SMU Creighton Thread

[mathman]

What is going on with this team??? We are losing at home to a team we already beat once. We have one of the top 7 recruiting classes in the nation with a couple of the highest ranking players and we can't even win our conference tourney. Now we are losing after being the #5 seed.
Hope we can turn this around the second half.

GO PONIES!!!

What an idiotic post.

First of all, do not ever come on here with your "I don't have an agenda, I just want SMU to win" babble. It simply isn't true.

Secondly, you come on here claiming to understand soccer. If that is the case, you know full well that soccer is not won with great recruits. Tulsa probably has more elite players than SMU does, and got destroyed by Indiana today. A basic knowledge of soccer also would reveal that it is a low-scoring sport because chances are so difficult to create, in which case a team can be outplayed and win a game, which is what Creighton nearly did tonight. A team can get a go-ahead goal and pack into its own end in an effort to play for a 1-0 tie — that's exactly what Creighton did, and it almost worked. Creighton had some chances, exclusively off counter-attacks.

Thirdly, you got upset because Creighton is "a team we already beat"? REALLY? Under that logic, every coach who splits a season series should get canned, huh? Creighton is a very good team, as is SMU. Tonight, Creighton was probably the better team. But freaking out because a team "we already beat" gave the Ponies a tough game? Should New York Giants fans be freaking out because they lost to the Cowboys — a team their favorite team already beat? Hell, every baseball fan in the world would be suicidal under that logic.

The better team didn't win — neither team won (the game was technically a tie). Creighton had an advantage for much of the evening, but late in the second half, SMU was buzzing. Three players went out with injuries. An apparent game-winning goal was waived off because of an offsides call. The ref didn't decide the game, but he sucked.

But to suggest that one recruiting class should determine a team's playoff fortunes against a team like Creighton is insane. There would have been no shame had we lost to them tonight — they are a really good team, and deserved better than a season-ending loss.

Consider Wake Forest. Four straight Final Fours, and didn't make the tournament this year. Is that program in dire straits, too? Of course not. There's a hell of a lot of parity in college soccer now, more than ever before. Get off your soapbox. If we beat William & Mary, it doesn't mean we're going to win it all, and if we lose, it doesn't mean this season is a disappointment in any way. It already has been a sensational season. Back off and enjoy it.

Great post. Couldn't agree more.
As far as next Sunday's game is concerned, what is the procedure as far as getting tickets? I am going to try and drive in from East Texas if at all possible.

[Charleston Pony]

great job by the GK in this one; sounds like Creighton was playing very aggressively; good job Ponies. It's all about surviving and advancing at this point. Got to win at home!

[Soccer15]

SMU hosts William & Mary Sunday, Nov. 28 at Westcott Field at 7 p.m. It's a RED OUT, so please wear red to show support for your Mustangs. Tickets go on sale Tuesday at 10 a.m. Purchase your tickets online at smumustangs.com or call 214-SMU-GAME.

[PonyPride]

mathman: Just learned that the game has been set for 7 PM Sunday night at Westcott Field. There is no MLS Cup, no SMU basketball conflict and no Cowboys conflict, and after Thanksgiving everyone will be itching to get out of the house, so come out.

Tickets can be had by calling 214-SMU-GAME or by logging on to SMUMustangs.com.

Charleston Pony: You're right — Creighton was playing exceedingly aggressively. They had a 2-0 lead on SMU earlier this season, and after the game their coach and couple of players said they remembered that game, and they have a lot of respect for SMU's ability to score, so they knew they had to keep the pressure up. I've seen numerous SMU/Creighton games over the years (they used to be annual foes when they both were members of the Missouri Valley Conference), and this was as good an offensive team I can recall them putting out on the field. As well as SMU goalkeeper Craig Hill played, I'm surprised didn't score more, because they created a lot of chances. They have a very good offense and they were playing at a high level. The fact that SMU is still alive is a tribute to the coaching staff, the players and the reserves who didn't get in but push the starters in practice every day. The SMU players talked at length after the game about how the depth might have been the key to moving on, because there were a lot of guys banged up, and others came in and did the job.

MF Zach Barnes came in off the bench — a day before the game, there was some concern he wouldn't even play — and he was absolutely sensational. D Ian Kalis was very strong, and his assist on Castillo's goal was very impressive. Arthur Ivo has been unreal all year. The fact that he came off the bench almost all year and shared the conference Offensive Player of the Year award speaks to how dangerous he is, but also how unselfish he is. F Juan Castillo had, in my opinion, his best game of the year. Not only did the C-USA Freshman of the Year score SMU's first goal, there were stretches Sunday when he was the SMU offense. Even when the Ponies seemed back on their heels a little under the Creighton attack, Castillo made run after run after run to keep the Jays from pressing forward too much. One of the Creighton defenders talked afterward about how Castillo caused them major headaches all night.

Ivo's goal was both lucky and brilliant. He ran on to the ball about 30 yards out, and had two defenders on him, so his only option was to turn to the sideline. After getting a little separation, he turned and crushed a shot — CRUSHED it. He has one of the strongest shots I can remember at SMU (for those of you who have been around SMU soccer for a while, it's a little reminiscent of Daniel Hernandez, Mishu Fahim, Bryan Thompson, Andy Strouse, Kellen Zindel, Adrian Chevannes, Larry McPhail ... some weren't always the most trigger-happy shooters in the world, but when they got ahold of one they could fire some real bombs). Ivo's shot might have been on target anyway, but it hit a Creighton defender and continued with a big top spin, bending it up and over GK Brian Holt and then into the upper right corner of the net. I can't remember a prettier goal this season.

[Soccer15]

Castillo definitely played one of his most impressive games of the season last night against Creighton. He pressured the the goalie and defense when they were trying to clear the ball out of the back and was able to deflect quite a few passes. He was playing simple soccer and looked absolutely fantastic doing it. He made smart runs and never seemed to lose any energy. He looks like he's gotten faster through the season and was still making 50+ yard sprints in the second overtime of the game. Insane.

[PonyFan]

Castillo definitely played one of his most impressive games of the season last night against Creighton. He pressured the the goalie and defense when they were trying to clear the ball out of the back and was able to deflect quite a few passes. He was playing simple soccer and looked absolutely fantastic doing it. He made smart runs and never seemed to lose any energy. He looks like he's gotten faster through the season and was still making 50+ yard sprints in the second overtime of the game. Insane.

The second overtime is what 100-110 minutes after the start of the game, right?
Pretty sure that means he's in better shape than I am.
Go PONIES!

[horseshoe hilltop]

To anyone who didn't catch the game, but would like to, you can go to the same link posted by the OP and it shows the full game.