Déjà vu
November 17, 2011 08:25 AM | General
WEST VIRGINIA GAME NOTES
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - It is well known in athletics the difficult challenge of beating the same team twice in one season. The West Virginia men’s soccer team will look to disprove that theory today at 5 p.m., when it takes on Xavier in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
When the Mountaineers learned their first round opponent last Monday at the NCAA Selection Show party, it had an eerie similar feel to the first round of last year’s tournament, as well as some interesting facts in the tournament itself.
Some similarities include the game being played on the third Thursday of November, Xavier qualified for the tournament after winning the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship as a No. 6 seed, and the BIG EAST being the most represented conference in the tournament with seven qualifiers.
“It’s oddly very, very familiar and I think this year we know a little bit more about them and they know a little bit more about us,” coach Marlon LeBlanc says. “They’re a good team, Andy’s (Fleming) done a great job with that group. Two-time defending A-10 champions - it says a lot about the quality of the opponent we’re playing.”
In last season’s affair it looked grim for West Virginia as the Musketeers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after a goal by James Queree in the third minute and an own goal by the Mountaineers in the fifth minute. West Virginia was able to show resiliency and followed with four unanswered goals, pioneered by a natural hat trick from Franck Tayou.
Tayou tied the score at 2-2 going into halftime and came out of the locker room to give WVU the go-ahead goal in the 50th minute of the match.
“The past is the past,” LeBlanc says, referring to last season’s match. “We try to make the first minute very good and we try to make the last minute very good, as well as everything in between. Certainly we’re going out to go after the game and the key is that we understand that they’re a very good team.”
Although there are many similarities, there are some differences as well. The Mountaineers are one year more mature and hungrier for an NCAA Championship as evidenced by the subdued reaction when WVU was selected to the tournament.
“Last year there was much more of a celebratory reaction. This year it was, OK, yeah, we expected to be here,’” LeBlanc says. “From that standpoint, the experience of seeing their name on the board has come and gone. There’s not that satisfaction of just being in.”
West Virginia will have to deal with knocking off a little rust with the match being just its second game in the last 19 games, while Xavier may be trying to find its legs with this being its fourth match in eight days.
“Now is the time you can throw out all the old stuff,” LeBlanc says. “Everybody’s on the same level playing field at this stage. There are no good teams and there are no bad teams anymore - everybody’s the same and we all start over. Our initial challenge is Xavier and we’re not looking backwards, we’re only look forward.”
Junior midfielder Shadow Sebele, a third team all-BIG EAST performer, leads WVU with 19 points this season and a team-best seven assists. BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, all-BIG EAST third team member and all-BIG EAST rookie team member Andy Bevin has enjoyed a superb year and has led the Mountaineer attack with a team-leading seven goals.
Throw in WVU’s defensive prowess led by all-BIG EAST second team members, senior Raymon Gaddis and junior Eric Schoenle, and the Mountaineers boast a squad that is ready to make a run for the national title.
“I wanted to be No. 1 in the RPI and having a bye this week, but we expected to be here,” LeBlanc says. “We had a tremendous schedule this year and were very much battle tested and I think we expected to be in this situation where we get to play for a national championship.”
Xavier played its way into the tournament by winning the Atlantic 10 Championship for the second-consecutive season as a six-seed. The Musketeers defeated the tournament’s top three seeds and currently have a 12-4-4 record.
“They are well coached and organized, and don’t beat themselves,” LeBlanc says. “There is something to be said about a team that knows how to grind out results and Xavier is a team that doesn’t concede goals and finds a way to win games.”
Xavier is led by Luke Spencer with a team-best seven goals and five assists for 19 points. In net, Justin Marshall has started 15 games, giving up 14 goals and making 57 saves.
Ticket prices are $7 for adults and $5 for youth and senior citizens. Admission is free for West Virginia University students with a valid student ID. Any fans that purchased tickets for the 7 p.m. men’s basketball game against Alcorn State will be able to present their basketball ticket for $2 admission into the soccer match. There is also a rate of $2 per ticket for groups of 10 or more.
