MSOC hopes to salvage a disaster of a weekend for ASU sports

[hapapp]

Apps lose 8-7 in PKs

[firemoose]

Elon wins 8-7

[hapapp]

While the record will show it as a draw, the final score 1-1 (Elon 8-7 PKs).

[asu66]

After the previous two seasons, it would have been almost unthinkable that our team would fall to a 4-7-7, 1-4-2 campaign. Next season should be a very interesting reality check in that...

* Coach Nelson will sink or swim with his own recruits. Most of Shaun Pendleton's recruits will have
graduated; transferred to another institution; been cut from the team; quit the team, but remained
in school; or just dropped out of the university for various reasons; and

* We'll have a new keeper due to Danny Free's graduation. That'll be an adventure unless Coach Nelson
knows something we don't know. He did not develop a backup keeper this season at all. Free played
every minute of every match. No other keeper appeared in goal front for ASU. That's really strange.
It's almost as if Nelson plans to leave, so he knows it'll be someone else's problem. GK is not a good place
to go with a freshman or an upperclassman with zero experience. I'm still trying to understand this
situation.

[DoubleA]

We weathered a storm of shots from Elon last night, and were outshot 25-11 for the game Elon played faster, made better runs and connected their passes... but couldn't finish. Wasted opportunities will often come back and bite a team in the butt and it very nearly cost Elon last night.

Had we finished a shot on an open goal late in the 2nd half, rather than hit the crossbar, we would have gone up 2-0 and sealed the game. We missed by a matter of inches, thanks to a great effort by freshman Stephen Chapman, who got behind the defenders and keeper, and nearly scored. Unfortunately, his forward momentum caused him to shot about 6 inches too high and hit the cross bar. Elon and their crowd were stunned earlier when we went up 1-0 and it would have been priceless to go up 2-0 against these arrogant "wanna be's".

As a side note, I lost any respect I had for the Elon Phoenix program after last night's game. Athletic administration permitted a heckler(their stadium is very close to the field) to continually shout rants targeted at Stanley Broaden, throughout the first half and well into the second half. It was quite uncomfortable listening to this guy, and hats off to Stanley for keeping his composure. An athletic administrator finally confronted the guy and handled the situation about mid-way through the 2nd half. Fan behavior such as this would have not been tolerated at our place - I have witnessed ASU athletic personnel pro-actively handle potential situations in the past. While good natured ribbing is part of the game, this episode was clearly over the top. Additionally, a crowd of students were allowed behind the visitors' bench and sideline, where they chided the linesman and showered our bench with expletives and ethnic/racial comments. Again, this would not be allowed at ASU. Totally classless. I have been to many college soccer games at numerous venues, and have not seen anything like this.

This was without a doubt a very tough season for us, but hopefully one to build on. I am not concerned about the keeper position for next season, as I understand the #2 keeper is very good. The #3 keeper is reportedly the most athletic of the group, and came in cold off the bench and buried his PK last night. I'm sure both of these guys will get plenty of work during the Spring season. Matt Nelson, a former keeper himself at both the collegiate and professional level, is known for developing keepers and this is one position I won't worry about. However, as a team, we do need to improve speed of play, off-the ball movement, and combination play to maintain possession. This becomes very apparent against the better teams, like NC State, or even Elon. I hear reports of some very good recruits on the horizon, who hopefully can come in and make an immediate impact next year. Two or three true impact players could make a big difference.

Next season will be very telling for sure. Hopefully, we can at least get back to double digit wins - four win seasons aren't going to cut it for ASU soccer.

[JCline0429]

Please refresh my memory. Aren't we still going to be competing in the SoCon for soccer again next season? I find it hard to fathom that any 21st century Division I conference doesn't field a soccer program. Heck YMCA's across the country are sponsoring leagues for kids as young as three years old.

[DoubleA]

Please refresh my memory. Aren't we still going to be competing in the SoCon for soccer again next season

Latest news I hear is that Sunbelt has approved men's soccer, with a league comprised of App and GA Southern, and several affiliate members. Since nothing has been announced, I would assume we are still working out the details. SOCON initially voted us out for MSOC, then reconsidered and invited us to stay, and we said no thanks. I would think a MSOC conference will make the Sunbelt more appealing for potential new members, such as JMU or others who offer men's soccer.

[TheMoody1]

I find it hard to fathom that any 21st century Division I conference doesn't field a soccer program.

I know the SEC and Sun Belt do not. Are they the only two?

[ElonFirefighter]

DoubleA don't judge our whole program on a select few. The fan you speak of is a former player, while I don't agree with his actions we all know former players sometimes tend to cross the line. You know there is jarring back and forth on the field, some just continue after there college days. I will say this, you team played a great game last night and should have nothing to be ashamed of. You were a cross bar away from winning. You d withstood a all out attack from our o. We won on PK but all PK's are is which team guesses right more often. GL next season

[JCline0429]

I find it hard to fathom that any 21st century Division I conference doesn't field a soccer program.

I know the SEC and Sun Belt do not. Are they the only two?

I have no idea which other conferences than the SunBelt don't field soccer and certainly didn't know that the SEC didn't.

[JCline0429]

Please refresh my memory. Aren't we still going to be competing in the SoCon for soccer again next season

Latest news I hear is that Sunbelt has approved men's soccer, with a league comprised of App and GA Southern, and several affiliate members. Since nothing has been announced, I would assume we are still working out the details. SOCON initially voted us out for MSOC, then reconsidered and invited us to stay, and we said no thanks. I would think a MSOC conference will make the Sunbelt more appealing for potential new members, such as JMU or others who offer men's soccer.

That's a silly way of doing things. Heck either offer soccer as a conference sport or do not. This is just half-azz.

