I'm not sure why people have Rutgers so highly ranked in the preseason. They literally lost every meaningful contributor off last season final 4 squad, and none of the incoming freshmen can be guaranteed to fill those holes. I don't see Rutgers even making the tournament this year.
Rutgers looses to Syracuse on Sunday 14th - Score 0:3 but could be wrong maybe 1:3; the game score & results are not reported on their website schedule although the games are. The previous head coach Glen Crooks recruited all 10 seniors who left at the end of last season; all were starters, the group who for the most part put Rutgers into the final 4. This is the first freshman class which can be said to be all Mike O'Neil's and his staff's. With such a starting player void to fill, its hard to understand how the Big10 Coaches would project this team to finish 2nd; maybe on the strength of the Rutgers Coaching staff? Great coaches run effective practices that build talented players that result in competitive teams! With that in mind, the non-conference schedule will be very important to this team, the part of the schedule where the team can build upon their coaches practice sessions; last season the team didn't loose a game or allow a goal. IF the team is expected to finish second, which players do they expect to be the leaders?
My simulation has Rutgers finishing #30 in the ARPI, which would put it in the NCAA tournament, but not seeded. I have them finishing at #4 in the conference, but losing in the conference tournament quarters. But ... they've already underperformed what the simulation shows, as it has them beating Providence and, instead, they tied. And but ... I see Rutgers outshot Providence 24-4 and out corner kicked them 9-0, which suggests that the simulation's win for Rutgers probably was what one should have expected. So, at this point the simulation for Rutgers looks reasonable, but if everything else stays as simulated (highly unlikely) they'll end up poorer than #30 in the ARPI and might become a bubble team.
BYU drops a 1-0 home loss to Nebraska...that classifies as a wow result. Caught the second half on tv. BYU was unlucky not to equalize. The Nebraska keeper was caught outside of her box on more than one occasion only to be picked up by a trailing defender. That's Futbol
Pitt, whom I have maligned, not for skill or coaching but from a location recruitability standpoint, quietly defeats Ohio State and ties Michigan (2-2, i.e. not playing for a null draw).
Two, really. First, you took the bait, googled and proved my point (ultmately, the Burgh is unrecruitable). And by "quietly", nobody posted anything about the showings vs. higher-ranked B10. To Pitt's defense, they must have been flat as a pancake vs town team, it's a scrimmage. I guess my other pt is the B10 is overrated. What's yours?
Pitt win vs OSU was quiet because it was a scrimmage! Pitt is 0-1-1 after the draw at Michigan they lost on their home field to very local and dramatically less funded rivals Duquense. Pitt didn't schedule the return game in 2015 perhaps because Duquense beat them back in 2014 as well!? After Louisville, Pitt's ACC schedule is at BC, at ND, FSU and at UVA. They also get UNC and Duke. Tough road for sure.
Don't get me wrong, Pitt has no chance. However, the Michigan thing is surprising, and although a scimmage, if true, 2 zip over OSU was not some two-bit half roster Spring scrimmage. All things considered, since we're Pitt kickers, would you say a 2-2 game at Michigan was a wow result, as per the thread title? I think it is. Regarding Duquesne, the result is not surprising on closer inspection as they have been signing players earlier than Pitt. Particularly Western Pa clubs (en masse, Pitt doesn't get anybody from Riverhounds, Beadling, etc). For whatever reason. I wonder why... Do you have the funding figures for women's soccer between the two schools? Is Pitt a chronic hot seat preventing the signings that Duquesne bags?
Pitt draw at Michigan is a wow result in my view. But they washed it out by losing at home to Duquense. So what does that tell you (or an opposing coach on their schedule)? They are capable of scoring and getting a result against a good team but are not yet a mature, mentally tough group. Even against UM, after scoring late they allowed the 2nd UM goal with about 1 minute in regulation. I don't know if they are really battling over the same kids much in Penn West. I think after PSU takes who they want, Pitt should be a better draw than the Dukes but Pitt thinks they can recruit Nationally to the ACC and the University (as they should) so not sure if they are competing for local kids like Duq is. Duq is likely competing with Robert Morris, and the PSAC D2s in local recruiting much more than Pitt.
And the "kicker" is that the game winner was scored by, wait for it.............yes people, none other than a former Pitt player that was "given the ax"! Say what!?
rub it in... http://www.goduquesne.com/sports/w-soccer/duqu-w-soccer-body.html Pitt was one of the earlier poachers into Canada, aided by geography. Now they've lost that. Rutgers seems to be a hot spot destination for western pa. Tennessee lost to SE or SW Missouri St...scored in the 76th min of a 1-0 beat down of Liberty.
The Ohio State game was a pre-season game and is essentially meaningless. The Michigan game means something, as does the Duquesne game.
Looked it up. They played SEMO. Southwest changed names a number of years ago to just Missouri State.
MD wins 3-2 at William and Mary. Must be seen as one of very few wins for MD this year. They just tied Gardner Webb at home! Interesting that another former Pitt player scored all 3 goals although they are described as gifts in this release and by JD himself. One was shown as an OG at first (MD had 1 shot and 2 goals). They all count the same. http://www.tribeathletics.com/news/2016/8/25/womens-soccer-drops-home-opener-to-maryland.aspx
Colorado College 1, Pitt 0. Between this and Duquense even I have to say I'm surprised. Need to fix it up before ACC play. Is losing the Harmon kid that big of a loss for them? http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/w-soccer/stats/2016-2017/up3.html
Pitt hasn't established itself as a winning program yet to me. The only reason these are wow results would be conf affiliation. Duquesne is coming off its first A10 championship so regardless of $ spent, not a pushover. As for scrimmage results, I guess I started that by posting the Rutgers vs. Hofstra result, which I did only to bring it to the "right" topic after it was posted in the schedules thread. I agree they don't mean much at all.
My 2016 season simulation said Duquesne would win. It had Pitt winning over CC, but was very close to having the game as a tie. This suggests that what you are seeing is the "real" Pittsburgh.
Yea, Arkansas beating Duke is a shocker--the razorbacks were one of the worst teams in the SEC last year. But Fayetteville (like Starkville, Mississippi--Miss. State) is a difficult place to play. It's in the middle of nowhere and feels like it.
Arkansas plays a wild ass, kick the ball all over the field style of play. It is frustrating to play against. I am guessing Duke wasn't prepared for that. Good for Arkansas!
I've seen Duke's other two games this year and they can be scary good. They can put together periods of possession play that are sublime... and they have great talent all over the field. (BTW, I am not a Duke fan...) Bloopers happen all the time in competitive sports (and soccer is especially prone given its low scoring format.) The best teams can have an off night and be susceptible to surprising upsets. Assuming that the competition is somewhat in the same league, any team can have an otherwise unexplainable "off" game and/or "underdog" teams can play an inspired game and it's "upset city". The test will be to see how Duke bounces back. They should handle Coastal Carolina tomorrow and could really show their mettle next Friday when they play UNC. These two teams have been arch rivals for ever and Duke should be really pumped for that game and could smell blood as UNC is still srtuggling with the aftermath of injury.