Category: College Soccer

DMVSoccer.com NCAA Rankings for 9/25-10/17

In our last NCAA team rankings post, we ranked each DMV-area NCAA Men’s Soccer program for the 2018 season up until September 25, 2018. In our newest NCAA rankings, we’ve decided to take a look at how teams have performed since then, as opposed to ranking each program based on season long performance (which we will compile an in-depth spreadsheet for heading into tournament time).

Most Improved Teams

For every DMV NCAA team, we compiled a fairly in-depth spreadsheet that included the result and RPI of every opponent since 9/25. We calculated a point value for each result:

  • 1 point for a draw
  • 2 points for an away draw
  • 3 points for a win
  • 4 points for an away win

We calculated a total number of points earned for each team through the 4-7 matches (depending on each team’s schedule) that they’ve played since 9/25, and came up with an average number of points earned for that time span. We also calculated the number of points that each team earned in the matches prior to 9/25 when, came up with the average, and compared the change in points that each team earned from 9/25-10/17 vs prior.

One thing worth noting- if a team is already earning 2.5-2.8 points per match, Virginia for example, then obviously they’re not going to be towards the top of the list. We just thought it would make sense to recognize the teams which have really come into form since our latest rankings came out.

Average Points + Average RPI

In addition to calculating each team’s average points earned, we also wanted to take into account the RPI of each team’s opponent during the same time frame. So we came up with the average RPI rating for each team’s opponent, in addition to the average number of points earned:

Opponents’ RPI and Points Earned Rankings

We then took each team’s average opponent RPI and average number of points earned during that timeframe, we then ranked each team on both categories.

Final DMV Rankings for 9/25-10/17

Once we came up with each team’s opponents’ RPI and points earned rankings, we also factored in each team’s current RPI ranking, took an average of all three:

Overall ranking based on points per game + Overall ranking based on opponent’s RPI + Current RPI rating / 3 = average ranking

and that’s how we came up with our latest DMV NCAA team rankings for 9/25-10/17.

Full Spreadsheet:

Below is the entire master spreadsheet that we compiled which includes each team’s result, opponent RPI rankings, and more:

 

DMV College Soccer Rankings Through Week 2

As we’ve previously mentioned on Twitter, this season we are going to try to put together DMV college soccer rankings for DMV-area college programs on an ongoing basis. The goal is to increase awareness of what college programs in DC, MD, and VA are doing throughout the season. We will take into account all major polls, including United Soccer Coaches’, CollegeSoccerNews, TDS, NCAA, and others.

As of Tuesday, August 28th, here are our current DMV NCAA college rankings through week

1 University of Virginia – 1-0

ACC powerhouse UVA, coached by George Gelnovatch, defeated #19 New Hampshire 1-0 in their first match of the season thanks to a last-minute goal from sophomore midfielder Joe Bell. We will know more about this Cavaliers side in the coming weeks, with Maryland and VA Tech on the schedule for next week after they take on Elon on Thursday.

2. Virginia Tech – 2-0 – First Place in ACC Coastal Divison

Coach Brizendine’s Hokies went through preseason undefeated, beating quality opponents like WVU, Villanova, and ODU. They’ve started the regular season 2-0 and on top of their ACC division, beating Air Force 2-1 and Gardner-Webb. Junior Forward James Kasak has assisted 3 of Va Tech’s 4 goals thus far. The team heads to Florida for away matches vs South Florida and UCF, before traveling to Charlottesville where they take on UVA. We should know more about Virginia Tech’s squad in the coming weeks.

3. Georgetown – 1-1

Picked by many as a National Top 10 powerhouse, The Hoyas won their first match of the season at South Carolina but then picked up an away loss against a tough Coastal Carolina side. They take on Radford this Friday, followed by Stanford next Monday which will be a tough matchup for Coach Wiese’s side. Freshman goalkeeper Giannis Nikopolidis, the replacement for J.T. Marcinkowski, was named Big East Goalkeeper of the week. Senior defender Brendan McDonough was named to the preseason Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List, and with Achara already opening his scoring account this season vs South Carolina, it’s hard to believe that the Hoyas won’t string together some results in the coming weeks.

4. University of Maryland – 0-1

Coach Cirovski’s Terps program will see a lot of new faces stepping in this season, with the team losing starters Eryk Williamson, Jake Rozhansky, Gordon Wild, and George Campbell after last season, among others. Long-time assistant coach Brian Rowland took the head coaching job at Temple, so the Terps are getting a fresh start this season. In their first match of the season, they traveled to Washington State where they lost 2-0 to a National Top 10 program in University of Washington. However, the Terps had an impressive offseason, heading across the pond to take on English clubs Queen Park Rangers and others. This Friday night, they’ll take on Stanford at home, followed by Virginia on Monday at Audi Field, and UCLA at home on Friday. Coach Cirovski will know more about his squad in the coming weeks, with a defense anchored by standout junior defender Donovon Pines, returning players Sebastian Elney, Omar Sedic, Paul Bin, and goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair looking to avenge last season’s early NCAA tournament defeat. Newcomers Brett St. Martin and Justin Gielen will also look to contribute off of the bench.

5. William and Mary – 1-1

Led by senior standout forwards Antonio Bustamante and Ryder Bell, William and Mary started the season 1-1 after defeating Saint Joseph’s 2-0 and dropping a tough overtime defeat to Villanova. Bell has started the season with 2 goals and 1 assist, while Bustamante (named to preseason Mcc Hermann Watch List) has 3 assists thus far. Head Coach Chris Norris will know a lot more about his team this season in the coming couple of weeks, as they travel to Chapel Hill to take on UNC this Friday, followed by away matches vs NC State and Loyola.

6. Loyola – 2-0 – First Place in Patriot League

United Soccer Coaches, TDS, and College Soccer News all have ODU as the next best DMV-area team in terms of their National Rankings, however I’m a firm believer in this Loyola side based on their season last year, and pieces they’ve added this offseason. Standout sophomore goalkeeper Chase Vosvick, who had an impressive offseason down in Florida with Montverde Academy’s PDL side, will look to improve on his Freshman season, already allowing only 1 goal in 2 matches for Steve Nichol’s Greyhounds. In their first 2 matches, they defeated Rutgers at home 3-0, and Mount St Mary’s at home 3-1. Junior standout forward Brian Saramago, aka Saramagoal, was named to Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List and registered a hat trick in the second match vs Mount. Senior CB Mickey Watson has a new partner in crime in transfer Jake Dengler, who scored his first goal of the season vs Rutgers, and with an impressive and deep midfield highlighted by senior Gabriel Carlsson and junior Barry Sharifi, combined with an impressive front 3 of Saramagoal, Josh Fawole, Sam Brown, and Nico Brown back in the mix this season, this Loyola side has the necessary pieces in place to compete for an NCAA Tourney spot. We’ll know more after the Greyhounds travel to Villanova this Friday, followed by William and Mary at home a week later.

7. Old Dominion University – 1-0-1

Head Coach Alan Dawson’s Monarchs started the season with a 1-0 home victory vs Radford, followed by a 2-2 overtime draw vs Georgia Southern. Senior forward Max Wilschrey from Germany leads the team with 3 goals thus far. ODU will take on Santa Clara at home this Friday, followed by another home match vs Temple on Sunday. We will see where ODU ranks once they’ve played a few more matches, as GW and UMBC who have both started the season undefeated will look to continue their winning ways.

8. George Washington University – 2-0 – First place in Atlantic 10

The hardest part of our first DMV college soccer rankings was not putting GW higher up in the rankings, after the Colonials have started the season 2-0 and in first place in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Head coach Craig Jones spent some time across the pond this offseason recruiting replacements for departing seniors Koby Osei-Wusu, Alex Conning, Christian Lawal and Oliver Curry. Freshman Jordan St. Louis left early last season to pursue a professional contract in Switzerland, and Simon Fitch transferred to VCU. However, Coach Jones seems to have found some players who can step in and contribute immediately, including grad student Haukur Hilmarsson from Iceland. Junior midfielder Drini Redzepi and sophomore defender Joshua Yurasits lead the team in assists with three a piece, and Max Holdsworth a Junior midfield transfer from American adds more depth to the Colonials’ midfield. Senior goalkeeper Thor Arne Höfs looks impressive thus far this season after a standout junior season and spending time training at DC United this offseason. But the story of the season thus far in the DMV area? Sophomore striker Osca Haynes-Brown, who notched a second half hat trick in GW’s first match vs Stony Brook, followed by four goals at home vs American. GW takes on Lehigh at home on Saturday, followed by Brown next Friday.

