TU Soccer 2023

[TU_BLA]

Starting a new thread about the upcoming Fall season. Schedule is on the web site as well as the roster. TU has added some interesting pieces to the mix for this season, a lot of international flair (German and Spanish). Biggest ? will be can Richnow and Bottenburg replace Fazio in the middle and who will be the 6 replacing Sach? I think the 6 role might come down to Luke Jeffus or Sergio Baena although I think Baena is better suited to the attacking MF roles in the favored 4-3-3 TU plays. I know last year Dalby played in that role a little but his game lacks some of the speed, vision, and physicality Sach brought to it.

TU will obviously be missing Mitchell Cashion and his ability to be a dynamic player from a fullback spot. I do think TU will be able to score plenty of goals this season. MHS is back along with Taka Wyett.

Season starts vs UMKC on August 11th in an exhibition match. Will be a good test for TU and a chance to get some players looks. 1st regular game is August 24th vs Louisville. Creighton comes in for a midweek match on Sept. 19th. We also play UNLV, Drake, & Missouri State in non-conference games.

TU will have its hands full in the AAC as I expect the conference to be even better than it was last season.

 

[Li'l Eric Coley]

I will miss Fazio.

 

[Henry Kendall]

I enjoyed watching Cashion.

 

[TU_BLA]

I will miss Fazio.

Yep. TU has had some amazing consistency and quality in the back the last couple years and it made Tom's job easier when you can just run the same guys out there knowing what you're getting.

 

[drboobay]

Tom was optimistic at TU Uncorked and I am pretty sure it was not just the wine.

 

[TU_BLA]

Tom was optimistic at TU Uncorked and I am pretty sure it was not just the wine.

Tom usually shoots straight. I asked him a couple years ago how things were looking and he was optimistic that they had a lot of experience back but the question was at GK. He thought Brady might have a chance to be the starter but that he was bringning in a kid from Spain who he thought was going to be tremendous but he was only 5'10". Well, turns out Alex has been the AAC GK of the Year in his 1st 2 years at TU.

If Tom is optimistic then we should all be as well!

 

[drboobay]

Though I would not say we are close friends I have known Tom since I was 15 (and he 14) and he has always seemed like a pretty straightforward guy. He also mentioned that his son would be joining the team from BK this season. I am sure it will be an interesting experience coaching your own son. We somehow didn't realize our kids had just graduated BK together.

 

[TU_BLA]

United Soccer Coaches has TU ranked #16 in their preseason poll. Looking forward to another great season of TU soccer

 

[TU_BLA]

Here's the preseason poll in full:

NCAA DI Mens Rankings – National | United Soccer Coaches

unitedsoccercoaches.org

3 AAC schools in the top 25 with TU being the highest at 16, joined by SMU at 19 and FIU at 21.

Creighton comes to Tulsa this year and is #8.

2 schools in the others receiving votes are also on TU's schedule: Louisville and Missouri St.

TUs got a stout schedule this year and a good showing will likely result in a top-16 national seed for the tournament and a 1st round bye plus a 2nd round home game.

 

[TU_BLA]

Scrimmage vs UMKC today. TU wins 4-1. Not sure what kind of minutes projected starters played or how many end of bench guys got minutes. Hopefully Tom got those guys some PT as you'd think he knows what he has in his starters unless he's trying to see how the guys replacing Fazio, Sach, and Cashion fit in with the core group.

Season is getting closer. EPL starts tomorrow 🎉🎉

 

[TU_BLA]

TU beat Richland CC yesterday 6-1 in their 2nd preseason game. I think TU plays this game for the benefit of his relationship with their coaching staff, many of whom come to Tulsa for the Mac's Soccer School ID camps. My son worked with their GK coach one summer and said the guy is a bit on the crazy side (most GKs are). Anyway, if you've paid attention to TU's schedule the last few years there are always a few Richland CC guys on it. And Richland usually has a really good program so we're getting solid players from them when they do come in.

Next game counts, at home Friday the 18th vs UCA (whose new GK played at Blitz last season and is pretty darn good). UCA seems to have a lot of Tulsa area players they target. I think there is a connection between some of their staff and Derek Larkin who is a Blitz program director and the men's HC at Rogers State. He placed 8 of his EA players from last year onto college rosters this season.

 

[TU1NNJ]

What happened in the UCA match? I can’t find a score.

 

[drboobay]

Looks like an exhibition match.

 

[HuffyCane]

Blue home kit is tiger striped down the sides like the 80’s basketball team. Unique, sharp, but our program has to move forward and look ahead. It’s own identity.

 

[TU_BLA]

Apparently the game vs UCA last week was an exhibition match. This game 1 of the real season is tonight at Louisville. Game can be viewed in ESPN+.

So far, 5 minutes in TU can get the ball upfield very quickly on counters. But the backline has already shown they're going to be a work in progress in terms of playing out of the back. Clearing the ball out when you're under pressure in your own defensive 1/3 is OK sometimes and you don't always have to pass it out.

