SMU 2 Tulsa 0

[mustangbill67]

A workmanlike win at Westcott tonight against a Tulsa team that did not show much. The Mustangs were in total control the entire game. On a sad note learned that starting forward Scott Geppert is out for the season with a torn ACl suffered in the Kentucy win last week. Starting defender Ryan Mirsky is playing with a soft cast on his right hand after breaking it playing racket ball. This team is playing at a high level and is a joy to watch.

[PonyPride]

Damn -- I knew you'd beat me to it.

You're right: Tulsa showed nothing tonight. Not sure why their regular goalkeeper, Dominic Cervi (who's outstanding) wasn't in there tonight. I know he had a knee issue earlier in the season, but I thought that was a thing of the past.

Adrian Chevannes is nearly impossible to stop. He didn't score tonight (SMU goals came from Bruno Guardo and Richard Oliva), but he made a mockery of those trying to mark him. When he gets up a head of steam and lowers his shoulder to go around a guy, he looks like an outside linebacker -- a damn good one. Matt Wideman (surprise!) was outstanding when tested, which wasn't often (although he did make a great save on a free kick from just outside the box). Mynor Gonzalez, Jay Needham and the rest of the defense (it's hard to believe Stephen Grant is a freshman). Ben Shuleva was dominant again in the middle, as the team's first line of defense and allowing Guarda to roam free toward the offensive end. Kind of surprised Shuleva didn't get a yellow card, as he and a Tulsa guy were really getting into it. The Ponies were killing the Tulsa D early on (midfielder Jeff Harwell assisted both SMU goals, and midfielder Chase Wileman also picked up a great assist when he chased down a through ball from Harwell, beat a Tulsa defender to the end line and flicked it back to Oliva for the score -- great run by Wileman after a great pass from Harwell).

Talent-wise, SMU should have killed the Golden Hurricane, but Tulsa always plays the Ponies tough. Not pretty, but a good win, nonetheless.

[SMUSOCCERFAN]

ya, i agree with yall that it wasnt pretty but that was down to the way Tulsa play. They know our team backwards and forwards and they always play us tough. They were playing a 3-4-3 with their forwards pushing on our outside backs which made it difficult for the team to get the ball down and play.

It was a tough win, but they cant always play pretty.

[SMU Football Blog]

So, SMU has outscored opponents 42-5 with five games left?

[PonyPride]

ya, i agree with yall that it wasnt pretty but that was down to the way Tulsa play. They know our team backwards and forwards and they always play us tough. They were playing a 3-4-3 with their forwards pushing on our outside backs which made it difficult for the team to get the ball down and play.

It was a tough win, but they cant always play pretty.

One of the things SMU does so well is build out of the back end, with defenders carrying the ball forward before distributing. Coach Hyndman said after the game that Tulsa clearly had seen the tape of the Ponies win over Kentucky (he said SMU and Tulsa have seen each other -- either in person or on tape -- six times this year), and decided they were going to thwart that part of the SMU attack.

And yes, Blog, I think your scoring numbers are right -- scoring on this team is damn-near impossible. GK Matt Wideman gets a lot of credit, and deservedly so, but he also has a sensational defense in front of him. The back four of Mynor Gonzalez, Jay Needham, Ryan Mirsky and Daniel Lopez is fast, strong, technically superior and very poised. In front of him, Ben Shuleva is listed as a midfielder, but he's almost a fifth defender -- he stays back and patrols from sideline to sideline, while outside midfielders like Chase Wileman and Jeff Harwell have been terrific getting back. On some set pieces and corner kicks, the forwards even come all the way back -- Adrian Chevannes arrived at SMU in 2004 as a defender, and he frequently comes all the way back. When Coach Hyndman says defending is a team effort, , he really means it with this bunch. They're amazing to watch.

Come out next Wednesday (10/18) and watch them play South Carolina -- C-USA game, and a very dangerous opponent.

[Mustangs35SMU]

Awesome job guys.

Wasn't this the game that will be showed on CSTV on Sunday I believe the official site said.

Keep up the great job Stangs!

[smupony94]

Yes, it will be shown on Sunday. Would have rather watched it live/