[hapapp]

As I understand it, among current members of the SBC only Ga State offers men's soccer. Women's soccer is offered (http://www.sunbeltsports.org/SPORTS/Wom ... occer.aspx). Schools likely offer women's soccer and not men's in part due to Title IX. Obviously, if enough teams offer the sport, then the SBC will likely offer conference participation.

[PhillyApp1]

DoubleA don't judge our whole program on a select few. The fan you speak of is a former player, while I don't agree with his actions we all know former players sometimes tend to cross the line. You know there is jarring back and forth on the field, some just continue after there college days. I will say this, you team played a great game last night and should have nothing to be ashamed of. You were a cross bar away from winning. You d withstood a all out attack from our o. We won on PK but all PK's are is which team guesses right more often. GL next season

I know you are a good poster BUT i also know that there are too many spoiled brat Elon fans, and few admin) who allow poor behavior. Example APP/Elon football tailgate this year. During the past few APP-Elon games students threatened and cursed which I hate at any school. This case where it seems someone should have spoken to him earlier and not allowed the students behind the bench to be idiots.

I sit behind visitors at APP game and we definitely monior APP fans from going to far. I have said something stupid every once in a while, but continued stupidity is not tollerated

[DoubleA]

That's a silly way of doing things. Heck either offer soccer as a conference sport or do not. This is just half-azz.

It is not unusual for conferences to accept affiliate members for certain sports where additional teams are needed South Carolina and Kentucky play as affiliate members in Conference USA soccer since the SEC does not sponsor soccer.

[DoubleA]

DoubleA don't judge our whole program on a select few.

We all have our share of idiots and I am not judging Elon based on one fan. I am judging Elon by the actions of athletic administration that permitted classless behavior from the heckler, in addition to the throng of students standing behind the opposing bench, shouting expletives and derogatory comments at ASU players, coaches and at the line judge. If that's how Elon operates, then I guess that's your problem.

[JCline0429]

That's a silly way of doing things. Heck either offer soccer as a conference sport or do not. This is just half-azz.

It is not unusual for conferences to accept affiliate members for certain sports where additional teams are needed South Carolina and Kentucky play as affiliate members in Conference USA soccer since the SEC does not sponsor soccer.

I realize that entirely as last I checked, we allow VMI to compete in wrestling as an affiliate in the SoCon. What I'm referring to is that soccer is said to be the fastest growing sport in the US. To not offer it for all SunBelt schools is backward and supposedly one of the reasons we joined the SunBelt was to avoid being backward.

[DoubleA]

To not offer it for all SunBelt schools is backward and supposedly one of the reasons we joined the SunBelt was to avoid being backward

For some reason, I don't know why, there are very few D1 men's soccer programs in the deep south. As far as I know, UAB is the only D1 program in the state of Alabama, and there are no programs in Mississippi and Louisiana. Texas, a hotbed of soccer talent, only has two programs in SMU and Houston Baptist.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Please refresh my memory. Aren't we still going to be competing in the SoCon for soccer again next season

Latest news I hear is that Sunbelt has approved men's soccer, with a league comprised of App and GA Southern, and several affiliate members. Since nothing has been announced, I would assume we are still working out the details. SOCON initially voted us out for MSOC, then reconsidered and invited us to stay, and we said no thanks. I would think a MSOC conference will make the Sunbelt more appealing for potential new members, such as JMU or others who offer men's soccer.

That's a silly way of doing things. Heck either offer soccer as a conference sport or do not. This is just half-azz.

Were it not for half of the wrestling teams as one-sport affiliations, the SoCon would not have wrestling. I thought we were in the SoCon for soccer as they needed us for Wrestling, and the reason GaSo was not extended men's soccer is that they had no bargaining chips around wrestling. Now that I am hearing we told the SoCon no for men's soccer what does that mean for wrestling?

Is ETSU bringing wrestling? VMI is already a wrestling member of the SoCon and never left I don't think for wrestling.

[JCline0429]

Please refresh my memory. Aren't we still going to be competing in the SoCon for soccer again next season

Latest news I hear is that Sunbelt has approved men's soccer, with a league comprised of App and GA Southern, and several affiliate members. Since nothing has been announced, I would assume we are still working out the details. SOCON initially voted us out for MSOC, then reconsidered and invited us to stay, and we said no thanks. I would think a MSOC conference will make the Sunbelt more appealing for potential new members, such as JMU or others who offer men's soccer.

That's a silly way of doing things. Heck either offer soccer as a conference sport or do not. This is just half-azz.

Were it not for half of the wrestling teams as one-sport affiliations, the SoCon would not have wrestling. I thought we were in the SoCon for soccer as they needed us for Wrestling, and the reason GaSo was not extended men's soccer is that they had no bargaining chips around wrestling. Now that I am hearing we told the SoCon no for men's soccer what does that mean for wrestling?

Is ETSU bringing wrestling? VMI is already a wrestling member of the SoCon and never left I don't think for wrestling.

My point is that VMI is an affiliate for wrestling. I don't know if ETSU has wrestling or not. As to us and the SoCon soccer program, I thought someone on this forum said that the SoCon turned US down for soccer, not vice versa.

[JCline0429]

To not offer it for all SunBelt schools is backward and supposedly one of the reasons we joined the SunBelt was to avoid being backward

For some reason, I don't know why, there are very few D1 men's soccer programs in the deep south. As far as I know, UAB is the only D1 program in the state of Alabama, and there are no programs in Mississippi and Louisiana. Texas, a hotbed of soccer talent, only has two programs in SMU and Houston Baptist.

You mean that the University of Texas has no D-I soccer program? That is wild.