Weekend in Wellesley

It began with a mild, fog-mired Saturday morning trip up to Babson College and ended with clear, but chilly, late Sunday afternoon ride back to Providence. Another thrilling weekend in the books. I witnessed my school clinch its very first NCAA Tournament victory. Despite their 0-2 defeat the following day, it did not tarnish their efforts in any way.

Once again, my good friend/good luck charm Mario accompanied me for both matches. The Anchorwomen were there too, and to my delight, feverishly stomped on the metal bleachers for every RIC corner kick.*

(*During the Babson-RIC match, some of the Babson fans behind me were grumbling about this. I mean, c'mon - what do you think metal bleachers were erected for - besides sitting?)

The first match was played under unseasonably mild conditions with a dash of on and off drizzle. It felt like spring rather than fall. In fact, it was perfect day to wear my newly-purchased maroon RIC soccer jersey. Conversely, my buddy Mario wore the opponent's color for the second consecutive match.* Hey, it worked. Again. RIC took the match on PK's, and advanced through to second round vs. Stevens College on Sunday.

(*He wore nearly the same shade of green during that Plymouth State University sported in the LEC Final. Guess who else was wearing green on Saturday, besides Babson? Then...THEN...he just so happens to wear black when RIC played against a black kitted Stevens. I can't get over this silly coincidence.)

Against Stevens, it was an entirely different day, both on and off the pitch. A biting autumn air returned and brought gusty winds along with it as if to make up for the embarrassment of a mid-November day before. Stevens was quick and relentless. They outplayed RIC in nearly every facet. Of course, once Dan Rodrigues was red carded early in the second half, that was pretty much it. Stevens kept its foot on the accelerator and never let up. With only a pair of minutes remaining, the nail in the coffin was hammered through by Nolan Sandberg's second goal of the match. It simply was not to be for RIC.

But throughout the weekend, the Anchormen made great strides. They held their own against a perenial powerhouse Babson, and could've stolen a result from Stevens had they not lost a man. For a team that had played consecutive matches, their form did not deteriorate. They played spirited soccer throughout, rather than the ugly, defensive football so often seen when the stakes are raised. Credit head coach John Mello for that.

Lastly, although I was sad, angry, bitter, and generally inconsolable after the Anchormen's NCAA dreams were frozen in the cold Wellesley air, I take great solace in this one fact: my final game of the 2008 season was a RIC match. Not Brown. Not Providence College. Not the Revolution.*

(*No disrespect at ALL to any of these teams. They are all perenially competitive, and I enjoy watching all of them play.)

It was Rhode Island College. My school.

***

What did I learn this weekend?

1. In between the 45-minute trips up and down I-95, I realized how proud I am to be a RIC student. In January, I went back to school to begin taking the courses necessary to apply for the English MA program. Little did I know I'd also get an education in school pride along with it.

It stemmed from a combination renewed love for school and my existing passion for soccer. Great professors laid the foundation, and the Anchorwomen and Anchormen sides enhanced it. Because of all of them, professors and players, I have never been more proud to be a student at Rhode Island College.

2. I want to play NCAA soccer next year. Really.

Anchormen fall to Stevens in 2nd round of NCAA's, 0-2

Less than 24 hours after clinching its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, Rhode Island College was eliminated after it fell 0-2 to Stevens Institute of Technology 0-2 at Babson Park Sunday afternoon.

Nolan Sandberg clinched the brace with goals at the 43rd and 88th minutes. RIC was relegated to ten men after Dan Rodrigues was shown the red card in the 52nd minute.

Unlike Saturday's even match versus Babson, Rhode Island was overwhelmed by the Stevens attack. Anchormen keeper Justin O'Connor held his line admirably until the 43rd minute when he ran toward the left flank to smother a Terrance Johnson breakway. But the the ball escaped O'Connor, and Sandberg took the loose ball from 30 yards and sailed a line drive under the bar for the opening goal.

RIC struggled to keep the Stevens attack under wraps, and their frustration showed when Rodrigues came in hard on Chris Faustino near center circle. The Ducks midfielder hit the pitch hard, and referee Todd Stigliano awarded the Anchorman winger with a straight red card ejection in the 52nd minute.

Forced to play the remainder of their second match in two days a man down, the Anchormen could not keep pace with Stevens.

An opportunity to equalize arrived in the 77th minute when Bruno Costa forced Zach Carr to make a heady save on the doorstep of his goal.

