fknbuflobo

What?!?! That sounds crazy. I had no idea.

@Reslife4Life I tried to give you a thumbs down, but ZNo instead put up a heart. For some reason it will not allow me to change it. I write this opinion with the full realization that many will disagree. NCAA should adopt all FIFA rules and regulations that are not directly against NCAA charter. Play the real game. One of those rules is the draw, which was wisely adopted last year (?) by NCAA. In a compressed schedule, playing every 4 days, students need not play an extra half hour. More importantly, a draw, or splitting of the points, is a venerable and integral facet of the sport that never should have been tampered with in the first place. There are things in this world that are not improved by Americanization. Add up the points at the end of the season. 3 for victory; 1 for draw. In so many ways Futbol is different from other sports. The drama of the draw is accentuated by the sport's inherently low scoring. Who among us did not jump to our feet when Daragh Reilly scored? And did the Zips deserve to win? Meh... probably not so much. For whatever it is worth, I think Zips would have won in sudden death OT. We had momentum at the end.

This was a wild and woolly affair! Whew! Welcome to the Big East, Zips! Where even the average teams can whip your ass. Zips barely deserved to split the points, but something must be said for hanging tough and fighting back. From my vantage in my home office (basement), both PK awards were bogus. No? Our defense was awful in the first half. This is starting to look like a trend, a bad one. We must become more disciplined in the back. We will take the point. Onward and upward!

Poll Rankings (yawn). Per usual, RPI will really gain significance in October. RPI Update: Men's Soccer: RPI Rank (rpiupdatemenssoccer.blogspot.com)

The last home Zips MSOC match I missed was in 2006. That streak will be broken tonight, sadly so. This FloFC had better be excellent considering it costs $30/month. Let's see if the Friars dare to high press us. I suspect they will not.

Emma King is a bona fide scorer. (Searching for video…)

Far from perfect, but a quality win over a quality opponent, and we kept the clean sheet. Well done! From coaches on down the line!

Joey!!!

This may well be the first real test of the campaign.

This was a good home win. But for the last 15 minutes, it was an excellent victory. Our defensive composure really crumbled toward the end. Budler saved the 3 points.

Should be back Monday.

Barely.

I will say it. This squad could use a Victor Souto. Ben Zemanski was the nuts/bolts player in 2009 (one of my favs).

Mitch Budler gets the nod over Seth Wilson, but the gap between the two is not great. In fact, the gap is probably narrowing. Wilson deserves kudos for his performance versus Vermont. Budler looked rusty last night versus Southern Indiana. Zips fans should be comfortable with either GK.

We do disservice to WSOC by continuing on this thread a referendum on MSOC. My apologies for that.

You need never doubt my sincerity or deliberation. I was formally trained in compositional deconstruction at the University of Akron. I too would be satisfied with Zips WSOC hosting (and losing) the MAC Tournament. That would be quite an improvement over struggling to achieve mediocrity. But this is an unacceptable goal for MSOC, who are accustomed to much greater heights. The histories of Zips MSOC and Zips WSOC are not comparable. For a long while WSOC have not even been respectable. MSOC enjoy a long and storied legacy. It is far past time for WSOC to catch up to MSOC. But MSOC have not recently been worthy of that stellar legacy. They have instead become woefully pedestrian. So, I am challenging them, calling them out. Certainly, crosspollination between the Men's and Women's programs is healthy and mutually beneficial. The two programs share the same facilities and resources; they should likewise share methodologies and techniques. But MSOC must regain relevance and stature before any of us download their instructional video or enroll in their weekend seminar.

I too attended Thursday night versus Dayton. A long-time season ticket holder for MSOC, I attend 2-3 WSOC matches per season. I love futbol. If I am the HC, I would make adjustments in my personnel once I go up early 2-0 to a side thought to be superior. Especially since defending is my team's weakness. Keep formation and system the same but move my best talent back in the formation. In particular, move F to MF. (Defensive midfield is where the Zips got crushed.) Give some bench players a fresh look at forward. Close out the contest. I am familiar with freshman F Rachel Wenzel, having watched her play for many years in HS and in club. She played the full 90. I was surprised to discover that Rachel is among the best players on the roster. In fact, most of the Zips players who caught my eye are underclassmen. Sophomore F Emma King is a player. Freshman GK Sara Bower is tough and technical, if not a bit short to play GK. Freshman D Hannah Langstaff had a rough night, but her talent is evident. Freshman Anna Simmons showed some spark off the bench at offensive MF. Players listed above will be better in the future, and they are already among the best on the quad right now. So, I disagree with zippy-claws regarding the recruiting of late. Coach Jen Simonetti is a coach I would have hired as an Athletic Director. She has the player pedigree and the coaching experience perfect for the position. To speak with her personally, or to watch her conduct practice, one comes away impressed. "There is a leader I would fight for," is the common response. But you guys are right; results are what matter at this level. Jen must convert these players and/or bring in a few of her own. She has until next year to show real improvement. It bears repeating that the facilities and resources at Akron deserve a topflight WSOC team. And the girls' programs in NEO are among the very best in the country, whether HS or club. Recruiting in this area should not require superhuman effort. In summary, the Zips are a team of fast athletes playing the game very slowly. They are thinking way too much instead of letting it flow. Passes are tentative and without conviction, leading to passing inaccuracy and possession turnover. Futbol is not classical music, it is improvisational jazz. Zips are making sure to read the music correctly instead of just finding the groove. Sorry zippy-claws, but the coaching staff of MSOC hardly should be held up as a shining example for WSOC to emulate. The current MSOC staff has never won an NCAA Tournament match, and Embick/Coppinger last won an NCAA Tournament match in 2018. MSOC have their own problems to fix.

To whomever made the decision to turn down the music/announcements for the post-match "I believe" chant: Thank You! Very Much! Video from last night's post-match "I believe" celebration is not yet available. But it was a good one. Student attendance vs. Vermont was as good as we have seen in recent memory. Instead, here is video from a few years ago, after an NCAA Tournament victory (remember those?).

USMNT should really push to cap BENJAMIN CREMASCHI forthwith. Because Argentina are likely to make the same push.

Indeed!

It is continually disappointing that the post-match music and/or announcements cannot be turned off for 90 seconds during for the Players/Students "I believe" chant celebrating a victory. This (now) traditional chant is what collegiate athletics is ALL ABOUT. Why would we not encourage this organic and (I'll say it) beautiful expression? To whom do I need to direct this complaint? 💓

‘‘Twas a pleasure to see both WSOC and MSOC teams @ Infocision for the kickoff event. Can hardly believe the season is already upon us. Special shout-out to CB from Morgantown. Hang in there; the future is bright!

Come for the atmosphere; stay for the Quality.

How is Aodhan Quinn NOT in MLS!?

Well done, AN10!