Lady Vols Soccer ⚽️ SEC TOURNAMENT 11/3-11/10
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Aladywhovolunteer
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brittannica
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orange beard
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Wow--that last goal was....what? Michel misses the header, the ball goes to a Nebraska player, she shoots it and Price jumps up in the air and the ball rolls under her and into our goal.
We played well defensively against one of the highest-scoring teams in the country and certainly could have won the game. But we gave away a goal at the end of the first half--which you just can't do in the NCAA--and we simply aren't good enough in attack. We were certainly not a good team this year--squeaked into the tournament with a losing SEC record, greased past Xavier in a game we certainly didn't deserve to win...and yet had a decent chance to get to the 3rd round or even better. The irony! We were certainly resilient in the two NCAA games--but all in all, we simply weren't good enough.
We got very good play out of Lawton this season--a transfer who proved to be our best player, though it took our not-so-sharp coach two-thirds of the season to realize it. We will miss her talent and hard-nosed play....a lot. Hard to believe she spent half of every game standing on the sideline until Simmonds got hurt. We got good play out of Runyon, especially for a freshman--she's got load of potential. Simmonds and Nelson were disappoionting. I didn't expect much from Nelson, and she met my expectations. Zero goals and 1 assist in 10 SEC games plus 2 NCAA games. Over the same 12 game stretch Simmonds had 1 goal, 1 assist. Marvelous athlete but has to improve her overall soccer skills and decision-making and become a better scorer. Ultimately, it is the job of forwards to create, put balls on goal, put balls in the net--either by scoring or assisting others--and Lawton was the only forward who consistently did that.
We had 2 shots total and 1 SOG against Xavier--the sort of scuffed, deflected shot that proved the game winner.
Tonight we had 8 shots but only 2 on goal. We had countering opportunities in the first half but didn't shoot the ball or couldn't find the space the shoot; Lawton sent a couple of good crosses in but nobody got a head on them. Did we head in even ONE goal off a cross this year---all year? I don't think so. Somebody headed in a goal off a corner kick early in the season--non-conference game. Maybe Mitchell--or Renie? That is the only headed goal I can remember all season. If anyone knows of others, please remind us. We didn't have enough crosses, a lot of the crosses we had weren't great--and nobody ever could get a head on one. If you look at why teams like Arkansas and Nebraska score a lot of goals, it's because they send a lot of crosses into the box and have three/four or more players in or around the box--and they score goals like Nebraska's game-winning goal tonight. We don't do that eough. What's more, we are not a good shooting team. You need players who can shoot the ball. Fusco is a super player but needs to continue to work on her shooting and shot-placement. Everybody does.
Next year we should have a strong midfield--and that's a good thing. Midgley has become an excellent midfielder--she and Fusco make a strong a pair. Stayart is a solid mid as well, plus we'll have half a dozen other mids. It should be a position of strength. If Katz comes back healthy, she'll help us a lot at outside back, as will a healthy Hofmann. Brown was pretty solid this year--speed is an issue with her but she's got a good feel for the game. We desperately need a /good/ defensive mid and a /good/ centerback to replace Renie. In fact, we need two of each--and how Kirt fills those holes will go a LONG way to determining how good we are next year. Ideally, we should have had young(er) players at those positions getting at least a little experience this year--but we had no other centerbacks and Kirt played only the two final-year players at defensive mid. You can't have mediocre players at those positions and be a good soccer team--no way. We look to have some good young talent coming in--and I hope Kirt plays some of it. Barr--who blew out her knee before this season--looks like a player who could help us if fully healthy. There should be others--and let's hope we can bring in a couple of good transfers. You have to nowadays or you are falling behind. And finally, and this has bothered me hugely for the last two years (have you noticed?!), we need better decision-making out of the coaches.
MAD Man: Thanks for all you do and have done for this soccer site all year. Your efforts and posts of videos/graphics/tweets, etc. have kept it bright and vibrant and been a much-needed corrective to all my long-winded analyses and general blather. Many thanks.
We played well defensively against one of the highest-scoring teams in the country and certainly could have won the game. But we gave away a goal at the end of the first half--which you just can't do in the NCAA--and we simply aren't good enough in attack. We were certainly not a good team this year--squeaked into the tournament with a losing SEC record, greased past Xavier in a game we certainly didn't deserve to win...and yet had a decent chance to get to the 3rd round or even better. The irony! We were certainly resilient in the two NCAA games--but all in all, we simply weren't good enough.
