Preseason poll released and for the second year in row UNC is picked to finish first in the ACC. I'm inclined to agree with #1-3, think #4-6 is a crapshoot, #7 & #8 is a tossup, and expect VT to pull up the rear, again. I do like the first place vote for BC. http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/082510aaa.html Code: 1. North Carolina (7) 78 16-2-4 (5-2-1 ACC) 2. Maryland (1) 68 15-6-2 (4-2-2 ACC) 3. Virginia 64 19-3-3 (4-3-1 ACC) 4. Wake Forest 52 17-4-3 (5-3-0 ACC) 5. Duke 45 14-7-0 (4-4-0 ACC) 6. Boston College (1) 43 14-9-0 (5-3-0 ACC) 7. NC State 26 13-7-2 (2-5-1 ACC) 8. Clemson 16 6-12-1 (2-6-0 ACC) 9. Virginia Tech 13 5-12-2 (2-6-0 ACC)
I think BC is way too low. They were very young last year and still had a good NCAA run. They basically bring everyone back and are now an experienced team and are quite talented. I'd put them no lower than 3. I also think Virginia lost a lot. Not just Tchani and Ross LaBaeioux. Shawn Barry, Neil Barlow and Jonathan Villanueva. That's the entire starting midfield plus arguably your best defender. Plus some reserves like Turk, Evans and Agorsor are gone, too. That's a lot to make up so I'm reluctant to put UVa so high even though they have a lot of talent.
Sandon...for someone who loves to correct people...you must have had a major brain- fart on "LaBauex".
Duke brings everybody back from a good young team, as well. I haven't seen much of them, but they've got about four guys who seem like they could be All-Americans. It'll be interesting to see whether the ACC's big fish spend the year knocking each other off (like they did last season), or whether one or two favorites emerge (like the previous couple of years).
As a BC fan watched them vs Providence in an exhibition. As a unit their defensive back four played well. Providence seemed to carry the midfield against them. Rugg up top made a couple plays. Reddick played pretty well. #7 for Providence slicing thru BC midfield most of the game. Both teams looked like they were carrying players with injuries.
I'm worried about Farfan and Brown for UNC. They havent played all pre-season. Not sure how hurt theyre but those are big losses.
I saw somewhere that Brown is out for the season with a torn ACL Bummer.....anybody else have confirmation on that?
epic fail by elmar and company. that was pathetic showing. guy wastes more talent than any other coach in the country.
Yes, out for the season as announced by Bolowich in UNC's season preview video on their website. For him individually, he will have to step up as the leader next season after Farfan, McCarthy, Anibaba, McCarty, and possibly Dixon and Schuler leave. Then again, some people have previously questioned if the guy can even lead himself. Though, people change so perhaps the season on the bench will change him a bit.
I would have liked to see the video of UNC-Akron. UNC took quite a few shots, and Kaleb Porter's post-game interview on YouTube video suggests that UNC wasn't a total failure. ...Or was Porter being a kind politician in his choice of words?
Eh...not too worried about it. Brown out with an ACL is huge but this is also the first game of the season. Farfan playing is a good sign. Were this later in the season I would be worried but an early loss (or win) means nothing down the line so long as improvements (for the losing team) are made. Good game, Akron.
The Vegas line has the Deacs 3 to 1 favorites over Akron considering they have home field advantage and are starting 6 freshman
Just went to the Wake Forest vs Akron game. Huge crowd, great atmosphere, and great early game for both teams. Wake is really, really, really young and clearly just finding their way with the new players. Akron was much sharper for the first 3/4 of the game. Akira should have done better on the first goal, but it was a well taken shot. Second goal for Akron in the second half was also well taken, with Wake falling way too far back off the ball. After the second goal, Wake upped the tempo, pushed more forward, and held the ball much better. Almost looked like Wake of the past 4 years. The freshmen and sophomores grew up a bit during the game and gained some confidence. I think Akron deserved the 2 goal win in this chippy, foul-strewn game. However, I bet Jay Vidovich will be happy to see his team grow up during this game against a quality Akron side. Again, huge crowd, which surprised me on this holiday weekend.
first goal given up was awful by Akira. Awful. The shot wasn't struck cleanly and wasn't hit too well. I have seen him handle shots like that with ease. 2nd goal was well done by Akron with some poor defending on Wake. Controversial goal called back on an off sides. wake had some chances but no one chose to actually shoot. Wake is real young and will take some lumps this season. Akron has class all over the field and won't have much of a problem with the rest of thier schedule although everyone they now play will probably back it in tight and thump it. Akron is young as well but might lose a few to the pros. Entertaining team, very much like wake the last 4-5 years. I only wish Akron was back in this region later to go watch them play.
I wish Akron joined the ACC for soccer. Barring that, I think each ACC school should agree to play them.
I talked to a couple of the players this weekend, they loved playing unc/wake...said it was fun to play teams that try to actually play nice soccer!
Here's what the conference schools did the first week. BC beat Hartford 3-2, Quinnipiac 1-0. Clemson lost to South Carolina 0-2, lost to East Tennessee 0-1. Duke tied Louisville 0-0, beat Sacramento State 4-1. Maryland lost to Michigan State 3-4, beat Northeastern 5-0. North Carolina lost to Akron 0-3, beat Seton Hall 4-1. NC State beat Sacramento State 4-3, lost to Louisville 1-2. Virginia beat UAB 2-1 and St. John’s 5-0. Tech lost to St. John’s 0-2 and UAB 1-3. Wake tied Seton Hall 2-2, lost to Akron 0-2. Code: Virginia 2-0-0 7GF 1GA +6 Boston College 2-0-0 4GF 2GA +2 Duke 1-0-1 4GF 1GA +3 Maryland 1-1-0 8GF 4GA +4 NC State 1-1-0 5GF 5GA 0 North Carolina 1-1-0 4GF 4GA 0 Wake Forest 0-1-1 2GF 4GA -2 Clemson 0-2-0 0GF 3GA -3 Virginia Tech 0-2-0 1GF 5GA -4 Conference games start this week. Here's the upcoming schedule. FRIDAY Clemson @Wake Forest Maryland @Boston College North Carolina @NC State Virginia Tech @South Florida SATURDAY Virginia @Duke