Go WEST young man (and NORTH)

[BTXCru18]

Another "what the heck just happened" game down in Texas (seriously, if someone was there or watched the stream, pipe up because I'm sure I'm not doing this justice and maybe it wasn't that bad).

Concordia TX 3 - UT Dallas 2

I couldn't watch this game live and they took down the video almost immediately, but just based on the box score there must be something bad in the water down in Texas because this appears to be another crazy game.  Not quite St. Thomas TX - Texas Lutheran crazy, but it had some of the elements.  First, UTD goes up 1-0 at the 11:56 mark on a Riley O'Donnell PK after a hand ball in the box.  Then, seven seconds later, Concordia turned the ball over on the kickoff and one pass and a Riley O'Donnell chip over the GK later, UTD has a 2-0 lead.  Riley O'Donnell scoring a brace is not hugely surprising.  It's his third brace of the season, he scored a brace last game against Ozarks, and he was first team All Region X in 2021 and second team All Region X in 2022 and first team all-ASC both years.  Nevertheless, scoring a brace seven seconds apart in the first 12 minutes is pretty unusual.  If that's not crazy enough, Concordia then received four yellow cards in a three-and-a-half minute stretch between the 18:09 and the 21.46 mark.  To be more specific, and to make it odder, two Concordia players got yellows at the 18:09 mark and two Concordia players got yellows at the 21:46 mark. How does that happen? Well, at the 18:09 mark Riley O'Donnell was called for a foul and he was immediately subbed off the game and UTD's star player's night was done.  I'm assuming he was injured when committing the foul, but not sure how two Concordia players got yellows in that exchange unless it was actually a fight after the foul or the players were carded for dissent for arguing with the referee that O'Donnell should have received a card.  As for O'Donnell getting pulled from the game and not coming back, it's possible the UTD coach effectively red carded O'Donnell himself and he wasn't injured.  Then, at the 21:46 mark, two Concordia players were given yellow cards seven seconds after one of them committed a foul and both of those carded players were immediately subbed out.  Why?  Not sure.  Maybe dissent again?  At this point, we have five yellow cards in the first 22 minutes (one was given to a UTD player - Luke Harris - in the 4th minute). I'm guessing the referee association was given a tape of the St. Thomas-TLU game and and they were trying to clamp down on the game early, but that's a lot of early yellows.

The game went on without incident for another 6+ minutes, during which time Concordia scored and the game was 2-1.  Then things got crazy again.  Less than three minutes later, UTD's Luke Harris picks up a second yellow and they are now down a man.  Two minutes later, the UTD Team got a yellow (I'm assuming the bench or the coach) and ten minutes later UTD and Concordia players each got yellows a minute apart before the end of the first half.  So, if you're keeping score at home, it's UTD 2-1 on the scoreboard, Concordia 11 v. 10 in terms of players on the field, and there have been 9 yellow cards between the two teams in the first half (5 for Concordia, 4 for UTD).

In the second half, Concordia scores a goal in the 53rd minute and it's now 2-2.  A little over three minutes later, a Concordia player gets a yellow and 15 seconds later the UTD team got a yellow (bench? a coach?).    Then, in the 69th minute, a UTD player gets a straight red card (not sure for what - the play-by-play doesn't indicate there was a foul or free kick at the same time) and now UTD is playing with 9 men to Concordia's 11, but the game remains tied 2-2 for another 14 minutes

Finally, in the 83rd minute Concordia breaks through and scores a goal to make it 3-2.  BUT, the game isn't over.  A UTD player gets yellow in the 85th minute and a Concordia player commits a foul in the box at the 87:20 mark to give UTD a PK.  But, since regular PK taker O'Donnell has been out of the game since the first half, they let a sophomore take it who hasn't taken (or at least scored) a PK this year and his effort was saved by the Concordia GK to seal the victory.  For good measure, a UTD player gets a yellow in the last 20 seconds of the game.

