[tolstoy]

The prize at stake Thursday night for the Pilots and Lobos is the round of 32 in Virginia's bracket and a trip to Raleigh, NC to face #15 seed North Carolina State.

This is a game thread not a Lobo thread. I'm hoping Portland, West Coast Conference and all other fans will jump in here too for lively discussion, predictions and analysis.

Pilots Return to the Postseason, Will Play at New Mexico

http://www.portlandpilots.com/news/2...aspx?path=msoc

The Pilots last advanced to the 48-team NCAA tournament in 2007.

“We’re obviously happy to be in and we’re looking forward to going to New Mexico,” Portland Director of Soccer and head coach Bill Irwin said. “The guys have done well and deserve to be there and we will be ready for the game Thursday night.”

Portland finished the regular season with a 10-5-5 overall record and was fourth in the West Coast Conference with a 4-4-4 league mark. The Pilots are one of four WCC schools to make the tourney as regular season champion San Diego received the league’s automatic berth, while Saint Mary’s and LMU received at-large bids. The last time four WCC schools reached the postseason was in 2004.

New Mexico to Face Portland in First Round of the NCAA Tournament - Lobos to host first round for the first time since 2005.

http://www.golobos.com/sports/m-socc...111609aaa.html

During the most critical weekend of the season, the University of New Mexico men's soccer team went 1-0-1 at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament and earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. The Lobos will host Portland on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. MT at the UNM Soccer Complex. This marks the seventh time New Mexico has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in the last nine years. Akron is the overall No. 1 seed in the 48-team field.

The Lobos are 12-6-1 overall, including a 5-2 mark in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. New Mexico clinched its seventh NCAA berth by tying Sacramento State 2-2 in the Championship Game of the MPSF Tournament. The Hornets advanced on penalty kicks at the conclusion of two overtime periods by a mark of 5-4.

[tolstoy]

Here's College Soccer News' first take on the match up

http://www.collegesoccernews.com/ind...es/Page560.htm

Portland (10-5-5) at New Mexico (12-6-1) - Portland earned an at-large berth out of the West Coast Conference after a solid season of play during which they were 4-4-4 in conference action. Midfielder Collen Warner (7g, 6a) is the go-to guy for the Pilot attack while goalkeeper Austin Guerrero does an excellent job between the pipes. New Mexico earned an at-large berth after recording a 5-2-0 mark in MPSF regular season play and advancing to the MPSF Tournament Championship match were they tied Sacramento State 2-2 but came out on the short end of a penalty kick shootout. New Mexico was awarded a more equitable first round venue this year rather than being required to travel as they have in past seasons. However, the winner of this contest will have to travel cross country to face North Carolina State.

[tolstoy]

Common opponents

Saint Louis: Portland 3-1 Win at home, UNM 3-0 Win at Saint Louis
San Francisco: Portland 1-0 loss at USF and 5-0 win at home, UNM 1-0 loss at home
Gonzaga: Portland 2-2 tie away and 5-1 win at home, UNM 3-0 win at home
Seattle: Portland 4-2 win at home, UNM 1-0 win at home

Pilots 2009 All Results - 10-5-5

9/4/2009 vs. Virginia Portland, Ore. L 0-3
9/6/2009 vs. Saint Louis Portland, Ore. W 3-1
9/11/2009 at Vermont Burlington,Vt. T 1-1 (2ot)
9/13/2009 vs. New Hampshire Burlington, Vt. W 1-0
9/17/2009 at Washington Seattle, Wash. W 2-1
9/25/2009 vs. Cal Poly Seattle, Wash. W 2-0 Details
9/27/2009 vs. Creighton Seattle, Wash. W 2-1 Details
10/2/2009 at Santa Clara Santa Clara, Calif. W 1-0 Details
10/4/2009 at St. Mary's Moraga, Calif. T 1-1 (2ot) Details
10/9/2009 vs. San Diego Portland, Ore. L 1-2 Details
10/11/2009 vs. Loyola Marymount Portland, Ore. W 3-1 Details
10/16/2009 at San Francisco San Francisco, Calif. L 0-1 Details
10/21/2009 at Gonzaga Spokane, Wash. T 2-2 (2ot) Details
10/25/2009 vs. Gonzaga Portland, Ore. W 5-1 Details
10/30/2009 vs. St. Mary's Portland, Ore. L 0-1 Details
11/1/2009 vs. Santa Clara Portland, Ore. T 1-1 (2ot) Details
11/6/2009 at San Diego San Diego, Calif. T 0-0 (2ot) Details
11/8/2009 at Loyola Marymount Los Angeles, Calif. L 0-1 Details
11/12/2009 vs. Seattle Portland, Ore. W 4-2 Details
11/15/2009 vs. San Francisco Portland, Ore. W 5-0

Lobos 2009 All Results - 12-6-1

Pre-season
08/21/09 at Tulsa (exhibition) Tulsa, Okla. W, 3-2
08/23/09 at Oral Roberts (exhibition) Tulsa, Okla. W, 2-0
08/27/09 vs. Southern Colorado (exhibition) Albuquerque, N.M. W, 4-0

