With the Ivy League rules and regulations, Spring soccer is a “compressed” affair at Brown. Finding the balance of training and games, producing a competitive environment, and accomplishing everything that needs to be done in terms of development and evaluation is a challenge, to say the least.
The boys have shown tremendous dedication and commitment since winter break. Early morning lifts three-days-per-week, training sessions squeezed between second semester classes, and community service projects, have all been accomplished with minimal fuss and maximum effort.
The culmination of the Spring is the two dates of competition. A double-header with UMass and Marist kicked things off in Amherst on Saturday, April 16th. In the first match versus Marist the boys had to shake off a great deal of “rust” both physically and mentally. In keeping with the Fall, a clean-sheet was kept, but despite much huffing and puffing, we couldn’t blow the house down that Marist had built in front of their 18-yard box. A 0-0 tie was satisfactory considering the circumstances and that our opponents were well into their Spring schedule.
In the second match of the day we faced a well-rested UMass host. It was one-way traffic for much of the game, and a T-Mac-Rosa combo sealed a 1-0 win after great work from Jay on the left wing. The only other possibility of scoring in the match was further opportunities for our boys, as they dominated proceedings. All in all, a good day, with two clean sheets and a dominant performance. A few of the “new guys” established credibility with good performances, to show that the future remains bright and hopeful.
On April 23rd we made the short trip down to URI, but not to play the Rams. Boston University were first on the agenda. Conditions were nothing short of awful, with cold driving horizontal rain and fierce gusty winds. With memories of a below-par, yet winning performance from the Fall fresh in our minds, here was an opportunity to produce a performance to match a result. And so it proved. The terriers were no match for our free-flowing play and it wasn’t long before Tayls put us on the board with the first goal of the game. At half-time the BU staff suggested ending the contest – apparently they were too cold…..! Needless to say, we were having none of that – Brown Men’s Soccer prides itself on professionalism and commitment. The second half kicked-off and our domination continued. Sean made it two. Not surprisingly, the BU staff again indicated a willingness to go home at this point. Incredible! The match ended 2-0, it could have been more….
The second segment of the day was a match against American International from Springfield. A team made up of some savvy international players presented a different type of challenge, and for a while we struggled to find space. Early in the second half a couple of blunders led to our first goal conceded of the Spring, and our opponents celebrated in similar fashion to the Spanish after the World Cup win….. This spurred our boys into life, and three unanswered goals, courtesy of Cheese-Steak Escalona (2) and T-Mac put the match beyond doubt. 3-1 Bears.
Round-up:
Brown 0-0 Marist
Brown 1-0 UMass
Brown 2-0 Boston University
Brown 3-1 AIC
This weekend sees the alumni visit campus for our annual match-up. It’s the penultimate date on the Spring calendar and should provide the boys with a decent test. The trash-talking has begun in earnest!
In just a few short weeks, our outstanding senior class of David Walls, Paul Grandstrand, Ian Smith, Jon Okafor and Sean McGrath will all walk through the gates at senior commencement. With thanks for all they have contributed to Brown Men’s Soccer over the past four years, we look forward to watching their progress as valued members of society….
August is a short summer away. Stay tuned!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Huskies Overwhelmed
The rivalry between Brown and UConn dates back a long, long way. And despite a gap over the past few years, it's a match that stirs strong feelings in the Brown soccer community. 2000 was the last time these two storied programs matched-up, with the huskies prevailing 2-1 in an ill-tempered affair - UConn went on to the national championship that year....
UConn 1-1 Brown. (5-4 Good Guys on PK's)
As expected, a big crowd was on hand as we took to the field in Storrs. Our boys were in confident mood and feeling the inspiration of tons of great messages from alums and supporters who took the time out to write messages from encounters-passed.
This was a strong and talented UConn squad, well rested and ready for the battle ahead. But could they account for the battling qualities of these Brown Bears.....?
The build up to the game took a bizarre twist when the entire complex experienced a power outage, rendering the locker room lights, scoreboard and PA system useless. We put it down to a conspiracy theory.... To UConn's credit they managed to rustle up a portable generator to power a temporary scoreboard, and the game was only delayed by about five minutes.
Within ten minutes of kick-off it wasn't looking too good for the Huskies. Man-of-the-moment Tayls picked up the ball about 25 yards out and unleashed a powerful low drive into the far corner of the goal. 1-0!