9. UMBC – 2-0 – First place in America East

Coach Pete Caringi’s Retrievers lost senior starters Tom Paul, Gregg Hauck, Cormac Noel and leading scorer Sammy Kahsai this offseason, but seem to have reloaded with incoming transfers Cesare Marconi who scored two goals in their 3-2 home victory over Rutgers last night, and Jackson Becher who scored the game winner vs Temple to help the Retrievers start the season 2-0 and on top of their conference. Freshman goalkeeper Quantrell Jones, who has participated in the USYNT Residency Program, came in as what many believed to be the sure starter, by sophomore goalkeeper Ciaran O’Loughlin has been able to retain his starting spot in the net. There may still be some questions in terms of depth in UMBC’s back line, but the Retrievers will look to continue their winning ways at home on Friday night as they take on College of Charleston, followed by a home match Sunday night vs Air Force.

10. VCU – 1-1

VCU had the type of season last year that should probably see them higher up our list, however through only 2 matches we have them at #10 with the potential to move up in coming weeks. They’ve started the season with a 3-0 win over Radford and a 2-0 loss to Georgia Southern, and with upcoming matches against Temple and Santa Clara, we should know more about where this VCU side belongs in the rankings throughout the season as they look to push for an NCAA tournament appearance.

11-16 (in no particular order) – American, Howard, George Mason, JMU, Navy, Radford

The goal of our poll isn’t to make any teams or players feel down on themselves themselves by picking them last in our rankings, so we’ve decided it would be better to group some of the programs together. Also, through one 1 or 2 matches, we expect our list to completely change over the next week weeks.

In the 11-16 spots, we have American University, Howard, George Mason, James Madison, Navy, and Radford.

American got off to a hot start, beating George Mason at home 2-1 with midfielder Fabio Massaro earning Patriot League midfielder of the week. However, in their second match against GW, American dropped a tough 6-0 result with only 10 men. They’ll look to rebound on Friday against a very tough WVU side at home.

Coach Phillip Gyau’s Howard side won their season opening against Bryant 2-1 on Friday night behind goals from Andres Gomez and Victor Guirma. Howard will look to continue their winning ways tonight at 7pm as they travel to Philadelphia to take on La Salle.

George Mason and head coach Greg Andrulis have a lot of new faces this season, highlighted by Sophomore transfer Colin Brezniak. The Patriots dropped their first match of the season vs American 2-1 with a goal from Grant Robinson. They’ll look to rebound on Friday night as they take on an undefeated Drexel (2-0) side at home.

James Madison has started the season 1-1 after defeating Gardner-Webb 4-0 and losing to Air Force 1-0. They aren’t in action again until next Friday when they take on Cal State Fullerton, followed by UC Irvine, before returning to Virginia to take on Radford at home. JMU is a team which could put together a string of results and move into the top 10, but it will depend on how they perform in the coming weeks.

Radford has started the season 0-2 after losses to competitive programs ODU and VCU. Things don’t get any easier for head coach Bryheem Hancock and squad as they travel to Georgetown this Friday, followed by matches against James Madison and Coastal Carolina.

And last but not least, I spent some time out at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis last week taking in a training session from Navy Head Coach Tim O’Donohue and staff. It’s no secret that Coach OD is attempting to rebuild the program, bringing in 10 freshmen this season with outside back Ben Huynh from Seattle Sounders Academy, forward Jacob Williams from Baltimore Armour, center backs Tyler Collins from Mount Saint Joe’s and Baltimore Celtic and 6’6″ freshman Matt Nocita from Porter Ranch, California stepping in as the immediate backbone of the team. Sophomore Wyatt Millard has the pace and ability to get in behind opposing back lines, and with junior Diego Manrique anchoring the midfield, Coach OD and staff have some good pieces in place. Sophomore goalkeeper Ian Bramblett has gotten the start thus far for the Midshipemen, but following a 1-0 opening night loss to Manhattan followed by a 2-0 loss to NJIT, the “trust the process” motto in Annapolis will be in full effect during the season as their coaching staff continues to make changes. One of the biggest question marks will be up front, with freshmen Bayne Bentley and sophomores Phillip Gustafson and Nicko West battling for the starting spot. West scored Navy’s only goal thus far off of a Jacob Williams shot on goal. Williams leads the team in shots and almost scored vs Manhattan. Navy take on Air Force this Friday night at home, followed by College of Charlerston on Sunday and then Howard on Wednesday night.

 

2018 MLS Combine Guest Blog Post: Chris Lema, Georgetown

This is a guest blog post from 2017 Georgetown captain Chris Lema, a New York Red Bull Academy product who has been involved with the US Youth National Team at both U-17 and U-20 levels. Chris spent the past few days at the MLS Combine in Orlando, as he prepares for Sunday’s MLS Draft. Chris was nice enough to share his Combine experience thus far with DMVSoccer.com.

Chris Lema Georgetown

The Days Before

Leading up to the combine, my nerves were calm, but I was excited to get back in touch with a soccer ball. Being that my Georgetown team had been done with the season since our NCAA second-round defeat, I had not been able to play soccer on a regular-sized field in quite some time. New Jersey (where I live) had an abundance of snowstorms over the winter break, which made it a lot more difficult to get around. In order to prepare for the combine, I had to find indoor pick-up spots all over New Jersey, and do both my workouts and runs indoors in my local Planet Fitness.

I was later introduced to RC Performance, where I was training alongside Brandon Allen- going through some high intensity soccer and agility drills that I believe helped both my technical ability, and fitness- leading up to the combine and draft. Training prior to the draft was something that I knew was important, especially because I knew my body would have to adapt to the Florida climate.

On Monday, January 11th, I arrived at Newark Liberty International airport for my one-way flight to Orlando, where I met up with two other players (Brian White of Duke, and Mamadou Guirassy of NJIT) who I knew were also traveling to the combine.

The flight was comfortable and quick from New Jersey to Orlando, but as soon as I got off of the plane I felt the dreadful Florida heat and humidity. This was the reason why I pushed my boundaries in terms of fitness over the past couple of weeks.

As soon as I arrived at the hotel, I could read all of the signs welcoming the 2018 MLS Combine Players. Everything from hotel key cards to pre-printed schedules which had “2018 MLS Combine” featured on them, and that’s when it started to sink in.

2018 MLS Combine

Chris Lema

Throughout the trip, all of the players had a first-class experience. We had our own personal Player Combine Lounge where we could enjoy some snacks, drinks, and of course play some FIFA 2018 (on Xbox One). We had three meals a day, and everything was healthy and delicious. One of the best parts about this week was that we had quite a bit of down time in between games where we could hang out with other players, catch up on some TV shows, and have meeting with numerous MLS teams. These meetings were considered “interviews” in which the team’s staff would ask you questions pertaining to both your soccer ability and personal life.

The idea was for teams to get to know you as both a player, and as a person. After the questions pertaining to how much you were enjoying the combine, some of the more popular questions were:

1) Do you like to win or hate to lose?
2) What are some strengths and weaknesses that you have?
3) How was your college experience, and how has it helped you develop?
4) How did your youth career help you get to where you are now?
5) Tell us a little bit about your family.
6) Give us a rundown on how you thought you played.

Throughout the day, you would hear players talking about their interviews with other MLS teams, and joke about the weird questions they got asked, which included riddles with a certain amount of time to answer. Once in a while, a team would throw you a curve ball question that requires a lot more brain power than usual, to try to catch you off of your game.

