zippy-claws Posted September 24 Report Share Posted September 24 Watched the Buffalo match, didn't watch the CMU match. They were outmatched vs. Buffalo, but put up a great fight defensively. Held them scoreless for 75 minutes, but you could tell one play was going to settle it, and the second goal was expected after the disappointment. Have no idea how the 1-0 loss to the Chipps occurred, but no goals in 2 straight matches means the O has to step it up. @MDZip likes Heskitt, I think she still lacks quickness but is a player. My favorite so far is Kiana Harsh - solid defender and fierce. Go get 'em Zips on Thursday night! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fknbuflobo Posted September 25 Report Share Posted September 25 I like Anna Simmons’ offensive creativity. She just has difficulty staying match fit, always with some nagging injury. If/when Anna puts it all together, the Zips will have the playmaking to be dangerous in the front third. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy-claws Posted October 4 Report Share Posted October 4 The Women's soccer team is sorely in need of a goal scorer at this point. I was afraid that the pre-season success wouldn't translate to MAC success, and unfortunately so far it hasn't. The scores haven't been bad, but they hide the fact that the defense is under constant pressure, with lack of offensive threats. Four straight clean sheet losses are quickly making the tournament a pipe dream. Not through lack of effort, but Coach needs to find an answer soon, and Sunday vs. Ohio is a good time to find one. Bobcats are undefeated at 1-0-3, and beat Oakland 7-0 in mid-September, beat BG 3-0 and just had a nil-nil draw vs. Kent State. Go Zips! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy-claws Posted October 8 Report Share Posted October 8 We decided to go to Sunday's match vs. Ohio. Alumni Match. 2 Alums total showed up. And the match was.... I took a vow.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fknbuflobo Posted October 8 Report Share Posted October 8 Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy-claws Posted October 14 Report Share Posted October 14 A scrappy performance got the women's soccer team a come-from-behind draw yesterday. Still cleaning up down here from Milton, but still have power and internet and watched the match yesterday. First, Chad Welker continues to do a boffo job on the broadcasts. Second, the team got hosed a little at the end of the half when the referee decided to stop play with 6 seconds left so that Northern Illinois could retrieve a loose ball to play a corner, even though no one on the Zips kicked it away. That allowed NIU to score with 1 second left, although Mr. Welker questioned if the ball actually crossed the goal before the zeros showed on the clock. It tied the match, then NIU scored early in the second half on a mistake from our goaltender. Happens. But the Zips fought and fought and finally caught a break getting a deserved PK with 1 minute remaining and Katie Stafford slotted the tying goal. Lots of grit displayed, seems like the squad is missing a lot of their key players right now to injury? Keep up the effort, Go Zips! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip_ME87 Posted October 14 Report Share Posted October 14 Thanks for that summary @zippy-claws. I knew our ladies tied it in the last 5 minutes I believe, but I was not able to watch and didn't know the details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04Cards Posted October 22 Report Share Posted October 22 Lets have a real conversation for a minute... With ZERO wins against teams ranked higher than 296 in the RPI, 0 conference wins (2 ties and little hope of winning last three), is it about time for a conversation about the coach? She has "her recruiting classes" now, maybe(?) some quality transfers, and yet another Akron program poised for a sub .333 win % total, and maybe a .100 win percentage against conference opponents. Outside of N. Illinois (RPI 117), the ties are pretty underwhelming, against RMU (284), Eastern IL (307). And just as an FYI: Win % by year Not looking much better than her predecessor in terms of overall performance and over same time period. If the University of Akron cares about women's soccer, and recruiting better players, maybe it's time to make a change... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy-claws Posted October 23 Report Share Posted October 23 19 hours ago, 04Cards said: If the University of Akron cares about women's soccer, and recruiting better players, maybe it's time to make a change... Just fair warning @04Cards, you will be chastised and ridiculed by the Old Guard here for saying something like this. I've been a very good girl and have tried to stay positive this season, especially since the early success. But your analysis is a welcome, fresh approach. I have watched the staff and they are really trying, really working hard, but that doesn't translate to wins. They People In The Know will tell you "she inherited a mess", "she's 1 year away", "if only x hadn't been injured", etc. But your point re: recruiting is spot on. This is year 3 and there does not seem to be a lot coming in. Knowing how to recruit D1 players vs. D3 players and what they want from a soccer/education experience are a major point. I still want them to win, I'm still rooting for them. But...zero wins in the MAC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fknbuflobo Posted October 23 Report Share Posted October 23 The players are obviously amateur, but the coach is just as obviously professional. Along with a salary comes expectation of results. That applies to any of us working anywhere. Without looking it up, I will shoot from the hip when stating that Simonetti’s MAC record over 3 years has been unacceptable, even atrocious. Had I been AD, I would have hired Jen Simonetti as head coach. She has many leadership's qualities. Great resume. But at some point she needs to justify UA’s investment in her. I fear her Day Of Reckoning is approaching. She needs to show something positive this year, or she may not be welcome to return. 