Tell me...I am not a soccer fan and not informed

[Brad]

Has this team fallen below expectations so far, or are they where the experts thought they would be?

---

Courtesy USF SID Office

Castellanos Leads Bulls to 1-1 Tie With Panthers    

TAMPA, Fla. (September 17, 2006) – The University of South Florida men’s soccer team (4-2-2, 2-0-2 BIG EAST) remained unbeaten in BIG EAST play with a 1-1 tie versus the Pittsburgh Panthers (2-4-2, 2-1-1 BIG EAST) on Sunday, Sept. 17 at the USF Soccer Stadium.  

Senior Sammy Castellanos scored his first goal of the season, converting a penalty kick attempt in the 61st minute to earn the Bulls a point in the BIG EAST standings. With the draw, USF remains in first place of the Red Division.  USF controlled much of the game, out-shooting Pittsburgh 35-7. The Bulls created a number of scoring chances, forcing Pittsburgh goalkeeper Andy Jorgensen to make 15 saves on the afternoon. The Bulls registered 16 shots on goal, while limiting Pittsburgh to just four. Both the 35 shots and 16 shots on goal were the most recorded by USF in BIG EAST action. Six different players has three or more shots in the contest, including Castellanos, Kevon Neaves and Anthony Wallace each registered five shots in the contest.  

The Bulls’ lone mistake took place in the 11th minute, giving the Panthers the best and only true scoring chance of the game.

After a Bulls’ turnover at midfield, Pittsburgh took an early lead with a goal in the 11th minute. Matt Baker scored his second goal of the season to give the Panthers a 1-0 advantage early in the first half. On a quick counter attack, Baker received a long pass from defender Mike Cunha, allowing the Pittsburgh midfielder to get behind the Bulls back line and beat Dane Brenner for the score. Cunha was credited with his third assist of the season.

The tie is the second-consecutive BIG EAST draw for the Bulls and the 101st overtime contest all-time in USF history.  

USF will hit the road to face the Villanova Wildcats on Saturday, Sept. 23. Game time is 1 p.m.

No. 15 USF Bulls vs. Pittsburgh Panthers

Sept. 17, 2006 – USF Soccer Stadium

                             1       2       OT        2OT      F

Pittsburgh               1       0       0          0          1

USF                        0       1       0          0          1

Scoring Summary: PITT – Baker 2 (Cunha 3), 11’; USF – Castellanos 1 (penalty kick), 61’.

USF Bulls – GK Dane Brenner, D Blake Sharpe, D Kareem Smith, D Joris Claessens, MF Kevon Neaves, MF, Rodrigo Hidalgo, MF Sammy Castellanos, MF Anthony Wallace, MF Francisco Aristeguieta, MF Jason Devenish, F Jordan Seabrook.

Substitutes: Andre Townsend, Joey Brown, Simon Schoendorf, Ogi Perucica, Alex Muniz, Anthony D’Oyley.

TOTAL SHOTS: 35(Three players with 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 16 (Wallace 3); FOULS: 14; OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 10; SAVE: Brenner 3.

Pittsburgh Panthers – GK Andy Jorgensen, D Samuli Ahola, D Brendon Smith, D, Matt Firster, D Eric Jaeger, MF Shawn Wildman, MF Matt Baker, MF Tyler Bastianelli, MF Matt Langton, F Keeyan Young.

Substitutes: Matt Denzel, Chris Bastidas, E.J. McCormick, Orane Gordon, Mike McDade

TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Baker 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Baker 2); FOULS: 10; OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: Jorgensen 15.

Cautions and Ejections: PITT – Cunha (caution), 61’; USF – Townsend (caution), 66’; PITT – Firster (caution), 99’; USF – Neaves (caution), 100’; PITT – Young (caution), 109’; USF – Sharpe (caution), 109’.

Referee: Alex Ivahnenko

Assistant Referees: Rick Richardson, Jaime Gouerra.

