Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!

 

UCF vs Rutgers [AAC Tournament Final] – 12:00 PM

How Did They Get Here

After bland 0-0 draws and penalty shootout victories, it has to be said.  UCF’s win was probably a bit more exciting, as the Knights prevailed again against rivals South Florida.  Though USF managed to shut down Lena Petermann, they couldn’t totally slow down Tatiana Coleman and Jennifer Martin, who both had a couple of shots stopped by Christiane Endler.  UCF did manage to silence the USF offense for the most part, keeping them to just two shots on goal before prevailing on penalties.

Rutgers advancing was almost a case of highway robbery, as the Scarlet Knights didn’t manage a single shot on goal in one hundred ten minutes against Memphis.  To be fair, Memphis didn’t exactly light it up either, with key scoring threats Valerie Sanderson and Christabel Oduro combining for zero shots on goal.  The most concerning development of the day had to be the loss of Jonelle Filigno to injury after half an hour.  It was pretty evident that Rutgers’ offense without Filigno is severely limited, raising anxiety levels before this final.

Their Regular Season Meeting Was…

Somewhat unfulfilling.  Rutgers was missing Filigno thanks to a red card in the previous match, and the offense looked like they were missing the club’s talisman, scoring first but just putting two more shots on goal the rest of the way.  The Knights ended up storming back in the second half, getting two quick goals from Jennifer Martin and Kayla Adamek to put the Scarlet Knights to the sword.  With Filigno a serious doubt in all likelihood, UCF will probably be heavy favorites on Sunday thanks to what happened in Orlando last month.

What’s On The Line

Even more than you might suspect at first blush.  The visitors aren’t just playing for a league title, they could be playing for their NCAA Tournament lives.  Currently just above the bubble, Rutgers doesn’t have anything approaching a quality win, meaning that the auto bid may be vital to their Big Dance hopes.  A shootout defeat, counting as a draw technically, would probably get them in as well, but a straight up defeat might spell the end of the club’s season.  Otherwise, Rutgers would like to finally show they’re a side capable of winning trophies after nothing to show for themselves after some strong recruiting classes.

UCF has spent the season showing they were able to compete at a consistently high level at a higher level after moving from Conference USA following last season.  They’ve shown they’re capable of dominating the new conference and would clearly stamp their place as their new league’s top dogs with a double coming from a victory Sunday.  The new coaching regime winning that double after having to fill the enormous shoes of Amanda Cromwell would be a huge statement.

Florida vs Texas A&M [SEC Tournament Final] – 2:00 PM

How Did They Get Here

Florida looked to be cruising to another dominant win over Ole Miss in the semi-finals after netting goals from Savannah Jordan and Havana Solaun in the opening eighteen minutes to take a 2-0 lead.  But the Rebels would strike back and force the Gators to keep them at bay for the better part of an hour.  But hold the line they did, and Florida ended up running out as 2-1 winners to advance to the final.  Jordan’s goal was her twenty-second of the year, putting her on course for the unofficial national Golden Boot if Florida can make a run in the NCAA Tournament.

The Aggies took an eerily similar path to the final in Friday’s semi-final match against South Carolina.  Liz Keester exploded for a pair of goals in the opening twelve minutes before the club was pegged back by Raina Johnson.  It’d stay 2-1 the rest of the way, with the Aggies looking likelier to a third in the second half, forcing Sabrina D’Angelo into a handful of saves.  Beyond Keester’s pair of goals, Shea Groom again looked like one of the league’s very best players in midfield.  The defense did their part for most of the night as well, limiting the improving South Carolina attack to just three shots on goal, including just one in the second half as they guarded a one-goal lead.

Their Regular Season Meeting Was…

Affirmation of Florida’s place at the top of the SEC food chain.  Savannah Jordan had more shots on goal than Texas A&M did the entire game.  She netted a brace, and the Gators all but wrapped up at least a share of the league title.  It will be interesting to see how the Aggies set out their stall on offense.  They used Annie Kunz in the starting lineup to some effect, while Liz Keester saw just twenty-six minutes.  Keester netted the two goals Friday though, with Kunz coming off the bench, and it will be interesting to see if the Aggies keep the faith with the rookie or go with the burly Kunz (or a combination of the two).

