SLU Men's Soccer Thread

[HoosierPal]

 

[Bay Area Billiken]

Today brought a good advancement for SLU on Penalty Kicks.  For once SLU advanced on Penalty Kicks, rather than the all to often alternative, in a game it largely dominated.

[Billikenbooster]

Wifey and I took in the game. Exciting, was anxiously fearing a breakaway opportunity for Fordam in the second half. 
Cold, windy day. Rewarded with great athletic plays by our goalie and the strikers. 
Looking forward to Sunday at noon as well.

Go Bills!

 

[bauman]

Too bad soccer has continued to use PKs as a game decider, much like hockey except hockey has adopted one change which helps to decide the game based on real hockey, the 3 on 3..  Too bad they don't continue it in to a second period when the game would likely be decided without going to PKs.  I have witnessed more than a couple of games where the clear underdog played nothing but defense just to get to PKs, swhich would be their only chance of winning.

Deciding a winner, especially in important games in soccer and hockey is like deciding basketball games on free throws and baseball games on a home run contest.

Soccer could get rid of the horrible decision making PK situation by following the hockey mfethod of reducing players.  After one normal OT period, remove 2 players for 10 minutes (allow subs) then remove 1 more player per 20 minute period (again allow subs) then one more deletion until the game is decided by actually playing soccer.  This gives new meaning to the term Sudden Death instead of Golden Goal!.  What the he!! is a Golden Goal ?  It's just the game winner in OT, we don't need a clever new Marketing name for it!

[courtside]

Sometimes you have to find a way to win even when it isn’t your most effective day. 

SLU controlled the game and chances. Fordham sat behind the ball. And, Fordham defended well in the box and in the final third. Some passes, especially aerially, and some service, were off a little bit much of the day. It was a good style of play test for SLU. 

Yes, Fordham changed keepers for PK’s. Their PK playing keeper also takes PK’s for them, and, he was on their list to shoot. Patrick had the great save in the first half, and he had a great PK save. He’d like the first PK back as he was in great position diving to his left, but the ball trickled off of his arm and in. He saves that one a lot of the time. But he made the save on the other one.

Good game from all A-10 Luke McNamara at Center Back for Fordham. They marked well and cleared well often in the box. 

It took a little while, but chances were created from wingbacks finding Becher near post runs in the first and 2nd halves. Otherwise it was Parker prior to that from the wing. SLU had a handful of left footed players bend far post off, either just off of the post or just wide with their right foot. Another left footed player, Niece, just missed a header finish near post. 

SLU just couldn’t get the final touch and finish. Shots were 12-3. Corners were 9-0. 

Iwan Webster, who’s been out much of the season with injury, is a Maryville U transfer, where he was a D-2 All American at left inside back. (They have a top 10 D-2 team this season). Kevin Kalish’ nephew plays there. 

All 4 SLU penalties were well taken. 

Schulte

Murana, Keller, Niece, Vaughn

Leeth, Palazzolo, Buendia, Parker

Becher, Klein

A-10 Championship Sunday at Noon vs Duquesne.

 

 

 

[cgeldmacher]

18 hours ago, Billikenbooster said:

Wifey and I took in the game. Exciting, was anxiously fearing a breakaway opportunity for Fordam in the second half. 
Cold, windy day. Rewarded with great athletic plays by our goalie and the strikers. 
Looking forward to Sunday at noon as well.

Go Bills!

 

Wow.  You were at SLU a long time yesterday.

[HoosierPal]

Soccer Bills up 2-1 at half over the Dukes.  ESPN+ for those interested.  Sunny and windy.

[ThreeTimeBilliken]

Is there anyone who actually enjoys listening to Bill McDermott?

The guy is awful.

Stop trying to impress people with useless soccer trivia.

[BIG BILL FAN]

7 minutes ago, ThreeTimeBilliken said:

Is there anyone who actually enjoys listening to Bill McDermott?

The guy is awful.

Stop trying to impress people with useless soccer trivia.

I like him... 

[ThreeTimeBilliken]

Two Duquesne Players ejected.

One punched Becher

The second said something offensive to the ref.

[brianstl]

8 minutes ago, BIG BILL FAN said:

I like him... 

I like him, too.  
 

Plus, the SLU home broadcast team for soccer is light years better than any other program has for any sport for ESPN+ exclusive broadcasts.  

[ThreeTimeBilliken]

Billikens are the A-10 Champions

They should receive a first round bye and a second round home match

[brianstl]

Always impressive when you can head to the NCAA tournament without a loss. Team should get a bye, a high and a chance to play at least a couple of games at home.  

[Bay Area Billiken]

Bravo Billikens️

[slufanskip]

37 minutes ago, ThreeTimeBilliken said:

Is there anyone who actually enjoys listening to Bill McDermott?

The guy is awful.

Stop trying to impress people with useless soccer trivia.

I love him. 
 

I enjoyed the Johan Cruyff discussion especially since he has always been a favorite of mine.

SLU players were smart, Keller and a few others to keep SLU players out of the fracas. We’re still playing, they are going home. 
 

Nice game by the Bills. I don’t get that the Dukes dominated the early part of the game. Sometimes the shot count doesn’t tell the story. 

[billikenfan05]

46 minutes ago, ThreeTimeBilliken said:

Is there anyone who actually enjoys listening to Bill McDermott?

The guy is awful.

Stop trying to impress people with useless soccer trivia.

This is an extremely unpopular opinion. That’s just Bill being Bill. He’s certainly not trying to impress anyone. Nor does he need to. 

[DeSmetBilliken]

59 minutes ago, ThreeTimeBilliken said:

Is there anyone who actually enjoys listening to Bill McDermott?