4th Official: Goree Fleck

Weather: Hot, Sunny, 92 degrees.

[The Sheriff]

We have not lost a game where we have played 11-up.

We have played many one sided games where we have dominated teams but just not finished.

WVU appears to be the only evenly matched team we've played thus far.

[MikeG]

Brad, you are not a soccer fan and not informed

[USFPDiddy]

I get very tired of soccer fans saying football is a weak sport.  Vice versa also isn't great.

But seriously, football players HAVE to wear pads because of they way they take hits in certain situations.  If soccer allowed that kind of hitting, they'd wear pads too.  And, I'd play soccer.

[Kyle]

This team is missing 3 or 4 starters due to injury at the moment. There are a lot of young kids playing that wouldn't otherwise see time. This team's depth is encouraging.

Both games this weekend should have been wins, esp. the Pitt game. They haven't lived up to the expectations just yet, but they've still got time.

[Kyle]

Also, Sheriff, the WVU game was controlled by USF for all but about 1 minute in which WVU scored twice.

The only evenly matched game so far was with Duke.

[USFCollin]

They really carried the play on Sunday, but couldn't find that finishing touch.  When they did put a good strike on the ball, it ran into an outstanding keeper.  15 saves in a match is a ton, and many of them were testers.

Had a couple opportunities that should have been converted, but mostly it was good buildup that was one touch away from finding the net.  

They'll be fine, and I'm not backing off my College Cup prediction yet.   8-)

[Guest wildrover]

This team seems to have trouble finishing.  They control the midfield great but seem to lack genuine stricker ability up front.  I don't see this team giving up many goals, their defense is stout and I haven't seem them get dominated by anybody yet.  However, I also see a team that fails to converge on the goal.  Time and time I see a wing forward up by himself.  He has no one to center the ball to because the rest of the team is at least ten yards behind him.  I also see a lack of urgency whenever they are on the other teams half of the field.  I also see a little ball hogging too, When I used to play you were given three touches, that thrid touch had better be a pass or a shot or else you've held it to long (exceptions given to the one on one and other cases where you needed to hold onto the ball longer but for the most part trying to get through the other teams defense by yourself was not encouraged, I see a lot of that from this team)

So anyway, I don't think they are living up to expectations but they aren't falling off the map, their stout defense and especially midfield will keep the goals out but our forwards need to generate some offense so they can start putting goals in.

oh, and Diddy, I'm not sure if you can read or if your reading comp is poor or what but this isn't a thread about your opinion of the game.  Its a thread about the USF soccer team.  If you don't like the game then don't go or engage in conversation about the sport.  You'll just end up making yourself look stupid.

[Brad]

Brad, you are not a soccer fan and not informed

Thank you Mike (I think)...I just want assurances the Big East title is still going to be ours.  The worry department is fully focused on football; and with basketball just around the corner, I don't want to worry about soccer if it is not necessary.

[hightechbull]

I get very tired of soccer fans saying football is a weak sport.  Vice versa also isn't great.

But seriously, football players HAVE to wear pads because of they way they take hits in certain situations.  If soccer allowed that kind of hitting, they'd wear pads too.  And, I'd play soccer.

WTF does that have to do with Brad's question?

Soccer players are on the field for 45 minutes straight each half, plus penalty minutes.  I forget the college rules, but at the FIFA level, once you sub out, you cannot go back in the game, so players will walk off injuries to stay in the game - even direct shots to the groin.  Have you ever been the recipient of an unexpected slide tackle in soccer?  You have no pads or helmet to deflect the fall.  It is the equivalent of jogging down the street, someone pulling a "Tonya Harding" on your ankles, and then slamming to the ground face first at top speed.

Both sports are very strenuous, so hats off to football and football (soccer) players everywhere.

Yes, it is sad that I do not remember the college rules, and I have not attended a USF soccer game in years.  Sorry USF soccer team, my bad, and one of these days I will rectify that situation.