But Sandberg sealed up the scoring with only two minutes remaining in regulation when Johnson fed him a perfect ball near the far post and cooly slotted it through to effectively end RIC's season.

Anchormen beat Beavers 0-0 (3-1 on PKs); advance to 2nd round of NCAA's

In their NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament debut, Rhode Island College battled Babson College for a scoreless 110 minutes before clinching victory on penalties Saturday afternoon at Hartwell-Rogers Field.

The first half belonged to the Anchormen, with Brandon Magliore and Ryan Kelley spearheading the RIC attach at length. But Babson keeper Peter Crowley kept the Anchormen honest with solid saves to keep the score even.

Half two set the stage for role reversal, as Babson became the aggressor during the final 45. Midfielder Tim Winn menaced the Anchormen end with a pair of shots that forced Justin O'Connor from his line in midway through the half.

Both teams played sound soccer throughout, with neither club claiming a clear overall advantage over the other through the full ninety.

That tend carried through the pair of overtimes thereafter. After twenty additional minutes failed to separate the sides, penalties were necessary to decide victor.

Kelley slotted the first penalty, but Babson's Dan Hixon sent a screamer that ricocheted off the bar, giving the guests the advantage. But RIC's Brandon Magliore followed suit and banged the bar as well. RIC then buried their next two before Billy Nickerson's shot was denied by O'Connor to give the Anchormen the thrilling victory.

Saturday Saturday Saturday!

**Brilliant readers, because of the enormous toll that this 20-page-now-10-page paper has taken, I've been delinquent in posting as of late. Please accept my apologies for the brief post.**

While catching the final seven minutes of "Saved by the Bell" ("SBTB" to we late-80's children) this morning, a cold reality struck me. Saturday's NCAA match between Rhode Island College and Babson College could very well be the final soccer game I'll watch for the remainder of the calendar year. Where the heck did all the regional football go?**

(*It was the episode in which Soleil Moon-Frye - a.k.a Punky Brwester - makes a cameo as Screech's supposed girlfriend. But in truth, she's what Kanye West would call a "gold digger", because Screech - who somehow came into money during the first 20 minutes of the episode - always showered her with gifts. For the life of me, I cannot remember her character's name, but she later admits that she was with Screech because he bought her stuff. )

(**Answer: to the pasture of premature offseasons.)

Despite that, I'm brimming with excitement for the match. My school is in the NCAA's. It's their first ever NCAA game. Okay, it's the Division III NCAA's. But that doesn't lessen the significance one bit. It's a momentus event for a public institution whose enrollment is just a shade over 10,000 - many of whom commute - and is currently feeling the effect of a statewide budget crunch.

So as a current student, if this is indeed the final soccer game before I throw away my 2008 calendars, it is a fitting end to the soccer season. Few times has a game meant more to me than this one, aside from Anchorwomen soccer games. I'm rooting for a win, of course, but even if their efforts fall short of victory, I will be proud. Proud because, for the first time since I can remember - maybe even ever - the Anchormen could write the final chapter of the local soccer season. Not the super-talented Revs. Not the super-funded Brown Bears.* Not even the neighboring super-coached Friars. The Anchormen.

(*Whom, I am convinced, actually outspend the Revolution on players, despite their amateur status.)

Not bad a for a small D-III school.

The WEEKEND

Brilliant readers, I'll have you know that good fortune smiled in my direction yet again.

Last weekend, it materialized as Anchorwomen soccer and the NESHOF induction ceremony. This weekend, it appeared as a platter full of nearly non-stop football, stretching from Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening. I attended a total of four matches in a 30-hour span.* And to think, I didn't have to break the bank to do so!**

(*Out of a possible ten - TEN - matches on the slate. The R.I. High School Soccer Championships totaled seven, Brown's men and women were in action, and the RIC-PSU LEC Championship match. Thanksgiving came 19 days early for a soccer football glutton like myself.)

(**Total cost: Ten dollars for the four matches I attended. Really. That's less than the price of a movie.)

The first match pitted the Anchormen and Plymouth State Panthers for the Little East Conference title. My buddy Mario, whom I somehow convinced to attend*, and I witnessed my school's first-ever LEC title before a full house. It was a truly special moment for me, as a current student, to witness such an historic victory. The title also clinches their very first NCAA Tournament berth. To say that I'm proud of the Anchormen side is a severe understatement.

