@ USD and LMU

The Pilots are off to a great start in the WCC with two home wins.

The difference in performance this year at and away from Merlo has been striking (3-0-1 vs. 1-4-0). It would be great to have a win or two on the road. Given the pre-conference record, the most straightforward way (perhaps the only way) to make the playoffs is to win the WCC.

UP and Santa Clara are tied for first after the first week of conference play. This week, the Pilots face the same two teams that the Broncos beat last week, and the Broncos play one of the teams we played last week. Should be a good measuring stick.

3-2 San Diego at the end of the 1st half...Steve & Derek got the goals, but Derek & Colin already have a yellow card each. Wish the video was working....

We have to stop giving up 3+ goals in a game if we're going to be successful!

Did better today.

UP beat LMU 2-1 on goals from Anderson and the Game winner from Velasco, his second of the year and first game winner.


each Keeper made a save on a PK.

LMU appeared to have much of the run of play ( at least that's what the LMU announcers thought)/ they also thought the ref was whistle happy - that comment after UP was called for a foul.

Speaking of which -- the ref was a southern California ref. I thought the conference sought out refs that weren't from either team's area for conference games?

Seems like this is again shaping up to be like the last few WCC seasons where anybody can beat anybody and everyone (except for Gonzaga) has a shot at winning the conference going into the last weekend. Since none of the WCC teams had very impressive pre-season records, winning WCC is likely the only way to make the playoffs.
I think the high goals allowed, can be attributed to Ryan Kowaluk graduating. He (and Logan Emory previously) were very strong/calm presence in the middle. The new combinations on the back line may take some time to settle.
LMU did have the run of play early and seemed very strong when they had the lead, but when the score was tied or they were behind, they resorted to hit and hope. Given their size advantage, it could work. However, not very nice to watch and all credit to the Pilots defence for holding fort.

Sounds like the secret to beating LMU is to give them the lead.

A perfectly executed plan by the coaching staff, I might add...

Nice to see that Keith Grubisich is recognized for his play this past weekend.

10/9/2012 4:05:00 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland Pilots senior Keith Grubisich is this week’s U.S. Bank UP Student-Athlete of the Week after notching two goals and assist in Southern California last weekend. Grubisich scored two goals on Friday and assisted on Portland’s first goal on Sunday as the Pilots split their two WCC games.
 
Grubisich’s first goal against San Diego on Friday night evened the score at 1-1 with the Toreros. Grubisich would then score his second goal in the 86th minute to pull the Pilots within one, but USD would ultimately prevail 4-3.
 
Then on Sunday, he assisted on Portland’s equalizer after LMU had taken a 1-nil lead. Grubisich headed a ball to Colin Anderson, who scored just before the half to tie the score at 1-1. Portland would go on to register the 2-1 win.

Past Winners
• Amanda Frisbie (Sept. 17, 2012)
• Kaila Cameli (Sept. 24, 2012)
• Ariel Usher (Oct. 1, 2012)

Well this round against LMU shows what happens when you pile dumb decisions on top of stupid mistakes.

They made so many bad choices it's hard to catalogue them all.

Sunday is Senior day, and the UP site we will honor the seniors.


They could start by examining what it takes to win a game.

I hate losing more than I enjoy winning, but what I dislike even more is when a team just doesn’t seem to get it together.

I’m not saying the men’s soccer team didn’t give full effort this evening; they may have. Maybe I’m just spoiled from watching the women’s team, but the guys gave up the ball way too much and their defense if very, very suspect. Nice offense for the most part, but there must have been close to 20 shots and few caused the freshman LMU keeper to move off his spot.

Don’t get me wrong, UP’s 2-1 loss to LMU tonight had some bright moments for the Pilots (another Evans goal and the play of Escobar and Velasco comes to mind), but in an almost empty Merlo with the rain coming down, it was the guys from Southern California who are used to the sun who gave a lot more effort and were rewarded for their efforts.

Even when the Pilots pushed hard the last 10 minutes, they were dispossessed so often it was obvious they would be lucky to score. Me, I stayed until the end just so I could say I did; it wasn’t enjoyable.