What’s On The Line

It’s all about seeding.  Florida currently resides in ninth in the RPI and would appear to be guaranteed of a seed, win or lose, as they probably aren’t going to drop out of the top thirteen.  The question now is whether the Gators are going to be able to force their way into a top two seed and avoid a potential Sweet Sixteen showdown with Florida State.  Probably not with a loss.  With a win?  Maybe.  In any event, the Gators will surely relish another chance to show the league who the top guns are by completing the double with a victory over co-champs Texas A&M on Sunday afternoon.

The Aggies have done well to battle their way into the RPI Top 25 after flirting with the bubble for a good chunk of the season.  Their odds for getting a national seed?  Not great by any means, but the Aggies would certainly help themselves by knocking out a Florida side right after having topped South Carolina on Friday.  From a broader perspective, A&M may be fighting to show they aren’t the league’s second banana at this point.  They may have shared the league title with Florida, but they’ve also lost two in a row to the Gators since joining the SEC last season.  Three in a row would leave little doubt as to their place in the pecking order, while a win would certainly ignite enthusiasm heading into the Big Dance.

Marquette vs DePaul [Big East Tournament Final] – 2:00 PM

How Did They Get Here

DePaul beat the odds again to topple Georgetown in the semi-finals, all but locking up their place in the NCAA Tournament in the process.  The Blue Demons would only use twelve players and put two shots on goal, but one of those was the only goal of the match, a hammer strike from Erin Pekovitch that beat Emma Newins in the Hoya goal.  Alex Godinez was again majestic in goal for DePaul, making seven saves as the Blue Demons again befuddled the much fancied Hoyas en route to the final.

Marquette won their twelfth straight game, topping Saint John’s (NY), 2-0, to reach the Big East Tournament final.  The Golden Eagles were seldom troubled by the Red Storm and really should have had more, being denied by ten Diana Poulin saves.  The Golden Eagles successfully stymied Rachel Daly, and the rest of the Red Storm offense wilted, putting just a single shot on goal.  Maegan Kelly had a goal and an assist for the winners, with Mary Luba netting the other goal, as Marquette battered the Red Storm with offense.

Their Regular Season Meeting Was…

Probably a little more stressful than Marquette would like to admit.  Yes, Marquette did outshoot their opponents by a 28-12 margin and had a 9-0 corner kick advantage at the end of the day.  But the shot on goal margin was much narrower at 9-5, and Alex Godinez kept DePaul in it all game long, making eight saves.  Depth and talent shone through in the end though, with Mary Luba’s first half strike going down as the difference, with a quick start for Marquette proving to be enough as the gap on the stat sheet shrunk enormously for the second stanza as DePaul searched for an equalizer.

What’s On The Line

Marquette wants a #1 seed.  Currently in third in the RPI, the Golden Eagles almost assuredly have to win to have a glimmer of a chance, but that doesn’t look too terribly likely, with Virginia, Florida State, North Carolina, and UCLA also in that top line with them.  The Golden Eagles will be eager to pick up another big win to keep them in the hunt for a #2 seed though, and with it, the right to host the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament.  Bragging rights of being the first team to win the double in the reborn Big East certainly isn’t anything to scoff at either.

DePaul should have sealed their NCAA Tournament spot on Friday.  Should have.  Two results against Georgetown should push them over the top, but the Blue Demons probably would like the auto bid to erase the last slivers of doubt.  An upset would also increase the odds of DePaul hosting a first round game in the NCAA Tournament next week.  Beyond NCAA Tournament considerations though, bringing home a major trophy and claiming the scalp of the Golden Eagles would be a massive moment in the history of a Blue Demon program that’s often been out of sight and out of mind in the Big East.

Nebraska vs Iowa [Big Ten Tournament Final] – 2:00 PM

How Did They Get Here

Nebraska went down early for the second straight game in the Big Ten Tournament, falling behind to Indiana in the eighth minute.  And then Jordan Jackson and Jaycie Johnson took over.  Jackson made Johnson’s first goal, then assisted on Kylie Greischar’s effort which would go down as the eventual match winner.  Johnson iced it late, as the Nebraska attack rolled to its eighth straight win.  It was the fourth straight match the Huskers offense rolled to three or more goals.  It was also the fourth straight match John Walker’s side have conceded though.