Segaguchi (sp?) is so quick to get the ball up the field...he's going to score a bunch for us this season. Super quick and skilled. The Louisville right FB is struggling keeping him in front

 

[HuffyCane]

1-nil Birds.

Scrappy game. Lots of yellows.

Louisville is a mid tier ACC squad this year at best.

The boys have work to do.

 

[TU_BLA]

1-nil Birds.

Scrappy game. Lots of yellows.

Louisville is a mid tier ACC squad this year at best.

The boys have work to do.

Yes they do. It's frustrating to watch how they played in the 1st half controlling almost all aspects of the game and not putting 1 or 2 away, and then watching themselves continually create trouble for themselves by this stubborn insistence to play the ball out of the back under extreme pressure and not simply clearing a ball out of your attacking 1/3 so you can reset your defense. I can't really say Louisville outplayed us at all as most of their opportunities came directly from poor decisions in our own defensive 1/3. I understand having confidence in your ability to break pressure and get into the attack...it's who we are....but we need to just better understand that it's not always there. CLEAR THE DAMN BALL!

That said, we will be fine. Tom needs to ID some dynamic FBs. Last year we missed Chase Bromstedt and this year we are going to miss Mitchell Cashion something fierce. As good of a player that Will Edwards is, he's not a dynamic playmaker out on the wing from the FB spot and he's not a great defending option out there. Our F and MFs are pretty dynamic, creative, technical, players. Our GK is one of the best in the country (so a big FU to all the coaches who use my son's height as a knock when being compared to a 6'4 GK who can't move his damn feet or be used as an outlet...and my son's taller than Alex). The 2 CBs played fine last night although they hold the ball too long looking to build out. Our 6 needs to understand his defensive role better. The biggest problem I saw last night were the 2 CBs sinking way low when the attack came in leaving GOBS of space in the high slot with the 6 and other MFs not dropping far enough to help defend that area. I'm sure a film session or 2 breaking that down and showing players where they should be will help with an adjustment.

 

[Barlass]

The no call when it looked like Henry-Scott was about to tie it up with 10 or so minutes left was painful. They didn't show a replay but in live action it didn't look clean.

 

[TU_BLA]

The no call when it looked like Henry-Scott was about to tie it up with 10 or so minutes left was painful. They didn't show a replay but in live action it didn't look clean.

He got run over but I think he was intentionally trying to let himself get run over and the ref didn't buy it. Had he legit tried to cut the ball back and then got run over, it would have sold it more. Personally, I probably wouldn't have called it if I'm on the whistle. I was more upset he didn't attempt a shot from 8 yards out and a pretty clean look

 

[TU_BLA]

Men win 4-1 over UTRGV. TU had a 1-0 lead early and then went into sleep mode. I kept waiting for someone to jiggle the mouse or hit the space bar to wake them up but they pretty much went through the motions for the rest of the half. After half, more of the same until UTRGV knotted the score and then almost scored a 2nd one and then it's like someone finally woke them up. TU scored 3 more in the last 20 minutes. MHS had 2 goals, Egendall had a goal, and then Baena had a goal on a really sweet assist from one of the new players (#23). MHS' 2nd was a freaking sweet team goal. Buildup was fantastic, Egendall beat the back to the goal line and fed a really nice pass into the box that MHS just turned and fired into the low corner.

They still have a lot of work to do. Not crisp enough against a team they should have scored 4 on in the first half.

 

[drboobay]

Men win 4-1 over UTRGV. TU had a 1-0 lead early and then went into sleep mode. I kept waiting for someone to jiggle the mouse or hit the space bar to wake them up but they pretty much went through the motions for the rest of the half. After half, more of the same until UTRGV knotted the score and then almost scored a 2nd one and then it's like someone finally woke them up. TU scored 3 more in the last 20 minutes. MHS had 2 goals, Egendall had a goal, and then Baena had a goal on a really sweet assist from one of the new players (#23). MHS' 2nd was a freaking sweet team goal. Buildup was fantastic, Egendall beat the back to the goal line and fed a really nice pass into the box that MHS just turned and fired into the low corner.

They still have a lot of work to do. Not crisp enough against a team they should have scored 4 on in the first half.

No ESPN plus archive

 

[TU_BLA]

No ESPN plus archive

Actually the men's game wasn't on ESPN+ despite the TU Soccer FB page indicating it was. The women were on. I watched the men's game on a stream off of the tulsahurricane.com website. No announcers, at least officially. I ran my own game commentary to the chagrin of my wife, and the mics were good enough to pick up all the coaches' comments, some players comments, and some choice words by fans in the west bleachers.

 

[Barlass]

United Soccer Coaches has ORU at #25 this week and Top Drawer has TU at #22. Top 25 matchup in T-Town!

 

[drboobay]

When.

 

[HuffyCane]

When.

Last night. We lost 1-0. This could be a bit of a rebuild.

Meinhard scored for Clemson in their derby win over S . Carolina.

 

[drboobay]

Last night. We lost 1-0. This could be a bit of a rebuild.

Meinhard scored for Clemson in their derby win over S . Carolina.

Well crap.

 

[HuffyCane]

Well crap.

The boys look to have some things to work through and have the talent and coaching to do it.

