courtside

The flip side to the argument is that C-USA was very weak this year, and SLU also didn't beat their only few good non-conference opponents. It doesn't help that SLU was pre-season not one of the favorites to win conference, and that they lost they conference tourney on their home field. SLU womens soccer does not have a good conference reputation and the program itself has a reputation of a borderline NCAA team. When given an opportunity to make the tourney, they haven't done much with it before. For several years now SLU has a nice second tier D 1 team. They need to add a few players to get them over the hump. With that said they probably should have made the tourney and were one of last one's out. But even their players were iffy sounding before the announcement. Not a lot of confidence for getting in. SLU's AD should be creating a big storm over this and I hope to read articles where the new AD has gotten nasty with the NCAA for their snub. Good time for her to make her presence felt right off the bat.

How? Well C-USA womens' soccer is not highly thought of or well respected. 1-2 teams tops makes it each year. SLU does not have a win over a ranked non-conference opponent. SLU women have done a nice job establishing a program. But they need to take the next step and turn the corner. They are not yet a top 25 team year in and year out. And they seem to lose the big game each year.

What does someone like Rome have over Slaten? Good question. But Slaten doesn't have the work ethic...I personally want soomebody who knows more specifics about the sports themselves, and gets their facts straight. I think Confusing Suppan with Kiko Calero was prety humorous. Slaten did sit in my row at game 4 of WS this year, wore red, by all accounts well behaved. Said hi on his way out to my buddy who knows him. Wonder when Rome will get pulled in more markets...he didn't last one year in Chicago. ...got crushed in ratings...replaced by extra hour of Dan Patrick, and gasp extra hour of Jay Mariotti....that is sad. Rome's show pays all of his affiliates big money to air his program,... a program in which Rome reads "takes" or "material" that he didn't even write himself. He reads every day from "cue cards" if you will, and somehow he built a little cult following. As I said, the ESPN radio honeymoon is over...didn't go so well in NYC either. And, obviously his ESPN tv show is now moved all over the place...I think you can catch it opposite Australian Rules football.

Thanks, I saw those though. St. John's won in South Florida 5-0 last weekend if anybody missed it. couple of common opponents this year.....it is really wide open ...UVA finally lost, to Va Tech.....not a good one. Stanford really fell way off this past month or two. Cincy and UAB could be upset specials in conf tourney...Memphis sitting pretty as number one seed. It is there for the taking for SLU.

Chad Hagerty committed to SLU in early October for next year. I missed this. Anyone any info...he is 3 year starter for St. Xavier High School in Louisville Kentucky, and his team is two time defending state champs. He is a midfielder.

Hopefully SLU's tough schedule will help them...some other ranked schools have some losses and have a weaker overall schedule....but SLU HAS to help itself with a week to prepare for Louisville. I like Gasparovic...and he would have benefited from experience around him in back. He didn't have it, so hopefully it will help him more. Ward is a stud, who is only going to get better and better. Interesting to see former SLUH player of year in STL Joe Germanese from Vandy. I never fault a kid who wants to go a away to school and completely understand it...he really wanted to go there...could have gone to IU and all the established soccer schools, but wanted to help start a young program at Vandy because that is where he wanted to go to school. Good for him....but he sure would have helped up top...he can finish.

Very nice goal for Jackie, good for him.

I was out of town and unable to make the game Sun. My bother attended. Reading the above posts...first, I EXPECT SLU to "hang" with always tough Indiana. No doubt. Obviously this season SLU is struggling. But year in and year out, at home, I expect SLU to compete with the best. IU always plays SLU tough. How did Mike Ambersley play? He continues in the long line of former DeSmet player pipeline...Chris Klein, Pat Noonan, Harry Weiss, etc.... I would say SLU must win the conference tourney to get a bid....Virginia is a big win for them, but not much else. They shouldn't feel bad for losing to IU in ot...though desperately needing the win. But too many losses to teams they should beat.

Tohttp://slubillikens.collegesports.com/sports/w-soccer/recaps/102704aaa.html tough one for the chick's team. When you only play good teams a few times a year, more pressure to get a result...2 minutes from a win...that is too bad.

I for one can say Larry Hughes was a stick when he arrived at SLU. Leonard has the potential to step into a college program and contribute right away. How much? How little? Still to be seen. But I think as long as he gets stronger, and continues to improve shooting range, it will be more at an earlier stage than some of the above mentioned recruits/players.

Gutless. Very very disapointing.

The game was in Memphis Skip. By all accounts they were dominated. Memphis isn't chop liver, were ranked 25th before. Their big game on the schedule is SLU like all the other conference teams. SLU hasn't shown the ability to score goals. They also have not shown the ability to cut down defensive lapses or miscues...a handful or more a game, and they get burned. Not a lot of leasership out there this year.

