UVA-DUKE (Quarters) [R]

Discussion in 'College & Amateur Soccer' started by rtiemens, Nov 30, 2004.

  1. rtiemens

    rtiemens Member

    Aug 16, 1999
    Virginia
    Anyone got an inkling on lineups/formations? Does UVA go with 3 in the back as they did last time against Duke in C'Ville? Or do they go with the 4 man backline that we saw against NM? Do they go with the big guns from the get-go, or do they (as apparently has been their pattern) keep some talent on the bench so as to keep the owder dry until the right moment?
     
  2. big bonnie

    big bonnie New Member

    Jul 13, 2002
    I'm gonna guess they'll go with the same formation they used in beating Duke in the ACC tourney. If I was the UVA coach, I'd insert Will Hall in the middle of the field from the beginning of the match, instead of midway through the first half. He changed the game up a bit last time they played, disrupting the middle of the field. I still don't see UVA beating Duke 3 times this season however. Duke had the first game wrapped up like an x-mas present, but let it slip away. Second game was pretty even but UVA caught Duke sleepin with unmarked men on the wings. Gotta go with Duke 2-1 in OT. Hub Orr with the game winner.
     
  3. graphro

    graphro New Member

    Sep 25, 2004
    UVA is likely to see a different lineup out of Duke compared to the first two meetings also. Most notably Rennie has shifted Chris Loftus to defensive mid after spending most of the season at forward. This was a great move and Chris has adjusted very nicely. Loftus was a little too slow to play up top, but his height (6'5") gives him a nice advantage at the dmid position. Plus he can still push forward on set pieces to get another tall body in the mix.

    Up top Rennie has been going with the freshman triumvirate of Spencer Wadsworth, Tomek Charowski, and Paul Dudley. Spencer has been a great striker all year, but seems to always take one too many dribbles when he gets the ball in a good spot. Tomek played in the midfield all season, but has looked good up top. He makes nice runs without the ball. Dudley started both halves against OSU at forward, and was the most physically imposing player on the field (6'7", 200), but in my opinion he doesn't have the quickness to be an effective striker. Of course, he's a force to be reckoned with in the air. And he did have the golden goal in the ODU game. He seemed to get winded pretty quickly chasing the OSU backs though. I'm not sure what happened to senior forward Nigi Adogwa as he wasn't even on the bench for the OSU game... perhaps an injury? I thought that he was playing pretty well at the end of the year, though he tends to try to do too much by himself.

    Should be a fun game, as these teams know each other very well by now. I'm guessing that it will be a very physical game.
     
  4. Dr Jay

    Dr Jay BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 7, 1999
    Newton, MA USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This match-up pits two high school teammates against each other - Mike Videira (Duke) against Chris Tierney (UVa). Both are freshman who graduated from Noble and Greenough in Dedham, MA. They played club together for FC Greater Boston.

    While its no surprise that perennial national-teamer Videira played crucial minutes for Duke this season, Tierney was less heralded a recruit. Nevertheless, he ended up playing in 20 games and scoring 3 goals for UVa.
     
  5. miamifutbol70

    miamifutbol70 New Member

    Jul 27, 2004
    West Palm Beach, FLA
    yeah this will be a game in which you will get your moneys worth.. you know the attendence is going to be out of control.. people are saying that an fox affilate might pick the game up.. so i might be getting lucky
     
  6. dncm

    dncm Member+

    Apr 22, 2003
    Boston
    Can anyone confirm the possibility that this game will be broadcast via one of the Fox affiliates? Also, if it is, will it be live or tape-delayed? Heading away for the weekend and would want to set the Tivo accordingly.

    Thanks in advance.
     
  7. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Can't confirm that it's on a Fox affiliate, however, it is on College Sports TV and if you have TiVo, then you have DirecTV and if you have DirecTV and are a soccer fan, odds are you have the sports package that provides Fox Sports World.

    The same package that includes FSW also has CSTV so if you have DirecTV and get FSW, you'll be able to watch this game. And if you got TiVo, you can watch it whenever you damn well please!
     
  8. Emile

    Emile Member

    Oct 24, 2001
    dead in a ditch
    Based on my single observation against OSU, Duke is a fascinating team - and one that is likely to be a beast in the next few years, if they can add some steel to their defense.