When players weren’t talking about their meetings, they were certainly talking about their stock going up or going down, as several articles and forms of social media post opinions on how players are doing. I tend to not let these things affect me. I just keep my head high and play the style of soccer that I’ve been playing for the past 21 years of my life, which I believe is the secret to performing well in the  combine. I wanted to control what I had control over, and play my game.

If someone one day asked me if I had any advice for them leading into the combine, I would tell them to play the way you know how to play, keep the game as simple as possible, play both sides of the
ball, and try to get as many touches on the ball as you can. That’s what I wanted to focus on when I played at the combine, and I believe I did well in the three matches I played. I was happy with my performances, and was able to go home excited for what is to come in the next few days. Can’t wait for the draft!

DMV NCAA Soccer: 2017 Review and 2018 Preview

NCAA DMV Soccer Schedule

It was an exciting college soccer season in 2017 here in the DMV, with plenty to be excited about heading into next year. We’ll also have a new Division I program, Mount Saint Mary’s, competing in the DMV in Fall of 2018.

DMV Tournament Teams

University of Maryland was eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when they lost in PK’s to a tough University of Albany team, behind an outstanding performance by Albany goalkeeper Danny Vitiello.

There is little doubt that Coach Sasho Cirovski and his squad will be looking to come back stronger next season, and make a return to the College Cup. Graduating seniors include starters Jake Rozhansky and George Campbell, but the good news is that the Terps will be coming into next season with another year of experience under their belts, using the devastating tourney loss at home as motivation. The team is stacked with juniors like Eryk Williamson, Sebastian Elney, Amar Sejdic, Gordon Wild, the list goes on. Donovan Pines and Dayne St Clair will come back even stronger, and the Terps have a pretty decent recruiting class coming in which includes locals Justin Gielen (a dynamic forward from DeMatha who has professional ambitions), as well as defenders Nick Richardson who has been in the u-17 National Team mix and won last year’s Gatorade National Player of the Year…as only a junior…as well as defender Brett Saint Martin, who was voted All-State, All-American, All-Everything. All three players are on Coach Barry Stitz‘s Baltimore Celtic 2000 team, who compete at every level and are one of the best teams in the country.

Georgetown had another successful season under head coach Brian Wiese, winning the Big East Championship and earning a first-round NCAA Tournament bye. The Hoyas lost a heart-breaker at home to SMU in the NCAA tourney with only FOURTEEN seconds left in double overtime, but have an extremely young roster more than capable of returning to national prominence next season, highlighted by Junior standout goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski, who was outstanding all season for the Hoyas and seems destined to be a big-time professional goalkeeper once his playing days are over with Georgetown.

VCU was this season’s DMV Cinderella story, beating Maryland at Maryland 3-0 in the regular season, beating Rhode Island twice, and earning a first-round bye in the NCAA Tournament. It was the third NCAA Tournament appearance under 8th-year head coach Dave Giffard, who continues to establish himself as one of the top NCAA Soccer coaches in the country, looking to continue to build the Rams into national contention again next season.

 

UVA finished the season in the Top 10 in National rankings and will likely come back strong next year like they always do, earning a first-round bye in this year’s NCAA Tournament and finishing the season with a 12-4-5 record in a very tough ACC Conference. The Cavaliers finished with a 12-3-5 record, losing only 3 games despite being ranked number 9 nationally in the NCAA RPI Rankings. The Cavaliers’ Head Coach George Gelnovatch will enter his 23rd season in 2018, and 2017 was his TWENTY SECOND straight NCAA Tournament appearance, an NCAA record.

ODU won Conference USA, won their first-round NCAA Tournament game against NC State, and have a young nucleus in place highlighted by freshman standout midfielder Brandon Purdue. The Monarchs finished with a 13-6-2 record, were ranked 28th in RPI Rankings, and will look to return to the NCAA Tournament for a seventh time in the past nine seasons under head coach Alan Dawson, who has served as ODU’s Head Coach for 21 seasons, making the NCAA Tournament 12 times since taking over in 1997.

William and Mary won the CAA Conference Title and also made the NCAA Tournament, led by Junior striking sensation Antonio Bustamante, who finished the season with 15 goals and 5 assists, and scored FOUR goals in William and Mary’s CAA Quarterfinal game vs Hofstra.

And Virginia Tech also made the NCAA Tournement after a successful season in a tough ACC conference, beating Air Force in the first round before eventually bowing out to Michigan State in the second round.

In total, SEVEN teams from the DC/MD/VA area made the NCAA tournament in 2017, but the prospect of even more teams from the area competing for a spot next season is just as exciting.

Looking to Compete for an NCAA Tournament Spot Next Season

George Washington finished with a 9-7-2 record this season, competing in the Atlantic-10 conference. Freshmen Oscar Haynes Brown, Brady O’Connor, Simon Fitch, and Peirce Williams all got valuable minutes this season, and look to take the next step next year as head coach Craig Jones and his coaching staff continue recruiting efforts as they look to continue to build a competitive program in DC.

UMBC competed with a number of teams who made the tournament this season, beating Maryland at home, beating New Hampshire, and beating Albany in the regular season before losing to them in the conference tournament. The Retrievers graduate a few key seniors this year with starters Gregg Hauck, Cormac Noel, Tom Paul, and Sammy Kahsai all making way for younger players to step up next season. Matt Bailey and goalkeeper Ciaran O’Loughlin were both voted to America East All-Rookie team, and with U-17 National Team goalkeeper Quantrell Jones committed to UMBC for next season, the competition every day in training for Coach Pete Caringi’s Retrievers will start from the goal and hopefully work it’s way throughout the rest of the team, as UMBC look for players like Bailey, Tre Pulliam, Tre McCalla, Patrick Jean-Gilles, David Harris, and James Gielen looking to replace the goals that they’ll be losing with Kahsai moving on.

Loyola missed out on an NCAA Tournament spot despite playing an exciting brand of soccer all season. Steve Nichols‘ Greyhounds will come back even stronger next season, with a good young talented squad. Freshman Goalkeeper Chase Vosvick made First-Team Northeast Regional Team as a freshman, as well as Patriot League Rookie of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year. Sophomore Brian Saramago will look to stay healthy in 2018 after being voted First-Team All-Patriot League, and the amount of talent that Coach Nichols has at his disposal next season with guys like Barry Sharifi, Nico Brown, Sam Brown, Josh Fawole, as well as standout incoming center back Jake Dengler, who (last I heard) was set to transfer to Loyola from CCBC-Essex for next season, should see the Greyhounds be in the Nationally-ranked conversation next year.

Making Progress

George Mason, who were receiving votes for National Top 25 at the beginning of the season, will look to bounce back next year with a revamped squad after they graduate six seniors this season and 1 graduate student. One of the graduating seniors are leading scorer Henning Dirks, who scored 10 goals and added 7 assists this season. The Patriots finished with a 5-9-2 record but are very well coached under Head Coach Greg Andrulis, who will be looking to build on this season heading into 2018.

James Madison, who I thought looked very balanced at the beginning of the season, finished the season with a 9-7-3 record but earned some victories against quality opponents this season. They beat William and Mary 4-3 in regular season (before losing to them in Conference Championship Semifinal), beat 15th-ranked UNC Wilmington 2-0, and also defeated an FIU team in preseason who ended up going on to second round of NCAA Tournament before losing to Duke. JMU is only graduating one senior this season, and have a good core group of young players returning, including sophomore midfielder Manuel Ferriol who led the team in scoring with 7 goals, as well as midfielder Ben Dao.

Navy, for as much as we wrote about them in the offseason, were bound to have another difficult season ahead of them as Coach Tim O’Donohue and his coaching staff continue to revamp their squad.

The Midshipmen started four freshmen throughout most of the season, with a number of guys getting valuable minutes heading into next year.

Navy’s recruiting class is looking pretty impressive for next season, with TEN high school seniors currently committed to Navy, including local standout center back Tyler Collins from Mount St Joe’s (also a part of Baltimore Celtic 2000 team), Baltimore Armour U18/19 player Jacob Williams (one of the team’s leading scorers), two outstanding young goalkeepers in Tyler Fahning of Minnesota Thunder Academy, and Johan Penaranda who starts for a very talented NYCFC U18/19 USSDA team. A full list of Navy’s verbal commitments:

Navy Soccer

But what many don’t realize is that the DMV will have ANOTHER division one program competing in the area next season.