We got very good play out of Lawton this season--a transfer who proved to be our best player, though it took our not-so-sharp coach two-thirds of the season to realize it. We will miss her talent and hard-nosed play....a lot. Hard to believe she spent half of every game standing on the sideline until Simmonds got hurt. We got good play out of Runyon, especially for a freshman--she's got load of potential. Simmonds and Nelson were disappoionting. I didn't expect much from Nelson, and she met my expectations. Zero goals and 1 assist in 10 SEC games plus 2 NCAA games. Over the same 12 game stretch Simmonds had 1 goal, 1 assist. Marvelous athlete but has to improve her overall soccer skills and decision-making and become a better scorer. Ultimately, it is the job of forwards to create, put balls on goal, put balls in the net--either by scoring or assisting others--and Lawton was the only forward who consistently did that.
We had 2 shots total and 1 SOG against Xavier--the sort of scuffed, deflected shot that proved the game winner.
Tonight we had 8 shots but only 2 on goal. We had countering opportunities in the first half but didn't shoot the ball or couldn't find the space the shoot; Lawton sent a couple of good crosses in but nobody got a head on them. Did we head in even ONE goal off a cross this year---all year? I don't think so. Somebody headed in a goal off a corner kick early in the season--non-conference game. Maybe Mitchell--or Renie? That is the only headed goal I can remember all season. If anyone knows of others, please remind us. We didn't have enough crosses, a lot of the crosses we had weren't great--and nobody ever could get a head on one. If you look at why teams like Arkansas and Nebraska score a lot of goals, it's because they send a lot of crosses into the box and have three/four or more players in or around the box--and they score goals like Nebraska's game-winning goal tonight. We don't do that eough. What's more, we are not a good shooting team. You need players who can shoot the ball. Fusco is a super player but needs to continue to work on her shooting and shot-placement. Everybody does.
Next year we should have a strong midfield--and that's a good thing. Midgley has become an excellent midfielder--she and Fusco make a strong a pair. Stayart is a solid mid as well, plus we'll have half a dozen other mids. It should be a position of strength. If Katz comes back healthy, she'll help us a lot at outside back, as will a healthy Hofmann. Brown was pretty solid this year--speed is an issue with her but she's got a good feel for the game. We desperately need a /good/ defensive mid and a /good/ centerback to replace Renie. In fact, we need two of each--and how Kirt fills those holes will go a LONG way to determining how good we are next year. Ideally, we should have had young(er) players at those positions getting at least a little experience this year--but we had no other centerbacks and Kirt played only the two final-year players at defensive mid. You can't have mediocre players at those positions and be a good soccer team--no way. We look to have some good young talent coming in--and I hope Kirt plays some of it. Barr--who blew out her knee before this season--looks like a player who could help us if fully healthy. There should be others--and let's hope we can bring in a couple of good transfers. You have to nowadays or you are falling behind. And finally, and this has bothered me hugely for the last two years (have you noticed?!), we need better decision-making out of the coaches.
MAD Man: Thanks for all you do and have done for this soccer site all year. Your efforts and posts of videos/graphics/tweets, etc. have kept it bright and vibrant and been a much-needed corrective to all my long-winded analyses and general blather. Many thanks.
UNC has had trouble converting good play into goals this year. Some of their fans on another soccer board have been talking about it a lot. They play well but struggled to score--and today's game against bama was another example. Played well enough to score at least two/three goals in the first half but only got one--and that was it for the game. But they played excellent defense and made it stand up for the win, even as bama was more aggressive and sending more people forward in the second half. Bama did not have a SOG in the game!
Volstylexx
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Bad day for the SEC: 5 of the conference's 7 remaining teams lost. Miss. State, which had the easiest opponent, IMO, not that the Ivy League is easy (4 teams in the tourney), beat Brown, 2-1, to advance, joining Georgia. Stanford rounded out the string of SEC defeats by whipping South Carolina, 3-0. Bama, texas a&m, arkansas, and the Vols also went down. Arkansas' 3-4 loss to a good Pitt team seems to have been the most exciting game of the day.