80 minutes of soccer still to play against one of the most talented teams in the nation..... no worries.... :)
If ever we needed some inspiration and energy it was forthcoming from the Bleachers in Storrs. A good-size and loud crowd had made the journey in support of our boys, and certainly made their presence felt.... Even some of the GHM security staff from our home games had made the trip....
As the first-half wore on the home team started to impose themselves on the game, while the home coaching staff took the definition of whining to a whole new level. Apparently they have a divine right to refereeing generosity in Storrs...
The second period was a serious test of mental and physical toughness for our boys as attacking play became secondary to survival. On the few occasions that we did get forward we looked dangerous. But it was the home team in the ascendency as our legs started to suffer the effects of the short rest. It's easy to see why the seeded teams have such a huge advantage in the second round of the tournament. The officiating became more and more one-sided as the game wore on - it almost seemed like the man in the middle was looking for an excuse to give the huskies calls.....
With just three minutes remaining in regulation the unthinkable happened.... They won a debatable free-kick on the edge of our box, and after blocking the initial effort the ball popped up in the air and was duly dispatched past a helpless Robot. Poop! 1-1. And we were so close....
Survival and toughness was the name of the game in extra-time, and once again we showed plenty of it... penalties next!
The players were selected for the kicks, and after some heart-wrenching moments Jay buried the winner in the back of the UConn goal and we were victorious.... YES!
This match will live in the memory of those who witnessed it for a very, very long time...
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
BC Down
Brown 2-1 Boston College (NCAA First Round)
This was a matchup that captured the imagination. The Eagles coming into town for the first time in a few years, with a group of Brown Bears lying in wait, intent on continuing a run of success against this local ACC opponent with a point to prove. Without getting into the "why's and wherefores", it was a 1-0 victory in Chestnut Hill during the 2008 season that had seemingly prompted the end of the relationship. BC had chosen to no longer play us. Two generations on our roster remembered.....
It was clear from the kick-off that our boys were up for it. Immediately on the front-foot, we took the game to the visitors. Just ten minutes into the contest Oki picked up the ball from Tayls and ran at the heart of the visitor's defence. He beat a couple of players before unleasing an unstoppable shot into the right hand side of the goal past the helpless 'keeper. 1-0 Good guys!
The half continued in much the same vein, with our back four seemingly comfortable. But, this is a talented group of players we were facing, and a moment of individual skill saw the match tied just before half-time. Blondie from Canada sent a shot high past Grandstrand from the edge of the box, and duly celebrated by attempting to "shush" the home crowd. Bad idea on College Hill young man.....
Within minutes we were back on top with Austin beating the BC 'keeper from a few yards out following more good work from Tayls and T-Mac. 2-1 Bears. Ssshhhhhh...... You can imagine the fun that was being had in the Stevenson Field bleachers at the expense of the visiting team as both teams departed for the half-time break. Blondie wasn't too popular.....
The second half was a frenetic and, at times, physical affair. Both teams had chances to add goals, but with all due respect to Boston College, the best team won the match. As has been the case all season, our bench was utilized effectively by Coach Laughlin. Smithy came in for a laboring Robbo and produced an outstanding performance.
As the game wore down the visitors became increasingly frustrated. These ACC boys weren't handling the work-rate of our men, nor getting any joy against a well organized and stubborn back-four.
Blondie made it a night to forget for himself as yet another moment of petulance saw him get his marching orders from a referee who had finally lost patience.
Onwards and upwards (well sideways geographically) to Storrs. UConn up next. Another historical rival, another opportunity to write some history....
This was a matchup that captured the imagination. The Eagles coming into town for the first time in a few years, with a group of Brown Bears lying in wait, intent on continuing a run of success against this local ACC opponent with a point to prove. Without getting into the "why's and wherefores", it was a 1-0 victory in Chestnut Hill during the 2008 season that had seemingly prompted the end of the relationship. BC had chosen to no longer play us. Two generations on our roster remembered.....
It was clear from the kick-off that our boys were up for it. Immediately on the front-foot, we took the game to the visitors. Just ten minutes into the contest Oki picked up the ball from Tayls and ran at the heart of the visitor's defence. He beat a couple of players before unleasing an unstoppable shot into the right hand side of the goal past the helpless 'keeper. 1-0 Good guys!
The half continued in much the same vein, with our back four seemingly comfortable. But, this is a talented group of players we were facing, and a moment of individual skill saw the match tied just before half-time. Blondie from Canada sent a shot high past Grandstrand from the edge of the box, and duly celebrated by attempting to "shush" the home crowd. Bad idea on College Hill young man.....
