Soccer this weekend

EastStang · Post by **EastStang** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:19 pm

Men's soccer has a big game on Sunday night in Charlottesville against UVA. I'm going to try and drive down there for the game. They also have a game Friday night against Old Dominion in Charlottesville as well.

FragileBill · Post by **FragileBill** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:46 pm

The women host Ole Miss at Westcott at 7pm Friday. Come support 'em and bring a radio to hear the Ponies/Owls on 1310.

redpony · Post by **redpony** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:08 pm

This weekend should give us a good indication if SO's coaching decision for men's soccer was a good one or not. UVA is usually a pretty strong team but if IIRC ODU is not ranked in the top 25. Losing to a non-ranked team would not be acceptable.

GO PONIES!!!

mrydel · Post by **mrydel** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:13 pm

Wow. You soccer guys do not give a new coach much time to establish his own style and his own recruits do you? (Yes I know he was here already, but he does deserve a little time to develope a personality with the team does he not?)

redpony · Post by **redpony** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:33 pm

mrydel wrote: but he does deserve a little time to develope a personality with the team does he not?)

When he is selected over Top 10 coaches with National championship experience then he had better perform immediately. He also knows most of the players already and IIRC was given credit with recruiting the new players. No honeymoon here- just win baby!!!

GO PONIES!!!

mathman · Post by **mathman** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:22 pm

redpony wrote:
mrydel wrote: but he does deserve a little time to develope a personality with the team does he not?)

When he is selected over Top 10 coaches with National championship experience then he had better perform immediately. He also knows most of the players already and IIRC was given credit with recruiting the new players. No honeymoon here- just win baby!!!

GO PONIES!!!

Bitter, are we?? I am more concerned with the last game of the year than the first. That will give me a much better indication of how good the hire was.

redpony · Post by **redpony** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:36 pm

No, not bitter just unhappy that SO failed to obtain a proven, top 10 coach with national championship credentials. It was obvious that he was more occupied trying to get the AD job at ND than finding and securing a premier coach for our soccer program. The last game (regular season) is no more or less important than the first. IIRC the final 2007 NCAA rankings had us at #6. Everyone says our recruiting class was outstanding so I expect a higher finish this year.

GO PONIES!!!!

Post by **PonyPride** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 5:54 pm

You're seriously ready to call him out if he loses one game?

Old Dominion is ranked - No. 27 by College Soccer News, "receiving votes" for NSCAA poll.

Coach McClements lost his best player the day before he was hired, and his group is loaded with freshmen, and not all of his vets are healthy. Let him settle in a little with this team. The first part of the schedule is brutal, and he's making some changes. He'll be just fine.

gk00dad · Post by **gk00dad** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:13 pm

Easy Redpony. From what I hear the team is deep so they will be fine. The defense is stout and there is enough talent in the midfield to make up for Bruno being gone. The big question mark is going to be up top. With Geppart taking this year off the team is going to have to find more scoring from either Saintus or one of the new kids. As they say in the EPL, "you don't win the title in September but you can definetly lose it in November". So relax and let's see how things play out through these first three tournaments, eh?

mathman · Post by **mathman** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 8:50 pm

redpony wrote:No, not bitter just unhappy that SO failed to obtain a proven, top 10 coach with national championship credentials. It was obvious that he was more occupied trying to get the AD job at ND than finding and securing a premier coach for our soccer program. The last game (regular season) is no more or less important than the first. IIRC the final 2007 NCAA rankings had us at #6. Everyone says our recruiting class was outstanding so I expect a higher finish this year.

GO PONIES!!!!

Didn't say last regular season game! Said last game. period. Hope you can figure that out.

mustangbill67 · Post by **mustangbill67** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 9:41 pm

gk00dad wrote:Easy Redpony. From what I hear the team is deep so they will be fine. The defense is stout and there is enough talent in the midfield to make up for Bruno being gone. The big question mark is going to be up top. With Geppart taking this year off the team is going to have to find more scoring from either Saintus or one of the new kids. As they say in the EPL, "you don't win the title in September but you can definetly lose it in November". So relax and let's see how things play out through these first three tournaments, eh?

So what is the deal with Geppart? I am not concerned with a loss here and there as all the good teams lose a few. Even Schellas struggled some years due to injuries and normal player controversies. The team just needs to play well consistently at a high level and we will be OK. Our defense looks very strong with Ryan Mirsky, Leone Cruz, Stephen Grant, Patrick Clendenny, Chad Bauman and Daniel Lopez returning. I could see Lopez moving to MF as he was the top MF in North Texas coming out of high school. We also have four highly rated freshman defenders. The MF and forwards will work themselves out. The first several games will be interesting to see who steps up especially from the freshman ranks. Talent wise we have a very strong team. I believe of our 15 spring signees only one is not on the roster, Payton Hickey a F/MF.
I do not know what happened to him.

gk00dad · Post by **gk00dad** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:11 am

Scott is still struggling with the knee and will take a redshirt this year. If the younger Cooper is as good as advertised then we will finally have a target player up top to play off of Dani's speed.

Post by **PonyPride** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:14 am

mustangbill67 wrote:Our defense looks very strong with Ryan Mirsky, Leone Cruz, Stephen Grant, Patrick Clendenny, Chad Bauman and Daniel Lopez returning.... I believe of our 15 spring signees only one is not on the roster, Payton Hickey a F/MF.
I do not know what happened to him.

Stephen Grant transferred.

Hickey is still on the team ├â┬ó├óΓÇÜ┬¼" oversight on the roster. I'm guessing that will be fixed soon.

mrydel · Post by **mrydel** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 7:55 am

PonyPride wrote:
mustangbill67 wrote:Our defense looks very strong with Ryan Mirsky, Leone Cruz, Stephen Grant, Patrick Clendenny, Chad Bauman and Daniel Lopez returning.... I believe of our 15 spring signees only one is not on the roster, Payton Hickey a F/MF.
I do not know what happened to him.
Stephen Grant transferred.

Hickey is still on the team ├â┬ó├óΓÇÜ┬¼" oversight on the roster. I'm guessing that will be fixed soon.

Back in high school I recall several people wanting to know how to get rid of a Hickey. Let us know how it was done.

pony friend · Post by **pony friend** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 2:50 pm

redpony wrote:
When he is selected over Top 10 coaches with National championship experience then he had better perform immediately. He also knows most of the players already and IIRC was given credit with recruiting the new players. No honeymoon here- just win baby!!!

GO PONIES!!!

How do you know who he was selected over? The timing of the vacancy was more than a little unusual for big 10 coaches to be crawling all over that app. Maybe we can just relax and trust that he was the best choice.

That said, losing 3 of last year's players accounting for over 20 goals, he will have his hands full. And freshman are just that....freshman. They can be developed, but not overnight.

By the way, is there an assistant, yet? The available pool of qualifieds at this time of year has to be slim.

Good luck ponies.