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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Aug 4, 2010 16:05:31 GMT -5
College Soccer News posted its preseason top thirty recently. The Lions were not included. What to think, I for one am not worried. The Lions are going to be fine this year and will go a long way. They are improved over last year and have gained in maturity and experience. The core group are now upper classmen and the team returns about a dozen who played significant minutes last year. The bottom line is they don't have a vote to see who wins the games, they play them. The Lions will win more games this year and I'm sure they will find their way into the polls in due time.
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Aug 4, 2010 16:18:47 GMT -5
Only six teams from the West were included. UCSB was in the top ten. Followed closely by UCLA. Then Stanford and UCI. In the last ten were Portland and Sacramento State. Notables missing out west were USD and San Diego State.
The season begins for the men in less than a month. The women in about two weeks.
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Aug 5, 2010 14:59:56 GMT -5
Rafael Baca, our senior forward/midfielder has been named to College Soccer News preseason All American third team. Good for Rafie and his Lion teammates. As others have said he is the real deal. For all his skill he still plays with a team attitude.
At first glance I didn't see any others from the WCC included. Rafie certainly deserves to be included in every short list put together. All the others placed ahead of him must be pretty good soccer players.
After leaving the Lions out of their top thirty at least the forecasters at College Soccer News were closer to being right with this selection.
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Aug 5, 2010 15:40:38 GMT -5
I certainly don't want to take anything away from any of the soccer players selected as College Soccer News preseason all Americans. But their list definitely favored the front line players. Most all college teams play with four guys in the back defending. Two central and two outside defenders. CSN first team only lists 2 defenders and the 2nd and 3rd teams only three. CSN sure short changed the guys who play defense with their picks. Midfield also was a bit short with only 11 listed when most teams play 4 or 5 in the midfield. Eleven forwards for three teams was a bit much when most teams only play two. If these teams actually played the goalies had better be All Americans with four forwards attacking with only 2 or 3 defenders standing in the way.
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Post by fanblade on Aug 5, 2010 19:42:01 GMT -5
Congrats Baca!
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Aug 11, 2010 19:19:43 GMT -5
NSCAA posted its preseason teams yesterday. Not much difference from CSN. The Portland men were moved up to number 19. They will carry the banner of the WCC in the early season. They made a nice run in the playoffs and gained some attention. The WCC is a tough conference and I look for the Lions, USD and Saint Marys to make some early season noise. No one in the conference is an easy out. It won't take long before the names in the top 25 change.
The Lion ladies were picked at number 5 in the coaches poll. One vote behind the Peppers. Portland Santa Clara and USD were the top three and all went to the tourney last year. Look for another year with a lot of wins and crucial battles when it comes to conference foes. Our defense has always been strong and we have been adding lots of offensive power the last two years.
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Aug 23, 2010 9:09:51 GMT -5
Top Drawer posted their tourney preseason poll for the men. Virginia last years champ is at 7 and N Carolina is at 1.
Their poll if you remember forcasts the 48 teams the NCAA committee will pick for the post season. All the conference champs and the at large teams. I like it, it seem more realistic than the top 25 polls. And LMU is on it.
They have UCSB at #4. How did that happen. UCLA 10, Stanford 13, Portland 21, UCI 23, LMU 28, Cal 30, USD 32, and SAC St to round out the teams from the West.
Lots of teams from the West that still will be upset not being included. Northridge, SD ST and New Mexico for just a few.
Someone recognizes LMU talent and predicts us to return to the tournament. It will soon be time to prove it on the field.
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Aug 23, 2010 11:28:48 GMT -5
San Diego State is one team for sure that will be ready for us when the season starts on September one. We beat them last year coming from behind to win on their field. Change anyone of their defeats to a win or even a tie and they would have had a winning record and a berth in the post season.
For sure they know the importance of that first match. Only nine days to our season opener at home for the men.
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Aug 23, 2010 11:35:22 GMT -5
Top Drawer must be picking Portland as conference champs as they are highest rated of the WCC schools. Though that may be because of their longer run in the playoffs. USD might strongly disagree as defending champs.
The WCC coaches poll should be out soon. San Diego will be favored as returning champs. We should be close to the top in the poll. That was our goal last year and we have as good a chance as anyone.
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Aug 25, 2010 11:33:53 GMT -5
College Soccer News listed their top 40 recruiting classes for the men. No LMU. Our freshman will have to prove them wrong. Though, it may be hard breaking into the LMU starting line up. We started as many as 7 freshman 2 years ago and those guys are now veterans and are our core. Mixed in with two seniors, Rafie and Vinny and a couple of solid sophomores the freshmen will have their work cut out for them finding a lot of playing time.
The coaches have developed a knack for finding local talent that has led to LMUs success and that looks to continue with our newcomers.
SD State was 29th and brought in 12 frosh. Including a Parade all American and a Canadian National. We'll see how much playing time they get in the opener.
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Aug 26, 2010 23:56:29 GMT -5
College Soccer News also just published its list of 100 top freshman to watch. LMU's Eric Bruntner made their list and will hopefully find some playing time this year in our back line. He brings some size, 6-3 to the defense.
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Sept 6, 2010 17:01:32 GMT -5
We moved up in Top Drawer's "top 48" to 25 today. Tomorrow the coaches poll, will we be there? The girls aren't there yet but may soon have to be taken seriously. TD seems reluctant to drop UCLA UCSB or even SAC State after less than promising starts.
TD's top freshman women comes out in a day or so. How can they overlook the Lions frosh. I look for at least two or more. Julie G made their top 100 women coming in at 27.
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Sept 7, 2010 16:00:02 GMT -5
Top Drawer has us at 25, I didn't find us anywhere else. We did get votes from the coaches (31) that puts us out of their top 25 but theoretically at 29.
UCI moved up to 16, Portland 16 UCLA dropped to 17, CAL 19, and UCSB dropped to 21. Who is voting for UCSB? Or didn't they hear they have a loss and a tie?
Update: 9/7 two loses and a tie
In the West regional voting it is interesting though Cal is 1, LMU 2 and UCI 3.
The answer is to keep winning, one at a time.
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Sept 15, 2010 12:20:42 GMT -5
Rafa makes it to #6 on Top Drawers top 100 collegians. He is good for sure. But I'm not sure how you can quantify or differentiate players to that degree. Soccer is a team game and he has a lot of outstanding teammates. I'm sure that he would be the first to say so too!
Julie Gaudaulet is #40 this week on the womens side.
Tawni Martino is #35 for freshman women.
Top Drawer continues to rank us in their mens poll at #25 betting that we'll make it to the playoffs.
They also added Saint Marys as a fourth ladies team they think will make it from the WCC. I think others like the Lions will object to that once conference starts
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Post by sullivanfieldfan on Sept 20, 2010 9:48:51 GMT -5
Well we are gone from the Top Drawer top48. After falling to 3-3 that was expected. We need to get back in the win column.
What was even more surprising was USF jumping to #18 on their list from nowhere. And that after two losses to Cal and Stanford. The rater(s), I think, at TD have switched horses and now favor USF for the conference berth over Portland, LMU and everyone else. Myself, I think it's going to be a real dogfight. I still favor LMU, but every game will be a battle.
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