(*I'm still amazed how I was able to pull this off. He has no connection to either school, nor does he have a particular interest in soccer. Yet, he rooted heartily, along with me, for the Anchormen for the full ninety. It was a grand time. Definitely an early nominee for Most Improbable Negotiation of the Month.)

About two hours later, I watched Brown University play Yale at Stevenson Field. My last visit came during the first round of last year's NCAA's, where Old Dominion shocked the Bears in 2-1 2OT thriller. Upon my return, I noticed that wonderful thing about the field is that, in November, the suburban East Side lights peer through the sparse vegetation. It reminds you that the pitch sits in the middle of a residential neighborhood, much like it is in so many small villages and towns abroad (i.e. the way it should be). What's more is that the park sits on the crown of the East Side. A seat on the upper rungs of the bleachers offers a spectacular view of Providence's cozy residential districts.

As far as the conditions - it began pouring at the half, and alas, I was not prepared. Without a hooded garment or waterproof attire, the rain refused to sympathize with my plight. The Bears were down 0-1 as I raced toward the shelter of my car. They went on to lose 0-2.

Sunday. After a hearty breakfast, some Patriots-Bills viewing, and some 20-page paper reducing, I stopped by Pierce Field and caught the final ten minutes of the Rhode Island State High School Girls Soccer D-IV championship. Even though it was 2-1 Woonsocket over Tolman, there was still one more scene to behold. Novans midfielder Kristin Cahill took a late penalty, and earned the hat trick (and tourney Most Outstanding Player) on an unseasonably warm afternoon. Perhaps the quote of the match was from a parent sitting a row ahead of me: "Who needs the Patriots when you've got the Novans?"

Finally, I returned to RIC Soccer Field for the Boys D-III Championships between Tiverton and North Smithfield. Although the Northmen were bigger and stronger, the Tigers dominated possession throughout the first half. Geoff Sampaio scored in the 20th minute, helping his team win its first title since 1988. I would have love to have stayed to see the celebration, but bedecked in a short-sleeved Beckham jersey quickly chilling evening,* my un-numbed senses thought it best to call it a game at the half.

(*Sensing a theme? I actually realized that I had a sweater in the trunk...after I returned home.)

Who knew that a random November weekend could provide so much enterainment?

I was spoiled, though. Another weekend such as this will not transpire for quite some time. Alas, I have been sentenced me to leaf raking, early Christmas shopping, and staring at blank blogger screens for the remainder of my autumn weekends.

Lastly, I put on for my city, I mean, state. Here the full scores for this year's R.I. High School Soccer Championships.

Girls D-I
LaSalle 2, South Kingston 1

Girls D-II
Bay View 1, Cranston West 0

Girls D-III
St. Raphael's 2, Tiverton 0

Girls D-IV
Woonsocket 3, Tolman 0

Boys D-I
Barrington 1, La Salle 0

Boys D-II
Lincoln 2, Shea 1

Boys D-III
Tiverton 2, North Smithfield 1

Congratulations to all!

Plymouth State v. Anchormen 11.08.08: The LEC Finals

The clubs:

Rhode Island College (11-5-4 overall, 5-1-1 in the Little East)

Plymouth State University (8-8-3, 2-2-3 in the Little East)

The place:

RIC Soccer Field in Providence, RI

The time:

1:00pm

The last time they played:

October 18, 2008 (0-0)

What's on the line?

Nothing, except that the winner clinches the Conference title, and an NCAA tournament berth. It's seriously not that big of a deal.

Analysis:

The Anchormen, fresh off the heels off their 2-1 victory over goal-hungry Eastern Connecticut on Wednesday, hope to ride that success tomorrow against the Panthers. Although PSU posted a mediocre conference record, they've scored more goals in conference play (10) than RIC (10). However, as in many a playoff match, the x-factor will be defending, and RIC absolutely suffocated their opponents this year. Two goals in seven conference matches? PSU has its work cut out for themselves.

Who to watch for:

RIC: Forward Bruno Costa (7 goals, 3 assists)

PSU: Forward Semir Mehmedovic (10 goals, 13 assists)

That's a wrap!

I didn't witness it.

Luckily.

I was fortuitously trapped in class while the New England Revolution were getting scorched by the Chicago Fire last night at Bridgeview. Cuauhtemoc Blanco and his fellow Screen Actors Guild of soccer players thrashed a depleted, suspended and broken-boned bunch of footballers that really had no shot from the beginning to the piercing tune of 3-0.