    I got the sense that they are just scraping their potential link-ups in attack. Videira doesn't have the ball enough, but when he does he makes great choices and has perfect touch. Wadsworth is just fun to watch and I really was impressed with Charowski, even though he didn't start. He seems energetic and tactically aware and hit a 25-yard rocket that Burse pushed over the bar.

    What's weird is that Duke doesn't really play much like a big team (at least in that game), even though they are the most gigantic group of soccer players I've ever seen. Loftus is suprisingly average on 50/50 balls for a 6'5 d-mid, and Dudley really wasn't a big aerial presence, rather playing most balls at his feet. You'd expect they would do nothing but whip high crosses but they were best attacking on the ground from the flanks. I'm not sure if this works for Dudley. Like graphro, I noticed how quickly he tired against OSU - playing a fast-paced ground attack is not really suited for such a big body. It will be interesting to see if their strategy or his position changes over time.

    I picked Duke to win this game in my poll, and I still think they have a shot. Its hard to imagine that Virginia will be able to hang three on them for a third consecutive game.
     
  9. YankeeHoo

    YankeeHoo New Member

    Aug 10, 2004
    NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    can anyone whos getting the game on cstv give us some updates as to whats goin on? i'd really appreciate it

    GO HOOS!!
     
  10. delo_pata

    delo_pata Member

    Jan 12, 2001
    Durham, NC
    Still 0-2 to Duke at the half.
     
  11. BigRedFootie

    BigRedFootie Member+

    Jan 31, 2003
    B-town
    Wadsworth scores uncontested after a wonderful serve from a Duke back (dribbled thru entire UVA D), 3-0 @ 60 min. UVA's D looks horrendous.

    BRF
     
  12. SoftTackle

    SoftTackle Member

    Jan 16, 2004
    Missoula, MT
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Does anybody have a rough idea on what percentage of Freeman's assists this year are from set pieces?
     
  13. kckicker23

    kckicker23 Member

    Jun 10, 2003
    KC
    [Jack Edwards]
    And Duke is drubbing Virginia!
    [/Jack Edwards]

    Go Duke!
     
  14. CUgrad01

    CUgrad01 New Member

    Oct 20, 2004
    Sounding more like the drubbing Creighton gave UVA in their house last year about this time.
     
  15. YankeeHoo

    YankeeHoo New Member

    Aug 10, 2004
    NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    if I remember correctly by drubbing, don't you mean, close game marked by UVa's implosion??? I believe it was a 3-2 final.
     
  16. CUgrad01

    CUgrad01 New Member

    Oct 20, 2004
    Bad memory. UVA went up 1-0 on a gift goal where the side judge conveniently overlooked a blatant offsides. It was a clear "homer" non-call. Creighton proceeded to score 3 goals in the second half in a completely dominating performance. UVA was shell shocked. It ended 3-1. You can, however, choose to sugarcoat the loss any way you want.
     
  17. CUgrad01

    CUgrad01 New Member

    Oct 20, 2004
    And not only that, but Creighton's defender who was the MVC defensive player of the year was not even in the game serving a red card penalty.
     
  18. kckicker23

    kckicker23 Member

    Jun 10, 2003
    KC
    Well all this talk about last year is great, but I believe Duke is heading to the 2004 College Cup Final Four!
     
  19. CUgrad01

    CUgrad01 New Member

    Oct 20, 2004
    The main point was that UVA seems to be making a habit of choking at home in crucial NCAA games. Congrats to Duke.
     
  20. kckicker23

    kckicker23 Member

    Jun 10, 2003
    KC
    Right right. Duke has certainly caught fire at the best time. We really slowed down after our incredible start, but it's good to see the Devils pick up their play when it matters most. Cliche, but it's true.

    Other teams certainly won't be looking forward to the hot Duke team right now, even though Duke will be an underdog in Carson.
     
  21. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Congratulations to Duke. They were the better team tonight and tonight is when it counts.

    They caught a lucky break when what looked like a very well taken UVa goal in the FIRST minute was called back on what looked like a VERY close offsides call, but Duke scored two very nice goals before the first half TV timeout and the game was never really in doubt after that.