MAD
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Lady Vols Fall To #15 Nebraska, 2-1
LINCOLN, Neb. – The Lady Vols dropped a heartbreaker at No. 15 Nebraska on Friday, falling in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to the fifth-seeded Huskers, 2-1.
Sophomore Macaira Midgley found the net for Tennessee (9-7-4). In goal, redshirt-sophomore Ally Zazzara finished the game with three saves.
Sarah Weber netted a first-half goal for NU (16-3-3), and Ella Guyott logged the game-winner. At keeper, Samantha Hauk recorded one save on the night.
"All year, our players have been determined and have been playing for their teammates to their left and right," said Tennessee head coach Joe Kirt.
"Together they found a way to get through some really difficult situations with so many players stepping up to overcome our injuries. They've always found a way to get through it together and get the job done when it mattered most. And that's what I hate for them tonight, that they weren't able to get over the hump. This season speaks to their strength, collective unity and their belief and support of one another through thick and thin. I feel proud and privileged to lead this exceptional group of young women."
The Lady Vols got the first look of the game six minutes into play when Kameron Simmonds ripped a shot from the top of the box, but it went straight to Hauk for the grab.
The Huskers got their first quality opportunity in the 19th minute when an open Eleanor Dale got a foot on a cross at the far post, but her volley sailed over the net.
Dale got off another shot two minutes later, but Lawson Renie was there to knock the ball wide for the corner, and the Lady Vols cleared.
Weber put the Huskers up 1-0 with 17 seconds left in the half, sprinting into the box to capitalize on a failed goal kick by Zazzara when she slipped just before making contact with the ball.
Midgley netted the equalizer just three minutes into the second half when Kennedy Price sent a cross into the box and the NU defense couldn't clear it, running onto the ball and one-touching it into the side net from 12 yards out.
Dale got a head on a set piece ball in the mouth of the goal in the 62nd minute, but Zazzara had the reflexes to collect the save.
Weber got another open look from just inside the box with 16 minutes left in regulation, but her shot curved wide of the goal.
The game looked destined for overtime, but with just under a minute remaining, a ball flicked by Jordan Zade landed at Guyott's feet on the back side of goal, and she tapped it over the line for the win.
The Lady Vols finish the season with a record of 9-7-4, having advanced to the NCAA Round of 32 for the 10th time in program history.
You watch teams like Pitt, Memphis, Arkansas, St. Louis and others play, and it's clear that our attack was very pedestrian. Not enough speed, not enough ball-striking ability, not enough heading, not the right players playing, in some instances....just not enough quality in any sense. I'm envious of programs that have top coaches.
Stmichael
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Was a fantastic game! Tennessee embodied what winners, warriors, do best; perservere during unforeseen challenges to achieve the mission. That's called courage in my world.
TurboVol doesn't understand high level athletics. TurboVol lacks real time analytical skills and situational awareness. Turbovol does not have 'locker room' or internal team knowledge. Yet, writes about it with unyielding confidence. TurboVol simply doesn't have a real life comprehension of competitive athletics. Classic 'jail house' lawyer level of knowledge - just enough information to fool the uninformed bystander. Weird.
Constructive criticism and critical analysis is welcomed and important for progression. TurboVol doesn't discuss tactics objectively or constructively. Instead, TurboVol names players followed by insults. Unbecoming at the least. TurboVol is the fastest googler on the planet.
Seriously
Tell the truth: 'Your a disgruntled parent', 'an athlete that didn't rise to the top and feels cheated', 'a Rec-league coach that thinks they are smarter than everyone else ?'
Coach Kirt is overcoming unique challenges that many could not:
The list goes on and on. And Coach Kirt had to do it without any warning just before the start of a season. He is evolving and has gained circumstantial (empirical)enlightenment related to his personnel and their capabilities.
Yes- the team needs to progress and will. All of these athletes are talented and watching their fight, grit and passion is a pleasure.
If your a player, fan, parent- stop reading this trash.
Oh, TurboVol is a douchebag.
TurboVol doesn't understand high level athletics. TurboVol lacks real time analytical skills and situational awareness. Turbovol does not have 'locker room' or internal team knowledge. Yet, writes about it with unyielding confidence. TurboVol simply doesn't have a real life comprehension of competitive athletics. Classic 'jail house' lawyer level of knowledge - just enough information to fool the uninformed bystander. Weird.
