UW Tournament

The Pilots will have a big tournament at UW next week, and I'm sure they will be aiming to erase some unpleasant memories from last year's excursion there.

First up on Friday is Fresno State. So far this year, they are 0-2-1. They have an exhibition loss to Stanford 2-0. Then, they have losses to UC Davis 2-1 and UCLA 2-0 and a tie with San Francisco 1-1. Last year, they were 11-5-5 with an RPI rank of 95. Against familiar opponents they tied Pepperdine 1-1, tied LMU 1-1, and beat San Francisco 3-1. I'm guessing they're not as strong this year. It looks like they have a pretty good defense but not much offense. They play Cal State Northridge on Sunday.


Sunday's game against LaSalle should be a great game, as they appear to be an up and coming mid-major program. This year, they are 2-0. They have an exhibition win over Rutgers 2-0. Then, they have a win over West Virginia at West Virginia 2-1 and today a win over Iona at home 2-0. Last year, they were 15-2-3, with an RPI rank of 38. They didn't give up a goal until October 7. They probably will have a top level defense, so this could be a defensive battle of the first class.

Lest anyone have doubts about LaSalle's strength, West Virginia, whom LaSalle beat 2-1 @ West Virginia, beat Stanford today 1-0 @ Penn State. Stanford substantially outshot West Virginia, but WV had 5 shots on goal to Stanford's 1. (Stanford took 17 shots to get its 1 shot on goal.) LaSalle is for real.

Fresno State tied Cal State Northridge today @ CSN 1-1. CSN has been looking pretty good this year. I'd say it's making for a great tournament at UW this weekend.

I've been able to attend a couple of the UW tourneys in recent years, and recommend it for those who want a change of scenery and a reminder that far bigger universities can't come close to drawing the crowds the Pilots do. The Pilots have something to prove on the road this season. Let the proving begin.

purple haze wrote:I've been able to attend a couple of the UW tourneys in recent years, and recommend it for those who want a change of scenery and a reminder that far bigger universities can't come close to drawing the crowds the Pilots do. The Pilots have something to prove on the road this season. Let the proving begin.

Agreed with Purple Haze. Plus, the more of us there the better. We'll be there with daughter and granddaughter and niece and her husband. Others are coming too. The more the better. It's a great get away weekend with some great soccer.

We'll be there on Sunday. Minor issue of employment commitment on Friday.

I'll be there for both games with a wedding to attend in between on Saturday. Very good timing on the wedding couple's part.

A_Fan wrote:I'll be there for both games with a wedding to attend in between on Saturday. Very good timing on the wedding couple's part.

Glad they know your priorities!

I understand we'll be sending 15 bus loads of Timbers fans to Seattle in October for the game against the Sounders........can we at least send 15 car loads to the tournament?

We start out this week at No. 20 in the NSCAA poll:
http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-women/d1

I am unable to attend as I will be in Pliny country, but will hope that a LARGE force of PN get there to cheer.

purple passion wrote:I am unable to attend as I will be in Pliny country, but will hope that a LARGE force of PN get there to cheer.

You are going to Lake Como Italy?

Cool!

RipCityPilot wrote:We start out this week at No. 20 in the NSCAA poll:
http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-women/d1

I wouldn't take the polls too seriously. Notre Dame received no votes.

Geezaldinho wrote:

RipCityPilot wrote:We start out this week at No. 20 in the NSCAA poll:
http://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-women/d1

I wouldn't take the polls too seriously. Notre Dame received no votes.

I don't, but I follow.

And North Carolina who is 0-1-1 is ranked one spot above the Pilots.

A_Fan wrote:And North Carolina who is 0-1-1 is ranked one spot above the Pilots.

And who barely beat the University of Montreal last weekend 1-0 in overtime.

And Tennessee is 4-0-0 and ranked one spot below the pilots.

The Pilots had a new goalie candidate at practice today.

He stopped every shot taken at him but one.

Were you the only striker?

Actually it was Sipple, with a boot on one foot. She shot with her good foot.

Practice went well, the team seemed focused, but were definitely having fun.

I've been resisting posting this, but I can't help myself. I'm putting it on this thread simply because the thread is current and most who follow the women's team therefore will read it.

I have an assistant coach I've corresponded with about the RPI for a couple of years, including running simulations of where his team would rank if they had X record for the balance of the season. He asked for this so he could use it with his team to let the players know that if they could accomplish X they would have a good chance of getting into the NCAA Tournament. It worked really well for them using the simulation results to motivate their players.

I need to preserve confidences, so I only can say that he was at a school with a good team in a good conference on the West Coast and that he has moved to a school with a good team in a good conference "back East" as we East coasters say. We had a recent exchange in which he made the following comment: "The soccer out here is unimpressive and the bias against the West Coast is rampant!"

I don't want to create problems for my friend, so let's keep this within PilotNation. Sort of interesting and a little fun relief from upcoming game nerves.

UPSoccerFanatic wrote:"The soccer out here is unimpressive and the bias against the West Coast is rampant!"

I don't want to create problems for my friend, so let's keep this within PilotNation. Sort of interesting and a little fun relief from upcoming game nerves.

I’m a “West Coaster” who has lived on the east coast…..I’m convinced the east coast bias is real.

Face it, the New York area is still the hub of the repetitive (some would say exaggerated) news that travels from east to west because of time zone differences.

As it is much simpler to travel from venue to venue in the close-proximity east than the west, sportswriters, who are for the most part human, and are prone to the human tendency of laziness, just don’t cover the west…..especially after their bar time or bed time.

The Pilots generally finish their games at midnight in the east….is anyone paying attention?

Remember too that approximately half of the US population resides in the east. TV ratings in the east are higher because people are generally still awake to watch east coast games….higher ratings means the economic advantage is in the east….which means that’s where the coverage is. ‘Nuf said.

Of course, the fact that 23 of the 29 championships (24 if you include Notre Dame) have been won by East Coast teams may contribute as well. Kind of like Notre Dame football, hasn't done anything forever, but still gets ranked in the top 25 based on their "ancient" history.

My opinion, Pilot fans are probably the most educated in the country in terms of knowing about teams across the country. It probably has to do with the programs success and being someone east coast and other geographies want to play as a measuring stick. Hopefully, some of the other west coast team have consistent success in the coming years to help change the bias'.

keeper wrote:Of course, the fact that 23 of the 29 championships (24 if you include Notre Dame) have been won by East Coast teams may contribute as well. Kind of like Notre Dame football, hasn't done anything forever, but still gets ranked in the top 25 based on their "ancient" history.

My opinion, Pilot fans are probably the most educated in the country in terms of knowing about teams across the country. It probably has to do with the programs success and being someone east coast and other geographies want to play as a measuring stick. Hopefully, some of the other west coast team have consistent success in the coming years to help change the bias'.

Umm, 20 ( or 21, depending on how you count) of those championships are UNC

Other than they, only Florida and George Mason have won from the East Coast. George Mason was in the eighties at a time when there were almost no D1 funded programs in the West. Florida was in the 90's. No East coast team but UNC has won in the age of aquarius. Sorry, Notre Dame doesn't count, they are in the Midwest regardless how the NCAA classifies them. Even if you are generous and count them as East coast, the schools that have a trophy on the shelf are even at 4-4. This millennium it is 4-2 in favor of the West.

The ACC likes to posit themselves as the best soccer conference, but no other ACC school but UNC has ever won.

The West coast now has two conferences with multiple champions, the East coast has none.