W-Soccer: SMU at East Carolina

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

The Mustangs (6-6-2, 2-2-2) are back on the road this weekend, starting with a game at East Carolina (8-5-1, 4-1-1) Friday night at 6pm.

A quick look at the C-USA standings will make it pretty obvious how big this game is:

1. 15 (5-1-0) Memphis
2. 13 (4-1-1) East Carolina!!!!
2. 13 (4-1-1) Rice
4. 12 (4-2-0) UCF
5. 10 (3-2-1) Colorado College
6. 8 (2-2-2) SMU
7. 7 (2-3-1) Tulsa
7. 7 (2-3-1) Marshall
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9. 6 (2-4-0) UTEP
10. 3 (1-4-0) Southern Miss
11. 3 (1-5-0) UAB
12. 3 (0-2-3) Houston

(Note - Houston and Southern Miss did not play in their regular slot and play at the end of the season)

Obviously, the conference is very close and there will be a lot of movement over the next couple of weeks. Dropping points to Houston and Southern Miss was devastating to any hope for SMU to win the regular season title, but a good finish to the conference season will still give the Mustangs a decent seed in the postseason tournament and a chance to have a nice run.

As for the ECU game, the Pirates have put together a decent season so far. They didn't really have a challenging non-conference schedule (and they got rocked in their two tougher games), but once conference play started they suddenly became very stingy.

Just like heading into the UCF match, ECU has not given up any goals in conference except at Memphis where they have their only conference loss (2-0). They have four shutout wins and a 0-0 draw at Rice last weekend. I'm sure SMU will be focused on going in there and getting goals - hopefully early!

Go Ponies!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

On a related note - don't forget Rice at Memphis is on Fox Soccer Thursday night at 7.

It will be great to have some C-USA women's soccer televised nationally, and it turned out to be a pretty big game based on the conference standings.

SMU fans will also get a chance to see Memphis who will be at Westcott next Sunday afternoon.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

60 minutes in tonight and Rice is taking it to Memphis. The Owls are up 2-0 and shots are 11-1.

They just said Rice had 40 shots against ECU in their 0-0 draw last week. FORTY! I just checked the box score and they really did have 40 (13 on goal).

We are going to have to bring it tomorrow night.

As far as Memphis goes (not to look three games ahead or anything - ha), they look beatable. Rice is in a 4-4-2 and Memphis is in a 3-5-2 and Rice is absolutely controlling the midfield. Memphis has hardly even seen the ball. It's an impressive display by Rice.

Memphis also has a freshman keeper. Neither of the two goals have been terrible, but she probably could have had them. Memphis is extremely frustrated not having the ball.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Rice held on for the 2-0 win. Memphis came to life late but Czyz was able to come up with a couple of nice saves to preserve the shutout.

I really don't like Rice very much now after what they have done to us over the past couple of years, but you have to respect what they are able to do with so little. They have some really nice players - and an incredible group of sophomores and freshmen.

Now that Memphis and UCF both have two losses, C-USA is wide open. Standings heading into Friday night action:

1. 16 (5-1-1) Rice
2. 15 (5-2-0) Memphis
3. 13 (4-1-1) East Carolina
4. 12 (4-2-0) UCF
5. 10 (3-2-1) Colorado College
6. 8 (2-2-2) SMU
7. 7 (2-3-1) Tulsa
7. 7 (2-3-1) Marshall
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9. 6 (2-4-0) UTEP
10. 3 (1-4-0) Southern Miss
11. 3 (1-5-0) UAB
12. 3 (0-2-3) Houston

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

SMU: Bodden; Smith, Larson, Bartol, Hartweck; Clarke, Baum, Robinson; Elliott, Redman, Scovill

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

0-0- HT. SMU with the majority of possession. ECU is playing a lot of long balls.

Overall, pretty even though. ECU is up 5-4 in total shots but each team only has one shot on goal. SMU's domination of possession has led to a 7-0 advantage in corners for the Mustangs.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Headed to OT still 0-0.

The second half was a lot like the first half. If anything, SMU had even more possession in the second half.

The ECU keeper had a couple of huge saves - on point blank on Scovill and another on Robinson.

Shots are 11-11. Shots on goal are 4-2 SMU. Corners are 11-0 SMU.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

OT1 complete. SMU in total control but obviously no goal.

Mallory Baum hit the crossbar late from around 25.

SMU had two more corners, and ECU finally had one, so corners stand at 13-1.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

The game ends in a 0-0 draw.

Shots were 17-14 SMU and shots on goal were 6-2 in favor of SMU.

Shocking corner number 16-1 in favor of SMU.

SMU played fantastic, but just couldn't score. ECU seems to have a way of doing that to teams this season.

Marshall Sunday. CP went for it tonight and played a very short bench, which will make Sunday a bit more of a challenge.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Crazy C-USA standings after tonight's action. Colorado College with a big 2OT win over UCF.

Rice 2, Memphis 0 (Thursday)
UCF 1, Colorado College 2 (2OT)
Tulsa 2, Marshall 0
SMU 0, ECU 0 (2OT)
Houston 2, UAB 1
Southern Miss 1, UTEP 3

1. 16 (5-1-1) Rice
2. 15 (5-2-0) Memphis
3. 14 (4-1-2) East Carolina
4. 13 (4-2-1) Colorado College
5. 12 (4-3-0) UCF
6. 10 (3-3-1) Tulsa
7. 9 (3-4-0) UTEP
8. 9 (2-2-3) SMU
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9. 7 (2-4-1) Marshall
10. 6 (1-2-3) Houston
11. 3 (1-5-0) Southern Miss
12. 3 (1-6-0) UAB