So, 14 cards, including two reds (one a double yellow) and two against the UTD bench/coaches and Concordia ends UTD's six game winning streak.

With Mary Hardin-Baylor's 4-1 victory over Ozarks and Hardin-Simmons 4-0 victory over Sul Ross St., they are the two leaders in the ASC, with UTD and Concordia right behind them with one conference loss apiece.

MHB in the lead with a perfect 12 points, CTX with 9 and HSU just behind with 7 and the only other unbeaten team in the ASC. Sul Ross win doesn't affect the standings as they are reclassifying to D2.

Thanks for the correction on Sul Ross.  I knew that, but just forgot (partly because they've lost all of their games in the ASC this year, which means wins against them haven't provided anything other than a temporary advantage in the standings anyway).  I should have said that MHB and H-S are the only unbeatens left in the ASC.

Easy to forget when they aren't getting results anyway! Crazy CTX-UTD game last night though... Astounding how UTD nearly came back whilst down to 9 men... Didn't seem nearly as chippy as UST-TLU(I'm not sure any game will match that ever), but definitely card heavy. CTX GK salvaging their hopes for the top seed with that late PK save.

[Kuiper]

GK coach for UST will finish out season as head coach.
I find it utterly confounding that to my knowledge no statement, no nothing from the SCAC. That is definitely not a good look.
A 2 game suspension when it falls to bottom half teams in league isn't a huge deterrent IMO

I believe the GK coach(Manu Hernandez) was a volunteer. Perhaps staying on as an assistant. Officially, the head coach will be Assistant AD Nikola Barjaktarevic, formerly the Celt's women's soccer coach, I am hearing.
https://www.ustcelts.com/Nik?view=bio

Putting Barjaktarevic as HC, who is currently the Asst AD in charge of compliance, oversaw the transition to D3 for St. Thomas that was completed last year, and was the supervisor of soccer, suggests a strong athletic department push to completely clean house, although he will likely just be a caretaker for the rest of the season.  I wonder if he was the voice from the press box yelling at what sounded like a player during the game.

I'll be interested to hear what happens at Texas Lutheran, if anything, because they were far from blameless in this whole fiasco.

[BTXCru18]

GK coach for UST will finish out season as head coach.
I find it utterly confounding that to my knowledge no statement, no nothing from the SCAC. That is definitely not a good look.
A 2 game suspension when it falls to bottom half teams in league isn't a huge deterrent IMO

The continuing radio silence from all parties is frustrating.  StT has nothing on their website whatsoever about this disaster; TLU, just the game story posted immediately after the game; the conference, zip.  I don't know if the conference has put a moratorium on statements until all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed, or if some of the parties involved are threatening legal action, or what.   

I've been following the SCAC since the 20th and they've never had to deal with something like this - likely erring on the site of caution as a result.

Agreed... I'm sure UST is trying to keep things quiet as they deal with all the repercussions internally. I did notice that the red for the nasty leg-breaking tackle was switched from #25 to #30 after the mistaken identity appeal(https://www.ustcelts.com/sports/msoc/2023-24/boxscores/20231008_53g9.xml). Unclear if it was just a boxscore typo or if #30 actually remained in the game last Sunday.

Regardless, that type of challenge would get you a multi-game ban in the pro ranks. I.e. Brian Mullan on Steve Zakuani(https://www.espn.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6443775/brian-mullan-colorado-rapids-suspended-10-games-tackle)

[College Soccer Observer]

GK coach for UST will finish out season as head coach.
I find it utterly confounding that to my knowledge no statement, no nothing from the SCAC. That is definitely not a good look.
A 2 game suspension when it falls to bottom half teams in league isn't a huge deterrent IMO

The continuing radio silence from all parties is frustrating.  StT has nothing on their website whatsoever about this disaster; TLU, just the game story posted immediately after the game; the conference, zip.  I don't know if the conference has put a moratorium on statements until all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed, or if some of the parties involved are threatening legal action, or what.   