Let's be real: you cannot survive in the postseason without your top three scorers. You can make it to the playoffs, sure. We all know MLS rewards mediocrity by inviting more teams to November than it rejects. But do well enough to advance? It would be like doing Ocean's 14 without George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon. It can be done. Like MLS, moviegoers embrace mediocrity.* People will watch. But it'll tank. Big time.

(*I think if people are honest with themselves, they'll find that alot of movies are just bland. People complain about paying $11 to see a movie. That amount is nothing compared to seeing a major sports event. If movies were, on the whole, better than they are, no one would complain about forking over a Hamilton and his buddy Washington to see a flick. )

From the scoreline, it appears as if Fire manager Denis Hamlet was just toying with the Revolution during Game 1 after drawing 0-0. Showing them the pig ear - here ya go boy - then proceeding to stuff it in the trash, then kicking the dog in the rear. Three times. That's what the Fire did to the Revolution. Game 1 was a taunt. A glimpse of false hope. The bunny at the dog track that the greyhounds chase. That was Game 1.

Game 2 was reality. The makeshift side assembled by Steve Nicol gained Gabriel Badilla from suspension, but lost Game 1 starter Chris Tierney after the rook suffered an injury in training during the week. Then, Jeff Larentowicz was taken out by John Thorrington* on a tardy tackle in the 39th. With the insertion of Pat Phelan at der Kaiser's central mid role, the Revolution officially lost any chance to salvage the game, even though the score was still 0-0 at that point.

(*Whenever something happens in a Revolution-Fire match, Thorrington always seems to have a role in it. Dude's omnipresent. I can't tell you how many times play stopped during Game 1 where I checked to see who was involved. It was always Thorrington. Each time. I swear, it's like five guys on the Fire have 'Thorrington' on the back of their jersey.)

But in all honesty, who was going to score? Slyde? Sainey Nyassi made an appearance SportsCenter's Top 10 last night when he megged his mark with a threatening shot that a diving Jon Busch diverted away from goal in the 58th. Busch got the nod, even though the shot itself was worthy of the highlight reel.

Down 0-3, Chris Albright obviously had enough. Adding insult to injuries, suspension, and on-pitch apprenticeships, the blonde right back was shown his second yellow in the 83rd minute. Unfortunately for the Revolution, they did not play better with ten players, unlike the Rhode Island College Anchorwomen on November 1.

Minutes later, the Revolution's season officially ended.

If you want to be slapped with perspective, get ready to turn your cheek. The last time the Revolution were relegated to watching Eastern Conference Finals on television, W's approval ratings appraoched 87%.

Seriously.

*******

It's not all bad news this morning.

One side that still has a match ahead of them is the Rhode Island College men's soccer team.

The Anchormen will be playing Plymouth State University tomorrow for the Little East Conference title at RIC Soccer Field.

This year's Anchormen boast an 11-5-4 record, and are 5-1-1 in LEC play. They started the season slow after going 0-3-0 (and being shut out in all three), but caught fire in early-September and never looked back, finishing their remaining 17 matches with a record of 11-2-4. Their defending was superb, as they allowed only 16 goals this season (0.76 GAA), and certainly took advanatage of their home pitch, where they went undefeated (8-0-2). All of these stats point to what should be a thrilling game for Anchormen tomorrow afternoon.

One season ends, another continues. The drama that is postseason soccer.

Tuesday Rant

As I sit here looking out the office window at wonderful splashes of vivid oranges and reds, burnt browns, and bright yellows, I cannot believe that it's October 23rd, and the college soccer season is nearing an end.

Prior to this season, I didn't have much of an interest in the college game. As I was busy following the Revolution and Stingrays, the idea of college soccer hadn't even been a passing thought. But after reading Gregg Easterbrook's TMQ, and absorbing observations from small-college football teams, it inspired me to do the same, in terms of college soccer. Thus, a new window to the game was opened, and what a Ticonderoga-sized window that proved to be.

I sit here in the exact spot where I first took it upon myself to follow college soccer. I looked toward my two alma maters - RIC and CCRI - and hashed out which school and which squad (men's or women's) I'd choose as my primary candidate for additional soccer writing chores. I ended up choosing the RIC sides, but as the season wore on, the RIC Anchorwomen became "my" team.

