W-Soccer: SMU at TCU

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

SMU has a match against TCU Friday night in Ft. Worth at 7pm.

The Mustangs (3-4-0) have won two in a row. The Horned Frogs (5-3-0) have won four straight.

SMU preview:
http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/091714aac.html

TCU preview:
http://www.gofrogs.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/091814aab.html

Go Mustangs!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Well, SMU lost 4-1 tonight.

[Mustangsabu]

Ugh. That is awful.

[netminder]

CP and nepotism...let the better players play. Ya might win a game.
You are lucky your goalies are injured...it's your excuse...or you job would be on the line..

[LA_Mustang]

Disappointing. F TCU.

[confused]

Doesn't LB head basketball coach have a son attending SMU?

Wonder what people would think if his kid started at point guard?

CP and nepotism, 46 games(most of them starting) for daughter, 1 goal, 0 assists.

Same number of ejections as goals.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

What position does the daughter play?

Our soccer teams both are terrible. Wonder what hart is doing to address both historically strong programs??

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Our soccer teams both are terrible.

Not true in my opinion.

[confused]

Both programs should be top 20 programs. Dallas is a hotbed for soccer, just keep the top players from leaving. SMU offers a great school, great soccer facilities, etc.

Women's national rank is above 150.

WINS:
Gonzaga was ranked above 200.
Other wins, Texas Southern above 200, UTSA above 200, Colorado State a program in just their second year above 200.

First loss to TCU ever! And it was 4-1. The 1, was an "own goal". Nebraska 4-0, Kansas 3-0, Missouri 3-1, Oral Roberts 2-1. By the way, the win against SMU is Oral Roberts only win.

CP's daughter is a midfielder.

[horsemanx]

My thoughts on our women's soccer program...

First of all, I get the sense the people bashing the coach are not actually watching the games this season. They almost seem to have an agenda, like they are parents of former Brent-era players or something, but whatever. That's none of my business and it doesn't affect my views or opinions. For the record, I have seen every game this season (except for Kansas which only had audio and I listened to that one).

Anyway, "confused" brings up the results. Yes, the results do not lie. They have not been good this season. No argument there. As an SMU fan, of course I am not happy with them. I guarantee you the team and coaches are not happy about it either.

However, it is impossible to underestimate the loss of Lauryn Bodden and the impact it has had on this season. As "netminder" said, it can be used as an excuse. True, but for two seasons she has been a stalwart in goal for SMU. We have given up 18 goals so far this year. Honestly, Bodden saves at least 8 of those.

Think about how different this season could potentially be if we have only given up 10 goals.

Couple the fact of the team being behind the 8-ball of some softer goals going in with the fact the team is forced to always think defense first, and you get results like we have had this season.

FYI - Lissi Lonsberry has really stepped up and done a nice job and bailed the team out when they really needed her. She has also made some huge saves along the way.

So, let's leave the goals against for what they are. There is nothing we can do about that.

The team has only scored 9 goals, and only 7 of them are through the run of play. Yes, that is a bit concerning.

But, digging a little deeper, six (6!) of those seven goals have been scored by freshmen. 100% Chris Petrucelli recruits. The other one was scored by a sophomore transfer (I don't know for sure, but the timeline would have made her a Nicole Nelson recruit at OU for what it's worth).

You also have to consider we typically start 6 sophomores and freshmen. Young teams go through some growing pains. It is starting to look like our freshmen are getting their feet fully wet just as conference play begins. Who knows what can happen from here?

Note - when discussing goals scored it is impossible to not mention the season-ending injury to Vanessa Valadez, who was by far our best forward in the early season. If you saw the games it wasn't even close.

What does this all mean? I could take the low road and bash the seniors and juniors recruited by Brent like others on here do to Chris, but you can't deny the upperclassmen just have not stepped up. I do not include Rikki Clarke and Olivia Elliott in this group because they have been really nice players this year, but the others just have not come through during a time when the team really needs them. Hopefully, the team will continue go grow and come together and we will make some noise in The American this fall. There is no reason why we can't.

So, where does this leave the program?

Our 2015 class looks really solid, and the 2016 class looks like it is at least as good if not better than this 2014 class which appears to be phenomenal. This team is definitely in the right hands. Anybody who thinks the coach needs to go just isn't paying attention.

Don't even get me started on "Dallas is a hotbed for soccer" when the best local club (sorry Texans) had SMU blackballed under the previous coach. There is no need to revisit that whole thing and all true SMU women's soccer fans are so thankful every night we have moved on. For those not paying attention, Chris got a commitment from Dallas Sting within a year of being on the job at SMU.

Oh, as for the "daughter in question" - that is such low-hanging fruit. Posters are seriously bringing up the number of career goals for a defensive midfielder? SMU graduated Taylor Robinson last season who played a fantastic defensive midfielder role for SMU in her career (such a thankless job). What do you know, she ended her career with 1 goal. Imagine that.

True, Gabby has had card issues over the past two seasons, but she only has one yellow this season. It does not appear to be an issue anymore.

By the way, I know you didn't see the game Sunday, but Gabby intercepted the throw-in and started the sequence that led to the game-winning goal in OT. She is not the problem.

Pony Up.

[Treadway21]

Thanks for the post.

[MiaHAMM]

keep doing the same thing and getting the same results is definition of insanity
The results of the season are black and white
recruiting the right amount of quality players (anticipating injuries) and playing the best players that give you a chance to win falls on the coach. period
ask Brady Hoke.

[MiaHAMM]

ask Charlie Weiss

[redpony]

Mia- why would you expect anything from our AD? Look at the men's soccer program- it has been in the toilet for a long time and no changes have been made. This used to be a top program that was almost always considered top 10 and usually advanced in the final playoffs. now nothing- thank you casper.

[confused]

Results

University Of Texas Womens Soccer
2014 RPI 29 Coach Kelly
2013 RPI 50 Coach Kelly
2012 RPI 90 Coach Kelly
2011 RPI 57 Coach Petrucelli
2010 RPI 39 Coach Petrucelli

TCU Womens Soccer
2014 RPI 42 Coach Bell
2013 RPI 133 Coach Bell
2013 RPI 72 Coach Bell
2012 RPI 148 Coach Abdalla
2011 RPI 152 Coach Abdalla

SMU Womens Soccer
2014 RPI 147 Coach Petrucelli
2013 RPI 120 Coach Petrucelli
2013 RPI 63 Coach Petrucelli
2012 RPI 76 Coach Erwin
2011 RPI 53 Coach Erwin

All coaches started at approximately the same time, both TCU and Texas have improved. Texas ranking is up 28 spots after replacing Petrucelli with Kelly. TCU has improved 106 spots. SMU ranking has declined 71 spots with CP.

By the way, TCU started the year with 3 goalies on the roster and Texas started the year with 4 goalies.