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SMU closes the regular season Sunday at 1pm at Westcott against UCF.

The Mustangs (8-7-1, 3-4-1) need a win to have the chance to avoid the opening round of the American tournament.

The Knights (14-2-2, 7-0-1) must win to take the regular season American championship and hold on to a potential seed in the NCAA tournament.

SMU has defeated UCF two years in a row, so both teams will definitely be up for this one.

Also, it is Senior Day and SMU will recognize Taylor Robinson, Courtney Smith, Jessica Bartol, Lauryn Bodden, and Amelia Ambrose before the game for their contributions to the program.

Go Mustangs!

If SMU plays like we did Thursday, UCF will have all they can handle.

Go Ponies! Beat UCF!

Another great effort from the Mustangs today, but UCF wins 1-0.

SMU release:

http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/w-soccer/recaps/102713aac.html

UCF release:

http://www.ucfknights.com/sports/w-soccer/recaps/102713aab.html

SMU will face Temple in the opening round of the American tournament.

The game will be played at UCF Friday night.

SMU vs. Temple will be at 6pm Dallas Time on Friday night.

Go Mustangs!

Gives us something to focus on during the bye weekend.

Post-game video with SMU coach Chris Petrucelli (sorry for delay):

I was glad when we made a coaching change. Sadly, I'm not sure the change has been reflected in more positive results. Hope he can get things moving upward next year.

redpony wrote:I was glad when we made a coaching change. Sadly, I'm not sure the change has been reflected in more positive results. Hope he can get things moving upward next year.

The team is TONS better under Petrucelli and he doesn't even get his first class in until this fall. We will be more than fine.

THX.

True, the record over the past two seasons has hovered around .500, but last season the team was as adjusting to a new philosophy and a few players moved to new positions.

This season the team has been much more consistent and also moved from what was typically a one-bid (two in a good year) conference to a three and possibly four-bid conference.

Goals per game has gone from the 1.10-1.20 range under the previous regime up to 1.76 per game this season even without a true dynamic scoring threat. Goals against per game is still in the low 1s even with major uncertainty at the keeper position for the first half of the year.

Yes, it would have been nice to get a big win this season, but we were in every single game and had our chances against some really good teams. Also, for the first time in years we finally didn't have a WTF loss.

Plus, as DFFH mentioned, women's soccer commitments are in the junior (and even sophomore) year of high school, so Petrucelli doesn't even have a full class on campus yet.

From what I have seen, I have no reason to think this team isn't going to be really really good in a couple of seasons. It's certainly much more pleasurable to watch and follow.

Don't forget there's also still the chance for a little run in the conference tournament this season!

I feel really good about the direction of the women's program. The men not so much unfortunately.

The future is bright for our fleet footed female footballers.