Within minutes we were back on top with Austin beating the BC 'keeper from a few yards out following more good work from Tayls and T-Mac. 2-1 Bears. Ssshhhhhh...... You can imagine the fun that was being had in the Stevenson Field bleachers at the expense of the visiting team as both teams departed for the half-time break. Blondie wasn't too popular.....
The second half was a frenetic and, at times, physical affair. Both teams had chances to add goals, but with all due respect to Boston College, the best team won the match. As has been the case all season, our bench was utilized effectively by Coach Laughlin. Smithy came in for a laboring Robbo and produced an outstanding performance.
As the game wore down the visitors became increasingly frustrated. These ACC boys weren't handling the work-rate of our men, nor getting any joy against a well organized and stubborn back-four.
Blondie made it a night to forget for himself as yet another moment of petulance saw him get his marching orders from a referee who had finally lost patience.
Onwards and upwards (well sideways geographically) to Storrs. UConn up next. Another historical rival, another opportunity to write some history....
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Eagles Coming to Town....
NCAA Selection Day is an almost-expected tradition on the Brown Men's Soccer calendar. Some people may view post-season play as a bonus on the ned of a surprisingly good year...... We view it as an opportunity to cement this program as a legitimate national contender, year in, year out.....
The irony of a first-round match-up with Boston College is not lost on anyone who has been involved with Brown Soccer over the past decade or so. The newest members of the ACC have been rumored to not really enjoy match-ups with the Brown Bears. So, it is an exciting time for all connected with the program. The local TV station was on-hand to witness the euphoric reaction at Hope Street Pizza on Monday evening, as ESPNU broadcast the draw live to the nation. If we can beat the pesky Eagles then it's another old, local foe in the form of the UConn Huskies that await us in Storrs....... very interesting - a couple of dogs....
How did we get here? Well, despite some bumps in the road, notably at Penn and Dartmouth, we now sit poised to write another chapter into the record books. Here's how we got here.....
Brown 2-0 Holy Cross
Let's face it, the Crusaders weren't exactly coming to College Hill expecting to roll over our Bears. They've had a difficult season, but still presented a different kind of challenge. Could our boys self-motivate against a team sandwiched between two tough Ivy games? Could we avoid being caught napping and thinking of other things? Well, the simple answer is, Yes. Despite an early scare which Big Paul dealt with fairly comfortably, it was one-way traffic into the Holy Cross 18-yard box for much of the opening half. Jonny, Evan, Dyland and Rob all went close in the opening 15 minutes, before we finally got the goal we deserved through Jonny, following good work by Wallsy and Evan. This was the first Coleman-Oki combo since those two "goals" that were called back at Santa Clara and vs. BU in 2009......
As has been the case on many occasions this year, Patdidas Laughlin went to our bench for additional energy during the closing stages of the half, and kept faith as we entered the second period. Dividends were handsomely paid just minutes into the second-half as Mikey produced a bit of magic on the right flank and sent over a teasing cross that Jay "the salmon" Hayward rose majestically to nod home. 2-0, and it was over as a contest. The remainder of the game was a continual onslaught onto the Crusaders goal, while The Wall, Fluffy, Robbo, Dylan, and the Old-Timer had an easy evening at the back. T-Mac produced a few moments of magic, while Bobby-megged Belair tormented the visitors centre-backs. I'm not sure what the stats say about shots on goal, but it seemed like we did everything but score in those final 40 minutes or so.
Holy Cross, gracious in defeat, simply knew they'd been outplayed.....
Penn 1-0 Brown
Frustrated to the extreme. This was a hard loss to take. Just like the Princeton debacle, we started well enough and had the vast majority of the attacking play. Then it happened - they had their first real attack, and one catastrophic mistake later the ball was slotted into the back of our net. We brought it upon ourselves...
We spent the remainder of the ninety-minutes huffing and puffing, but we simply couldn't blow the house down..... Credit to Penn, they defended well. But we simply weren't clinical enough, and games like this are usually settled on a mistake..... and so it proved to be.....
