s as a starter for Tampa Bay and Cleveland.

s as a starter for Tampa Bay and Cleveland.

10.09.2019 17:18

What went down in the sixth week of college soccer? The aim each week is to bring you five stories that defined the week in college soccer or help navigate the long road to the (still homeless) Womens College Cup.And sometimes to point out moments like this. Or this.Or the fastest goal in NCAA womens soccer history from Megan Searson.A season-defining week, ACC-styleAs Miami welcomed No. 2 Virginia this past week, winless against the Cavaliers since 2006, it also worked against a goal drought of more than 300 minutes this season. Three consecutive 1-0 defeats left the Hurricanes within a game of .500 entering the week, an uncomfortable place for any ACC team yet to play the bulk of its grueling conference schedule.But after 40 shots without a goal in those three most recent setbacks, Miami took an early lead on one of its first shots Thursday, a counter leading to a terrific finish from Gracie Lachowecki. The Hurricanes made it two goals before halftime, standout freshman Kristina Fisher converting a penalty, and saw out a 2-1 win with an organized defensive effort.It was a major achievement, the best (although notably not the only) win against a top-five opponent in coach Mary-Frances Monroes four seasons. Yet it still meant only as much as Sundays game against unranked Syracuse. And for a time, it looked like Miami might squander the momentum. It hit a post against the Orange. It hit the crossbar. Players opened up shooting angles, only to put their shots wide. But then Ronnie Johnson volleyed a ball out of air to break the scoreless tie in the 72nd minute and Lachowecki sealed a 2-0 win in the 81st minute.Thursday gave Miami one of the best wins in program history. But Sunday consolidated that into a feasible path to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2012.All square in top-five showdownMother Nature, at least partly, took care of what the NCAA should have years ago. With teams often playing twice in the span of three or four days, there is no sensible reason to extend regular-season games beyond 90 minutes.A draw can be a fair result, like the 1-1 final between No. 3 Florida State and No. 2 Virginia that ended with less than a minute to play in the first of two 10-minute overtime periods Sunday because of severe weather. That it was close and low-scoring cant be a surprise. There have been high-scoring routs in the past, but seven of the past eight meetings were either decided by a single goal or ended level (five of those games ending 1-0 for one side or the other).The difference here, after Veronica Latsko gave Virginia an early lead and Kristen McFarland pulled Florida State even in the second half, is that it doesnt so much confirm the excellence of the two teams as much as confirm that both are works in progress.A season-shaping week, SEC-styleA Sweet 16 participant just a season ago, Auburn isnt worried about ending a Miami-esque postseason drought. But the immediate future looked a tad parched as the Tigers embarked on a road trip to No. 12 Florida and Georgia this past week with a near-.500 record for the season.Seven goals later, including four from Kristen Dodson, Auburn looks like Auburn often does.That the weeks drama came Sunday, rallying from a goal down at halftime to score three unanswered in a 4-2 win at Georgia, says a lot about the game that preceded it. Auburn shut out Florida in Gainesville for the first time in series history, and the Tigers didnt even need a clean sheet in a comprehensive 3-0 win. With only a loss at conference leader South Carolina, Auburn is in good shape among a pack of chasers.Floridas frustration, on the other hand, was summed up by Savannah Jordan unsubtly lowering her shoulder into an Auburn defender whose jersey tug moments earlier had gone unspotted or uncalled by the referee. The Diego Costa homage (fast forward to 8 minutes remaining in the first half here) didnt cost Jordan a card, but after a stretch of games in which she received minimal service, it dripped with symbolism.Yet it was that same relentless energy, better channeled, that kept Jordan chasing what proved to be the winning goal Sunday against Tennessee. That result keeps the Gators in the SEC mix.Duke adjusts without a starIt might seem a curious choice, but Louisville was the last team No. 7 Duke wanted as it adjusted to life without Kayla McCoy.Give them North Carolina. Give them Florida State or Virginia. Just dont ask the Blue Devils to get a shot past the Cardinals. Duke took 31 shots without scoring in Thursdays 0-0 tie against Louisville. It took 24 shots without scoring in a 0-0 draw in the same game a year earlier. And 15 shots without scoring the year before that in a 0-0 draw. You get the picture.So as worrying as it was that Duke went without a goal in its first game since learning McCoy would miss the rest of the season with a torn Achilles, Sundays 4-0 win against No.19 Virginia Tech -- and more specifically, two goals from Imani Dorsey -- should soothe nerves.The vanishing unbeatenAs the leaves start falling, so do the unbeatens. Sure, No. 1 Stanford continues to roll along just fine after a 3-0 win against Oregon. So, too, do No. 8 South Carolina and No. 12 South Florida, the Bulls still both unbeaten and untied. But the list gets short after that.Unbeaten through nonconference play, Central Michigan opened its MAC schedule with a 4-0 loss to Northern Illinois. Previously unbeaten without allowing a goal, Lehigh watched both labels go by the wayside in a 3-2 loss to Colgate. The same week it cracked the Top 25, No. 21 Northwestern took its first loss of the season at Rutgers. Until this week the only Big 12 team with a better winning percentage than No. 5 West Virginia, TCU lost its first at Oklahoma.So where are we supposed to look for unexpected perfection? Bucknell remains 8-0-1.Or you could turn to Division II Central Missouri. The Jennies (the curiously gender-specific nickname for a school where the mens teams go by Mules) are one of two remaining NCAA teams that are unbeaten, untied and yet to allow a goal. The other is Division III Rowan. Quenton Nelson Colts Jersey . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Kenny Moore Womens Jersey . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. http://www.coltsofficialstore.us/customized/ . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. Kenny Moore Jersey . The International Olympic Committee released the official list of bid cities on Friday after the deadline for applications had passed. The candidates -- all previously announced in their own countries -- are: Almaty, Kazakhstan; Beijing; Krakow, Poland; Lviv, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm. Malik Hooker Womens Jersey . -- PGA TOUR Canada member Steve Saunders took a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Web. BEREA, Ohio -- When Josh McCown was asked by Browns wide receivers Terrelle Pryor and Josh Gordon -- players who are much younger than him -- to join them and watch Monday Night Football, Clevelands quarterback didnt pass up the chance.When the invite is there, I will go hang, McCown said.The curious trio of teammates will be huddling again Sunday.McCown, who stayed steady this summer as trade speculation swirled, will replace an injured Robert Griffin III and start Sundays home opener against Baltimore. Griffin broke a bone in his left shoulder last week in Philadelphia and will miss at least eight games.So the Browns (0-1) will turn their offense back over to the capable McCown, whose future in Cleveland seemed tenuous for several months. However, despite fielding several offers for the 37-year-old, the Browns chose to hang on to McCown, a decision that looks shrewder after Griffin went down.Josh is a pros pro, said Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas. You dont survive 15 years in the NFL without knowing how to take care of your business, even in the face of adversity.McCown is relishing another chance, knowing better than anyone he doesnt have many left. His first season with Cleveland was sabotaged by injury, and time is running out on a career that began in 2002 -- when many of his current teammates were still in grade school.For my age, these opportunities, I dont take them lightly, he said. The opportunity to get out there, certainly when that is taken away, it eats at you. Throughout the offseason, it is always in the back of your mind, and the next opportunity you have to make the most of it because you do not know. That is my plan this time around.McCown experienced extreme highs and lows last season against the Ravens (1-0). He passed for a team-record 457 yards and led the Browns to one of their three wins, a 33-30 overtime thriller at Baltimore on Oct. 11. When the teams met again six weeks later, McCown broke his collarbone and missed the final five games.When Cleveland signed RG3 as a free agent in March and then selected rookie Cody Kessler in the third round of Aprils draft, it appeared McCowns days with the Browns were numbered. He blocked out the trade rumors and did what he has always done: whatever the team needed.Even before he was beaten out by Griffin for the Browns sstarting job in training camp, McCown selflessly stepped aside and offered his snaps so RG3 could have more time with the starters.ddddddddddddts that selflessness that has endeared him to teammates past and present. And its why the Browns, who have 17 rookies on their roster, are grateful to have him to teach their young players, to lead them, and, to hopefully win with them.Im full speed ahead with Josh, coach Hue Jackson said. I think he will go out and play extremely well, and help lead our offense and get us to playing football the way we need to play, and give us an opportunity. We expect him to do that. That is why we kept him here.For all the positive testimonials about McCowns character, theres no escaping that hes just 2-17 in his last two seasons as a starter for Tampa Bay and Cleveland. Although he was on the way to his best statistical season in 2015, McCown was 1-7 for the Browns.Pryor, the QB-turned-wide receiver who spent part of the offseason working out with McCown, said focusing on McCowns record is unfair. Theres more than meets the eye.Last year, he lit a lot of teams up, Pryor said. The guy knows how to play. What we love about Josh is that hes the ultimate competitor. You can see it in his eyes and the way he talks in the huddle.McCown was with Pryor and Gordon, who is serving another four-game drug suspension, when Browns owner Jimmy Haslam called to discuss Griffins injury and offer him support.Which made me feel good for a lot of different reasons, Haslam said. Josh McCown is as good a person as Ive ever met anywhere. Hes just incredible.McCown never thought twice about whether his being with much younger teammates appeared odd.It is good to be around those guys, he said. It keeps me young. Ive been the `old guy for the past five years.Game notes Jackson said he doesnt have a problem with his players celebrating following a big play, as long as they keep it within reason. I want our guys to have a little swagger to them, he said. If that is what makes us play good, more power to them. As long as the dances dont turn into something Ive never seen before, we will be OK.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '


Melden Sie sich an, um die Kommentarfunktion zu nutzen


Xobor Xobor Blogs
Datenschutz