I've been following the SCAC since the 20th and they've never had to deal with something like this - likely erring on the site of caution as a result.

Agreed... I'm sure UST is trying to keep things quiet as they deal with all the repercussions internally. I did notice that the red for the nasty leg-breaking tackle was switched from #25 to #30 after the mistaken identity appeal(https://www.ustcelts.com/sports/msoc/2023-24/boxscores/20231008_53g9.xml). Unclear if it was just a boxscore typo or if #30 actually remained in the game last Sunday.

Regardless, that type of challenge would get you a multi-game ban in the pro ranks. I.e. Brian Mullan on Steve Zakuani(https://www.espn.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6443775/brian-mullan-colorado-rapids-suspended-10-games-tackle)

#30 remained in the game and #25 left.  The post game appeal transfers the suspension and the accumulation to the correct player. 

[soccerpapa]

If 30 stayed in the game and 25 left......could this game be protested?

[College Soccer Observer]

If 30 stayed in the game and 25 left......could this game be protested?

It was protested as outlined above. NCAA rules do not allow for the results of games to be changed as a result of post game protests.

[Kuiper]

Games of interest to me in Region X Friday - Sunday

Friday 10/13

Southwestern @ Colorado College

Both teams are coming in hot.  CC has beaten Christopher Newport and St. Thomas in a 4 game win streak and is 7-2-1 overall and 2-0 in the SCAC.  Southwestern is in the midst of a 3 game win streak that also includes a win against St. Thomas and is 7-1-3 and 3-1 in conference.  The ways things are going in the SCAC, the winner of this game could come out of this game in very good shape in the conference.

St. Thomas @ Austin

Normally, this game wouldn't hold much interest, but after last week's card-fest, rumored coaching turnover, and possible suspensions, it will be interesting just to see who shows up for St. Thomas and how they react after last week's game.  Lost in the shuffle over the cards is that St. Thomas actually won the game after two home losses.  If they play their normal game, they should win the next three even with all the turmoil, setting things up for a very spicy game two weeks from today at Trinity.  If, on the other hand, St. Thomas falls apart, then this is the most likely game for them to lose.

Saturday 10/14

Chapman @ Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

Chapman is not the same team that won the SCIAC last year, but they do have some experience in big games and have played a bunch of the conference leaders tough, including beating CMS at home 1-0 a month ago.  CMS may be starting to pull things together finally, winning big against Cal tech and Occidental in the last week.  If CMS is going to get all the way back, it needs to win a game like this.

Pacific Lutheran @ Whitworth

#1 v. #2 in the NWC.  Pacific Lutheran has had a couple of stumbles (ties against Linfield and Pacific), but otherwise has dominated in the NWC and is coming off a 4-0 thrashing of Willamette.  Whitworth is the only team that has kept pace lately and is on a 6 game winning streak and a 7 game unbeaten streak.  The last game it lost, though, was to Pacific Lutheran, which won the game 4-1.  In the absence of a conference tournament, this rematch might determine who wins the NWC.

UT Dallas @ Mary Hardin-Baylor

MHB has been the leader in the ASC for awhile, but UTD isn't far behind with only one loss.  The problem is that UTD is going to be missing a couple of players for this one due to red card suspension from the Concordia TX game.  This game is a chance for MHB to put some distance between itself and UTD.

Sunday 10/15

Texas Lutheran @ Colorado College

If CC wins against Southwestern and TLU, it sets up a SCAC showdown next Friday against Trinity, possible for the SCAC lead.  It's also the first game for TLU since the St. Thomas game and it will be interesting to see how it reacts to that game.  Their starting keeper is out because of red card suspension (along with two other players), but their freshman backup has quality if he can control his emotions.

Pacific Lutheran @ Whitman

It's hard to win the NWC without beating the Whits.  Whitman is a clear #3 behind PLU and Whitworth and lost to PLU 6-0 the first time they played this year, but playing on the road at the Whits is always a battle.