Brown 4-1 Yale
It was time to welcome the Bulldogs back to College Hill for our Senior Night game. The pre-game was outstandingly executed by all concerned with Sean, Smithy, Oki, Paul, and Wallsy all being joined on the pitch by their families. It was with a nice emotional lift that we kicked off this game, and was therefore shocking to go a goal down after nine minutes! We fell asleep at the back as a cross came over and the Yale forward must have thought Christmas had come early as he gleefully nodded home from six-yards out.... 0-1 and the sense of deja-vu from Penn was undeniable. But, teams rarely leave Stevenson field nowadays with much to show for their efforts. Late in the half Jay sent over a long throw (we didn't plan that one!) and the ball fell to Pops for the simplest of finishes. The celebration was less simplistic - but that's Pops! So, it's half-time and we're level - not what we wanted, but better than being a goal down!
The second half was a clinic. Three goals scored, Grandstrand picking his nose with boredom, and wave after wave of attacks on the Yale goal. We scored two quick goals (Evan and Sean) and as the game wore down there was the opportunity to, once again, use the bench to it's fullest. A delightful fourth goal came about with five minutes left as S-Mac played in Sean in the channel. His cross found Smithy who headed back across goal where Kev was on hand to bury a header.
This was a great night at Stevenson, and the seniors all left with smiles and the contentment of a job well done....
Dartmouth 1-0 Brown
Not a good day in New Hampster. We didn't play like a Brown team. We folded. It wasn't fun. Boo.
The irony of a first-round match-up with Boston College is not lost on anyone who has been involved with Brown Soccer over the past decade or so. The newest members of the ACC have been rumored to not really enjoy match-ups with the Brown Bears. So, it is an exciting time for all connected with the program. The local TV station was on-hand to witness the euphoric reaction at Hope Street Pizza on Monday evening, as ESPNU broadcast the draw live to the nation. If we can beat the pesky Eagles then it's another old, local foe in the form of the UConn Huskies that await us in Storrs....... very interesting - a couple of dogs....
How did we get here? Well, despite some bumps in the road, notably at Penn and Dartmouth, we now sit poised to write another chapter into the record books. Here's how we got here.....
Brown 2-0 Holy Cross
Let's face it, the Crusaders weren't exactly coming to College Hill expecting to roll over our Bears. They've had a difficult season, but still presented a different kind of challenge. Could our boys self-motivate against a team sandwiched between two tough Ivy games? Could we avoid being caught napping and thinking of other things? Well, the simple answer is, Yes. Despite an early scare which Big Paul dealt with fairly comfortably, it was one-way traffic into the Holy Cross 18-yard box for much of the opening half. Jonny, Evan, Dyland and Rob all went close in the opening 15 minutes, before we finally got the goal we deserved through Jonny, following good work by Wallsy and Evan. This was the first Coleman-Oki combo since those two "goals" that were called back at Santa Clara and vs. BU in 2009......
As has been the case on many occasions this year, Patdidas Laughlin went to our bench for additional energy during the closing stages of the half, and kept faith as we entered the second period. Dividends were handsomely paid just minutes into the second-half as Mikey produced a bit of magic on the right flank and sent over a teasing cross that Jay "the salmon" Hayward rose majestically to nod home. 2-0, and it was over as a contest. The remainder of the game was a continual onslaught onto the Crusaders goal, while The Wall, Fluffy, Robbo, Dylan, and the Old-Timer had an easy evening at the back. T-Mac produced a few moments of magic, while Bobby-megged Belair tormented the visitors centre-backs. I'm not sure what the stats say about shots on goal, but it seemed like we did everything but score in those final 40 minutes or so.
Holy Cross, gracious in defeat, simply knew they'd been outplayed.....
Penn 1-0 Brown
Frustrated to the extreme. This was a hard loss to take. Just like the Princeton debacle, we started well enough and had the vast majority of the attacking play. Then it happened - they had their first real attack, and one catastrophic mistake later the ball was slotted into the back of our net. We brought it upon ourselves...
We spent the remainder of the ninety-minutes huffing and puffing, but we simply couldn't blow the house down..... Credit to Penn, they defended well. But we simply weren't clinical enough, and games like this are usually settled on a mistake..... and so it proved to be.....
Brown 4-1 Yale
It was time to welcome the Bulldogs back to College Hill for our Senior Night game. The pre-game was outstandingly executed by all concerned with Sean, Smithy, Oki, Paul, and Wallsy all being joined on the pitch by their families. It was with a nice emotional lift that we kicked off this game, and was therefore shocking to go a goal down after nine minutes! We fell asleep at the back as a cross came over and the Yale forward must have thought Christmas had come early as he gleefully nodded home from six-yards out.... 0-1 and the sense of deja-vu from Penn was undeniable. But, teams rarely leave Stevenson field nowadays with much to show for their efforts. Late in the half Jay sent over a long throw (we didn't plan that one!) and the ball fell to Pops for the simplest of finishes. The celebration was less simplistic - but that's Pops! So, it's half-time and we're level - not what we wanted, but better than being a goal down!