Mount Saint Mary’s, located in Emmitsburg, Maryland, has reinstated their Men’s Soccer program and are returning next season after a few years on hiatus. This is a program which had some success under former head coach Rob Ryerson in the early 2000’s, and will compete in the NEC Northeast Conference.

mount st marys soccer

New head coach Bryan Cunningham, who was formerly the Head Coach at UCF, has a reputation for developing MLS-level talent, including three first-round MLS Draft selections in Romario Williams (2015/1st rd/3rd overall pick), Deshorn Brown (2013/1st rd/6thoverall pick) and Hadji Barry (2016/1st rd/13th overall pick), in addition to current US National Team and NYFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson (2010/4th rd).

We had a quick discussion with Coach Cunningham earlier today, and he is more than excited about the quality of players his program has been recruiting ever since this past January when he took over as head coach.

“We’re very lucky to have the full support of the University. The President and Administration are all very serious about athletics here at the Mount, and we’re very excited about the team we’re putting together. Between the incoming freshmen, JuCo transfers, and other guys coming in, we think we’ll not only be competitive next season, but could make a case to become a Top 25 program.”

Coach Cunningham named Trevor Singer as his assistant coach back in August. Coach Singer was formerly an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at George Mason, who also spent some time at Temple. He has Academy coaching experience with FC Delco, and also serves as a National Team scout within the Region 1 ODP Program.

I asked Coach Cunningham about what he and his coaching staff thought of the quality of talent here in the DMV area, as they continue their local recruiting efforts which have resulted in verbal commitments from players at clubs like DC United, Baltimore Celtic, SAC, Baltimore Armour, and a host of others.

“In Florida, there were tons of quality players in the area from a host of different backgrounds, so we were lucky to have a lot of quality to choose from. We didn’t really have to leave our home market a ton, and here in the DMV area it’s very similar. The quality of talent here in this area is outstanding.”

Coach Cunningham wasn’t able to shed too much light on next season’s team until National Signing Day, but from what we’ve heard and what he tells us off the record, the prospect of ANOTHER Division 1 program competing in the DMV can only help raise the level of play here in the area.

“In terms of non-Conference games, we’re lining some matches up with top local programs and having discussions with a few teams that should see us with a Top 50 schedule next season. We definitely plan on playing local DMV matches, and are excited to compete in an area with so much talent.”

In terms of what to expect from Mount St Mary’s in Coach Cunningham’s first season, don’t expect them to park the bus every match either.

“We’re going to to attack. We’re not going to stay defensive and grind away to get results. I’d rather go 0-18 and play the right way, then have a winning season sitting in all match. Obviously I don’t expect us to go 0-18 with the amount of speed and athleticism we’ll have next season, but look for us to knock the ball and look to attack from the start”.

2018 NCAA DMV Season

Should Be Exciting

 

Between the seven teams that made it to the NCAA Tournament this season (Virginia, Georgetown, VCU, Virginia Tech, Maryland, ODU, William and Mary), the teams who competed this past season and look to take the next step in 2018 (Loyola, GW, UMBC), and the teams rebuilding through youth who are looking to play an attacking style of soccer next season (Navy, Mount Saint Mary’s, American U), there is a lot to be excited about heading into Spring NCAA Soccer and leading into next Fall.

Be sure to keep following us on Twitter @dmvsoccerdotcom as we’ll keep you updated on recruiting efforts for all DMV NCAA programs.

 

DMV NCAA Tournament Guide

The 2017 NCAA Men’s Tournament bracket was announced on Monday, with SEVEN teams from DC, MD, or Virginia participating in this year’s tournament.

Below you will find the 2017 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament bracket, each DMV team’s matchup,  links to purchase tickets for home games, as well as live stream links for each team.

2017 NCAA Tournament Bracket

NCAA Tourney Bracket

Thursday DMV Home Games

University of Maryland

Ludwig Field- College Park, MD

vs Albany, 7pm

University of Maryland soccer

 

Tickets:  $10 for adults, $5 for youth

Watch Live: BTNPlus

William and Mary

Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field- Williamsport, VA

7pm vs Columbia

William and Mary Soccer

Buy Tickets $8 for adults, $3 for youth

Watch Live: N/A

Virginia Tech

Thompson Field, Blacksburg, VA

6pm vs Air Force

VA Tech Soccer

 $10 for adults, $5 for youth

Watch Live: N/A

Old Dominion University

ODU Soccer Complex, Norfolk VA

vs NC State, 7pm

ODU Soccer

Buy Tickets $8 for adults, $3 for youth

Watch Live: N/A

Sunday DMV Home Games

Georgetown Hoyas

Shaw Field, Washington, DC

vs winner of SMU and Central Arkansas, 1pm

georgetown soccer

Buy Tickets $10 for adults, $5 for youth

Watch Live: N/A

VCU

Sports Backer Stadium- Richmond, VA

vs winner of Butler and Lipscomb, 5pm

VCU Soccer

Buy Tickets $10 adult $8 youth

Watch Live: N/A

University of Virginia

Klockner Stadium, Charlottesville, VA

vs winner of Fordham and St Francis, 5pm

UVA Soccer

Buy Tickets $7 for adults, $5 for youth

Watch Live: N/A

 

Maryland vs UMBC: Two Coaches Who Live and Breathe Soccer

umbc vs maryland soccer

For anyone who has grown up in Maryland as a soccer fan, if you don’t get excited about UMBC vs Maryland then you probably need to check this out.

Two local programs rich in history.

Two long-tenured, successful head coaches who love the game and recruit top local talent.

Two coaching staffs who have worked so hard to develop a close-knit, family atmosphere over the years, helping these young men develop both on and off the field, all while assuring them that they will forever be part of a special Terp or Retriever family.

The University of Maryland Terps, currently ranked number three in the country and yet to lose a game this season, take a short bus ride to Baltimore County tonight to take on UMBC at Retriever Park at 7pm.

I could tell you about Hermann Trophy-hopeful Gordon Wild and the Terps’ talented offense, made up of guys like Eryk Williamson and Jake Rozhansky.

Or we could talk about UMBC’s 1-0 victory over Maryland in the second round of the 2014 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament.

But you can read about all of that stuff on each school’s website:

UMBC: Retriever Men’s Soccer Hosts Maryland in Tuesday Night Showdown

UMD: NO. 3 MARYLAND AND UMBC CLASH TUESDAY NIGHT

I want to talk about the two guys at the helm of each program…head coaches Sasho Cirovski of Maryland and Pete Caringi of UMBC, two head coaches who are extremely involved in the local soccer community who paid their dues before finding success.

Two Head Coaches who LIVE The Game

Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski and UMBC head coach Pete Caringi both started their collegiate head coaching careers in 1991, 26 years ago… meaning they’ve been coaching for a lot longer than any of their current players have been alive. Two of the best coaches in the Nation who have been coaching Division 1 soccer for a combined 52 years, but both men have been students of the beautiful game for even longer than that.

Pete Caringi, Baltimore

Coach Caringi had a successful collegiate playing career at local University of Baltimore, earning All-American accolades twice at the Division II school where he is the all-time leading scorer and, to this day, is ranked 21st all-time in Division II goals scored with 70. Coach Caringi won a Division 2 National Championship with University of Baltimore in 1975, and later went on to play for the Washington Diplomats in 1978.

Pete Caringi Washington Diplomats

The Diplomats made the playoffs that year, before getting knocked out in the first round by a Portland Timbers side which made it to the Conference Finals before losing to eventual NASL Champions the New York Cosmos, who went on to win their third of five NASL Championships despite losing Pele the season prior.