    I've been a frequent critic of John Rennie in the past because I've felt he's played too soft a non-coference schedule and as such, his team isn't ready for the NCAAs and sometimes, hasn't gotten an at-large bid because their strength of schedule wasn't good enough.

    And, early this season, I thought that was the case again. But, I was wrong as this team has been dominant in this NCAA Tournament. This is a very good team. It has the typical Duke speedsters on the flanks, some nice size, to say the least, and some very good skill players in Mike Videira and Tomek Charowski, both of whom have a very bright future in this game. Their only senior starter is in goal but otherwise it is a very balanced team and if most or all of the underclassmen come back, this will be one of the teams to beat all of next year.

    But that's next year. While they won't be favorites, this is a team that is capable of winning it all if they play like they did tonight.

    Meanwhile, it's back to the drawing board, yet again, for Big Game George. I started giving him this nickname after he tanked in the ACCs and NCAAs year-after-year but promised to stop calling him that all this season if he won last year's ACC Tournament and I haven't called him that since. Last year's team that made the Sweet 16 was an overachieving group given their youth but ever other team he's had has choked in the NCAAs when they've been favored and playing at home.

    Consider, in his nine seasons at UVa, Gelnovatch has only played one game in the NCAAs outside of Virginia - last year @Wake Forest in the second round - and only two others - the 97 Final Four - away from Klockner Stadium.

    But despite that huge and continuous home field advantage, Gelnocatch has failed to reach the Final Four eight times, including losing FOUR quarterfinals along with one first round loss and two in the second, both after getting a first round bye.

    Obviously, the guy is doing something right as he has made the QFs five times in nine seasons, which is a pretty good accomplishment that shouldn't be diminished. And, he's done very well producing players for MLS and, in fairness to him, has had a lot of top-tier talent leave early.

    But, none of that changes the fact that he took over a program that hade made the Final Four in six of the previous seven seasons before he became head coach and has only been back their once in his nine seasons, none in the last seven.

    And, it's going to be a partial rebuilding year again next season as he loses five senior starters - three in the back, two in the MF - and will likely lose starting RB Hunter Freeman to Project 40.

    At some point, you just have to wonder if he's capable of getting it done in the post-season because despite more advantages - facilities, academics, reputation, conference and most importantly, access to the top talent through moonlighting with youth national team and ODP regional teams - the team has nothing but one second place finish to show for Gelnovatch's nine seasons.
     
  22. YankeeHoo

    YankeeHoo New Member

    Aug 10, 2004
    NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    yes, we choke, unfortunately much more often then others... and while I was wrong on the scoreline, Creighton did not get any of thier goals until the 75th minute... did they turn it on at the end, absolutely, but there's no sugarcoating the fact that the game was very close (i choose the word competitve, your hostility leads me to believe you'd disagree), especially since that 3rd goal came very late in the proceedings.
     
  23. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    While all this may be true, the bottom line is the bottom line.

    Creighton won and UVa lost last year. And, since Gelnovatch took over, Creighton has been to three Final Fours, UVa one. Advatage, considerably, to Creighton.

    Of course, as for this season, Creighton fans should shut their cake holes when it comes to UVa or any team in the quarterfinals as all eight of them made it further in the tournament than Creighton did. That, too, is the bottom line.
     
  24. Courtney

    Courtney Member

    May 14, 2000
    Massachusetts
    Wow. UVA looked pretty horrible tonite, and as much as it pains me to say it, Duke looked pretty damn good. I don't know if it was just in comparison or what, but the blue devils really seemed to have it together.

    The referee overlooked a whole bunch of things on both sides, and was pretty awful overall.

    But calls or no calls, UVA looked crappy and couldn't come up with the goods tonite.

    I left with 20 minutes left in the 2nd half after my mom ate a barbeque that made her pukey.

    The only thing that wasn't disappointing tonite was the crowd, over 4,100 people there. Pretty impressive.

    Not exactly what I pictured as my last night at Klockner, unless I make it to Thanksgiving time games in the future. Oh well. I didn't picture myself saying that Duke looked good either. Congrats to the blue devils on a well-earned win.
     

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