Two crucial games this weekend for Men's Soccer and Field H

Lafalum · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 843

It will be the battle of the league unbeatens in Men's Soccer as Lafayette meets American in DC on saturday. Last week's overtime thriller ag Lehigh with over 1100 people in the stands at Metzger will hard to repeat but we need the same kind of effort.
FH stumbled last week ag Bucknell and now face a must win ag Holy Cross in Easton. This should be a win but we can not afford to stumble again or kiss the the playoffs good bye and ruin a great season. These next league games must not be taken for granted!

ranger · Joined: 29 Aug 2007 Posts: 74

Good luck to Men's Soccer( and Women's) and Field Hockey. Let's continue to strive for and encourage excellance in all our students efforts.

TheRock90 · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 216 Location: Easton

Both teams will need better offensive efforts this weekend. I was at the soccer game and we were outplayed most of the game. Managed to get one in in OT on a scramble in front of the net after a free kick. Box score shows field hockey didn't get many shots at BU. Both these teams have scholarship players and should beating the league teams that don't have scholarship players, or why have scholarshps?

Lafalum · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 843

In principle I agree, but in both cases the there are 3 scholarship classes the first came late in the process.( Most classes are defined and targeted the Junior recruit year). In the case of FH he has had only 2 classes. But your point is well taken, we should not be losing to non scholarship schools. However, both freshman classes are playing large roles this year on both teams!!
Both teams need to step it up around the goal. Big week end for everyone coming up, we need a sweep!!!!! I'm hoping for a lot of support for all the teams. Go Pards

Xboreturns · Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 231

Today was the first field hockey game I was able to get to since the Pacific game back in September. I was surprised that there were more Holy Cross fans there than Lafayette fans. It was a disappointing double overtime plus shootout loss to a team that was 2-10.

I don't know enough about the game to know whats wrong with the offense, other than they can't score. After the first 10 minutes, we controlled the game, had the ball in the circle many times but either didn't get a shot or missed the goal. We even missed a penalty shot with only a few minutes left in the second OT and only made 2 of the penalty shots in the shootout.

In my opinion, this team is not playing as good as it did earlier in the year. Now with losses to BU and HC we lose both tie-breakers with them. Looks to me like we need to beat both Lehigh and Colgate and hope we can at least tie Lehigh for the final playoff spot. With only five league games and a 0-2 start we need to win the next three to guarantee a playoff spot.

Lafalum · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 843

I saw the team (field hockey) earlier this year and they looked better. They were playing in slow motion at the early part of the game. They had a hard time getting their stick on the ball for second shots ( the equivilent of rebounds in basketball). They did however dominate the stats..26-4 on shots way more in penalty corners. According to someone very close to the team, Meghan Chicci (our all league defender) played a courageous game, she was thought to have had a broken wrist after the last game but has a severe bruise so it was difficult to hold the stick. She played overtime with blood from turf burns on her shins. Our goalie was fine and I thought freshman Emily Valeo played well despite missing the penalty stroke. She was hustling all game. Outside of that.... finishing is a problem and we have to raise the tempo of the game.
Maybe it was the mid-terms this week, maybe some of the younger players are trying to burn the candle at all ends, but they have dug themselves a big hole. It is gut check time for this team and they are going to have to decide how much they want to succeed and what they have to give, in order to do that.
Lehigh next week IS THE SEASON. If we lose we might not make the playoffs and a chance to redeem ourselves. I hope they get a lot of support. This team could still do it. They have a great coach, financial support and everything else they need to succeed.