RusskyHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
In Soviet Russia, Hoya Blue Bleeds You!
Posts: 4,616
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Post by RusskyHoya on Oct 27, 2018 15:58:38 GMT -5
I am also a fan of the University of Portland's soccer program, mainly the woemn's, over the years as my son went there. So I experienced some really bad seedings for UP women. I think one of those in one of their championship years. So I hope it is not an anti-Catholic university bias. Doubt there's any anti-Catholicism at play, given the sweet deals Notre Dame always gets. Conference awards were announced, and not surprisingly, there's a lot of hardware coming home with the Hoyas. No. 4 Georgetown, which won its second consecutive regular-season title and is the league tournament’s No. 1 seed, took home four of the six major awards, including Caitlin Farrell as BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, Arielle Schechtman as Goalkeeper of the Year for the second straight year, Meaghan Nally as Defensive Player of the Year, and Coaching Staff of the Year for the first time since 2012. Farrell becomes the first Offensive Player of the Year out of Georgetown since Daphne Corboz in 2014. Farrell was the clear favorite all season, scoring at least one point in eight of nine BIG EAST contests towards a league-high 21 points, nine more points than any other player. Her 10 goals in conference play was two-and-a-half times the next closest player in the rankings, while it wasn’t just quantity, it was quality too as half of her scores were game winners. On the season, Farrell’s 15 goals rank sixth nationally, while her six game winners are third most in Division I. Farrell was unanimously voted BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year and was the lone unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team choice. Schechtman boasts Division I’s top save percentage (.940) and second-best goals against (.238). Her 12 shutouts are most in the nation, as are her 46 career clean sheets. In BIG EAST play, the senior surrendered just two goals in over 838 minutes of work for a 0.21 GAA and .941 save percentage. She enters the postseason 12-0-3 on the year. Nally anchored a defense which boasts the nation’s second best team goals against average (.317). The Hoyas have 12 shutouts on the year while no team has scored more than one goal against the stingy Georgetown defense all season. GU limited its BIG EAST opponents to just 4.0 shots on goal per game, more than doubling up its opponents in shots (152-69) and shots on goal (74-36). The junior added a goal and two assists in BIG EAST play, including a game-winning score. Georgetown enters the postseason as one of two unbeaten teams in Division I along with No. 1 Stanford. The Hoyas are No. 4 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll, holding that spot for the last three weeks while landing in the top 10 for eight consecutive weeks. Dave Nolan is in his 15th season as head coach of Georgetown, reaching double-digit wins for a 12th consecutive season and on pace for a seventh consecutive NCAA Championship berth. The Hoyas won their second consecutive BIG EAST regular-season title as GU totaled 25 points in the standings, most by any BIG EAST team since 2013. In addition to four major awards, Georgetown had six named to All-BIG EAST teams, including a league-high four to the First Team. Farrell was a unanimous first-team selection, while Schechtman, Nally and junior defender Paula Germino Watnick also earned first-team nods. Kyra Carusa and Grace Nguyen were named to the second team.
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Post by FrazierFanatic on Oct 28, 2018 8:39:15 GMT -5
Well earned accolades. It has been a great season no matter where it goes from here - but what the heck, a Final Four run would be kinda nice!
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Post by bearsandbulls on Oct 28, 2018 19:28:05 GMT -5
Nevada Hoya, I think not at all. It usually is more of a power conference thing, and they will use any excuse to favor lower teams in a tough conference over excellent teams in what is perceived as a less tough conference. The ACC has done this for years. The Pac 12 this year has justification for this (except we are not in their region so it doesn't effect us). Take a close gander at the Pac 12 interplay: Stanfurd, of course, but also U$C, UCLA, Colorado, Washington State, and some of the others are not patsies. Year in year out, the ACC is this way in women's soccer.
Then look at this in football and the SEC. They play patty cakes for three OOC games, never go out to state to play those games, and say look how tough our league schedule is. However, they back it up in the end by being on top. In the military I think they have and expression RHIP (rank has its privilege). Let us just hope the tie on the road after we had secured the Big East championship does not hurt us in seeding. One of the ways to do that is win out at home and we start with Xavier, who just tied us. So go Hoyas.
