Pilots vs. Virginia Tech, Friday 11/20, Merlo Field

I don't want to sound un-Pilot like, but I wish the VT goal had also been shown. I like goals, but I do like Pilot goals the best. And kudos to our mens team for also beating an ACC team!

fwill wrote:I don't want to sound un-Pilot like, but I wish the VT goal had also been shown. I like goals, but I do like Pilot goals the best. And kudos to our mens team for also beating an ACC team!

They were just being kind to the VT scorer. A replay would have shown a shot not on frame accidentally redirected by a Pilot.

They didn't want to take away credit for the score.

Anyone notice the newly posted Video on the game. The goals in order and everything. Plus more than one angle on the shots.

Maybe someone was listening after our UW posts?

(Still no showing of VT goal though. A big improvement though.

The trio of Dani, Kendra and Sophie really came through. It is so great that the team has been able to up their game and play with such chemistry. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the year for us and the National Championship. Go Pilots!

Geezaldinho wrote:
They were just being kind to the VT scorer. A replay would have shown a shot not on frame accidentally redirected by a Pilot.

They didn't want to take away credit for the score.

Maybe, but I've seen the reply a dozen times and it looked to me like it nutmegged Michelle O. She might have touched it, but it didn't look like it got redirected on the reply from behind the scorer. On the other hand, Michelle presence surely made the save harder for Kelsey even if she didn't touch it.

personally, i believe that kelsey got screened by m.o. an didnt get a good look at the shot. is that what 'nutmegged' is ??

Nutmegged is when the ball goes through your legs - think leg splits; it's always pretty embarrassing for the one who gets nutmegged. Btw, on the KATU Friday evening news the sportscaster said that MO was "nutmegged", so I guess that's what must have happened. I still would like to see that goal.

I always thought that, that was the 5 hole. Maybe that is just Hockey, or maybe it is only if it goes through the goalie's legs.

fan from afar wrote:

fwill wrote:It was a pleasure having you in the Pilot Nation, Telionis. Come back and visit us again real soon!

Ditto, Telionis. Stay in touch!!

Thanks guys!!! Hopefully our teams will meet again, either next year in soccer, or this year in basketball. Most of our team is young, and our top three scorers are coming back next year, so I have hope that our 2010 team will be respectable.

I have a policy of cheering for whoever thoroughly/convincingly beats us. So hopefully Portland wins the tournament (then at least we can say we lost to number one)!!! Pilots FTW!!!

pms268 wrote:I was mildly amused that the loud and somewhat obnoxious VT cheering section in the row right behind us got quiet in a hurry.

Really? I'd be blown away if any of our fans traveled that far. According to CityDistance, Portland is 2239 miles from Blacksburg. I know we travel well, but not that well!!! Maybe it was VT alumni that live in or near Portland!?!
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How do soccer teams choose their out of conference schedule? I know that in football, the schools are responsible for it themselves, is it the same in soccer? Our athletic department is of the philosophy that you have to play with the very best if you want to be good yourself. We try to schedule tough OOC games in most sports even if there is a much better than even chance of losing. (For example, in football, while Florida and Texas scheduled IAA schools to pad their stats, we scheduled Alabama and Nebraska two weeks apart). I'm sure we'd welcome a two year home/away series with Portland even if we lose both by a big margin.

Telionis wrote:

How do soccer teams choose their out of conference schedule? I know that in football, the schools are responsible for it themselves, is it the same in soccer? Our athletic department is of the philosophy that you have to play with the very best if you want to be good yourself. We try to schedule tough OOC games in most sports even if there is a much better than even chance of losing. (For example, in football, while Florida and Texas scheduled IAA schools to pad their stats, we scheduled Alabama and Nebraska two weeks apart). I'm sure we'd welcome a two year home/away series with Portland even if we lose both by a big margin.

teams negotiate their own schedules - in Portland's case, that's often 2 -3 years out. UP has a policy that they will play any contenders, but it's got to be an exchange basis.

So if VT is willing to come to Portland, We'll go to the Shenandoah Valley anytime.

Geezaldinho wrote:So if VT is willing to come to Portland, We'll go to the Shenandoah Valley anytime.

Cool. I guess us VT fans need to pester our athletic department to make arrangements. Not sure if our team will be very enthusiastic about it though.