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04Cards Posted October 24 Report Share Posted October 24 9 hours ago, zippy-claws said: But your analysis is a welcome, fresh approach. I have watched the staff and they are really trying, really working hard, but that doesn't translate to wins. They People In The Know will tell you "she inherited a mess", "she's 1 year away", "if only x hadn't been injured", etc. I will review RPI data from the years prior to her tenure, but at a macro level, it sure doesn’t look like she inherited the mess we all seem to believe from a win% standpoint. Maybe she’s created more of a mess?? I don’t think she was much of a winner prior to inheriting a winner at CWRU. Standby for additional analysis… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04Cards Posted October 24 Report Share Posted October 24 By the way… The fact is that in 24-hours there has been no “ridicule”. Might this tell us all we need to know: nobody really cares about Akron Women’s Soccer all that much outside a view vocal participants here? Why are there two standards for the men’s program and women’s? Maybe it just boils down to the realization that facts cannot be disputed. I guess time will tell… I’ll leave this here: current men’s ranking - 24 women’s ranking - 246 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy-claws Posted October 25 Report Share Posted October 25 Back up North, and visited First Energy Wednesday night for the Men's big win, and it was glorious, although there are many empty seats where past neighboring season ticket holders used to be. Don't know if they're not using them, or didn't renew. Anyway, last night went to Dix Stadium and watched the Women Zips play Kent State. Boy, do the Zips Defense play rugged, tough football, and the keeper is pretty brave, facing lots of shots. Unfortunately, no goals, and we know you can't win if you don't score. 9 MAC matches, 7 scoreless losses. 3 total goals scored, and 1 was a penalty kick. If they could only find a scorer or 2, they would be in the thick of things with this Defense. Their style of play is too cautious, and they don't press forward. I read the comments on the Men's team, and the criticisms of their coaching decisions earlier this season, but the style of the Women's offense isn't questioned. It never changes to meet the conditions of the game. I want them to succeed so badly, but there doesn't seem to be a strategy. No playoffs again, for the 13th straight season. 2 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip_ME87 Posted October 25 Report Share Posted October 25 (edited) 4 hours ago, zippy-claws said: Back up North, and visited First Energy Wednesday night for the Men's big win, and it was glorious, although there are many empty seats where past neighboring season ticket holders used to be. Don't know if they're not using them, or didn't renew. Anyway, last night went to Dix Stadium and watched the Women Zips play Kent State. Boy, do the Zips Defense play rugged, tough football, and the keeper is pretty brave, facing lots of shots. Unfortunately, no goals, and we know you can't win if you don't score. 9 MAC matches, 7 scoreless losses. 3 total goals scored, and 1 was a penalty kick. If they could only find a scorer or 2, they would be in the thick of things with this Defense. Their style of play is too cautious, and they don't press forward. I read the comments on the Men's team, and the criticisms of their coaching decisions earlier this season, but the style of the Women's offense isn't questioned. It never changes to meet the conditions of the game. I want them to succeed so badly, but there doesn't seem to be a strategy. No playoffs again, for the 13th straight season. Agreed. The difference for me is that my expectations for the Men's team are high because of their history...championships are expected from them. I don't expect them to go undefeated, but to have gone since 2018 without an NCAA Tourney win is repugnant. I believe in our players. The talent and chemistry are there as we've seen in this current winning streak, but anything short of an NCAA Tourney berth and late November games is not the standard and should not be acceptable at Akron. Unfortunately, not so with the Women's team. I agree with your comments and am equally frustrated with the seeming lack of strategy. I've been patient knowing this is Jen's 3rd season, and she really only has had 2 seasons to recruit. Next season, her 3rd year recruiting, is when I expect to see results. Edited October 25 by Zip_ME87 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYC ZIP Posted October 25 Report Share Posted October 25 There will be a large pool of Power 4 conference players looking for homes next season when the 28 roster limit is imposed. Many schools have 35-40 players on their roster. There are already a large number of Class of 25 players announcing on social media that their verbal offers have been revoked and they are looking for a new school. It’s likely a safe recruiting pitch to say to them, that they could come to Akron and “heavily contribute” immediately. It would take some financial creativity because Akron will definitely not fund 28 scholarships, but finding enough for 2 or 3 power four level, attacking players would be worth the investment and effort. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fknbuflobo Posted October 25 Report Share Posted October 25 Very good point, NYC. Many quality players will become available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adzip Posted October 25 Report Share Posted October 25 The timing of our current coach being hired needs to be considered as part of her recruiting problem. She was hired late summer with no staff and not enough players to field a team regardless as to the quality of the players. My layman's memory- with no inside information- is that she only had 16 players including goalies. I believe she hustled to find 4 additional players in the two weeks of training she had before the season started. I do not believe any of those players are on this season's roster. Given that most good players commit before the start of their last year of high school meant that she was already behind for the recruiting of 2023 freshmen. The freshmen on this year's squad represent the first year on which she should be judged. Many are starting and/or providing major minutes. The publicly announced commits for the 2025 class are all three star rated players by Top Drawer Soccer- consistent with those of other MAC schools. I agree that next year is the time to make an assessment of her recruiting ability. She does need to get some goals- I'll bet she knows that! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDZip Posted October 29 Report Share Posted October 29 Really disappointing - I thought with the way they started the non-conference season they could at least sneak into the bottom of the MAC tourney, but in looking at their non-conference opponents, almost all of them are toward the bottom of RPI numbers. Guess it was fools gold. 