The second half was a clinic. Three goals scored, Grandstrand picking his nose with boredom, and wave after wave of attacks on the Yale goal. We scored two quick goals (Evan and Sean) and as the game wore down there was the opportunity to, once again, use the bench to it's fullest. A delightful fourth goal came about with five minutes left as S-Mac played in Sean in the channel. His cross found Smithy who headed back across goal where Kev was on hand to bury a header.
This was a great night at Stevenson, and the seniors all left with smiles and the contentment of a job well done....
Dartmouth 1-0 Brown
Not a good day in New Hampster. We didn't play like a Brown team. We folded. It wasn't fun. Boo.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The Story So Far
With apologies for the large gaps in posts (being actually "on" the staff is actually a little harder than it looks!!), I shall attempt to bring all up-to-speed on events to date.....
Brown 1-0 St. John's.
The rivalry continued between the Red Storm of Jamaica, NY and our Brown Bears. A fantastic advertisement for college soccer, this game had it all. Goal-line clearances, fierce challenges, intensity for 90+ minutes, coaches going crazy on the sidelines (even Biggsy had a yell or two!) and a contingent of fans in the bleachers roaring the Bears to victory! It was actually a trademark Evan Coleman strike just two minutes into the contest that sealed the win for the boys. He latched onto a loose ball at the top of the box and dispatched it into the back of the net before many of the crowd had settled onto their aluminum benches at Stevenson Field. This was, for sure, a very talented St. John's team, but try as they might our defence stood tall when it mattered and Grandstrand finally had a lot of work to do! The last fifteen minutes, as St. John's threw everything at us (including the kitchen sink) was described by our two Texan centre-backs as "just like the Alamo." Hmmmmmmm......
Princeton 3-0 Brown.
Wake-up call time. We were good for ten minutes. Then we stunk for eighty. 'Nuff said. Moving on......
Brown 0-0 Haaaaarrvaaaard
I just don't like these people. I don't know why. Well, I do, somewhat..... We out-played them, out-ran them, out-worked them, out-shot them (26-5) and made them look second-best for 110 minutes. But someone put helium in the match-balls that night. We put more shots into the parking lot and practice field than you can imagine. We did everything but score. Sometimes you don't win because you are up against a well-matched opponent, sometimes because a bad call from a referee goes against you, and sometimes it just isn't your day. This just wasn't our day. We didn't lose! But we should have won. Up next.... Hartwick.
Brown 3-1 Hartwick
In 2008 we lost 1-0 at Hartwick. It was the most miserable experience that I've ever experienced on a soccer field. A frozen field on top of a hill, in upstate New York, in October, with horizontal snow, and a performance to match..... We never like to talk about "revenge" in the coaching ranks, but....... Well our 2010 Brown Bears put in a performance on this night that clearly laid to rest the ghosts of performances-past. Despite conceding a somewhat soft goal when we held a comfortable 2-0 lead, it was difficult to see us ever losing this one. The fact that Wallsy scored two goals (one from a free-kick and another following a howler by the visiting 'keeper) says it all really. Our aging captain took advantage of two situations to lead by example. Sandwiched between those two pieces of brilliance was a trademark Sean Rosa effort following excellent work by Dylan and Austin..... Of course, Wallsy has now spent the last two weeks moaning that he didn't get the man-of-the-match award - ah well, you can't win 'em all!
Brown 2-0 Cornell
And so, back to the business-end of things..... The Big Red (isn't that a cinnamon gum?) visited college hill having secured some very creditable results to-date, and we certainly weren't expecting an easy night. Two giant centre-backs, a lethal long-throw play, and a big, direct team descended upon us, and clearly weren't in the mood to leave us unscathed. Yet, to be fair, we were the superior side more-or-less from start to finish. Tommy-Mac was too much to handle for the visitors on this night, and he followed a simple finish from Tayl's cross with a expertly taken second goal following the annual Robbie assist (we think Rob was trying to kick an opponent, but missed and instead kicked the ball over the top for Tommy to use his blinding pace and beat the entire Cornell defence to the ball. A very good (but cold) night at Stevenson gets our Ivy season back on track. Oh, and Haaaaaarvard lost the next day...... :)
Brown 1-0 St. John's.