I will be unable to attend Wed game. Cincy is coming off of their BIG win over South Florida. This is a big game for SLU Wed. Many highly ranked and highly thought of national programs, IU, Maryland losing again over the weekend. A lot of opportunity is out there for SLU to inch up and up. Memphis creeped into the top 25 last week in one poll. Virginia has moved to top 5...only blemish is SLU. SLU exhibiton opponent Northwestern with the big upset win this past weekend. I have casually followed the womens' team this year, and I do not think they are ranked material yet. KU has the strongest regional program this year for women. I have also noticed former SLU standout transfer Christi Cigno starting every game and doing well for ranked Auburn.

Can't make the big UAB game. ...In Seattle visiting friends, heading to Rams/Seahawks Sunday. Caught the #3 Cal vs UW game last night, ....all UW early, Cal came on late, 3-0 final for UW....they play Stanford Sun, but I will be at the football game. Big game for SLU at home, Homecoming, think they can get it done over a good UAB club.

College of Charleston over St. John's 1-0 Big win for Louisville in conference. and, upcoming SLU opponent SMS losing 1-0 to upstart Vanderbilt, who possesses last year's STL high school player of the year, Joe Germanese.(SLUH) A new team, dormant, really trying to start a program at Vandy, and they have been respectable this season.

In other action....the teams SLU has beaten in conference keep getting pounded, Memphis 3-1 over Marquette, and DePaul is losing every time out. SLU will HAVE to get results at "decent" road conference games. I think it is safe to be alarmed at this point. The offense isn't finishing, and as I have said, while solid, the brand new backline has a couple of breakdowns per game, and you cannot have that at this level. The coaching staff is too good, and core of players good enough to be better than this. Maybe without Ibisevic, not a top 5-10 team, but certainly top 15-20. What about the job of St. Louisan Kevin Grimes(SMU, Scott Gallagher) has done with the Cal Bears soccer program! Who would have thought that Cooper McKee's Stanford club would rebound so well this season after a very poor season last year. They battled to a 2-2 draw. SMU 1 Creighton 0 St. John's 4 Hartwick 1 IU 1 Penn State 0 #1 UCSB 1 USF(Dons)0 ND 1 Boston College 0 One good thing is that Virginia continues to play well, and I believe their only loss this year was to SLU, which could look good later on this year.

Speechless!

Charlotte is another must win in the sense that they are overmatched by SLU, especially at SLU. They do have a 1-0 2ot loss vs USF...but have been thouroughly spanked by the decent to good conference and non-conference foes. I have been out of town a lot and will be unable to make Sat's game. I expect a good report. BTW...that was former DePaul Blue Demon and DeSmet High alum Joe Ahearn as Depaul assistant. How did SLUH's Kornfeld play? He was on the Busch national championship squad.

All the more reason to come out and support. To answer Tonka...SLU dominated SMU and lost on a tough OT goal. The George Mason loss is not excusable. St. John's was pre-season #2 in country, a loaded team. Tying on the road in soccer against a ranked team is a solid result. Indiana, St. John's, Maryland...all top handful of teams in America have two losses already. SLU will win their conference, win their conference tourney, and hopefully beat a great Indiana team at SLU later this year, which would put SLU top ten, hosting two rounds of NCAA. SLU has reached the quarterfinals the past few years, final 8 in America, finishing 6th in last years' polls. Right before the season started they lost one of the top handful of players in America unexpectedly. This has hurt early season offense. SLU is also virtually replacing their entire backline from last year, and it takes time to gel. SLU looked VERY good against SMU and Virginia, two very good teams. It is not surprising to lose to St. John's. They were very unlucky in the SMU loss. So, the George Mason loss is the downer so far. SLU right now just needs a couple of wins to get on track. They will be fine. They will beat DePaul Wed night. If they lose to DePaul, then I will be concerned. Not yet.

Seems like Marquette at least deserved a tie...too bad for SLU...would have been nice for Marquette to help out with a win, or at least a tie. Maryland losing again, at home to a hot Duke team. SLU has great opportunity to take care of business in conference. Cannot afford any slip-ups like last year, because the non-conference schedule didn't goas well as expected. No slip ups vs UC, U of L etc...

While admittedly disappointed with the tie, ....I think it will help later on for the conference title. A tie or win on road at the top couple of conference road foes...I'll take it...but I am still waiting for SLU to turn the corner.

Great opportunity for SLU tonight at USF. USF is playing well despite their tie the other night. It would be a nice road win. With so many ranked teams falling recently(Maryland, Indiana, Wake Forest, Stanford, UNC, etc....) a great opportunity for SLU to jump back up there. USF and UAB are the next two best teams in conference. Won't be an easy game.

If you substituted the word hockey for soccer it could be the same thing.

Personally I am not a fan of the "P" word that is thrown around all over the board by some...St. Louis Alum Rich etc...on anad on... I guess I come from a different background.

Nice article on Dado...too bad he isn't playing THIS season, as much as a creative midfielder is needed offensively. The other schools that recruited him are as top of the line as it gets. http://prepsports.stltoday.com/ssi/prep/st...have+to+see+thi