How about this for a few names, the NASL All-Star team that season included:

  • The late great Giorgio Chinaglia, as polarizing figure off of the field as he was on it. The Italian scored 193 goals in 213 Cosmos games, not a bad strike rate.
  • Rodney Marsh, one of the best NASL players of all time (Tampa Bay Rowdies) and a former Manchester City legend, making 188 appearances for the club, and 211 appearances for QPR prior to that, scoring 106 goals in 6 seasons for the London club.
  • Carlos Alberto, who captained Brazil in 1970, winning a World Cup.
  • Franz Beckenbauer, who needs no introduction….Der Kaiser won 5 Bundesliga titles, 3 European Cups (aka Champions League), 2 Ballon d’Ors, four German Player of the Year awards, a World Cup in 1974, and a Euro Title in 1972 as a player… before going on as a manager to help Germany win the 1990 World Cup, a Bundesliga title with Bayern in 1993-94, along with a European Cup in 1995-96.
  • George Best was an All-Star Honorable Mention
  • Former DC United manager and current legendary soccer commentator Ray Hudson was second-team NASL All-Star that season.
(l-r) New York Cosmos players Johan Cruyff, Giorgio Chinaglia, Franz Beckenbauer  circa 1978

(l-r) New York Cosmos players Johan Cruyff, Giorgio Chinaglia, Franz Beckenbauer circa 1978

After his season with the Diplomats, Coach Caringi laced up his boots in the Maryland Majors Soccer League, which makes you think about his son Pete III currently helping Christos become a Nationally-recognized name. He later went on to be the assistant coach of the Maryland Bays professional side, eventually taking over head coaching duties in 1990 and then taking over at UMBC in 1991 at the age of 36, still considered young for a Division 1 head coach.

Spend 10 minutes speaking to Coach Caringi and you’ll realize how passionate he is about the game, especially when it comes to soccer in Charm City. The Baltimore native is more than happy to tell you about the old days of Highlandtown and Patterson Park Soccer, and how many former USMNT players grew up in his old stomping grounds of Southeast Baltimore (from a 2011 interview):

“Every Sunday at Patterson Park,” Pete Caringi said. “It was neighborhood against neighborhood and a lot of times friend against friend.”

Caringi played for Pompei and Perrella on the Baltimore Kickers. The Mangione brothers, Nick and Dino, played for La Dolce Vita and Ernie Cox for Casa Bianco. There were Dnipro and Tom’s Produce, Tommy’s Lounge and Post 38, the Baltimore Bays and Baltimore Comets.

There was passion and pride, talent and tradition.

“You come in here and see the love everyone has for Pep,” Caringi said, “and it takes you back to those days. And it’s not just a Curley thing or a Calvert Hall thing. They’re from everywhere — Patterson, Mount St. Joe, Dundalk — all the club players from years ago. It just says a lot about the soccer community in general.”

A quick personal story…I grew up in PG County, played in the DC-area WISL adult amateur league for a few seasons before moving to Baltimore. I ended up playing a few seasons in the Maryland Majors league for a Baltimore Colts team which competed for the US Open Cup, a few years before Christos was making all of the headlines, and here’s what I’ll tell you about Baltimore amateur soccer (compared to DC)…tackles are coming in, and you’re going to be sore on Monday mornings at work.

Guys take pride in the soccer-rich heritage here in the Baltimore area, from the Baltimore Kickers clubhouse that could always be seen on Broadway Street in the heart of Fells Point, to the Italy World Cup posters hanging on the walls at the local favorite deli here in Highlandtown, Di Pasquale’s. There’s the Maryland Soccer Hall of Fame in nearby DuBurns Arena, which includes a number of old Baltimore names, along with a game ball from Christos’ US Open Cup run last season.

A few random old school Baltimore soccer pics

htown

 

 

 

 

1930's Police Athletic League Soccer at Patterson Park

1930’s Police Athletic League Soccer at Patterson Park

 

 

bmore soccerCoach Caringi has a .610 win percentage over a 26-year career.  His 276 wins makes him the 26th-winningest active coach in the country, turning the small Baltimore-area school with only 13,640 students (compared to Maryland with 38,140) and somewhat meager resources (when compared to coaches of other National powerhouse programs on that list) into a Nationally-recognized program which has made 5 NCAA Tournament appearances, including the recent Cinderella Final Four run in 2014.

A local coach who came up living, breathing, and eating Baltimore soccer, who still pays respect to the greats before him and has managed to build a program by recruiting local players who will take as much pride as he does in seeing Baltimore soccer continue to flourish.

Sasho Cirovski, College Park

Sasho Cirovski

University of Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski is the fifth-winningest active head coach in NCAA Division 1 soccer, with a 390-144 record leading up to this season. His .710 win percentage over 26 seasons is ahead of programs who seem to be nationally-ranked every season, such as UVA, Notre Dame, UCLA, and other powerhouse programs. But if you think that Coach Cirovski started his winning ways as soon as he arrived in College Park back in 1993, you’re sorely mistaken.

Sasho Cirovski Youth

A young Sasho Cirovski (right foreground) in his native Macedonia in about 1969 with brother Vancho, mother, Ljubica, and sister Diana. (Handout photo, from same Sun article)

Before the Macedonian-Canadian soccer coach took the reigns for the Terps, the University of Maryland’s men’s soccer program only made ONE NCAA Tournament appearance since 1976. ONE NCAA Tournament appearance (in 1986) in 17 seasons, so it would be hard to say that he inherited a competitive program.

Coach Cirovski didn’t grow up in the DMV. He grew up on the borderline of poverty, living in a small Balctic town called Vratnica in Macedonia, where he used the beautiful game to escape some of the harsh reality surrounding him.

From a 2009 Baltimore Sun article:

Cirovski’s ambition was forged early, those who know him say, during his hardscrabble youth in the sleepy Balkan town of Vratnica.

There, Cirovski and his family lived in several rooms atop a barn filled with livestock: chickens, pigs, cows and horses.

“We had no bathrooms, hot water or refrigerator,” he said. “We took baths in a small tub in the kitchen, by the wood stove. But we probably grew up healthy. There was no candy in our lives.”

His parents were factory workers, poorly-educated but proud of what little they could give their three children.

Cirovski’s father, Trpemir – friends called him “Terp” – slogged around Europe in search of work. In better times, he would scrape to buy a soccer ball and send it home to his sons, Sasho and Vancho. “The whole village would play with that ball for a month, until it wore out,” Cirovski said. After that, they made do with substitutes. “Whenever a pig was slaughtered, we’d save the bladder, blow it up like a balloon and kick it around,” recalled Vancho Cirovski, 49.

“We’d play soccer wherever we were – on a hill, in the forest or on a riverbank,” the Maryland coach said. “We never saw games on TV because there were no TVs, but we heard older people talk about the great players. You developed an embedded love for the game. It became part of my DNA.”
Cirovski was 8 when his family emigrated to Windsor, Ontario. There, his father toiled long hours in a factory making car bumpers until being laid off for 22 months during the recession of the mid-1970s.”We were poorer than dirt and always in debt,” said Cirovski, by then a fast-rising player. “But if I needed to make a soccer trip, he would find a way to borrow $20.People trusted him to pay it back.”

For two summers, Cirovski labored beside his dad in the factory.”You came home from work with junk up your nose and dust all over your body, like in a coal mine,” he said. And he thought: The clock is ticking.

His father’s death at 52 upped the ante. “Life is the race for happiness,” Cirovski said, “I knew then that all I wanted to do was to live, eat and breathe soccer.” He has gone full tilt ever since.

“Sash works extra hard because he’s afraid of going backward,” said Vancho Cirovski, a self-employed entrepreneur in Windsor. “He remembers not having things. It’s always ‘go forward’ with him.”

Coach Cirovski’s desire to succeed can obviously be traced back to his days as a boy, where he had to endure hardships that would later in life make him the father of a Terps’ soccer family that has produced a countless number of professional soccer players.

Always remembering these experiences allowed him to continue to power through early struggles in his first few seasons in College Park… the feeling when you’re in a tough spot, but you know you’ve been through a HECK of a lot worse. He has since been able to successfully build the University of Maryland men’s soccer program into a National Powerhouse, despite going 3-14-1 in his first season, followed by four consecutive NCAA Tournament second round eliminations: University of Virginia in 1994, James Madison in 1995 via penalty kick shootout (a game my father drove me all the way to Harrisonburg to watch), William and Mary in 1996, and American University in 1997.

