WUH Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Men's Soccer is ranked No. 22 in the NSCAA preseason polls: http://www.nscaa.com/rankings/4159/NCAADivisionI/men/PreseasonPoll Exhibition play begins next week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicCityBilliken Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Its a shame we are not in the NBE not only for men's basketball but for men's soccer also. I see 4 NBE schools listed in the top 25. Only the ACC, which has a unbelievable number of conference schools now, has better representation. We are the only A10 school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WUH Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 It is a shame. VCU is getting votes, but the A-10 is not what is was a few years ago. As far as ranked teams on the SLU schedule: Tulsa (getting votes) Indiana (No. 14) Akron (No. 25) Louisville (No. 18) Unfortunately, only Indiana is coming to Hermann Stadium. Notre Dame is ranked, but that game is slated as an exhibition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufan13 Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 They lost Kristo, Manning, Bryce, and Lee which is a ton but I think the team will be pretty good this year. Nash Popovic is a freshman and seems to be an elite goalscorer. The defense should still be solid and Graydon can still man the midfield. This is an important year though. I really like McGinty but I expected more NCAA Tourney success than we've had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwyjibo Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 It is a shame. VCU is getting votes, but the A-10 is not what is was a few years ago. George Mason is also getting votes and hosts the A-10 tourney. But your point is valid that the A-10 is not that great. But what is worse is that SLU does not even play George Mason but instead plays a lot of likely 150+ rated teams. Hopefully Rhode Island and Davidson are decent this year. I have made this point before but SLU has to schedule harder in the non-conf (they are trying a little harder but it may not be enough) if they want any RPI love. College soccer is a different kind of game in which upsets are more likely and you are better off scheduling hard so you are on the good end of an upset. Also there are RPI penalties against even tying low-RPI teams that it just stupid to schedule bad teams if you can avoid it. The buy game with Central Arkansas has to go and they should not renew with Evansville until they improve. Wisconsin might hurt your RPI but they have been recruiting better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUBALLS Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 I don't mind Central Ark for Homecoming. Give the alumni and fans a good game with the edge definitely in SLU's favor. We tried the Top 10 thing a couple years ago and were blown out by Akron I believe 4-0. That will never be fun for anyone on a night like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WUH Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 I missed George Mason, but thanks for the correction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WUH Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share Posted August 17, 2015 While I know it impossible to look at a box score of an exhibition match against a junior college team and draw conclusions, but I was surprised to see Marco Heskamp come of the bench in the 4-0 win over Jefferson College. Did anyone go? Hajderoriv and Cicciarelli scored in their debut. Keepers Roman Vassel and freshman Ben Yeager each played one half. Box Score http://www.slubillikens.com/pdf9/3717106.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 While I know it impossible to look at a box score of an exhibition match against a junior college team and draw conclusions, but I was surprised to see Marco Heskamp come of the bench in the 4-0 win over Jefferson College. Did anyone go? Hajderoriv and Cicciarelli scored in their debut. Keepers Roman Vassel and freshman Ben Yeager each played one half. Box Score http://www.slubillikens.com/pdf9/3717106.pdf I saw a video with McGinty saying he was trying to get everyone that was healthy 45 minutes. He also said they'd just been practicing since Wednesday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUBALLS Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I'll be there on Saturday for their game against UIC and will try to post thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Its a shame we are not in the NBE not only for men's basketball but for men's soccer also. I see 4 NBE schools listed in the top 25. Only the ACC, which has a unbelievable number of conference schools now, has better representation. We are the only A10 school. I will have to admit that I only casually follow the soccer team but when was the last time we won the A10 tourney? I think before we start complaining about the conference we need to dominate it first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwyjibo Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 I will have to admit that I only casually follow the soccer team but when was the last time we won the A10 tourney? I think before we start complaining about the conference we need to dominate it first.T Three years ago (2012) SLU won the A-10 tourney as the #2 seed and so went to the NCAA tournament. Two years ago SLU won the regular season and went to the final of the conference tourney but did not go to the tourney (weak scheduling was the sole reason for not going--they won plenty of games). Last year the team went 12-3-2 in the regular season, went 1-1 in A10 tourney, but did not get a seeded NCAA bid. I think winning the conference tourney and thus guaranteeing your entry into the NCAA is a great goal and a great accomplishment but it is a crap shoot. You are playing a bunch of soccer games in a few days on the road and guaranteeing a victory is difficult even if you are playing well and have the best team. What you can control and SHOULD control is your schedule. There is more variation (upsets) in soccer than most sports because teams that dominate the run of play do not always win--this is why there is no real downside to scheduling the toughest you can possibly get. Teams in the ACC and Big East are being invited to the tournament and seeded with many more losses and ties than any A-10 team. The problem is that the bottom of the A-10 is some of the worst teams in college soccer and the middle is not that great either. The schedule this year is not terrible but it just puts you in a position that you can only afford 4-5 losses whereas scheduling harder may mean losses can boost your NCAA chances (there is a bonus system in the Soccer RPI formula that further rewards strong schedule and strongly penalizes losses/ties against weak teams). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUBALLS Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Anyone heading to the dinner tomorrow night with McBride coming in to talk soccer? I'll be there with my four year old. Also, Tim Ream looks to be heading to McBride's old stomping ground, Fulham. Bolton must be in a difficult situation if they are selling its two-time POY to a fellow Championship club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Three years ago (2012) SLU won the A-10 tourney as the #2 seed and so went to the NCAA tournament. Two years ago SLU won the regular season and went to the final of the conference tourney but did not go to the tourney (weak scheduling was the sole reason for not going--they won plenty of games). Last year the team went 12-3-2 in the regular season, went 1-1 in A10 tourney, but did not get a seeded NCAA bid. I think winning the conference tourney and thus guaranteeing your entry into the NCAA is a great goal and a great accomplishment but it is a crap shoot. You are playing a bunch of soccer games in a few days on the road and guaranteeing a victory is difficult even if you are playing well and have the best team. What you can control and SHOULD control is your schedule. There is more variation (upsets) in soccer than most sports because teams that dominate the run of play do not always win--this is why there is no real downside to scheduling the toughest you can possibly get. Teams in the ACC and Big East are being invited to the tournament and seeded with many more losses and ties than any A-10 team. The problem is that the bottom of the A-10 is some of the worst teams in college soccer and the middle is not that great either. The schedule this year is not terrible but it just puts you in a position that you can only afford 4-5 losses whereas scheduling harder may mean losses can boost your NCAA chances (there is a bonus system in the Soccer RPI formula that further rewards strong schedule and strongly penalizes losses/ties against weak teams). I can't argue with you about the scheduling issue. While I understand that tourneys can be a crap shoot to some extent,you still need to win it on a somewhat regular basis to show you are the big dog. If you don't, then you have plenty to work on. If I remember correctly, some on the board was saying how we would dominate the A10 in soccer and what a terrible move it was for that sport. Well, apparently we haven't done that so maybe they need to start taking care of their own backyard before we start complaining about how weak the conference is and how is hurting our at large bid. So what I hear you saying is if we would schedule more aggressively or win our tourney they we would be in the NCAA tourney but apparently we have not done either recently - who do we have to blame but ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Anyone heading to the dinner tomorrow night with McBride coming in to talk soccer? I'll be there with my four year old. Also, Tim Ream looks to be heading to McBride's old stomping ground, Fulham. Bolton must be in a difficult situation if they are selling its two-time POY to a fellow Championship club. Wish I could. Can I wear my McBride National team jersey? or would you make fun of me again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUBALLS Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Will you fit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 There goes that idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillikensBlog Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I think the team will be pretty good. They continue to have a rock solid defense and a great keeper behind that. They'll have to score goals by committee but I like the transfers and I think they have plenty of playmakers. Wouldn't be surprised to see them do better than last year despite losing so much talent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Good article from Timmay on the recent transfers: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/slu/transfers-bring-experience-to-slu-soccer/article_5503bc72-fbe4-5017-85f9-b46996d13b9a.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUBALLS Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Went to the Billiken Soccer Dinner last week with my four year old. Great time as the players were very gracious with their time. McGinty talked a lot about "family" when he spoke about the team. Brian McBride was interesting to listen to as he talked primarily about his recruitment to SLU, why he came here, and why he felt it was the right spot for him. He is a very genuine person from my conversation with him and very approachable and down-to-earth despite his various accomplishments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WUH Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 SLU defeats Tulsa on the road tonight with a gold goal by Vince Cicciarelli in the second overtime. Based on a cursory glance at the live stats, it looks like the starters included: Heskamp, Karcher, Pavisic, David, Hein, Hajderovic, Cicciarelli, Davies, Minors, Brown, and Otte. Three freshmen and three first year players. Graydon did not start but was subbed in midway through the second half. Saad and Popovic also subbed in. Cicciarelli and Hajderovic would return for overtime. I am trying my best not to draw conclusions from the stats, but the stats mostly favored Tulsa including shots (15-5) and shots on goal (6-4). Corners favored SLU 8-3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Question. If the transfer from ND played for 4 years how does he have any eligibility left? Redshirt? Medical hardship? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Question. If the transfer from ND played for 4 years how does he have any eligibility left? Redshirt? Medical hardship?Redshirt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUBALLS Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Tulsa winning goal at at end of this video: http://tulsahurricane.com/news/2015/8/28/MSOC_0828150406.aspx Stats showed it as well but Tulsa had their opportunities for sure. Sasha Otte (GK) made some big saves to keep us in. But luckily Tulsa was misfiring as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 The women's team is off to a 2-1 start after dominating wins against SMU and Illinois-Chicago and a road loss against Illinois. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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