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 10:10 AM PST reply actions

They stepped up the pressure on our center mids

But they’re chasing. Going to be tough for them to keep that up

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 10:19 AM PST reply actions

That was a good free kick

Close - but our keeper had it covered anyway.

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 10:23 AM PST reply actions

WHO AM I TALKING TO

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 10:23 AM PST reply actions

I don't know

but it’s pretty entertaining to read

by ZiK on Dec 4, 2025 10:32 AM PST up reply actions

A FAN!

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 10:52 AM PST up reply actions

Had to take a break for a sec. I'm back.

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 10:52 AM PST reply actions

Announcer's forgetting to announce?

What was with the 45 second lull there?

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 10:54 AM PST reply actions

Spencer, what do you think about timeouts in soccer?

by Scott Allen on Dec 4, 2025 10:56 AM PST reply actions

Not Spencer

But AWFUL.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 10:59 AM PST up reply actions

It's weird

I think timeouts are probably not a good idea for soccer - there is enough down time for coaching to occur during stops in the action, substitutions, etc., and with the lack of “called plays” like in other sports, the situation-specific coaching isn’t as important. That said, there are some weird things that happen at end of games where you as a coach need to communicate something to your players like “play for a tie to win it in PKs” or “Hey Scott, you have a yellow card, if you get another yellow card, you’re out. Don’t get another yellow card.” Not exactly brainbusting stuff, but yeah.

That said, in the World Cup in Dubai, if it gets hot enough, FIFA is going to make the game into quarters (at least this seems to be the leading proposal on the table, I think). IT’s really for hydration purposes, but will clearly be a coaching timeout too.

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 11:00 AM PST up reply actions

There are a lot of annoying quirks about NCAA soccer. Re-entry of subbed players, clock counting upwards. The timeouts are probably the strangest though.

by jksnake99 on Dec 4, 2025 11:02 AM PST up reply actions

Re-entry

That is the weirdest. The substitution rules in college soccer are super weird. I almost don’t mind the timeouts, but the amount of substitution is too much.

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 11:04 AM PST up reply actions

Timeout

Wait - was there a TV timeout in this game???? I had to step away for 5-10 minutes. Did I miss that? Ridiculous

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 11:03 AM PST up reply actions

I know there were timeouts in the semifinals.

Not sure about this game, as I also missed a few minutes.

by Scott Allen on Dec 4, 2025 11:10 AM PST up reply actions

thought it was curious to

Move Levin to central midfield at the end of the first half. She was much better at fullback, and overlapping fullbacks are crucial in a 4-3-3 attacking-style. Radcliffe seemed fixated on getting the fullbacks forward in the halftime interview, so perhaps he agrees with me.

Overall I thought Stanford had the better of the run of play; I’d like to see both fullbacks bombing forward more (i.e. more on the left side) and more pressure higher up the field. I don’t think Duke’s back four has the technical skill to stand up to sustained, heavy pressure.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 11:02 AM PST reply actions

Levin stands out as a good player wherever she is, but I agree that she seems to be best at right back.

by jksnake99 on Dec 4, 2025 11:06 AM PST up reply actions

1st half thoughts

Seems like the field is wider than these girls are used to - there’s a lot of space on the wings. I missed the 10 minutes around the timeout, but if Stanford can possess the ball in the center midfield and exploit that space outside, I agree, I don’t think Duke’s back 4 has the ability to deal with Stanford’s pressure on the wings.

I worry though, in a game like this, that some sort of GK mistake on either side will be the deciding factor. Stanford has been going backward to the keeper a LOT, which is fine, but all it takes is one touch, and that chasing center forward that Duke plays can get a gift. I wasn’t thrilled with our GK’s decision to come out 14 yards to muff that catch towards the end of the 2nd half.

If I were Ratclife, I’d be telling us to possess the ball in the center midfield, push the ball out wide from there, and get to the goal. And I’d tell my GK to stay at home.