😞 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy-claws Posted October 31 Report Share Posted October 31 (edited) So, for those of you out there that think that the current situation in women's soccer is "okay, just be patient", tonight should be a good test of your theory that they inherited a bad situation and it just takes time. May I remind you that they still have only scored 3 goals in MAC play, in 2 matches, with tonight's match the grand finale. Eastern Michigan is in, or was in a similar situation. They went 3-11-4 and 2-7-2 in MAC in 2022, 1-12-6 and 1-8-2 in MAC in 2023. Their coach left in December of 2023. New coach comes in. 6 recruits decide to de-commit, 2 seniors and a junior transfer out. In the new coach's first year, 2024, with not much time at all to try to recruit, they go 6-6-5 and are 2-3-5 in MAC play and have at least scored 6 goals this year. So tonight we get to take a look at how our similar situations pan out. 1 year with little prep work yields 2-3-5, and 3 years with two recruiting classes yields 0-8-2. Hopefully the staff and team will treat this as a stepping stone to 2025 and show they've got what it takes to move up the standings into a playoff spot next season, and to be granted another season at the helm. PS - I've watched closely this season, and I do think that Coach Simonetti is coaching well during matches, and with the injuries that all soccer coaches have to face. I'm convinced she can coach. It's the recruiting end that needs shored up. It's got to be tough to try to recruit to a program that hasn't won anything since 2009. But in watching MAC games, our team is sorely lacking the talent of other MAC schools. Don't give me the "only 2 classes" response. But it's not like a lot of other MAC schools have that much to tout over Akron with recruits. BG, Ohio, Miami maybe. Toledo? NIU? Ball State? EMU, with U of M next door? We need to recruit better players first. Edited October 31 by zippy-claws added PS 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adzip Posted October 31 Report Share Posted October 31 if your analysis of the women's soccer situation is correct- what do you hope for them to show today? If our coach does a good job of coaching during matches, that the team plays hard as you have suggested earlier (I agree, by the way), and that the problem is not attracting players with more ability- what can they do/show today that will give you the feeling that "they've got what it takes to move up"? The only option to me to to overcommit to offense and hope the hardnosed defense can keep the ball out of their net- they certainly have nothing to lose. Would a 4-2 defeat be more hopeful than a 1-0 defeat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy-claws Posted October 31 Report Share Posted October 31 I would say yes…show me the offense. Please! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z.I.P. Posted October 31 Report Share Posted October 31 Trailing 1-0 at halftime. But if we lose, we can say it's because the ref is a PCCC alum! https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-zolgharnain-aic-m-ains-752501a1?trk=public_post_main-feed-card-text Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYC ZIP Posted October 31 Report Share Posted October 31 Zips are really struggling to start the second half. When #21 doesn’t play the attack is really, really poor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adzip Posted October 31 Report Share Posted October 31 Another frustrating 1-0 defeat. I am not a soccer expert but I am a loyal fan of both the men and women Akron teams. I was only able to watch the first half and, given the final result, have little desire to watch the second half replay. Akron had the wind in the first half but it did not appear to be a large difference-maker and EMU did not score when they had that advantage in the second half. Several thoughts- Akron played them even in the first half. We were not dominated. Every player for Akron at forward was a freshman. It seemed Akron committed a bit more to attack- specifically Morgan Pentz seemed to play more forward and it made a difference- IMO. The defense continued its tough play with effective use of body positioning, etc. The problem is that Akron simply has no goal scorers. Where are the goals going to come from? Which players would worry another team as potential attacking players? In this layman's view, there are four potential scorers on the roster and three didn't play (Pentz being the exception). Some of the freshmen display potential in terms of speed, hard shots, etc. but do not possess the touch, ability to put shots on frame, or skill with the ball to be productive- at least not currently. So- to win more- the other three have to overcome injuries and/or whatever is keeping them on the sideline and return. Next Akron has to find multiple players who can score at the MAC level and fast. Hopefully several 2025 freshmen can do that. In addition, I think the coaches have to find a transfer student(s) who can make the kind of difference that Emil has made for the men. The final piece that can turn their hard work into wins. Know they will not get someone as good as Emil but still she needs to provide the attributes that are missing currently with the other players. I think the current coach has the persuasive ability to make the sale! She needs to. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy-claws Posted November 1 Report Share Posted November 1 I did watch both halves, and I was pleased to see Coach change up her tactics. They utilized the fullbacks in the offense more than in any match this year, and the defensive centers played a higher line as well. They tried to score, and as @adzip said, the defense continued to play tough. Yes, we'll have to see what the missing forwards can do when they return to action. And they were also right - a junior or senior transfer student with experience in playing at a MAC or higher level school would make a huge difference on this team. Yesterday was a nice statement that they weren't going to quit. And I liked that they didn't make a ton of substitutions like past games, which showed in the continuity on the field. IMHO. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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