The rivalry continued between the Red Storm of Jamaica, NY and our Brown Bears. A fantastic advertisement for college soccer, this game had it all. Goal-line clearances, fierce challenges, intensity for 90+ minutes, coaches going crazy on the sidelines (even Biggsy had a yell or two!) and a contingent of fans in the bleachers roaring the Bears to victory! It was actually a trademark Evan Coleman strike just two minutes into the contest that sealed the win for the boys. He latched onto a loose ball at the top of the box and dispatched it into the back of the net before many of the crowd had settled onto their aluminum benches at Stevenson Field. This was, for sure, a very talented St. John's team, but try as they might our defence stood tall when it mattered and Grandstrand finally had a lot of work to do! The last fifteen minutes, as St. John's threw everything at us (including the kitchen sink) was described by our two Texan centre-backs as "just like the Alamo." Hmmmmmmm......
Princeton 3-0 Brown.
Wake-up call time. We were good for ten minutes. Then we stunk for eighty. 'Nuff said. Moving on......
Brown 0-0 Haaaaarrvaaaard
I just don't like these people. I don't know why. Well, I do, somewhat..... We out-played them, out-ran them, out-worked them, out-shot them (26-5) and made them look second-best for 110 minutes. But someone put helium in the match-balls that night. We put more shots into the parking lot and practice field than you can imagine. We did everything but score. Sometimes you don't win because you are up against a well-matched opponent, sometimes because a bad call from a referee goes against you, and sometimes it just isn't your day. This just wasn't our day. We didn't lose! But we should have won. Up next.... Hartwick.
Brown 3-1 Hartwick
In 2008 we lost 1-0 at Hartwick. It was the most miserable experience that I've ever experienced on a soccer field. A frozen field on top of a hill, in upstate New York, in October, with horizontal snow, and a performance to match..... We never like to talk about "revenge" in the coaching ranks, but....... Well our 2010 Brown Bears put in a performance on this night that clearly laid to rest the ghosts of performances-past. Despite conceding a somewhat soft goal when we held a comfortable 2-0 lead, it was difficult to see us ever losing this one. The fact that Wallsy scored two goals (one from a free-kick and another following a howler by the visiting 'keeper) says it all really. Our aging captain took advantage of two situations to lead by example. Sandwiched between those two pieces of brilliance was a trademark Sean Rosa effort following excellent work by Dylan and Austin..... Of course, Wallsy has now spent the last two weeks moaning that he didn't get the man-of-the-match award - ah well, you can't win 'em all!
Brown 2-0 Cornell
And so, back to the business-end of things..... The Big Red (isn't that a cinnamon gum?) visited college hill having secured some very creditable results to-date, and we certainly weren't expecting an easy night. Two giant centre-backs, a lethal long-throw play, and a big, direct team descended upon us, and clearly weren't in the mood to leave us unscathed. Yet, to be fair, we were the superior side more-or-less from start to finish. Tommy-Mac was too much to handle for the visitors on this night, and he followed a simple finish from Tayl's cross with a expertly taken second goal following the annual Robbie assist (we think Rob was trying to kick an opponent, but missed and instead kicked the ball over the top for Tommy to use his blinding pace and beat the entire Cornell defence to the ball. A very good (but cold) night at Stevenson gets our Ivy season back on track. Oh, and Haaaaaarvard lost the next day...... :)
Monday, October 11, 2010
Giving the Lions the (Sky) Blues….
Brown 3-0 Columbia
The Ivy Season kicked off on October 2nd with the visit of the Lions of Columbia University to College Hill. The baby-blue clad visitors are an improved team from the group that we faced in 2009, particularly on the attacking side, so we anticipated a hard-fought battle on our own patch.
It was clear in the days preceding the match that we had a confident group of players who were gearing up for the start of what some call the “Real” season…..
The match began at a frenetic pace and it was clear that Columbia had set out their stall to try to physically impose themselves – something that we’re now expecting rather than surprised by. It was only through the generosity of the man in the middle that one or two of our visitors did not see cards that matched the effervescent colour of the officials on duty. Composure was the order of the day and our boys stayed focused on the job at hand.