 

[TulsaRulzOSUdrools]

How was the officiating? I heard negative things.

 

[lawpoke87]

TU’s soccer teams get swept by ORU. Should never happen.

 

[Li'l Eric Coley]

TU’s soccer teams get swept by ORU. Should never happen.

Never. Those are firing offenses.

 

[TU_BLA]

TU’s soccer teams get swept by ORU. Should never happen.

The guys are struggling to score goals. Only scored against UTRGV. Nothing against Louisville and nothing against ORU. Another tough match tonight vs MoState.

 

[TU_BLA]

TU took a 1-0 lead after a PK. But then the ref decided to try and even up the game. Vargas gets a red card after a very questionable call and judgement from the ref. Vargas battled for the ball in the corner and wins because he was stronger, makes a move to go inside and has his foot hooked by the defender on the ground and then Vargas' foot ends up in the players midsection because of said tripping action. It was just really awful officiating on both the original foul penalizing. Vargas for being stronger and not going down with the MoState player trying to shoulder him off the ball, but then not also acknowledging the action of the MoState player is what caused him to catch a foot in the gut.

 

[GoldenCaneKC]

TU took a 1-0 lead after a PK. But then the ref decided to try and even up the game. Vargas gets a red card after a very questionable call and judgement from the ref. Vargas battled for the ball in the corner and wins because he was stronger, makes a move to go inside and has his foot hooked by the defender on the ground and then Vargas' foot ends up in the players midsection because of said tripping action. It was just really awful officiating on both the original foul penalizing. Vargas for being stronger and not going down with the MoState player trying to shoulder him off the ball, but then not also acknowledging the action of the MoState player is what caused him to catch a foot in the gut.

I might be being dramatic, but that was honestly one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen in a soccer game. It wasn’t even a foul by the TU player, let alone a yellow, let alone a red! Everything you said is exactly accurate. And it’s all compounded by the fact that the ref got to go look at it on the monitor and still stuck with his horrible, knee-jerk call. I could not believe it.

 

[HuffyCane]

And …. The lights go out

 

[lawpoke87]

Someone forgot about the timer on the lights? Might be a nice break for TU. They were being outplayed even when the game went to 10v10. Gives us a little time to regroup for the final 5.

 

[TU_BLA]

And …. The lights go out

Anyone want to start a fundraising effort to get an actual scoreboard with video at the soccer complex plus replacing all the lights with the new LEDs. Those old halogen/sulfur lights pop off and then you wait for 30 minutes for them to cool off and reset.

 

[HuffyCane]

Scoreboard is under contract to be replaced as I understand it. Not sure on timeline.

 

[TulsaRulzOSUdrools]

TU took a 1-0 lead after a PK. But then the ref decided to try and even up the game. Vargas gets a red card after a very questionable call and judgement from the ref. Vargas battled for the ball in the corner and wins because he was stronger, makes a move to go inside and has his foot hooked by the defender on the ground and then Vargas' foot ends up in the players midsection because of said tripping action. It was just really awful officiating on both the original foul penalizing. Vargas for being stronger and not going down with the MoState player trying to shoulder him off the ball, but then not also acknowledging the action of the MoState player is what caused him to catch a foot in the gut.

Questionable is generous. The foul was on the MO state player for tripping him. The boot happens as a result. I would be picking up the phone and yelling at Penso about that BS.

 

[TU_BLA]

Questionable is generous. The foul was on the MO state player for tripping him. The boot happens as a result. I would be picking up the phone and yelling at Penso about that BS.

The first foul waved for was Vargas shoving the MoState player after the MoState player tried to body him off the ball. Not a fan of whistling fouls on players who are standing their ground and stronger. That was the 1st BS call. And then yes, clearly the replay shows the MoState player tripping Vargas, maybe intentionally, resulting in Vargas trying to regain his balance with a boot to the groin. How you get it wrong initially and then double down on the error after seeing it on replay should result in that ref not getting any more center assignments at the college level this year. The stupidity of the 1st foul flagged by the AR actually took a promising attack from TU.

 

[TU_BLA]

TU beats Drake 4-3 in a completely bizarre and poorly defended game for TU. It was 1-1 when I got to it. TU then scored off a corner and went into the break up 2-1. Came back to the game about 5-6 minutes into the 2nd half and Drake had tied it. TU scored a little bit later with MHS getting a nice pass just outside the 6 and with a wicked turn and left footed shot made it 3-2. With about 10 minutes left, MHS missed a PK that would have put TU up 4-2....which was big because about 2 minutes later Drake was awarded a fabricated and BS PK after a corner and with all the players moving into the area at once, one of the Drake players went down (feet tangled in the mass of humanity) and the ref inexplicable awarded a PK. I watched the replay several times and I still can't see what he was calling and I'm not 100% sure the feet that tangled involved a TU player at all. Tied 3-3 after the PK. TU somehow scored a 4th close the end to win 4-3. TUs offense was working in this one but it's almost like they completely sacrificed their focus on defending. They have a week off before they play FAU and then Creighton is here in the 19th in a huge non-conference matchup.