Iowa continued their giant killing tour on Friday by beating Penn State for the second time in less than a month.  When you factor in the club’s win against Michigan in the tournament quarterfinals, the Hawkeyes suddenly look like contenders for a national seed.  Iowa would go up early when Melanie Pickert scored off a Bri Toelle corner.  They’d get eight saves from Hannah Clark, with the Hawkeyes keeping their third straight clean sheet while using just twelve players, ten of them playing all ninety minutes.

Their Regular Season Meeting Was…

Even and heartbreaking at the same time for Iowa.  The clubs were even at 1-1 at the hour mark, with Iowa actually outshooting the Huskers 19-15 on the day, with on-target efforts finishing even at 5-5.  The Hawkeyes would see their hearts broken late though, a late corner kick being pinballed around the Iowa box before bouncing in the goal.  The last thirty minutes turned combative, with each club picking up a pair of bookings in the final half-hour.

What’s On The Line

The rare match on this day where the meaning of the trophy far outstrips the meaning on the RPI.  A win by Nebraska would complete the double and perhaps signal the rise of a new power in the Big Ten to battle annually with Penn State.  It would be sweet revenge for John Walker as well, who has come under fire for years for the perceived disrepair of his Nebraska program.  A win would also keep hopes of a #1 seed alive, though the Huskers seem more likely to be penciled in for a #2 seed, which still isn’t a bad prize to walk away with, sending clubs to Lincoln for the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

An Iowa win would be fairytale stuff.  As seventh seeds and a slumbering side that for the past few seasons has seemed unable to get over the hump, the Hawkeyes would officially hit the big time with a major trophy and an upset over the Huskers in the final.  Given the fact that the club has beaten Michigan and Penn State twice, a victory over Nebraska would give Iowa even more hope of a national seed.  As is, a positive showing would at least keep the Hawkeyes’ hopes of hosting the opening round of the NCAA Tournament alive.

Florida State vs Virginia Tech [ACC Tournament Final] – 4:00 PM

How Did They Get Here

In rather astounding fashion.  Florida State looked like crashing out in the semi-finals against North Carolina with the club conceding early in the second half to Meg Morris with the offense going into the final five minutes having fired blanks.  And then came an own goal in the eighty-seventh minute.  And then came another in the third minute of extra time to send FSU through.  The final stat line was wild, with FSU having had two of their three shots on goal coming off the own goals.  It wasn’t exactly a reassuring offensive showing, but it’s hard to doubt the heart the Noles have shown in another successful late fightback.

Virginia Tech’s win was astonishing for different reasons.  A little more than a week after having recorded a total of zero shots on goal against #1 Virginia, the Hokies dropped the hammer on their rivals.  The club put the pedal to the metal early, going up 1-0 inside of nine minutes, eventually stretching their lead to 4-1 in the seventy-first minute.  It’d finish 4-2 after Virginia managed to pull one back late, but the Hokies used some predatory finishing from Jazmine Reeves and just enough defense to end the Cavs’ perfect record.  Now it’s just a matter of hoping the performance didn’t drain too much life out of the Hokies ahead of Sunday.  Given their form this season, it doesn’t seem too likely.

Their Regular Season Meeting Was…

The Dagny Brynjarsdottir Show.  The Icelandic midfielder carried the offense on her back against the Hokies, accounting for all four shots on goal the Noles put up, including their two goals.  The Florida State defense may have let Ashley Meier equalized in the final twenty minutes, but they also erased Jazmine Reeves from the game, holding VT’s deadly forward to zero shots.  It was also another late show for the Seminoles, with Mark Krikorian’s side netting the eventual game winner with just a little over three minutes to play in normal time.

What’s On The Line

Florida State would appear to be really safe in their position as a likely #1 seed.  A loss to high flying Virginia Tech’s probably not going to change that.  But why not grab another win just to make sure?  A second ACC Tournament triumph in three seasons also wouldn’t be bad for a program that measures success in trophies.  Under the radar, it’s also an opportunity to get everyone on the same page going into the Big Dance.  Somewhat silently, this FSU side has now scored multiple goals in six of their past seven after some serious offensive hiccups earlier in the 2013 campaign.

Virginia Tech tossed themselves right into the #1 seed mix with their shocking win over Virginia on Friday.  To stay there, they may need to walk away with the ACC Tournament title.  They still might be fighting an uphill battle given the competition for that prize, but wins over Virginia and Florida State would certainly be feathers in their cap.  But beyond the RPI ramifications, the Hokies would move up a level in prestige with a major trophy from the nation’s most difficult conference.  It’s already hard to ignore the possibility of the Hokies getting back to Cary and the College Cup.  Another win, and ignoring the possibility of a national title would get that much harder as well.