Non-conference
09/01/09 at Saint Louis St. Louis, Mo. W, 3-0
09/05/09 vs. San Francisco Albuquerque, N.M. L, 1-0
09/11/09 vs. Indiana South Bend, Ind. L, 3-2
09/13/09 at Notre Dame South Bend, Ind. W, 2-1 (OT)
09/18/09 vs. UC Davis Albuquerque, N.M. W, 2-1
09/20/09 vs. Gonzaga Albuquerque, N.M. W, 3-0
09/25/09 vs. California Stanford, Calif. W, 2-1
09/27/09 at Stanford Stanford, Calif. L, 2-0
10/03/09 vs. Cal State Northridge Albuquerque, N.M. W, 2-0
10/07/09 vs. UC Irvine Albuquerque, N.M. L, 2-1 (OT)

Conference
10/16/09 vs. Seattle University Albuquerque, N.M. W, 1-0
10/18/09 vs. Cal State Bakersfield Albuquerque, N.M. W, 2-1 (OT)
10/23/09 at Air Force USAF Academy, Colo. L, 1-0
10/25/09 at Denver Denver, Colo. W, 2-1
10/30/09 at Sacramento State Sacramento, Calif. L, 1-0
11/01/09 at San Jose State San Jose, Calif. W, 1-0 (OT)
11/07/09 vs. UNLV Albuquerque, N.M. W, 2-0

Conference Tournament
11/13/09 at Denver (MPSF Tournament Semifinals) Denver, Colo. W, 1-0
11/15/09 vs. Sacramento State (MPSF Tournament Championship) Denver, Colo. T, 2-2 (2OT) Lost 5-4 in PKs

[tolstoy]

Pilots 2-2-4 on the road
Lobos 6-2 at home

Total Goals Scored/Per Game - Total Goals Allowed/Per Game

Pilots 34/1.7 - 21/1.05
Lobos 28/1.47 - 17/0.89

[SJAnfield]

How is it the Lobos get a home game and Sac State plays away? I'm not familiar with the NCAA tournament rules.

[tolstoy]

Originally Posted by SJAnfield

How is it the Lobos get a home game and Sac State plays away? I'm not familiar with the NCAA tournament rules.

Lobo RPI was 28 and Sac St's was in the mid 90s. Sac St. would not have made the tournament (not even on the bubble) if they had not won the PK shoot out.

[SJAnfield]

Sac State: Conference: 6-0-1, overall: 11-5-3
New Mexico: Conference: 5-2-0, overall: 12-6-1

other than one more win in the overall standings, I don't see why they get a better standing. Ok, the conference tournament was won on penalties, but Sac won the regular season conferance title as well. I would think Sac should be ranked higher.

[tolstoy]

Originally Posted by SJAnfield

Sac State: Conference: 6-0-1, overall: 11-5-3
New Mexico: Conference: 5-2-0, overall: 12-6-1

other than one more win in the overall standings, I don't see why they get a better standing. Ok, the conference tournament was won on penalties, but Sac won the regular season conferance title as well. I would think Sac should be ranked higher.

just measuring sac st., they don't stack up against the entire field enough to be in the top 32 which is required to host a game. they would not have even been in the tournament with their rpi, despite winning the conference regular season title

I've heard their facility isn't very good (i don't know this first hand) but i doubt that came into the committee's consideration

anyway, it's not a competition between those two schools in any way

i'm personally thrilled that a second team from mpsf made the tournament this year. the conference has to continue to develop for everyone's benefit so i'm also rooting for them to beat LMU just like i did denver last year

[tolstoy]

an article on healing an old wound and the seniors fulfilling a promise...

By Richard Stevens - Senior Writer/GoLobos.com

An old wound finally has been healed, finally has been forgotten. Jeremy Fishbein's University of New Mexico Lobos powered their way into the NCAA Tournament and a hurt that hovered in the fringes of this talented team's prideful consciousness was swept into the past.

The Lobos rode their respect as a program, their undeniable talent, and their strong RPI ranking into a first-round NCAA battle at 7 p.m. Thursday at the UNM Soccer Complex. The Lobos intended victim is Portland, a team that lost to the Lobos in Albuquerque in 2004 NCAA play.

"I know our seniors have been looking to host a game for four years," said UNM senior Justin Davis. "And we finally get a chance to do it."

for the rest of the article
http://www.golobos.com/sports/m-socc...111609aaa.html

[SJAnfield]

Originally Posted by tolstoy

just measuring sac st., they don't stack up against the entire field enough to be in the top 32 which is required to host a game. they would not have even been in the tournament with their rpi, despite winning the conference regular season title

I've heard their facility isn't very good (i don't know this first hand) but i doubt that came into the committee's consideration

anyway, it's not a competition between those two schools in any way

i'm personally thrilled that a second team from mpsf made the tournament this year. the conference has to continue to develop for everyone's benefit so i'm also rooting for them to beat LMU just like i did denver last year

Thanks for the clarification. I'm kind of new to the college game.

Yeah, our facility is small, only seating for 1500, but it is fairly nice. Decent playing surface, and the seating is typical aluminum benches. We have a mobile snack vehicle on the premises.

I'll be going for New Mexico, (Unless they meet the Hornets again). Good to see a strong showing for the conference. Good luck!