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 11:12 AM PST reply actions

I'd disagree

You need to have your keeper play as a ballhandler in a possession style. Just look at De Gea and Valdes in men’s top level soccer.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 11:15 AM PST up reply actions

Completely agree

But, I’m a little concerned that our GK seems to play fast and loose with some of her decisions. I have a very small sample size to work off of, but I’d prefer strong, decisive distribution with her feet. Her throws have been very good though.

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 11:17 AM PST up reply actions

When I say "stay at home"

I mean stay in goal, close to the line, for those not versed in GK lingo.

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 11:22 AM PST up reply actions

Julie Foudy proclaims difference "corners"

BREAKING: Julie Foudy not very smart.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 11:14 AM PST reply actions

Note to Stadium designers

If you make your seats bright yellow, it will show very clearly where people aren’t sitting.

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 11:16 AM PST reply actions

HUGE

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 11:22 AM PST reply actions

Senior to senior. Awesome.

Now what? Switch into a more defensive mode? Full disclosure: I don’t know much about soccer strategy.

by Scott Allen on Dec 4, 2025 11:24 AM PST up reply actions

With 5 or so minutes left in the game

Maybe. But possession and pressure can dominate a game defensively just as surely as offensively.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 11:25 AM PST up reply actions

I want 2 more goals before we retreat into a defensive shell

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 11:31 AM PST up reply actions

It started wayyyyyy before the ball from our right mid, Julie Foudy.

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 11:25 AM PST up reply actions

GOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Levin’s been huge from the right back spot.

BREAKING: to remind you that Foudy isn’t smart at all, she thought Levin was better at central midfield than right back. LAWL.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 11:24 AM PST reply actions

Someone's been watching their Arsenal tapes.

Trying to pass the ball into the net.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 11:26 AM PST up reply actions

I figured out Foudy wasn’t very smart when, all through the women’s world cup, she kept expecting extra time games to end at 115 minutes instead of 120. Not thrilled to have her repping Stanford nationally.

by jksnake99 on Dec 4, 2025 11:41 AM PST up reply actions

It seems

Duke is pressuring up the field more and Stanford laying back more. I disagree with this change in tactics. Keep the game on Duke’s side of the field and cash in on your technical skills.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 11:29 AM PST reply actions

Oh wow

Obagagu is going to be ridiculously dominant in one or two years. If she had a good left back to overlap with her the entire left side would be a war zone.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 11:30 AM PST reply actions

Not a fan of subbing out Noguera and Obagagu

Noguera has probably been Stanford’s second-best player today (first Levin), and Obagagu is the only player giving width on the left.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 11:35 AM PST up reply actions

That's great technical possession

by porters on Dec 4, 2025 11:32 AM PST reply actions

Good ball movement...

I like the possession play

by RickeySteals on Dec 4, 2025 11:32 AM PST reply actions

Too reactive right now

We have technical skill well in excess of Duke—we should use it.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 11:38 AM PST reply actions

Yeah...

they’re sitting back a bit too much - should still be taking it to them, rather than playing these long hopeful balls to the corners.

by RickeySteals on Dec 4, 2025 11:40 AM PST up reply actions

Yeah, some unnecessary sloppy clearances when there were chances to possess.

by jksnake99 on Dec 4, 2025 11:41 AM PST up reply actions

Getting lazy...

they need to up the intensity in the midfield now… too lax on defense and to causal with the ball.

by RickeySteals on Dec 4, 2025 11:47 AM PST reply actions

basically

Need to return to dynamic of early second half: pressuring Duke’s back four and letting their lack of technical ability define the game.

by dth1 on Dec 4, 2025 11:48 AM PST up reply actions

Yeah...

you’d expect Duke to start pressing forward a bit more

but you have to counter that with pressure of your own. Plus, you have to make the most of the ball when you do get it. They’ve been far to sloppy with their own possession.

by RickeySteals on Dec 4, 2025 11:50 AM PST up reply actions