West Virginia vs Oklahoma State [Big XII Tournament Final] – 4:30 PM

How Did They Get Here

On the back of Frances Silva.  Or the foot.  Silva’s sweet free kick early in the second half settled matters in a tense match with a Baylor side fighting for the NCAA Tournament lives.  WVU would see plenty of Bear shots fly off-target, with Sara Keane forced into just a couple of saves on the night.  Besides Silva, WVU didn’t create much offense.  In the end, they didn’t need to, with Silva’s free kick goal proving to be decisive, with WVU grinding it out, using just twelve players to do so as well.

With their backs to the wall, Oklahoma State needed a result against Texas Tech in the semi-finals to maximize their hopes of getting into the NCAA Tournament.  They got it, getting a goal from super freshman Courtney Dike from short range in the twenty-second minute and holding on to overcome a misfiring Texas Tech side on the night.  They may have been outshot by a 2:1 ratio by the Red Raiders, but they also were only down 4-3 in shots on goal.  The Cowgirls look to be back in a good position with their second straight win but also know they may have to win on Sunday too to be sure.

Their Regular Season Meeting Was…

A bit deceptive.  On many fronts.  True, West Virginia outshot the Cowgirls by a 21-5 rate, but the shots on goal rate was a much more respectable 6-2.  At the same time though, one of OSU’s shots on goal was Courtney Dike’s late penalty that was little more than a consolation after WVU had taken a 2-0 lead about fifteen minutes earlier.  The Cowgirls managed to keep Frances Silva in check, holding her without a shot on goal.  Unfortunately for them, they also couldn’t keep Kate Schwindel in check, with the other big name forward for the Mountaineers netting a goal and an assist in the win.

What’s On The Line

West Virginia’s in range for a national seed, though they have a lot of ground to chew up to get in the Top 13, where clubs have usually been guaranteed seeds when all was said and done.  There are obviously a lot of pieces up in the air right now, but the Mountaineers’ chances probably aren’t going to be helped if they go down to the Cowgirls on Sunday afternoon.  Besides RPI considerations, WVU probably wants a win to kill off last season’s postseason nightmares once and for all.  Another trophy would certainly underline the Mountaineers’ claims as the Big XII’s flagship program as well.

Oklahoma State should be in the NCAA Tournament already thanks to its two wins this week.  Of course, nothing is set in stone unless they win the automatic bid on Sunday.  OSU’s profile looks good on paper, but how far will they slip with a defeat and with others potentially rising up?  The Cowgirls also would like to rain on WVU’s parade, proving that it’s not just all going to go the Mountaineers’ way in the Big XII.  Having struggled last season and for parts of this season, a major trophy would go a long way in showing the nation that OSU’s not a spent force in the league.

Matches With Bubble Implications

James Madison vs Northeastern [CAA Tournament Final] – 1:00 PM – James Madison doesn’t have a realistic chance at an at-large bid, but the Dukes are a team most bubble hopefuls will be rooting against.  If JMU ends up on the bubble, it’ll make many bubble sides’ path to the Big Dance a little bit easier.

Navy vs Boston University [Patriot League Tournament Final] – 1:00 PM – This one may be one of the day’s most important title matches.  Boston University will spare some bubble side’s life if they upset Navy on Sunday afternoon.  But even if they lose, BU has a moderate shot at making the cut and going dancing on Monday.

Colorado College vs North Texas [C-USA Tournament Final] – 2:00 PM – Barring something crazy, Colorado College is going to be in win or lose.  If they lose though, that’s another bubble burst, meaning the fringe bid candidates are going to be big Tiger fans on Sunday afternoon.

Denver vs North Dakota State [Summit League Tournament Final] – 2:00 PM – The Pioneers are hoping to get into the RPI Top Thirteen and a potential national seed with a win here.  Besides that, like Colorado College above, an upset defeat would spell doom for a bubble side.

Send to Facebook

Tweet This Post

Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!

Filed Under:  

• Soccer
• Sports
• W. College Soccer

This post is related to an ongoing story:

• 2013 NCAA Soccer

View Original Post at allwhitekit.wordpress.com

View jennaawk's Full Profile