Since then, Coach Cirovski and The Terps have:

  • Won NINE Conference Tournament Championships
  • Won Four regular season Conference Championships
  • Made EIGHTEEN NCAA Tournament Appearances, with Coach Cirovski’s first season and 2000 the only two seasons when they didn’t make it.
  • Made it to the NCAA College Cup (NCAA Tournament Semifinals/Final Four) EIGHT times
  • Made it to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals ELEVEN times
  • Finished as NCAA Tournament Runners-Up once, in 2013
  • Won a National Championship twice, in 2005 and 2008

All while producing a long list of professional players, including a number of consistent USMNT players:

Retired:

  • Taylor Twellman
  • Jason Garey
  • Abe Thompson
  • Michael Dellorusso
  • Domenic Mediate
  • Danny Califf

Still Playing:

  • Omar Gonzalez
  • Mikey Ambrose (Atlanta United FC)
  • Marc Burch (Minnesota United FC)
  • A. J. DeLaGarza (LA Galaxy) *
  • Maurice Edu (Philadelphia Union) *
  • Tsubasa Endoh (Toronto FC)
  • Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes) *
  • Taylor Kemp (D.C. United)
  • Zac MacMath (Colorado Rapids)
  • Dan Metzger (New York Red Bulls)
  • Patrick Mullins (D.C. United)
  • Chris Odoi-Atsem (D.C. United)
  • Robbie Rogers (LA Galaxy) *
  • Chris Seitz (FC Dallas)
  • Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew)
  • John Stertzer (New York City FC)
  • Rodney Wallace (New York City FC)
  • Ethan White (New York City FC)
  • London Woodberry (New England Revolution)
  • Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

While Coach Cirovski didn’t grow up in the DMV area, he has established himself as one of the most respected coaches in the country, bringing a sense of pride to Maryland soccer. He can be seen at a number of local USSDA, USYSA, and high school games, recruiting the area’s best talent. He and assistant coach Brian Roland have an incoming class next season which includes DMV locals Nick Richardson and Justin Gielen who both look to be the real deal, to add to the Terps’ long list of nationally-ranked youth prospects that they are able to lure to College Park year, after year, after year.

Love of the Game, something both coaches (and a lot of us) have in common

Coach Cirovski’s humble upbringing, work ethic, and early mindset that saw him eat, breath, and live soccer…. from his early days in a barn with roosters and no working bathroom or hot water, all the way through adulthood where he’s now the head coach of one of the Nation’s top men’s soccer programs….combined with Coach Caringi’s local upbringing and identical passion for the beautiful game, makes this matchup more than just two local programs playing under the lights tonight at Retriever Park. Both coaches bring unique life experiences to their coaching careers, both coaches run successful programs, both coaches have developed professional players.

But more importantly, both coaches STILL love the game as much as everyone that will be in the stands or watching from the live feed tonight, which is to be commended. We’re lucky to have them here in the DMV.

 

 

 

College Soccer Preview: Week 4

NCAA DMV Soccer Schedule

There are some big games for DMV-area college programs this week, including the following:

Tuesday, September 19

GW @ #8 UNC 

Chapel Hill, 7pm

Watch live via stream

GW (2-3-1) Head Coach Craig Jones and team head to Chapel Hill to take on nationally-ranked UNC on Tuesday night. The Tarheels are 6-1 this season, coming off of wins this week against William and Mary (3-2) and Duke (2-1), and are currently second in the Coastal Division of the ACC.

GW comes into the match riding a streak of results as well, defeating Navy on Wednesday night 3-1 in Annapolis, followed by a double-overtime draw with UMBC on Saturday 1-1. Coach Jones seems to have found a bonafide starting forward in freshman Oscar Haynes-Brown, who scored in both matches and has scored 3 goals in his last 3 matches. Fellow freshman Brady O’Connor has started every GW match this season, scoring the game-winning penalty against Navy. This will be GW’s third match in 6 days, a difficult stretch for the Colonials who are 2-3-1 on the season.

ODU vs VCU

ODU, 7pm

ODU (3-1-2) Head Coach Alan Dawson and the Monarchs host VCU on Tuesday in a Virginia derby matchup. ODU is currently fourth in Conference USA standings, coming off of a 3-0 victory to open conference play against Florida Atlantic this past weekend. Freshman midfielder Brandon Perdue, who played for Richmond United USSDA, leads the team in scoring with four goals and an assist on the season, followed by Junior Max Wilschrey with 3 goals and an assist. Tuesday’s match will be the third in 7 days for ODU, defeating FAU and also earning a draw against a tough Campbell side last week, 1-1.

Virginia Tech vs Davidson

VT, 7pm

Watch live via stream

Virginia Tech (2-4) is coming off of two straight losses to ACC opponents: a 3-1 loss to Duke last weekend, followed by a 2-1 loss this past weekend to 12th-ranked Virginia. Head coach Mike Brizendine is hoping to get closer to a winning record after Tuesday’s match vs Davidson, who are 5-0-1 on the season and currently on top of the Atlantic 10 Conference.

American vs WVU

American, 3pm

American host a WVU side who is completing their third of three matches in the DMV area, coming off of a 3-1 victory over George Mason this past weekend, losing their first DMV match 3-1 vs UMBC this past week, American is 1-5-1 on the season, looking to turn things around against nationally-ranked WVU at home.

Wednesday September 20

 

UMBC vs Navy

UMBC, 7pm

Watch live via stream

A big DMV derby match on Wednesday night as UMBC hosts Navy at Retriever Park. UMBC (4-1-1) head coach Pete Caringi won his 450th collegiate game last Wednesday night, in a 3-1 victory against Nationally-ranked WVU, behind two goals from junior center back Kyle Saunderson and two assists from freshman Matt Bailey. This past weekend, the Retrievers came back from a 1-0 deficit at halftime to earn a 1-1 draw away against GW.

For Navy (1-5-1), head coach Tim O’Donohue continues to work with a younger squad, starting four freshmen and bringing a fifth off of the bench. The Midshipmen have lost their past 2 matches, a 3-1 home defeat to GW last week followed by a 2-1 loss at Duquesne on Saturday. Things don’t get any easier for Coach O’Donohue and company, with the UMBC match being the first of three games in a week for the Midshipmen.

JMU vs Radford

Radford, 7pm

Watch live via stream

JMU (3-2-1) head coach Tom Foley takes his Dukes’ side to Radford on Wednesday in another local DMV derby matchup. JMU defeated Niagra this past weekend 3-0 at home, Ben Dao scoring the first and leading the team in scoring with 3 goals.

Radford (coached by Bryheem Hancock) is also 3-2-1 on the season, coming off of a 2-0 victory against Howard this past weekend.

Georgetown vs Stony Brook

Georgetown, 4pm

Watch live via steam

Ninth-ranked Georgetown lost their first match of the season this past weekend, a 1-0 away loss to Xavier. Hoyas head coach Brian Wiese will look to get his side back to winning ways on Wednesday as they host Stony Brook who is 5-1-1 on the season and currently second in America East Conference standings.

For Georgetown, despite being 4-1-1 on the season and ranked ninth in the country, they are currently in seventh place in Big East standings, following their first conference loss this past weekend. Sophomore striker Achara leads the Hoyas in goals with five on the season, he also leads the team in shots with 12.

William and Mary vs Longwood

William and Mary, 6pm

Watch live via stream

William and Mary (3-2-2) is coming off of a 2-0 home victory against Campbell this past weekend, after dropping a close 3-2 away match against UNC last week. Head Coach Chris Norris’ Tribe team is currently fourth in CAA Conference standings, taking on a Longwood side which is 0-4-1 on the season. Antonio Bustamante, Ryder Bell, and William Eskay are all tied for leading goal scorers for William and Mary, with two goals a piece.