The guy is awful.

Stop trying to impress people with useless soccer trivia.

When I covered the soccer teams for the University News 15+ years ago, I’d sit in the press box during games. Many times Bill was there, and I always enjoyed listening to him talk soccer. Knowing more about the sport now, I’d love to watch a game with him.

[HoosierPal]

 

[Gremio14]

2 hours ago, brianstl said:

I like him, too.  
 

Plus, the SLU home broadcast team for soccer is light years better than any other program has for any sport for ESPN+ exclusive broadcasts.  

I also like Bill. Definitely old school, and uses the phrase “any league in the world” a bit too much, but constantly exudes his love of the game.

That said, I disagree our broadcast team is light years better than anyone else. My favorite A10 soccer broadcast  team is easily Dayton’s. Only listened to them on the women’s semifinal call; however their play by play guy stuck to calling out who had the ball, and their Scottish color guy totally understands the game with some bang on analytics. 

[courtside]

15 hours ago, Gremio14 said:

I also like Bill. Definitely old school, and uses the phrase “any league in the world” a bit too much, but constantly exudes his love of the game.

That said, I disagree our broadcast team is light years better than anyone else. My favorite A10 soccer broadcast  team is easily Dayton’s. Only listened to them on the women’s semifinal call; however their play by play guy stuck to calling out who had the ball, and their Scottish color guy totally understands the game with some bang on analytics. 

That’s a good example. They did a nice job with the Women’s conference tourney broadcasts. There are several other places around the country in various leagues that also do well with their college soccer telecasts. (and other sports)

[courtside]

I think SLU has a good chance for a top 8 National seed today. We’ll see. Not a guarantee. Anything can, and does happen. Washington, Oregon St., Georgetown, Notre Dame, Duke, Tulsa, Kentucky, are some of those in the mix with SLU. SLU’s RPI will be about 14 or so. That will be a bit higher than some of the other contenders. SLU had no losses, and swept regular season league and tourney titles. But some others have some signature wins as well as some common opponent wins etc…8th in the Coaches poll last week doesn’t hurt as it is part of the several criteria considered. 

A-10 Conference Tourney Final: SLU found ways to advance in the conference tourney when SLU wasn’t as efficient as it can be, and, will need to be moving forward . It’s that time of year. But overall well done. It’s difficult to go a full season and conference tourney without losing a game.

Two goals, both from head ball clears to the top of the box. Start of the game needed a little more urgency. Simon unmarked on Parker’s rebound. And Buendia hit a one timing a clear back in traffic through screens that found the corner. 22 shots, 12 corners. You’d like a 3rd or 4th. But you take it. 

Becher, Klein, Schulte, Vaughn, Niece all tourney team. 

 

 

 

[SLUBALLS]

1 hour ago, courtside said:

I think SLU has a good chance for a top 8 National seed today. We’ll see. Not a guarantee. Anything can, and does happen. Washington, Oregon St., Georgetown, Notre Dame, Duke, Tulsa, Kentucky, are some of those in the mix with SLU. SLU’s RPI will be about 14 or so. That will be a bit higher than some of the other contenders. SLU had no losses, and swept regular season league and tourney titles. But some others have some signature wins as well as some common opponent wins etc…8th in the Coaches poll last week doesn’t hurt as it is part of the several criteria considered. 

A-10 Conference Tourney Final: SLU found ways to advance in the conference tourney when SLU wasn’t as efficient as it can be, and, will need to be moving forward . It’s that time of year. But overall well done. It’s difficult to go a full season and conference tourney without losing a game.

Two goals, both from head ball clears to the top of the box. Start of the game needed a little more urgency. Simon unmarked on Parker’s rebound. And Buendia hit a one timing a clear back in traffic through screens that found the corner. 22 shots, 12 corners. You’d like a 3rd or 4th. But you take it. 

Becher, Klein, Schulte, Vaughn, Niece all tourney team. 

 

 

 

I will add the Dukes' goalie kept out 2-3 sure goals in the first half.  And the post helped on Buendia's early shot on goal.

Great crowd yesterday. The atmosphere was as it should be at Hermann.

[courtside]

37 minutes ago, SLUBALLS said:

I will add the Dukes' goalie kept out 2-3 sure goals in the first half.  And the post helped on Buendia's early shot on goal.

Great crowd yesterday. The atmosphere was as it should be at Hermann.

Yep. Over 5,000 yesterday according to SLU. (Pretty chilly, and very unusually windy few days) Also according to SLU the Billikens had 3 of the top 10 regular season attendance games this season. 

 

[SLUBALLS]

10 Seed.  Play either Maryland or LIU in second round on 21st.

[RUBillsFan]

6 minutes ago, SLUBALLS said:

10 Seed.  Play either Maryland or LIU in second round on 21st.

10 seed is a little disappointing given some of the rankings (#2 on Top Drawer, #6 on College Soccer News, and #8 in Coaches Poll).  I guess the #14 RPI pulled us down.

Assuming they get past LIU, Maryland (#19 on Top Drawer, #16 on College Soccer News, #12 in Coaches Poll and #22 in RPI) seems like a really tough draw in the 2nd round.

There are 48 total teams and the 16 seeded teams get a bye.  I'm not sure if this is how it actually works, but if the teams are all ranked #1 - #48, you'd expect the 1st round to be #17 vs #48 with the winner playing #16, #18 vs #47 w the winner playing #15, etc.  Since SLU is #10 that should make Maryland #23 and #42 LIU.

IMO SLU is getting screwed twice here: they're slightly under-seeded at #10 and their likely 2nd round opponent Maryland is very underrated at #23.