[Kuiper]

Colorado College 1 - Southwestern 0

Big win for Colorado College. Tight game.  Very even and pretty clean, with only one yellow card and relatively few fouls.  CC scored in the 70th minute and held on for the win.  CC is now 8-2-1 and 3-0 in the SCAC ahead of the big game against Texas Lutheran.  Southwestern drops to 7-2-3 and 3-2 in the SCAC.

[Kuiper]

No Taty Aleman in the starting lineup for St. Thomas v Austin College.  Not sure if that means he was disciplined, but it's worth noting.

[Ron Boerger]

No Taty Aleman in the starting lineup for St. Thomas v Austin College.  Not sure if that means he was disciplined, but it's worth noting.

No audio commentary on the game and a single field-level camera with crummy resolution, but Lazo just made a huge leaping save to keep it scoreless around 35' of the first.  Only three subs for each team so far.   Fouls 4-3 STT and no cards.

[Ron Boerger]

And AC turned the ball over just outside the penalty area late, Castro had a 1v1 on the keeper, a wide open net left and blasted it wide right.  Scoreless at the half despite some late pressure by the Celts, who have a 3-2 lead on SOG. 

It does look like Baez coaching (if he's shaved off his facial hair), looks like the GK coach is there and at least one other. 

[Kuiper]

No Taty Aleman in the starting lineup for St. Thomas v Austin College.  Not sure if that means he was disciplined, but it's worth noting.

No Taty Aleman, but St. Thomas didn't need him, beating Austin College 3-0.

[Ron Boerger]

No Taty Aleman in the starting lineup for St. Thomas v Austin College.  Not sure if that means he was disciplined, but it's worth noting.

No Taty Aleman, but St. Thomas didn't need him, beating Austin College 3-0.

And unlike the TLU match (for which still nothing), there's a writeup on the STT site, which mentions nothing about coaching changes or anything else.  The STT site still shows the entire coaching staff. 

[Kuiper]

No Taty Aleman in the starting lineup for St. Thomas v Austin College.  Not sure if that means he was disciplined, but it's worth noting.

No Taty Aleman, but St. Thomas didn't need him, beating Austin College 3-0.

And unlike the TLU match (for which still nothing), there's a writeup on the STT site, which mentions nothing about coaching changes or anything else.  The STT site still shows the entire coaching staff.

I really think St. Thomas just does AI recaps.  The wording is too trite/cliche and exclusively from the stats and box score.  That's why there's no extra info about the circumstances or coaching.

[Kuiper]

A few results of note in Region X

Pacific Lutheran 4 - Whitworth 2

PLU blew up a tight 2-2 game early in the second half, scoring goals in the 66th and 73rd to win 4-2 at Whitworth against the second place Pirates in an important NWC game.  With the Lutes beating Whitworth 4-1 at home and 4-2 away, beating Willamette 4-0 at home and beating Whitman 6-0 at home, the game today between PLU and Whitman (currently 3rd in the NWC) could almost seal the deal for PLU with the next five games at home.

Trinity (TX) 3 - Schreiner 1

Schreiner put in a scare on Trinity by scoring first, but Trinity tied them up about three-and-a-half minutes later and then added another about 10 minutes later and a third after halftime.  Trinity is 9-1-2 and 4-1 in the SCAC.  The next two games against Colorado College in Colorado Springs and St. Thomas will be critical for the Tigers, which currently sit in first in the SCAC.

Concordia (TX) 6 - Ozarks 0

Concordia dominates this game to go 4-1 in conference, with games coming up against Hardin-Simmons and Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Chapman 0 - Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 0

Chapman continues to frustrate some of the top SCIAC teams, following up a tie of current 2n place Occidental a few weeks ago with a tie against 3rd place CMS.

Mary Hardin-Baylor 2 - UT Dallas 0

MHB scores 2 in the first half, 1 after UTD player got a straight red card in the 32nd minute, to remain in first place in the ASC with a 5-0 record.