ACC Armageddon (Round 1?)

Discussion in 'College & Amateur Soccer' started by padgman1, Oct 15, 2012.

  1. padgman1

    padgman1 Member

    Nov 17, 2009
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Is it too early to hype the UNC-Maryland match this Friday???

    For those in the know, how about some preview comments? Keys to the match?
     
  2. Well Duh

    Well Duh Member

    Jul 17, 2008
    Well there certainly is an additional variable with UNC having Mr Lovejoy back.

    He had a pretty decent opening act saturday evening dropping a hat trick on College of Charleston and then being named College Soccer News National Player of the Week and was named to the
    Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week.
     
  3. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Games like this are why the elite players come to the top ACC programs.

    As college soccer goes, it doesn't get much bigger in the regular season, especially in late October. The one-loss defending national champs vs. the undefeated consensus No. 1-ranked team in the country.
     
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  4. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Let's play a little Jeopardy for this game. Here's the answer, you guess the question.

    Dominique Badji, Christian McLaughlin and Riley Wolfe.
     
  5. Well Duh

    Well Duh Member

    Jul 17, 2008
    Who are the only players to score against the heels this year?
     
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  6. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    You are correct.
     
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  7. gsterp

    gsterp Member+

    Jul 16, 2003
    College Park
    Just a reminder to everyone that for some reason I do not understand, the game will be at 6pm on Friday instead of the usual 7pm. AKA if you're going to the game, leave (even) earlier to deal with the joys of Beltway Friday traffic.
     
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  8. xpowerout

    xpowerout Member

    Nov 17, 2010
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Maryland-UNC game is on ESPNU in front of a high school football showcase game, which is at 8:00 p.m. EST. Either way, this one is going to be HUGE. One of the best defenses in the nation against the best offense. Can't wait.
     
  9. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Yeah, is if No. 1 and Undefeated vs. One-loss and Defending champs wasn't enough, you get the stingiest defense in the country (0.22) against the highest-scoring team (2.92 per, tied with Cornell) just to give the game another cool subplot.

    Cornell, incidentally, doesn't play midweek, so if Maryland were to score 3 or more goals against Colgate tomorrow, they'd enter the game as the outright highest-scoring team in the country.
     
  10. tman1

    tman1 Member

    Jan 27, 2006
    UNC has problems with Maryland (based on past) under Elmer (past coach). Last year, game was down in UNC and UNC had Maryland down a man and still only nuzzled a 1-1 tie. Plus the heels didn't face Sunny Jane last year either as Jane was sitting for a red card. Just my 2cents but I like this Maryland team on Friday night. Don't know if true or not but I've seen a few UNC posters ping the current NC coach that he doesn't play the bench much. Needless to say if that's true come Friday night, the heels will be dead around the 60 minute mark as Sasho will run that bench of his through the pitch like there will be no tomorrow. Md 3 UNC 1....

    Tman
     
  11. JoeSoccerFan

    JoeSoccerFan Member+

    Aug 11, 2000
    This is going to be a good one. I'll be out of town. :mad:

    With Mikey Lopez and Boyd "OC" O.... returning from Spain after playing with the U20's and with Lovejoy's slow transition back into the lineup, UNC is going to be very good. They have not played an offensive team like Maryland - this season.

    Jonathan Campbell is going to have his hands full trying to match up against Patrick Mullins, but Campbell is savvy beyond his years. OC is key and he'll be trying to pick up either Tshuma or one of the pesky midfielders flying into the box.

    Lopez will have a difficult time with Stertzer's size. I wouldn't be too surprised to find Murphy helping out there.

    The key is Lovejoy's return. If Kemp returns from his hip injury, will Lovejoy match his hip to Kemp's - I expect Lovejoy will win this match up.

    I don't hold much hope for Cam Brown be able to create much with either Cyrus/Ambrose at MD RB. McCrary getting forward will be necessary to pull the MD RB out of position.

    Will Craven be able to find more space with Lovejoy getting more attention? Then, will he convert?

    I predict 2-1.
     
  12. bisbee

    bisbee Member

    Sep 9, 2010
    Hope this one lives up to all the hype...ought to be fun to watch. UNC win will help the Zips :D
     
  13. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    How, exactly?
     
  14. bisbee

    bisbee Member

    Sep 9, 2010
    As far as the potential to get a top 4 seed.
     
  15. xpowerout

    xpowerout Member

    Nov 17, 2010
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Even if Taylor Kemp isn't available for this match, Mikey Ambrose has been very good at LB, as it's his natural position. Jordan Cyrus has been a delightful surprise at RB, and has been doing better than Widner Saint Cyr did there last year. It's gonna be a physical match though, that's for sure.
     
  16. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    I can't imagine losing to UNC would drop Maryland out of the top four. However, beating Maryland might help UNC move into it.

    Be careful what you ask for. ;)
     
  17. thetank123

    thetank123 Member

    Dec 28, 2009
    Unless Maryland losing to UNC triggers some weird RPI movement, it would probably be better for the Zips if Maryland ran the table rather than ending with 1 loss. I can't imagine a drop from 1 to 2 would do much and I would keep them at 1 even if they did lose.
     
  18. JoeSoccerFan

    JoeSoccerFan Member+

    Aug 11, 2000
    Yep, agree.
     
  19. No shinguards

    No shinguards Member

    Mar 21, 2008
    The Moon
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    I think a lot rides on who scores first...

    Considering the SOS that Maryland has, it's impressive that they are at the top of the scoring charts. UNC hasn't seen this much offense this year, so the "best" defense is little bit of a mis-nomer ... to me, the test is really on UNC.. not UMD.

    BUT.. if UNC scores first.. they can bunker down and hold.. which is something UMD sees a lot, but hasn't converted on with regularity.

    UMD has so many weapons it's hard to pin point any specific go to player.. Sunny's production this year is low, albeit he is fun to watch.. Stertzer hasn't produced like he is capable of.. but you see Christiano, Eticha, Endo, Shinsky come on the field, and the play changes, but doesnt drop..... the bench goes on forever...

    If UNC is going to win, they have to score first, and get behind the ball... I do not think they will match up man to man and the longer the game goes on without a UNC lead, ( even if it's tied at 60 minutes), the more likely it is they will lose.
     
  20. bisbee

    bisbee Member

    Sep 9, 2010
    Agree,but I can always hope for a doomsday scenario whereby the Terps lose to UNC and Wake and UNC loses one of their remaining 3 games ...makes my head hurt:ROFLMAO:
     
  21. Vilhelm

    Vilhelm Member

    Sep 9, 2005
    I think Maryland will beat UNC and lose to Wake.
     
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  22. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Maryland will have some work to do to enter the UNC game as the highest-scoring team in the country. They're scoreless with Colgate at the half.
     
  23. No shinguards

    No shinguards Member

    Mar 21, 2008
    The Moon
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Quite sure the team doesnt care about the scoring statistic as much as a W. Which they got. ...2-0 Maryland
     
  24. xpowerout

    xpowerout Member

    Nov 17, 2010
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maryland rolled out a very sub-heavy lineup (check the boxscore or the Terps thread to see it) tonight -- only two regular starters (Ambrose and Edwards) were in at the beginning of the game.
     
  25. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    I agree they don't care about the scoring statistics at all.

    Just from a hype perspective, highest-scoring team vs. best defense is a bit sexier than "second highest scoring team."
     

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