George Mason vs East Tennessee State

George Mason, 7pm

Watch live via stream

Mason head coach Greg Andrulis and company are currently in fourth place in Atlantic 10 Conference standings, with a 3-2-1 overall record. The teams above them: UMass and Fordham, are 4-2-1, so a win on Wednesday night at home could see the Patriots climb the conference standings as they host East Tennessee State.

East Tennessee State is 3-1-2 on the season, defeating Virginia Tech in preseason and also losing a closely-contested match against Nationally-ranked Kentucky 2-1.

For Mason, senior striker Henning Dirks leads the team in points with 4 goals and 5 assists, as well as in shots with 16 on the season. Sophomore Ryan Mingachos also has four goals, to go with Sophomore Tunde Akinlosotu‘s 2 goals and 2 assists on the season.

 

College Soccer Recap: #12 Georgetown hosts #1 Team in Country, UCLA

UCLA vs Georgetown

I took a trip to DC yesterday to watch the #12-ranked Georgetown Hoyas take on #1 UCLA, in what was a heated contest both on and off the field. Shaw Field, located directly on the Georgetown campus, was sold out, and the home crowd was absolutely electric. In terms of the weather, it felt like the sun was directly on top of everyone in attendance yesterday, and lets just say that there were probably more sweaty bodies in the crowd than there were on the field.

Both teams are coming off of tough losses from the weekend. UCLA, coming into the weekend ranked #1 in the country, suffered a 3-2 overtime defeat to the University of Maryland on Friday night in front of a record crowd at Ludwig field. Georgetown lost to an Akron team over the weekend which actually defeated Maryland last night. So, needless to say, both coaches would be doing all they could to come out of the weekend avoiding a pair of losses.

UCLA seemed to start off in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Georgetown Hoyas coach Brian Wiese favoring a 2-striker system with a 4-4-2 formation. Wiese got a ton of effort out of his entire team, especially up front through Senior striker Brandon Allen and Junior Alex Muyl. Allen is a big body, listed at 6’1″ but appearing much bigger on the field through his play. He was strong in hold up play, and worked his socks off throughout the match to make dangerous runs with and without the ball. Muyl, his striker partner, was no slouch either. His work rate and creativity, combined with his close touch in traffic, provided a number of opportunities against a UCLA defense that struggled to contain both forwards.

For UCLA sophomore forward Abu Danladi, who was voted the Gatorade National Player of the Year in his senior year of high school, was voted Freshman of the Year by Top Soccer last season, and looks poised to be a top draft pick if/when he enters the MLS Draft, absolutely terrorized the Georgetown defense throughout the match, especially in the second half. The Ghana-born striker was also strong in hold-up play, but also possesses the speed and strength that would have any defender in the country shaking in his boots once he’s coming at him. At 5’10”, 170 pounds, his physical presence and athletic attributes, combined with his excellent work rate, make him look like a combination of Obafemi Martins and Loic Remy. Okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but needless to say, I was impressed with the young man and expect big things from him once he takes the leap to the next level.

Anyway, on to the action, which started off with Alex Muyl for Georgetown finding himself behind the UCLA back line and going to goal, only to be fouled and taken down from behind by UCLA’s Michael Amick who was extremely lucky to escape with only a yellow card. Amick appeared to be the last man, and the referee’s decision to not asses a straight red wasn’t exactly met with open arms by the home student section. The free kick was taken by Georgetown’s Brendan McDonough, which was kicked directly into the wall.

I decided in the 20th minute to take my chances with the concession stand and go hunting for a bottle of water. After 20 minutes in line, only to find out that they ran out of water, I missed the first Georgetown goal which was scored by junior Brett Campbell. From what I gathered from my friend sitting next to me, it was a ball which bounced around the UCLA box, and put in by Campbell aka Johnny on the Spot. Either way, a goal is a goal, it just would have been nice to see it. Word on the street is that Georgetown is a pretty decent school, you would think they would have more than one person taking money at the concession stand, and that they’d have more water available during a holiday game against the #1 team in the country which felt like it was being played in Dubai somewhere, but what do I know.

I returned to my seat with 5 minutes left in the first half (yes, seriously) which ended without much to write about. Okay, I’m ready for an action-packed second half, let’s do this.

UCLA vs Georgetown

At some point in between my concession stand journey and the start of the second half, UCLA head coach Jorge Salcedo decided to switch to a 2-striker formation, which appeared to be a 4-4-2 from the naked eye. This is where Abu Danladi was at his most dangerous, and he absolutely gave the Georgetown defense nightmares in the second half.

While the weather may have cooled off a bit in the second half, the play on the field was more heated than before.

Georgetown was able to get a quick goal in the 46th minute when they were awarded a free kick in the middle of the field from 30+ yards out. With the free kick being in the middle of the field, and a right-footed Brandon Allen taking the kick, it didn’t appear to be a dangerous situation. However, the UCLA defense was unable to deal with a ball played directly in the middle of their box, and Georgetown sophomore Arun Basuljevic, who was voted Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season, got on the end of Allen’s free kick and played a looping header over 5’11” UCLA goalkeeper Juan Cervantes who watched the ball sail into his net.

2-0 Georgetown.

UCLA came out firing after the second goal, desperate to keep working for a result. In the 48th minute, UCLA’s Jackson Yueill, who is a member of the USMNT U-18 team and who was dangerous throughout the match, found himself with an opportunity in Georgetown’s box, only for his shot to find the outside of the net for a goal kick. A few minutes later, Danladi had an open shot at the top of the Georgetown box, only for his shot to find the hands of Georgetown freshman goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski, who is also a member of the U-18 National Team pool. Needless to say, there was talent on display at all positions on the field, in a heated #1 vs #14 matchup.

Abu Danladi continued to assert himself on the match in the 52nd minute when he was involved in some hold-up play in the box, laying it off to a teammate whose shot resulted in a UCLA corner. A few minutes later, Danladi had another opportunity of his own, a wide open header in the Georgetown box which was another easy save for Georgetown keeper JT Marcinkowski. UCLA was starting to threaten, against a Georgetown back line which looked a bit shaky.

It is worth noting, actually, that both back lines looked shaky in possession throughout the match. There were a number of unforced turnovers, bad passes, and both goalkeepers were guilty of kicking the ball out of bounds in back to back possessions despite not being put under pressure.

Anyway, back to the action, and guess who? In the words of Marc Jackson, “momma there goes that man again”, Abu Danladi finds the ball in the 56th minute and runs directly at the Georgetown back line, only for the ball to be cleared away. It’s only 11 minutes into the second half, and I already need another water break. Oh wait, I didn’t get the first water break. Well hopefully these guys are staying hydrated when they have the chance, because the pace of play is electric, thanks mainly to the Georgetown students and fans who lined the field and provided an excellent atmosphere.

Georgetown soccer fans vs UCLA

Georgetown students adding to an electric atmosphere at Shaw Field

Danladi was given another opportunity on goal, this time being set up by strike partner and fellow Ghanaian Abdullah Adam, but Georgetown keeper JT Marcinkowski was once again cool under pressure.

UCLA’s freshman sensation Jackson Yueill was once again able to assert himself on the match in the 68th minute when the ball was crossed to the left side of the Georgetown box. Yueill’s teammate found him on the top of the 18, and Yueill was able to take a touch and set himself up for a right-footed shot which deflected off of a Georgetown defender and smashed off of the crossbar, with Georgetown keeper JT Marcinkowski this time appearing to be beaten. The ball stayed in play, and Marcinkowski was forced to make a save directly in front of the left side of his goal, which resulted in a UCLA corner kick. Needless to say, UCLA was pounding on the door.

Following the corner kick, Georgetrown strikers Alex Muyl and Brandon Allen were given a much-needed break, with both of them working hard to keep the ball and work extremely hard in the severe heat.

From a tactical standpoint, both teams were able to get wide play out of their outside backs in the 4-4-2 formation. UCLA’s Chase Gasper, who is from Alexandria and attended Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC, was able to make a darting run up the left side of the field in the 70th minute. The hometown sophomore’s run up the field resulted in UCLA winning a free kick from around 25 yards out. The free kick was taken by Jackson Yueill, which was initially cleared by Georgetown, but the ball eventually found its way to Abu Danladi, deflects and bounces in the Georgetown box, and is finished by Jackson Yueill to make it 2-1. UCLA grabs the ball out of the net, and game on.

