Number 7 seed Santa Clara hosts number 10 seed Notre Dame in an NCAA round of 16/third round matchup, with the winner advancing to play the winner of West Virginia (15 seed) at Wake Forest (2 seed). If Santa Clara wins and West Virginia pulls off the upset, the quarterfinal game between the two will be at Santa Clara. It's a contest between West and Midwest, between two relative power conferences in terms of college soccer, the WCC and the Big East (the latter placing 7 teams in this year's tournament with a 6-3 overall record so far). Notre Dame coach Bobby Clark returns to the Bay Area to face Santa Clara for the first time since his days as head coach at Stanford (1996-2000; 4-1-1 against Santa Clara during those years). Last year, Notre Dame won in the round of 16 for the first time, winning at number 5 seed Maryland in the second overtime period, 1-0. Santa Clara is undefeated at home this year, its only loss being away at Brown (the number 6 seed that lost at home to Old Dominion in the second round). The Broncos have three home draws this year, 1-1 to Stanford, 0-0 to Portland and 1-1 to Gonzaga. The game also features two MAC Hermann Award semifinalists facing up against each other, midfielder Peter Lowry of Santa Clara and forward Joseph Lapira of Notre Dame. Santa Clara's preview: http://santaclarabroncos.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/113007aaa.html Notre Dame's preview: http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/112907aaa.html It should be a great game (NCAA substitution and clock rules notwithstanding!).
We are buying our Quakes season tickets this afternoon, so three of us former ticketholders brought a fourth and fifth guy to the UCLA/SCU game to see if we can make two new Quake fans. I highly recommend going out to see the ND game. The students make a great crowd, the level of play was great, etc.
Yeah the "SEASON'S OVER!!!" chant when the UCLA player got mad for no reason and got the yellow card in the 86th or so minute was funny as hell.
Wow, that's harsh. Not to say they didn't deserve it... When I was in college (many many years ago) we never got treatment like that. Of course, we weren't in the tournament.
Well the UCLA player brought it on himself. He was in the section 107 corner so surrounded on two sides by SCU fans and he started going off to the ref for really no reason other than he was pissed the season was done. So the students let him have it. And so did the ref for that matter.
More notes: Santa Clara has an 18 game unbeaten streak going, spanning almost three months. (The 1-0 loss to Brown was on September 7.) Not counting spring games, Santa Clara has not lost at home to a non-conference opponent in over three years (September 26, 2004, 0-1 to Cal). Its last loss at home was 1-2 to WCC opponent Gonzaga on November 6, 2006. Attendance: The top two attendances at Buck Shaw this fall have been the Saturday night (7pm start) game against UCLA on 9-22-07 with 2333 there; and, the Friday night (8pm start) game against Portland on 10-19-07, with 2314 present. If it's not too cold or rainy, it seems reasonable to expect a crowd of between 2500 and 3000.
I'll definitely be there with the group in 101. Wednesday's game was a lot of fun...also the first college game I've seen where the right team actually came out with a win. Heh, you should make your way up to a USF game. Delle Alpi can (and will, most likely in this thread) go on for hours about their student section. They're bloodthirsty and usually very, very drunk. Classic atmosphere. So that's what they were chanting? Ha, priceless.
Well since you set it up for me The USF students are nuts, they sit on the top of the parking structure just beyond the goal (actually a great spot you can see the entire field really well and its free) and drink, chant, and sometimes light flares. Then at half time they stagger into the stadium and park there asses right behind the opposing goalie and just lay into him the entire second half. They were ejected from one game (yes the entire section) and at another an opposing player went down right in front of them and they practically surrounded the guy and just hurled insults at him, it took two security guards and one SFPD to get them back it was priceless. They are as much fun to watch as the game.
OH, believe me I would take everyone of them. They are loud and passionate, which truthfully are the only two requirements for the group.
Don't forget that was the same kid who scored the goal in the first half and taunted the students in front of the section. I think they started throwing cups at him, but they were on him the rest of the game.
What was the name of that fooL, isn't he the forward from salinas David Estrada freakin punk oh well they still lost anyways
Actually I meant the updating of Buck Shaw can start now, or are the women still in the tourney? It would be nice if the construction could start now on the new stadium, but we still have some time there with the vote on the land conversion not happening until next year.
Good crowd on Saturday but it was a shame to see the Broncos lose. I was really impressed with three of N.D. players. The striker who had to work alone up front but caused havoc, scoring one goal then creating and setting up the second goal in a great personal personal performance. This kid, (#10 Lapira, senior), is really special with a bunch of tools, all he needs is a haircut. The other kid #21 Morrow (sophomore) was OUTSTANDING. Lighting Fast, graceful, brave, intelligent and he has some future. I look forward to seeing him getting his shot at the Pro level. The Keeper looked as safe as a house. 6'6", good hands (senior) and it will be interesting watching him get a shot. Haircut needed badly here as well N.D. has a good solid squad with solid technically gifted players but #10 & #21 won this match on their own. Thier squad had shape in thier play especially width. Add to that a hungry striker and good things happen.
That kid #10 was last year's hermann trophy winner, and prior to the game Saturday had 25 points 8 goals 9 assists this season, although a far shot from his 22 goals last year.
No, the Santa Clara city council has to approve SCU and EQLLC's parking plan for Buck Shaw before construction starts. Which should be in the next week or so. After that THEN construction can begin at Buck Shaw.
Best line of the night from the crowd was during that quiet period when someone from the student section yelled to the keeper, "You look like a big german girl!!!!"
I hate to see teams playing with just one guy up front as it is so difficult for the striker to make an ongoing impact. This kid may have had more support last season but his only help in this game came from wide positions. He has a Brian Mullen type work rate. He is smaller that the today's prototype striker but he can really play. It will be interesting to see him develop. How well will he do alongside a Ching or McBride type of striking partner or will he better suited to play wide midfield in the pro game? The other kid #21 has some pair of wheels on him and he could really play as well.
Lapira came up with a couple of wonderful moments against Santa Clara. As Wee Man says, he's a kinda small for a forward. But he's no shorter than Donovan, I'd say. With an Irish mother, Lapira qualifies to play for Ireland and was called in by the senior national team earlier this year versus Ecuador at Giants Stadium. First amateur to play for Ireland in more than 40 years. I wonder if he'll end up in Europe rather than MLS...
With a European Union passport you can bet the farm that Lapira's opportunities in Europe will be better than with MLS. This is true for any player with a Europe passport, some talent and a desire to play.