Constructive criticism and critical analysis is welcomed and important for progression. TurboVol doesn't discuss tactics objectively or constructively. Instead, TurboVol names players followed by insults. Unbecoming at the least. TurboVol is the fastest googler on the planet.
Seriously
Tell the truth: 'Your a disgruntled parent', 'an athlete that didn't rise to the top and feels cheated', 'a Rec-league coach that thinks they are smarter than everyone else ?'
Coach Kirt is overcoming unique challenges that many could not:
- Pensky abruptly departing followed by athletes with 'broken hearts' and feelings of betrayal.
- Players he did not uniquely recruit
- 5th year players, transfer portal,
- Managing an SEC team for the first time
- Injuries
The list goes on and on. And Coach Kirt had to do it without any warning just before the start of a season. He is evolving and has gained circumstantial (empirical)enlightenment related to his personnel and their capabilities.
Yes- the team needs to progress and will. All of these athletes are talented and watching their fight, grit and passion is a pleasure.
If your a player, fan, parent- stop reading this trash.
Oh, TurboVol is a douchebag.
chuckiepoo
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brittannica
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chuckiepoo
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Ha, ha: Good try, ace. You know nothing of sports--or soccer--but I'm not going to fault you for trying to defend the coach. The bottom line is that he's not shown himself to be a good decision-maker, period. There were no injuries last year. Players "he did not uniquely recruit." Seriously? He inherited a 20 win team FULL of good players--10 of 11 starters back, including two/three of the best/most talented players in the history of the program! He messed with the team, needlessly changed the formation and personnel, and screwed up the team. HARD fact. 20 wins became 11. An SEC title became a first-round loss; third round of NCAA to first-round exit. And then our two best players left the program.
This year there was more highly questionable personnel decisions--rolling out players week after week who weren't producing/playing well when there were better options on the bench--or at least options he could have tried, but didn't. Slow to make adjustments. For two-thirds of the season our best player spent half of very game on the sidelines. Played the wrong person at defensive mid for a big chunk of the season--it was obvious. I could go on but am not going to rehash points i've made before. We went from 11 wins to 9 wins--losing record in the conference. Lucky to get into the NCAA.
I do give the team credit for being resilient in the NCAA. A couple of the injuries hurt us this year, but in a couple of ways the injuries almost helped. Were it not for injuries, Lawton probably wouldn't never have started. When she did we became a better team. Brown wasn't a starter at the beginning of the season. You gotta be ready to make adjustments and changes to improve the team.
That's a very funny sentence--complete nonsense. This is Div. 1, major-college athletics. No coach is given time to "evolve." Please. You either have the chops or you don't. Coaching matters--ENORMOUSLY. You either make good decisions and win games or you don't. Georgia was one of the worst teams in the conference for at least 5 years. They hired a proven winner from Southern Cal and in two years have gone from the bottom of the conference to near the top--now in the 3rd round of the NCAA. See Pitt--another example. This is a dog-eat-dog conference. You better have it together or you will not win. Your good decisions better far outweigh you questionably decisions or you will not win. "First time SEC coach"? Yea, exactly.
I hope our staff succeeds. Truly. I want them them and the program to succeed. We could have a very successful program--but you need a very astute coach and staff to make that happen. I haven't seen astute. The proof is in the pudding--and the pudding has got watery. The time for "empirical enlightment" (ha, ha) is now.
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chuckiepoo
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MAD
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MAD
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MAD
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Jr_Vol#
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MAD
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brittannica
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If I remember correctly, Jaida already has her masters and, as turbovol pointed out, both Kam and Runyon are best in Jaida’s position. Emotionally I would like to see her come back just so she can finish her collegiate career on a higher note, but logistically I can see why she might not. I’m not sure about the other transfers. Huff and Rain going to Florida State made a ton of (albeit disappointing) sense as I imagine they made a gamble that Pensky will better develop them for the NWSL and maybe even international play (much less likely). The players seemingly like Kirt, and I thought their play during the NCAA tournament was some of their best play so I can’t really guess how it will shake out.
MAD
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MAD
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Doesn't Thomas say in the UT podcast above that she's yet to make a decision about next year. I didn't listen too closely to it, I confess, but I think that was the gist of her comment. Correct me if I'm wrong. She's a goal-scorer, so I want her to come back--but it's going to make our forward situation complicated.
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