Two minutes later, Abu Danladi is played in behind the Georgetown back line off of a punt from UCLA goalkeeper Juan Cervantes, but instead of going to goal himself, he opts for the unselfish option and lays it off for a teammate, who was ruled to be in an offside position.

Another two minutes go by, and somehow Abu Danladi is able to create yet another scoring chance, this one being probably the most important of the match. Danladi finds the ball outside of the box, runs into the heart of the Georgetown defense, and appears to be taken down for a UCLA penalty kick. No call, however, and the traveling UCLA fans go ballistic. Following the ensuing corner kick, play is stopped and UCLA head coach Jorge Salcedo is spoken to by the referee, with the head coach visibly upset at the referee’s decision. In all fairness, he did appear to have an argument, with this being a crucial point in the match which could have resulted in the game being tied.

With 15 minutes left, former Loyola player Larry Ndjock, now playing for UCLA in his senior season, has a ball sit up for him which he crushes on the volley, only for JT Marcinkowski to push it over the bar in an amazing reaction save.

With Georgetown strikers Brandon Allen and Alex Muyl being reintroduced to the match, things started to turn in favor of the Hoyas. UCLA goalkeeper Juan Cervantes was starting to be put under pressure, and not just by the Georgetown players. The fans behind his goal were harassing him throughout the second half, including a pretty clever Finding Nemo Seagulls chant of “Juan Juan Juan Juan”.

UCLA goalkeeper Juan Cervantes hears it from the home Georgetown fans

UCLA goalkeeper Juan Cervantes hears it from the home Georgetown fans

The rest of the game involves an impressive (and probably unnecessary) flip throw from UCLA’s Seyi Adekoya which ended up going out of bounds. This ends up being the last notable threat on the Georgetown goal, with the Hoyas’ back line and goalkeeper being put under pressure throughout the second half. UCLA actually appeared to have three forwards with 8 minutes remaining in the match, and possibly as a result, Georgetown ends up getting their third goal (and the proverbial “nail in the coffin”), with junior Brett Campbell getting his second goal of the match. Both Georgetown forwards who were reintroduced, and whose hard work and skillful play had such a positive impact on the match, were involved in the goal. Alex Muyl and Brandon Allen were both credited with assists on the goal.

Okay, now I really need a water break, time to find a 7-11. And to top it off, as the game is winding down, Georgetown fans serenade the UCLA players, coaches and fans with a chant that they’re sure to remember on their long trip back to the West Coast.

“OOOOVVVVEERRRRRRAAAAAATED!”

 

 

 

Recap: Navy vs Ohio State

 

Glenn Warner Soccer Facility

We took a trip to Annapolis on Sunday to watch Navy soccer take on Ohio State at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility, located directly on the water in downtown Annapolis at the United States Naval Academy.

Coming off of a 3-2 overtime loss to a tough opponent in Oakland this past Friday, Navy head coach Dave Brandt and his team were hoping to put in an impressive home performance to improve their record to 2-1-1, going into two straight away games against Longwood and University of Maryland, respectively.

The Midshipmen were dominant throughout the match, and the only thing more beautiful than the waterfront background surrounding the pitch was Navy’s tactical and patient play. In what appeared to be a 4-2-3-1 formation with Senior Derek Vogel leading the line as the lone striker, very rarely was their back line left unprotected against an Ohio State team which preferred a more wide open attacking formation, made up of 3 and sometimes 4 attacking players.

Navy’s 2 holding mids stayed disciplined and patient throughout the match, and could usually be found directly in front of their back line whenever Ohio State was able to win the ball. Navy was also able to drop 10, and sometimes 11, players behind the ball during most of Ohio State’s buildup.

From a defensive standpoint, Navy’s back line- made up of freshman Ericson Bean, sophomore Dylan Struthers, sophomore Thomas Moore, and senior standout right back Michael Parker (from Owings, MD and who attended DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville)- looked strong, compact, and disciplined throughout most of the match. Their outside backs had no problem flying up the wing and joining the attack whenever necessary. Defensively, they were able to deal with whatever Ohio State threw at them, anchored by Senior goalkeeper Jackson Morgan who posted 2 saves, one of them being at point blank range from a wide open Ohio State player within 15 yards.

Navy’s defensive efforts from their back line and holding mids was paired with tidy play from their center attacking mid, sophomore Daniel Zaremba. Very rarely did Zaremba turn the ball over. His vision, movement, decision making, and close touch in traffic frustrated Ohio State for the final 2/3 of the match, after coming on as a sub in the first half.

Things got started off in the 17th minute when striker Derek Vogel was almost handed an opportunity. Ohio State’s center back played a poor pass out of the back, directly to a Navy player, who laid it off for Vogel whose effort failed to test the goalkeeper.

11 minutes later, senior Thomas Shiiba had a wide open look from the left edge of the 18-yard box after a Navy midfielder was able to drive at the center of OSU’s defense and lay it off to him, but his effort sailed over the goal.

In the ensuing buildup for Ohio State, in the 29th minute, #19 Marcus McCrary of Ohio State, who was active and very dangerous throughout the match, found himself with an open opportunity in front of goal. He tried to beat Navy goalkeeper Jackson Morgan near post, but his shot found the outside of the net.

Things started to get chippy around the 34th minute. Senior right back Michael Parker was able to keep the ball while under pressure from an Ohio State player, and was able to win a free kick after some heated physical play. A minute later, Daniel Zaremba, who had just come on as a substitute, drove into the box and appeared to have an argument for a penalty, but the referee deemed the OSU player’s tackle to be a clean one.

It didn’t take Navy long to get on the scoreboard after things heated up. Sophomore Aubrey Jones found the back of the net for Navy’s first goal, after he was played in for an open shot on the left-hand side of the box by sophomore Brock Dudley.

Ohio State was able to earn a free kick in the 43rd minute, but the effort resulted in a routine save by goalkeeper Jackson Morgan. The Buckeyes were then almost able to level the score right before half when #21 Jacob Duska found himself open in front of the Navy goal, but senior Michael Parker was able to deal with it and preserve the first half shutout through the same physical play that he asserted throughout the match.

1-0 Navy at halftime.

In the second half, Navy continued their dominating performance. In the 57th minute, Daniel Zaremba was able to dribble into the box and find himself with a clear opportunity, but Ohio State goalkeeper Chris Froschauer was able to make the save.

Jackson Morgan was able to make a save of his own three minutes later, and an impressive one. Danny Jensen from Ohio State found himself with a wide open shot from 15 yards out, which Morgan stoned from point blank range to conserve his clean sheet. This was a clear opportunity for Ohio State to level the score, one which Morgan denied to give his team a boost in confidence and lift the home crowd.

In the 71st minute, Ohio State were reduced to 10 men when junior defender Tyler Kidwell was sent off after being given a second yellow card on a play in his own box, which appeared to be either an intentional hand ball, or a push on a Navy player.

Navy, as a result, was awarded a penalty kick. Senior Derek Vogel stepped up to take the spot kick, but shot it right at the OSU goalkeeper in a poor effort.

Daniel Zaremba was unlucky to not find the back of the net a minute later, after having a shot in the box which deflected for a corner kick.

In the 76th minute, Vogel made up for his missed PK and converted an open header for Navy’s second goal, assisted by Brock Dudley who posted his second assist for the Midshipmen.

Navy soccer vs Ohio State

Navy was able to finish off the visiting OSU side in the 82nd minute, when Thomas Shiiba dribbled through a pair of OSU defenders and finished his shot past the OSU goalkeeper to complete a dominating performance by Dave Brandt’s Navy team.

For more information on the victory, including a video interview with Thomas Shiiba, visit the official recap over at Navy’s website.

Up next, Navy will head to Farmville, VA on Friday as they take on Longwood, followed by a tough opponent the following Monday- the University of Maryland Terrapins, in College Park.