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RusskyHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
In Soviet Russia, Hoya Blue Bleeds You!
Posts: 4,616
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Post by RusskyHoya on Oct 28, 2018 20:59:35 GMT -5
Xavier advances on PKs following a 1-1 home draw with DePaul. Look for the Musketeers to try to bring their upcoming match with the Hoyas to a similar conclusion. Jumping on them early and knocking them out of that gameplan will be key!
In the other first-round game, #6 Providence upset #3 St. John's, 1-0. I expect them to provide Butler with a stiff test on Thursday.
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Post by bearsandbulls on Oct 28, 2018 22:42:25 GMT -5
Russky....Were you not as much surprised by the sub goalie for Xavier as you were the very "slow" reaction time of the DePaul goalie in PK movement, who apparently had played on Canadian (quite good) National teams and a Swedish National team....I could not believe how slow she moved on her line, and would probably would not come on and comment here except I think we are safe from her coming to this sight. Not mean spirited in meaning, but oh my gosh, was I surprised.
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RusskyHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
In Soviet Russia, Hoya Blue Bleeds You!
Posts: 4,616
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Post by RusskyHoya on Nov 1, 2018 12:33:47 GMT -5
Russky....Were you not as much surprised by the sub goalie for Xavier as you were the very "slow" reaction time of the DePaul goalie in PK movement, who apparently had played on Canadian (quite good) National teams and a Swedish National team....I could not believe how slow she moved on her line, and would probably would not come on and comment here except I think we are safe from her coming to this sight. Not mean spirited in meaning, but oh my gosh, was I surprised. That was definitely my reaction as well (I only caught the PKs). Excellent soccer conditions here at Shaw Field! Let's avenge that draw, Hoyas!
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RusskyHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
In Soviet Russia, Hoya Blue Bleeds You!
Posts: 4,616
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Post by RusskyHoya on Nov 1, 2018 14:39:36 GMT -5
Fun times at Shaw Field!
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Nov 1, 2018 23:16:09 GMT -5
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Post by bearsandbulls on Nov 2, 2018 7:48:12 GMT -5
What a turn around in one week. I don't know what Coach Nolan put in their bran flakes but the Shaw Field event yesterday was little less than total dominance. When we finally garnered our first goal off a PK from a hand ball in the box, it was totally deserved for the efforts being put forth by the entire team. For ninety minutes they completely took apart Xavier, who had played them even at home just one short week ago. This game was very important, as an early loss in the tourney would have been bad for NCAA seed coming up shortly.
Overall, a job very well done from the coaching staff through the players. Keep it up Hoyas.
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Post by FrazierFanatic on Nov 2, 2018 10:08:59 GMT -5
Don't let up, we have another trophy to win on Sunday!
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RusskyHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
In Soviet Russia, Hoya Blue Bleeds You!
Posts: 4,616
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Post by RusskyHoya on Nov 3, 2018 15:23:58 GMT -5
What a turn around in one week. I don't know what Coach Nolan put in their bran flakes but the Shaw Field event yesterday was little less than total dominance. When we finally garnered our first goal off a PK from a hand ball in the box, it was totally deserved for the efforts being put forth by the entire team. For ninety minutes they completely took apart Xavier, who had played them even at home just one short week ago. This game was very important, as an early loss in the tourney would have been bad for NCAA seed coming up shortly. Overall, a job very well done from the coaching staff through the players. Keep it up Hoyas. Definitely a very different showing from the one in Cincinnati, apart from maybe the first 10-15 minutes or so, when Xavier was able to put together a couple of dangerous-lookong counterattacks. Dave had noted that he felt the narrow, slow turf field at Xavier played a factor, as it worked in favor of the X's strategy to clog up passing lanes and funnel everything to the wings, which they would then overload. They paired this with an offensive approach predicated on lobbing balls over the top, which kept the Hoyas backline deeper that they might have wanted. Indeed, early in the rematch, I could hear one of the Hoyas assistants urging the backline to come up higher. The task of denying balls over the top would fall to the midfielders and maybe even the forwards, applying a high press to prevent entry passes from ever being launched. Added to this was an even stronger commitment to aggressive attack. It is not so long ago that Paula G-W joined the starting lineup, putting three dangerous scoring options up front at the same time. Against Xavier, at one point