Men's Soccer Defeats Missouri State In Season Opener

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

SMU Defeats Missouri State In Season Opener
Mustangs Rally From Two Goal Deficit

Sept. 2, 2010

DALLAS (SMU) - The SMU men's soccer team opened its season with a come-from-behind 3-2 double overtime win over the Missouri State Bears at Westcott Field Wednesday night. Freshmen Zach Barnes and Juan Castillo scored in regulation for the Mustangs, and sophomore T.J. Nelson tallied the game-winner.

Midfielder Zach Barnes started the Mustang rally by scoring on a header from 30 yards out, just 37 second in to the second half. It was Barnes' first career goal in his first collegiate game. Fellow freshman Juan Castillo followed up the dramatics with his first career goal in the 88th minute to help send the game to overtime.

"It's a very resilient group," said head coach Tim McClements. "The thing that we said at halftime was that we dug ourselves in a hole, but we have the quality in the room to get ourselves out of it - and we did. It was a great way to start out the season."

After a scoreless first overtime period, sophomore T.J. Nelson fired a shot from the top of the box past the Missouri State goalie in the 103rd minute to win the game. The goal was Nelson's first of his career.

The game was delayed two and one-half hours due to lighting. SMU went down 2-0 in the first half before responding with three unanswered goals. Both Missouri State goals were scored off of corner kicks.

The SMU men's soccer team will host the SMU Classic presented by Jason's Deli over Labor Day Weekend at Westcott Field. The Ponies will take on Lipscomb Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Seattle Sept. 6 at 2:30 p.m. Tulsa will also compete in the tournament. Purchase your tickets online at smumustangs.com or call 214-SMU-GAME.

[EastStang]

At least they didn't lose. Freshman jitters early, or is our defense porous?

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Was the game delayed by "lightning" or "lighting"?

Nice effort to come back from 2-0 down.

[PonyPride]

Far from it (freshman jitters) — many of them were terrific.

Nothing that could be done, really, about the first goal — Missouri State took a corner, a bunch of people went up for it, someone got a head on it just a few feet in front of the net and SMU goalie Craig Hill was a sitting duck. 1-0.

The second goal was the only real mistake — another corner, and in the scramble in front of the net, someone (I couldn't see who) cleared the ball, but right to a Missouri State player who buried it with less than 5 seconds left in the first half. 2-0.

But then, to be fair, SMU got a little luck, too. The field held up unbelievably well considering the amount of rain it had absorbed (2.5-hour delay), but it was very slick and the ball skipped around some. In the first couple of minutes of the second half, it looked like Missouri State wasn't very settled in the back, and when the ball bounced away from an MSU defender, SMU (freshman) midfielder saw the opposing goalie well off his line and headed it in from about 30 yards. Seemed to completely revive the Ponies, who played much better thereafter. Juan Castillo (another freshman) scored the tying goal with a couple of minutes left off a rebound, sending the game to overtime (after a 2.5-hour rain delay, how could the game NOT go to OT? Didn't end until a couple of minutes after midnight...)

In overtime, the game was won on a goal by sophomore T.J. Nelson, but it was a third freshman, midfielder A.J. Corrado. He started with the ball in the right corner, and dribbled to the top of the 18, and looked like he was trying to get off a shot, but saw Nelson behind him and dropped it back. Nelson blasted a low shot from at least 25 yards out on the right side across the goal into the lower left corner (wet grass might have helped that shot go in, as dry grass might have slowed it up a little, and the MSU keeper didn't miss it by much). Game over.

It's far too early to give any kind of strong opinions, but based on last night's game and an exhibition game, it looks like there are some real players in this year's freshman class. Barnes, Castillo and Corrado all looked good. Freshman midfielder Robbie Derschang is extremely fast and very creative attacking on the left side. Chris Sendejas and Max Roxwell have shown some ability in limited minutes. Again, it's early to be grading freshmen, but it looks like the coaches found some nice players in this year's class.

Come out to the games Saturday (7:30) and Monday (2:30) and see what you think!

[smusoccer]

Way to get the W. Lets hope we can build on it...

[redpony]

A win is a win. However, it is kind of scary when you almost lose to an unranked, unknown team. Missouri State is not even in the top 50 rankings. With the all-americans that we have and having the 7th best recruiting class in the nation I think we should have done a little better.
Guess we will have a better idea of the prospects for this team after this weekend when they play Tulsa and a few teams that have a little more talent.

GO PONIES!!!
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