Soccer: Congrats UM on great season!
December 11th, 2010 at 9:17 AM ^
Agreed. The played very well the last few weeks and played hard last night. Congrats to the boys and go blue.
December 11th, 2010 at 9:45 AM ^
Akron played better than the US soccer team. What a clinic they put on. Our guys hung tough.
Edit: before anyone else makes a comment I suppose I could have picked a better word than "hung".
December 11th, 2010 at 9:33 AM ^
I am on the Board of Directors for the Fisher Institute for Sales & Marketing at the University of Akron but I am also a MIchigan graduate. I can tell you from first hand, on campus experience that Akron is VERY, VERY excited about the team and what they've been able to accomplish. To say it's a big deal down here would be an understatement.
Last night for me was the the true "win-win" game as I was going to be happy either way it went as long as the game was played well and it sure was.
Go Blue but for the finals Fear the Roo!
December 11th, 2010 at 9:43 AM ^
Akron seems to have an entire team of Cam Newtons. Their soccer recruiting budget must be huge.
December 11th, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^
Have you seen their football team lately? They're not spending any money there that's for sure.
December 11th, 2010 at 9:53 AM ^
Thanks for posting this. I'm not a huge soccer fan, but I stayed up to watch that game. The team played hard, but that was an excellent Akron team they faced...still, I was proud of their effort.
That game felt really rough last night...is that typical, or was it poor refereeing? The World Cup games (the only other time I really watch soccer) seemed to allow much less contact...
December 11th, 2010 at 10:03 AM ^
That's because Southern Europeans and Latin Americans dive a every opportunity -- and are often rewarded by the horrible FIFA referees. I love the artistry of their game but I do prefer less faking and more playing.
December 11th, 2010 at 11:06 AM ^
I would also say that it is due to a lack of stoppage time in the college level. I don't think the refs constantly want to stop play and kill the flow of the game.
December 11th, 2010 at 12:55 PM ^
December 11th, 2010 at 2:14 PM ^
Thanks for these comments...that little stretcher they bring out for soccer injuries always looks so adorable...maybe they could add it to the NCAA?
December 11th, 2010 at 9:58 AM ^
Soccer, like hockey, is one of those sports where a team can be clearly outplayed yet still win. Until Akron scored the go-ahead goal, and especially before they scored the tying goal, I was hoping against hope that luck and the Wolverines would prevail.
Great season and great game. Congrats again to the Big Ten champs on their College Cup appearance,
December 11th, 2010 at 11:37 AM ^
Agreed...It's one of the cool things about soccer; a TEAM playing well can make up for a talent deficit with heart, effort, teamwork, luck and good goatending.
If Soony's 2nd half shot of the post went in, or we scored on the rebound it would have been very interesting.
Great season!! Hopefully it's the start of something good
December 11th, 2010 at 10:00 AM ^
December 11th, 2010 at 10:19 AM ^
That was the first time I saw them all year, and they did well. Played with a lot of heart. Its a tremendous accomplishment. Maybe a program changer, and could help boost recruiting.
December 11th, 2010 at 10:19 AM ^
And they represented Mich well the whole way. May this be just the beginning.
December 11th, 2010 at 10:33 AM ^
December 11th, 2010 at 11:25 AM ^
It was great to watch UM for the first time. They played great on defense and took advantage of run outs when they could. Akron looked incredible and really held possession of the ball much like Spain. I was hoping that 2' goal would stand up and UM would play a 9-1 format to avoid the tying and winning goals. Great season!
December 11th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^
It seemed like every other guy on the Akron team was being described as a USA under-20 international. Michigan went toe-to-toe with them and if not for that ridiculous 40 yard goal or Soony's shot failing to bend an extra inch or two the game was dead even.
Hopefully they can keep the momentum going and turn this new program into a perennial power.
December 11th, 2010 at 12:00 PM ^
I went to high school and am friends with Matthew Schmitt, a fifth year senior who got some late PT last night. It's been a bit of a special ride to see him go all the way from Muskegon to the Final Four. Would have been nice to advance but it's been great to follow this through. Go Blue.
December 11th, 2010 at 12:02 PM ^
They had a great run and were in that game till the last second... I had no idea this program was only 11 years old, I'd have thought a Major University like Michigan would've had a men's soccer team for longer than that.
BTW, I hope Akron destroys Louisville
December 11th, 2010 at 12:04 PM ^
Great M team and fun game to watch. Here's to many more seasons of winning M Men's Soccer and a run at the same prize next year!
December 11th, 2010 at 12:34 PM ^
Akron was clearly the better team. That was an impressive display of touch, skill, and close marking. The finals against Louisville should be a very entertaining game.
Still, Michigan played hard and made the best of their limited opportunities. Soony's bender against the frame was soooo close... They had a great season and should be very proud of their accomplishments. Hopefully some big recruits have a new respect for Michigan's soccer program!
Go Blue!
December 11th, 2010 at 12:54 PM ^
Hopefully this exposure can roll into recruiting. Most of the schools M recruits against can't say they played in the College Cup in the last couple years, or who have won their conference tournament, and M can claim both. If we can parlay this success into some big recruiting, and if Soony sticks around for a minute, we could have a good run over the next few years.
December 11th, 2010 at 2:08 PM ^
Incredibly proud of the futbol kids and hopefully their success on the ptich portends a nice run by the rest of the UM sports this year.
December 11th, 2010 at 2:16 PM ^
They definitely represented on the field last night and played their hearts out.
I went to high school with Mr. Burns and to see all of his hard work come to fruition in bringing the program this far is great. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. More to come, I am sure....given M's facilities and the academics, we have to be a pretty attractive prospects to some recruits out there that previously may not have given us a look.
The players deserve a ton of credit also, they really overachieved and showed exactly how playing as a team can bring results that exceed all expectations.