Grace Nguyen was subbed off for Amanda Carolan, effectively putting out four forwards (in capability if not in specific positioning). Jenna Menta and Casey Richards saw more of the pitch than I can recall in a while. And we've seen much more of Jenna Royson over the past several weeks; she is by no means shy about making runs from the back down the flank. And it all up and what you get is, I think, a strategy that recognizes this team will most likely win or lose based on whether it can score multiple goals. There are few questions about the defense at this point: while they've made their share of mistakes on occasion, they have rarely been punsihed for them, and at this point it's almost unfathomable for them to surrender more than one in a given game. The approach, then, is to put faith in your defense, the one that has the Defensive Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year and doesn't allow many shots, much less goals. Put out offensive-minded lineups, throw numbers forward, and trust your defense to handle the counters or other mismatches that might result. Based on everything I've seen, this is absolutely the right move. A great defense can cover up a multitude of positional sins. Inevitably there will teams that try to play stallball and win off of a lucky lob or set piece, or else drag the ame into PKs. The Hoyas should tackle such a strategy head on.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Nov 3, 2018 20:01:51 GMT -5
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Post by FrazierFanatic on Nov 4, 2018 13:34:02 GMT -5
Game is on FoxSports1. Caitlin scores 3 minutes in, we are dominating possession but need to keep the pressure on.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Nov 4, 2018 14:05:52 GMT -5
1-0 Hoyas at the half.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Nov 4, 2018 15:09:33 GMT -5
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Nov 4, 2018 16:03:31 GMT -5
Much more even game than I was expecting. Hoyas dominated early and got the early goal, but lots of nervy moments for the Hoyas. But a well earned Big East Championship!
Let's hope it's enough for a #1 seed!
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Nov 4, 2018 17:12:03 GMT -5
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Nov 4, 2018 17:20:11 GMT -5
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RusskyHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
In Soviet Russia, Hoya Blue Bleeds You!
Posts: 4,616
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Post by RusskyHoya on Nov 4, 2018 21:05:14 GMT -5
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RusskyHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
In Soviet Russia, Hoya Blue Bleeds You!
Posts: 4,616
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Post by RusskyHoya on Nov 4, 2018 22:35:11 GMT -5
Much as I said after the last tilt: full credit where it's due to Butler and their goofy two-headed head coaching hydra and two-headed goalkeeping hydra and their Monaghan/Savich attacking hydra and really just all the Butler hydras, irrespective of number of heads. Hail Hydra!
Seriously, though... Butler absolutely fought like hell in this one. I sort of got the sense in the title game last year that the Bulldog players knew in the backs of their heads that a loss would not end their season. And, indeed, they got an at-large bid and performed valiantly at Northwestern before falling in PKs, because for the vast majority of the year their defense was utterly stalwart. So when Georgetown scored in the sixth minute, the response from Butler... left much to be desired if you're Butler Blue III or his human equivalent.
Fast forward to today... and the response from Butler to going down even earlier was very different. It took awhile, of course - the first 25 minutes were almost all Georgetown - but gradually the run of play flipped in the Indianapolitans' favor.
Here's the thing though, the thing that stayed true until the 12 minute mark or so of the second half, at which point an exhausted Butler team found themselves on the receiving end of an epic Georgetown game-smothering effort: no easy shots. There were definitely a couple of dangerous moments, whether corners (Butler scored all three of their goals in the semi against Provy in the air) or balls sent toward frame. But in almost every instance, there was a Hoya body part in the way. You can see the best example of this in the full-game highlights Dan posted, but there were plenty of others.
Of the shots that did find their way toward Arielle, they were the product of hasty efforts made with a defender close by. Just look at the other two Butler opportunities in the highlights. Shots, but ones made under duress.
In sum: the Hoyas absorbed what I believe was truly Butler's best shot in this one. And they did so without really giving up any near misses, close shaves, or skin-of-their-teeths. In the end, while dominant performances are much easier on the nerves, I think a prolonged battle against a skilled, determined foe with their back against the wall might provide helpful in the long run... because every opponent will be like that from now on.
Congrats all around, Hoyas! Unbeaten until the NCAA Tournament - an exceptional accomplishment!!
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