There's something in the collegiate game that is absent from pro soccer. A remarkable innocence of the game still resides on the pitches of colleges and universities. A wonderful sense of community prevails. The crowd energy is much different, though still spirited nonetheless, as the majority of them are parents and friends of the players before them. In other words, they literally love the players, and their enthusiasm is touchingly clear.

Tonight, the RIC Anchormen will face off against Amherst College in one of the final RIC home matches of the season. I cannot believe how quickly the season has transpired. It seems as if the RIC-St. John's Fisher College back on a hot and muggy August 31st afternoon just took place. Now, as the leaves began to retreat from the trees, the number of visits to the RIC Soccer Field has dwindled down to three.

Forget the Sox in the World Series, or the Patriots rolling over the competition. The Rhode Island College soccer teams occupy the first priority slot in my universe right now.

Post Game thoughts: RIC beats RWU, 1-0

After watching yesterday's 1-0 Anchormen victory over RWU, some post-match fare:

- The match was a very high-paced affair, with both clubs playing aggressive, attacking football throughout. The fact that it remained 0-0 for as long as it did – 65 minutes - was not only testament to both clubs backlines, but also some communication issues on the part of the Anchormen.

- Referee Edwin Resendes appeared to have no interest whatsoever in pulling the yellow card out of his shirt pocket, despite the fact that the match was filled with more elbows than a macaroni salad. By the time the second half came around, I was almost waiting for both clubs to come out in helmets and shoulder pads.

- RWU had a deep bench, and it was noted by a few spectators within earshot of my perch that there were more royal blue players on the bench than on the pitch.

- The Ryan Kelly goal was a thing of beauty that materialized in Ferrari-quick fashion off a Bobby Sturdahl free kick in the 65th minute. After Sturdahl swept the ball into the area, Kelly immediately raced into its path, and headed it past a helpless Dan Ruscigno to conclude the sweet sequence. As astonishing as it was that the match remained scoreless for so long, it was only appropriate that the build-up to the lone goal came and went so quickly.

- Though the Anchormen played a pretty good match, the amount of cheering from the stands during the match was considerably less than the amount heard during women's games, though the attendance figures for both clubs are roughly the same.

- Completely unrelated to the match itself is that the RIC Bookstore is completely sold-out of RIC Soccer tees. "You want a RIC Baseball tee? You got it. RIC Tennis? Sure, what size? RIC Soccer? Sorry, we're out of them until the next order arrives in a week or so." In the meantime, check out the snazzy adidas warm-up suits, which are quite fashionable.

Thursday Rant

On the agenda for today (with a little spiel to follow):

Rhode Island College men's soccer, 4:00pm. The Anchormen will be facing intrastate foes Roger Williams University at the RIC Soccer Field this afternoon. The Anchormen are 1-1-0 thus far, and will be playing their first home match of the season. I'm going to have to miss the first half of this one, as I leave work at 4:30pm.

On a personal note, I used to absolutely rue the fact that my alma mater didn't have a football team. While my friends would gleefully root on their former school's football teams, whether it be Division I or III, I was seemingly stuck without a school to root for, as both of my alma maters - CCRI and RIC - do not field football squads.

Luckily, I was converted to soccer a few years ago, and only recently rediscovered my Anchorman pride in rooting for the Rhode Island College men's and women's soccer teams at the ol' stomping grounds.

Let me say, as a young alumnus, there really is nothing quite like rooting for your school's athletic teams. Though my school is rather small compared to the mini-cities that comprise some college campuses, I'm just beginning to understand why so many of my fellow alumni proudly sport their school's colors and apparel. The sense of pride that comes with watching a team that you have a personal attachment to is truly rewarding, in addition to the fantastic sense of nostalgia that harkens back to your own college years. In essence, it allows you to return to your youth, and in hindsight, a much simpler time.

That being said, the school's soccer sides allow me to display that pride on a regular basis during the fall months. While my friends head back to campus each Saturday afternoon to catch their football teams in action, I take the short journey across the Seekonk and Providence Rivers back to the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood where the RIC campus resides and watch the school's - my school's - student-athletes play soccer.

And you know what? To be honest, I don't even care anymore that RIC doesn't have a football team, for I'd only be afforded the measly five home dates typically scheduled in college football. In comparison to soccer, the combination of the RIC men's and women's sides allow for a buffet of 17 home matches from late-August through October.

My friends can have their college football. I have my college soccer - RIC soccer - to passionately root for.