It was amazing that the Pilots were only 1 goal down after the first 20 - 30 minutes display. The Pilot goal was from Dustin Munger (his 1st collegiate goal) came when everyone except Escobar and Munger seemed to be focused on counting down the final seconds of the first half. For the most part Evans looked pretty isolated up top alone against two very effective, big centre backs. Not sure having your best player with the ball at his feet; spending most of the game waiting for the ball; is the best tactic.
Hopefully the Pilots give us a better game for senior's day on Sunday.

GoUP wrote:It was amazing that the Pilots were only 1 goal down after the first 20 - 30 minutes display. The Pilot goal was from Dustin Munger (his 1st collegiate goal) came when everyone except Escobar and Munger seemed to be focused on counting down the final seconds of the first half. For the most part Evans looked pretty isolated up top alone against two very effective, big centre backs. Not sure having your best player with the ball at his feet; spending most of the game waiting for the ball; is the best tactic.
Hopefully the Pilots give us a better game for senior's day on Sunday.

You are correct, I sit corrected, it was the freshman Munger who scored UP's only goal...congratulations to Dustin for his first NCAA goal.

I admit to ducking into the Chiles Center with about a minute to go in the half to dry out, and was TOLD Evans scored to knot the score.

It's the typical pattern the guys have exhibited over the past 10 years. The consistency of the program is maddeningly frustrating, as they've had a few good years, but then always follow them up with bad seasons. It seems like almost everyone in conference is more accomplished at winning those close games consistently. Something needs to change or I can see the Pilots being in this kind of limbo for awhile.

Congratulations on your 2-1 win over San Diego this afternoon, guys! It was a fun game to watch and a great way to celebrate our seniors at the last home game of the season. Good luck next weekend!

Much better team play for the last home game.

the game started on the same note as the LMU game ended, with mistakes allowing a USD player to get behind the defense. it made you slap your head and wonder why you came to the game.

but after weathring the initial storm, the team played pretty even with the conference leaders and then showed a couple moments of brilliance.

the first was when Hugo and Evans worked up the left sideline, Evans sprung loose and raced down the sideline. He got a great cross to Hemphill who got a nifty redirect far post top corner.

a bit later, Hugo sent a free kick into the box far post and Jaime Velasco made a perfect one-touch cross to Evans front and center who sent the ball to the back of the net with no fuss.

the rest of the game was touch and go, but the defense tightened up. it seemed they got a little too cautious for a while, but later, when USD got desperate and pushed up, we got more chances.

Note to team for next year. when November rolls around in Portland, put the molded teflon shoes away for the year and put on the clunky screw-in shoes even if they aren't the latest pretty color.. Wet Bluegrass is slippery. I noticed the LMU coach on friday was checking shoes at halftime and sent one guy back into the locker room to change shoes. I'm not saying our coaches should do that, but its magical thinking to believe your footwear doesn't matter.

I thought it was a fine performance, both to come back in the first half and to hold the lead in the second while having several good chances at a third goal. Hemphill's volley was a beauty and I was lucky enough to be behind the goal when he scored it. The seniors all put in solid games today.

I noticed a lot of guys on both teams slipping. They make boots with soft ground studs for a reason, you know.

Played golf; arrived just after half time; got in for free; watched a UP goal keeper I hadn’t seen play before, redshirt-freshman goalkeeper Kyle Foster, make some very nice saves; the Pilots won; everyone went home happy ……for a change.

I don’t know how it feels to be coach or player on the men’s team this year, but it has not been easy on the fans of GOOD soccer.

After watching UP‘s poor performance in a steady rain on Friday I really didn’t expect to show up for today’s game, but along with about 1,000 others, I came to say so-long to the seniors in what turned out to be a wonderful (home) conclusion to the men’s season…maybe we should have Senior Day more often.

To the men’s team, thanks for showing that good quality men’s soccer is still possible at Merlo, but I have to agree with the comments of others….in this age of modern technology, you do NOT have to slip and slide all over the field.