Evan and Oki both went close in the opening minutes as we laid siege to the Columbia goal. Their defence was struggling to deal with our speed of play, with T-Mac and Sean both causing problems with their movement. Indeed it was our French-Portuguese-Canadian adoptee that played a telling ball into the path of the onrushing Oki who, in true Jonny-style, made his way past two defenders, around the goalkeeper and “blasted” a shot that almost broke the back of the net (OK, let’s be honest here, we were unsure if the ball had actually made it until we saw him celebrate!). 1-0 Good Guys.
To be fair to our visitors, we spent a good deal of time after the first goal defending. They put us under a good deal of pressure, but as seems to be the theme, our back-four dealt with most of what was thrown at them. On the occasions that we were breached, Grandstrand did his job well….
The introduction of the Giants, Mandel and Popolizio, after a half-hour gave us a much-needed boost, and it was their skill and endaevour that led to the second goal that would break the visitors’ spirit. Austin sprinted onto a ball played into the right channel and crossed for the onrushing Pops, who dispatched a trademark (ie. contorting his body and throwing himself at a strange angle) header into the back of the net. 2-0 Bears, with half-time approaching – always a great time to score….
The second-half was a slightly more one-sided affair than the first, with Grandstrand rarely called into action. It certainly seemed more likely that we would extend our lead, rather than seeing the visitors from Manhattan get back into the game. T-Mac, Tayls, Legend, and Oki all went close. With about tweleve minutes remaining, Oki picked up the ball on the right side of the box and, with an exchange of passes thrown in for good measure, somehow found himself on the left side of the box, where he played a ball into the path of Austin. The wee man made no mistake from eight yards out. 3-0. Game Over.
The last ten minutes was an opportunity for some of our younger and fringe players to get a taste of Ivy League play. Pleasingly, our momentum continued and we could have scored another…..
Great start to the league season…… Onwards……
The Ivy Season kicked off on October 2nd with the visit of the Lions of Columbia University to College Hill. The baby-blue clad visitors are an improved team from the group that we faced in 2009, particularly on the attacking side, so we anticipated a hard-fought battle on our own patch.
It was clear in the days preceding the match that we had a confident group of players who were gearing up for the start of what some call the “Real” season…..
The match began at a frenetic pace and it was clear that Columbia had set out their stall to try to physically impose themselves – something that we’re now expecting rather than surprised by. It was only through the generosity of the man in the middle that one or two of our visitors did not see cards that matched the effervescent colour of the officials on duty. Composure was the order of the day and our boys stayed focused on the job at hand.
Evan and Oki both went close in the opening minutes as we laid siege to the Columbia goal. Their defence was struggling to deal with our speed of play, with T-Mac and Sean both causing problems with their movement. Indeed it was our French-Portuguese-Canadian adoptee that played a telling ball into the path of the onrushing Oki who, in true Jonny-style, made his way past two defenders, around the goalkeeper and “blasted” a shot that almost broke the back of the net (OK, let’s be honest here, we were unsure if the ball had actually made it until we saw him celebrate!). 1-0 Good Guys.
To be fair to our visitors, we spent a good deal of time after the first goal defending. They put us under a good deal of pressure, but as seems to be the theme, our back-four dealt with most of what was thrown at them. On the occasions that we were breached, Grandstrand did his job well….
The introduction of the Giants, Mandel and Popolizio, after a half-hour gave us a much-needed boost, and it was their skill and endaevour that led to the second goal that would break the visitors’ spirit. Austin sprinted onto a ball played into the right channel and crossed for the onrushing Pops, who dispatched a trademark (ie. contorting his body and throwing himself at a strange angle) header into the back of the net. 2-0 Bears, with half-time approaching – always a great time to score….
The second-half was a slightly more one-sided affair than the first, with Grandstrand rarely called into action. It certainly seemed more likely that we would extend our lead, rather than seeing the visitors from Manhattan get back into the game. T-Mac, Tayls, Legend, and Oki all went close. With about tweleve minutes remaining, Oki picked up the ball on the right side of the box and, with an exchange of passes thrown in for good measure, somehow found himself on the left side of the box, where he played a ball into the path of Austin. The wee man made no mistake from eight yards out. 3-0. Game Over.
The last ten minutes was an opportunity for some of our younger and fringe players to get a taste of Ivy League play. Pleasingly, our momentum continued and we could have scored another…..
