Category: College Soccer Reporter

Sam Bailey (Fairfield) and Eric Brunner (Ohio State), who were instrumental in leading their respective teams into the Soccer America Top 25 with big tournament weekends, are among the 11 players selected to Soccer America’s Men’s Team of the Week for games played Aug. 31-Sept. 2.

Michigan goalie Madison Gates, who had 10 saves in the Wolverines’ 0-0 tie at Notre Dame on opening day of the 2007 season, is among the 11 players selected to Soccer America’s Women’s Team of the Week for games played Aug. 31-Sept. 2.

[TUESDAY ACTION] South Carolina improved to 2-0 in men’s play with a 4-0 win over Presbyterian at Stone Stadium. Freshman forward Sam Arthur contributed two goals and one assist in the victory.

Messiah lost for the first time on the road in four years when it fell to Greensboro College, 1-0, on a goal by Eric Hatchett Friday at the CNU Classic. Trinity (Texas) climbed from the No. 12 spot to take over as the No. 1 team in the NCAA Men’s Division III rankings. Metro State fell from the top spot in the NCAA Women’s Division II Top 25 when Winona State’s Heidi Woerle converted a penalty kick in the 41st minute to give the Warriors a 1-0 win on Saturday afternoon. Grand Valley State moved from No. 2 to No. 1. For complete NSCAA/adidas small college rankings …

South Carolina pulled one of the biggest upsets in the history of women’s soccer when the Gamecocks beat defending national champion North Carolina, 1-0, on Saturday, handing UNC its first ever home opener in the 29-year history of the program before a crowd of 3,099 fans at Fetzer Field.

Texas recorded one of the best wins in its women’s program history when the Longhorns knocked off then-No. 2 UCLA, 2-1, on Sunday in a neutral-site match on the campus of the University of Houston. Soccer America Preseason All-American Kasey Moore scored her second goal in as many games, and freshman Brooke Lee added the game-winning goal as UT battled back from 1-0 down on a Lauren Cheney goal.

Portland overcame an early deficit to defeat Florida State, 2-1, in overtime in a thrilling women’s match Saturday night at Merlo Field before a sellout crowd of 4,892. Senior Rachael Rapinoe sent the locals home with the winning goal late in the first overtime period.

It was a long Labor Day weekend for UCLA, the No. 1 team in Soccer America’s Preseason Men’s Top 25 rankings. The Bruins dropped both games at the adidas/IU Credit Union Hoosier Classic, losing, 2-1, to Notre Dame in overtime on Friday and, 1-0, to Indiana on Sunday.

Defending NCAA Division I men’s champion UC Santa Barbara fell in its 2007 home opener, dropping a 1-0 decision to Gonzaga. Grant Lundberg scored the game’s only goal in the 82nd minute to lead the visiting Zags past UCSB at Harder Stadium two days after they fell to UC Irvine, 1-0.

Wake Forest takes over the top spot in the weekly Soccer America Men’s Top 25. ACC teams claim the top four spots. Previously unranked teams Fairfield, Akron and Ohio State move into the Top 25.

Notre Dame and Indiana knocked of then-No. 1 UCLA at the adidas IU Credit Union Classic. Other upsets: Gonzaga over Santa Barbara, Fairfield over St. John’s, Ohio State over West Virginia, Akron over New Mexico, Monmouth over North Carolina. For complete results and goalscorers in Top 25 action …

Portland takes advantage of losses or ties by the top three teams to climb over them and claim the top spot in this week’s Soccer America Women’s Top 25. Texas A&M and Texas climb into the top five, while North Carolina and UCLA drop five spots apiece to No. 6 and No. 7, respectively.

The 2007 NCAA Division I women’s season kicked with several big upsets, notably South Carolina’s 1-0 win at No. 1 North Carolina. No. 3 UCLA fell to No. 8 Texas on Sunday in Houston, and No. 2 Notre Dame had to settle for a 0-0 tie in its opener against Michigan. For complete results and goalscorers in Top 25 action …

The 2007 NCAA Division I women’s season kicked with several big upsets, notably South Carolina’s 1-0 win at No. 1 North Carolina. No. 3 UCLA fell to No. 8 Texas on Sunday in Houston, and No. 2 Notre Dame had to settle for a 0-0 tie in its opener against Michigan.

[WOMEN’S PREVIEW] Florida is looking to set a school attendance record when the No. 12 Gators host No. 2 Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon at Pressly Stadium (TV: Sun Sports, FSN Florida, live, 1:30 pm). The game has been dubbed “Let’s Pack Pressly” and Florida is conducting several promotions, including Gator Soccer t-shirts courtesy of Sun Sports for the first 2,500 fans. Florida looks to be for real. The Gators beat No. 6 Texas A&M, 3-1, in an exhibition game and meet No. 7 Florida State on Sept. 9.

There is Bryant Drive (named after the legendary football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant) that runs along the southern flank of the University of Alabama campus. The late Adolph Rupp and Dean Smith have basketball arenas named after them on the campuses of Kentucky and North Carolina. How about Mark Berson Way?

No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 12 knocked of No. 1 UCLA at the adidas IU Credit Union Classic. Other upsets: Gonzaga over No. 4 UC Santa Barbara, Fairfield over No. 10 St. John’s, Ohio State over No. 13 West Virginia, Akron over No. 18 New Mexico, Monmouth over No. 21 Norh Carolina.

[MEN’S NOTEBOOK] Duke captain Tim Jepson, who has started every game since he became a Blue Devil and played all but 100 minutes in 2006, will be held out of Duke’s two games this weekend with a pulled muscle. For news on the Clemson-South Carolina clash and Northwestern and Ohio State …

[WOMEN’S TOP 25 PREVIEWS: 1-10] Defending champion North Carolina is No. 1 in Soccer America’s preseason women’s rankings, edging Notre Dame and UCLA, which the Tar Heels beat in the final and semifinals, respectively, at the 2006 Women’s College Cup. Carolina and Notre Dame met last week in a thrilling exhibition game that ended in a 2-2 tie before a record crowd in South Bend, Ind.

Soccer America’s Preseason Women’s All-American Team features three players who will be playing in the 2007 Women’s World Cup: American Stephanie Lopez (Portland) and Canadians Melanie Booth (Florida) and Diana Matheson (Princeton). The 23-player team includes two stars from defending national champion North Carolina (Jessica Maxwell and Yael Averbuch). UCLA leads all teams will three players represented: Christina DiMartino, Danesha Adams and Lauren Cheney.
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Joseph Lapira, the 2006 Soccer America Men’s College Player of the Year, heads Soccer America’s Preseason Men’s All-American Team. Defending national champion UC Santa Barbara (Andy Iro and Eric Avila), St. John’s (Jason Landers and Ryan Soroka), Virginia (Jonathan Villanueva and Yannick Reyering) and Duke (Michael Videira and Mike Grella) are the only teams with two players selected on the 23-player team.