FootyPop: NCAA Elite Eight Whittled Down to Final Four
This week the Elite Eight was whittled down to the Final Four for the NCAA College Cup, USWNT fans are curious to see which injured players are recovering in time for the World Cup next summer, and there are updates out of the NCAA regarding Katie Meyer’s tragic death. Without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s women’s soccer news.
High of the Weekend
The Final Four is locked in for the NCAA College Cup! In the semifinals, it’ll be Florida State vs. North Carolina and UCLA vs. Alabama. All of the teams were ranked either No. 1 or 2 by the NCAA going into the tournament, so it’ll be an absolute showdown for the championship title!
Low of the Weekend
We’ve known for a while that women face dramatically higher rates of ACL injuries than men, and it seems like just now, it’s becoming a legit topic of discussion. Former USWNT trainer Dawn Scott spoke up about why and how this happens and what needs to be done to close the gap and reduce ACL tears for women in soccer.
News of the Weekend
Last spring, we learned of the death of Stanford keeper Katie Meyer, which sparked a national discussion of mental health struggles for collegiate athletes. Meyer’s family is now suing the school for wrongful death. At a cross-section between a school that didn’t do enough to prevent and bring justice for sexual assault cases or that cared enough for students’ mental health and well-being, this clearly points to the devastating pressure that not only collegiate athletes but all students and student-athletes go through on a regular basis. We hope that Katie Meyer’s family finds justice.
Fail of the Weekend
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In the men’s World Cup taking place right now, Cristiano Ronaldo was named the first player to score in five World Cups. However, Christine Sinclair and Marta did first, and it was pretty frustrating to see that slip-up. At least it was good many of the sources corrected this and clarified that he was the first man to do so.
Goal of the Weekend
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This goal from FC Fluery’s Léa Le Garrec is just fun to watch. Many of the European leagues are beginning to heat up, including the D1 Arkema.
Player of the Weekend
We’re all still closely watching the handful of USWNT players out injured, one being Tierna Davidson. Davidson suffered an ACL tear earlier this year but was recently spotted training with VfL Wolfsburg.
Wolfsburg, of the Frauen Bundesliga in Germany, recently teamed up with the Chicago Red Stars in a partnership, so this may be why she was seen training there.
What to Look Forward To
NCAA College Cup
Friday, December 2: Florida State vs. North Carolina at 6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT
Friday, December 2: Alabama vs. UCLA at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT
Monday, December 5: TBA at 6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT
Featured image via @ncaasoccer on Twitter
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