Great start to the league season…… Onwards……
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Biggs Gets His Ben & Jerrys
Vermont 0-3 Brown
The University of Vermont is a nice place. Cold, wet, and windy, but nice. As we departed College Hill on Friday we prepared ourselves for the long treck through northern New England and an afternoon training session on the UVM campus..... We checked into the hotel on time and headed over to campus for a light training session before taking on the Catamounts the next day in a lunchtime showdown. We were well prepared to take on the home team but certainly not expecting an easy ride.... This is a team that had already won three games, including a significant victory over Stanford in an early season tournament.
Saturday was a much better weather day than Friday with the sun poking through the clouds and just a light breeze blowing in place of the blustery conditions that had greeted us the day before... The match kicked off and we immediately knew that we were going to have to stand-strong to cope with a team that was high in confidence and fully prepared to try to physically overpower us. Superior soccer was the order of the day for our boys and despite the home teams' attempts to unsettle us, we carved out the better openings of the half. Grandstrand was relatively untested...... Once again, it was that man Pops who came up with the first goal of the game as he exchanged passes with Tayls at the top of the box and chipped the home 'keeper from a tight angle. It was a truly excellent goal, better than anything Tevez has ever produced....
Scoring just before half-time is always a boost, and the boys entered the break in good spirits and ready to push on in the second-half. There were very few nervous moments in the second half to be fair, and the only real concern on the sidelines was ensuring that we stayed injury-free and didn't make a catastrophic mistake. The home team changed their shape in an attempt to assert more pressure, but our boys were alert to the shenanigans and coped comfortably. The game was put beyond doubt ten minutes from the end by Sean Rosa with a goal of the simplest nature. Grandstrand launched a kick deep into the UVM half of the field, Coleman flicked on with his head, and Sean just ran through and had the simplest of tasks to put the ball low into the corner. It was a complete contrast to the outstanding passing movement and finish of the first goal, but we didn't care.....
Late on, as UVM pushed forward more, Oki got in on the fun and was on the end of another long ball forward to score our third of the day. His initial shot was hit with such ferocity that the UVM 'keeper fell asleep while waiting for the ball to reach him and consequently Jon was able to follow-up and score the rebound while the custodian snoozed.......
Two road wins in a row now and two consecutive clean-sheets. League play is on the horizon. Columbia are coming to town......
The University of Vermont is a nice place. Cold, wet, and windy, but nice. As we departed College Hill on Friday we prepared ourselves for the long treck through northern New England and an afternoon training session on the UVM campus..... We checked into the hotel on time and headed over to campus for a light training session before taking on the Catamounts the next day in a lunchtime showdown. We were well prepared to take on the home team but certainly not expecting an easy ride.... This is a team that had already won three games, including a significant victory over Stanford in an early season tournament.
Saturday was a much better weather day than Friday with the sun poking through the clouds and just a light breeze blowing in place of the blustery conditions that had greeted us the day before... The match kicked off and we immediately knew that we were going to have to stand-strong to cope with a team that was high in confidence and fully prepared to try to physically overpower us. Superior soccer was the order of the day for our boys and despite the home teams' attempts to unsettle us, we carved out the better openings of the half. Grandstrand was relatively untested...... Once again, it was that man Pops who came up with the first goal of the game as he exchanged passes with Tayls at the top of the box and chipped the home 'keeper from a tight angle. It was a truly excellent goal, better than anything Tevez has ever produced....
Scoring just before half-time is always a boost, and the boys entered the break in good spirits and ready to push on in the second-half. There were very few nervous moments in the second half to be fair, and the only real concern on the sidelines was ensuring that we stayed injury-free and didn't make a catastrophic mistake. The home team changed their shape in an attempt to assert more pressure, but our boys were alert to the shenanigans and coped comfortably. The game was put beyond doubt ten minutes from the end by Sean Rosa with a goal of the simplest nature. Grandstrand launched a kick deep into the UVM half of the field, Coleman flicked on with his head, and Sean just ran through and had the simplest of tasks to put the ball low into the corner. It was a complete contrast to the outstanding passing movement and finish of the first goal, but we didn't care.....
Late on, as UVM pushed forward more, Oki got in on the fun and was on the end of another long ball forward to score our third of the day. His initial shot was hit with such ferocity that the UVM 'keeper fell asleep while waiting for the ball to reach him and consequently Jon was able to follow-up and score the rebound while the custodian snoozed.......
Two road wins in a row now and two consecutive clean-sheets. League play is on the horizon. Columbia are coming to town......
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