Spectators attending the men’s soccer match will be given a parking pass and allowed to park for free in the Natatorium parking lot, but must leave at the conclusion of the game. Those attending the game who wishes to stay for the men’s basketball game will be charged $20 to park.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - It is well known in athletics the difficult challenge of beating the same team twice in one season. The West Virginia men’s soccer team will look to disprove that theory today at 5 p.m., when it takes on Xavier in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
When the Mountaineers learned their first round opponent last Monday at the NCAA Selection Show party, it had an eerie similar feel to the first round of last year’s tournament, as well as some interesting facts in the tournament itself.
Some similarities include the game being played on the third Thursday of November, Xavier qualified for the tournament after winning the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship as a No. 6 seed, and the BIG EAST being the most represented conference in the tournament with seven qualifiers.
“It’s oddly very, very familiar and I think this year we know a little bit more about them and they know a little bit more about us,” coach Marlon LeBlanc says. “They’re a good team, Andy’s (Fleming) done a great job with that group. Two-time defending A-10 champions - it says a lot about the quality of the opponent we’re playing.”
In last season’s affair it looked grim for West Virginia as the Musketeers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after a goal by James Queree in the third minute and an own goal by the Mountaineers in the fifth minute. West Virginia was able to show resiliency and followed with four unanswered goals, pioneered by a natural hat trick from Franck Tayou.
Tayou tied the score at 2-2 going into halftime and came out of the locker room to give WVU the go-ahead goal in the 50th minute of the match.
“The past is the past,” LeBlanc says, referring to last season’s match. “We try to make the first minute very good and we try to make the last minute very good, as well as everything in between. Certainly we’re going out to go after the game and the key is that we understand that they’re a very good team.”
Although there are many similarities, there are some differences as well. The Mountaineers are one year more mature and hungrier for an NCAA Championship as evidenced by the subdued reaction when WVU was selected to the tournament.
“Last year there was much more of a celebratory reaction. This year it was, OK, yeah, we expected to be here,’” LeBlanc says. “From that standpoint, the experience of seeing their name on the board has come and gone. There’s not that satisfaction of just being in.”
West Virginia will have to deal with knocking off a little rust with the match being just its second game in the last 19 games, while Xavier may be trying to find its legs with this being its fourth match in eight days.
“Now is the time you can throw out all the old stuff,” LeBlanc says. “Everybody’s on the same level playing field at this stage. There are no good teams and there are no bad teams anymore - everybody’s the same and we all start over. Our initial challenge is Xavier and we’re not looking backwards, we’re only look forward.”
Junior midfielder Shadow Sebele, a third team all-BIG EAST performer, leads WVU with 19 points this season and a team-best seven assists. BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, all-BIG EAST third team member and all-BIG EAST rookie team member Andy Bevin has enjoyed a superb year and has led the Mountaineer attack with a team-leading seven goals.
Throw in WVU’s defensive prowess led by all-BIG EAST second team members, senior Raymon Gaddis and junior Eric Schoenle, and the Mountaineers boast a squad that is ready to make a run for the national title.
“I wanted to be No. 1 in the RPI and having a bye this week, but we expected to be here,” LeBlanc says. “We had a tremendous schedule this year and were very much battle tested and I think we expected to be in this situation where we get to play for a national championship.”
Xavier played its way into the tournament by winning the Atlantic 10 Championship for the second-consecutive season as a six-seed. The Musketeers defeated the tournament’s top three seeds and currently have a 12-4-4 record.
“They are well coached and organized, and don’t beat themselves,” LeBlanc says. “There is something to be said about a team that knows how to grind out results and Xavier is a team that doesn’t concede goals and finds a way to win games.”
Xavier is led by Luke Spencer with a team-best seven goals and five assists for 19 points. In net, Justin Marshall has started 15 games, giving up 14 goals and making 57 saves.
Ticket prices are $7 for adults and $5 for youth and senior citizens. Admission is free for West Virginia University students with a valid student ID. Any fans that purchased tickets for the 7 p.m. men’s basketball game against Alcorn State will be able to present their basketball ticket for $2 admission into the soccer match. There is also a rate of $2 per ticket for groups of 10 or more.
Spectators attending the men’s soccer match will be given a parking pass and allowed to park for free in the Natatorium parking lot, but must leave at the conclusion of the game. Those attending the game who wishes to stay for the men’s basketball game will be charged $20 to park.
Gold-Blue Spring Festival Fan Recap
Sunday, April 19
John Neider | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Zac Alley | April 18
Saturday, April 18
Coach Rich Rodriguez | April 18
Saturday, April 18