We should make it an annual contest, maybe even a trophy contest... Battle for the Pamplin Cup! I assure you it would do wonders for our soccer team if we could just keep it competitive. Simply playing top teams helps with everything, particularly recruiting and national exposure.
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(FYI: It's actually the New River valley.)

So if VT is willing to come to Portland, We'll go to the Shenandoah Valley anytime.

Geezer = Larry Williams?

up7587 wrote:

So if VT is willing to come to Portland, We'll go to the Shenandoah Valley anytime.

Geezer = Larry Williams?

Just quoting Garrett (and Clive before him)

Telionis wrote:

(FYI: It's actually the New River valley.)

Yeah, I guess so, but it's pretty hard to tell if you are driving RT 81.

I never understood why one of the geologically oldest rivers on Earth has that name.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41639453@N00/sets/72157622740337053/

Good photos, thanks for sharing.

Telionis wrote:

pms268 wrote:I was mildly amused that the loud and somewhat obnoxious VT cheering section in the row right behind us got quiet in a hurry.

Really? I'd be blown away if any of our fans traveled that far. According to CityDistance, Portland is 2239 miles from Blacksburg. I know we travel well, but not that well!!! Maybe it was VT alumni that live in or near Portland!?!

Yes...they were local alums. If I recall there were five or six of them. Very knowledgeable about the game but a little unsure of college rules. I'd say they were huge soccer fans who happened to be VT grads.

http://www.hokiesports.com/wsoccer/gallery/

Trenchcoats game review- (short and always... to the point)

Great game indeed! For the first time this year I saw the Pilots score multiple goals on counter attacks. This is a huge move forward in the quest for the national title. Most seasonal play has been, pass pass pass; try to get it the ball into the eighteen yard box; pass, pass, pass, then try for a pretty 'give and go' shot. This game was different! It was filled with gutsy crosses and huge attacks on goal. This is a very positive tactic (attacking the goal) in beating other good teams.

I don't believe I saw any 'short corners' either. What I did see was the outside players (Kendall) knocking it into the danger zone for multiple goal attacks. I like that in soccer!

The only negative I saw was the stall tactic at the end of the game (getting to the corner and standing on the ball). With the score at 4-1 it was unnecessary. I don't like to see the Pilots do things like that (Stall tactics and short corners). They should have continued to attack the goal.

Trenchcoat Pilot game rating......... 5 out of 5 stars.

Threnchcoat

Trenchcoat Wally wrote:The only negative I saw was the stall tactic at the end of the game (getting to the corner and standing on the ball). With the score at 4-1 it was unnecessary. I don't like to see the Pilots do things like that (Stall tactics and short corners). They should have continued to attack the goal.

I was the only person in my area of the stands who liked seeing this. They need to practice killing the clock using that tactic. They haven't done it much this year, and they have to take their opportunities when they get them. So, I was glad to see them practicing it, which is exactly what they were doing.

Plus, I think protecting the 4-1 score was important, for lots of "sending a message" reasons.

Yes, but 5-1 is also a good message to send.

Are we still discussing last Friday's game? Hey, it was worth 12 pages (and counting). I liked the stall at the end only because it was what the Pilots should have done versus UW the week before and didn't -- and nearly paid for it by giving up a corner and a free kick in the final minute. They didn't need to use the stall against VT to win with the score as it was. What they needed it for was practice for when it could be crucial.

I like the VT photo gallery shared by ohhh_yeah -- thanks for the link (even tho the pics made the score look like 1-0 Hokies). It's good to see the Pilots and their field as others see them and it all looked great.

Agreed on the pics--there were some good shots in there, and I like to see how others "see" us... a great reminder of the great program we have on the bluff.

I don't know if I agree with the tactic of going into the corner and farting around with the ball, but I do agree that they need to know how to kill the game off, play within themsleves, take less chances, retain possession and run down the clock.

Harry Redknapp wrote:I don't know if I agree with the tactic of going into the corner and farting around with the ball, but I do agree that they need to know how to kill the game off, play within themsleves, take less chances, retain possession and run down the clock.

I agree 100% (Harry is so wise). We play the possession game so well that we should be able to kill off time just possessing the ball - playing keepaway - with little or no intention of going seriously into the attacking third of the field. I bet that if the Pilots just ate up time with midfield passes and safety passes back to the back line, so that the other team (remember, they're behind and desperate) had to come out and chase, that some very dangerous scoring opportunities would open up. If they didn't come out and chase, just keep playing keepaway.