Flyers Apply 5-1 Beatdown Over UMass for A10 Title

[Chris R]

http://udpride.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19224

Two things to glean from Sunday's match: Dayton is the best team in the A10 this year -- at the very least right now. They played at a level the rest of the league could not emulate. With a lot riding on the table, the team left nothing to chance and once again played some of their best soccer of the season. The turnaround really started in the last weekend of the A10 regular season when UD performed very well in wins over SLU and Charlotte. That has continued.

Williams obviously challenged herself like all great players do. Wann might have earned A10 Offensive Player of the Year, but Williams proved she's the best there is in the A10 despite what the league thinks. Her level of play in the last two weeks is exactly the kind of play you expect from a player as good as her. Its difficult to play at such a high level all the time, but All-Americans are saddled with that responsibility. Williams basically put this game to pasture in the first minute of play, barreling through defenders. When she decides she wants to be the best player on the field, she always is.

How good was Lethal Weapon 3 in the A10 Tournament??

Colleen Williams - 4 goals, 3 assists
Juliana Libertin - 2 goals , 3 assists
Kelsey Smigel - 2 goals

8 goals, 6 assists.

Great to see Tucker give Kenyon the PK. She has been as good as any player on the team this year.

Just an all-around great tournament. The Flyers dished out a serious dose of humble pie to the Atlantic-10. We are playing great soccer and if we continue to play well, have a chance to advance in the NCAAs.

Wooohoooo.

	Saint Louis SAINT LOUIS Saint Louis University is a Jesuit, Catholic university ranked among the top research institutions in the nation. The University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 12,700 students. Founded in 1818, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Located in St. Louis, MO, and just five minutes from the Gateway Arch, SLU offers 85 undergraduate programs and over 50 graduate study tracks. Over 99% of the SLU faculty hold the highest degree in their respective fields. Fellow member of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Billikens, but also commonly known as "Sloo", the phonetic pronunciation of the school's initials. Athletic claims to fame include multiple national titles in men's soccer and men's basketball star Larry Hughes.

	Charlotte CHARLOTTE UNC Charlotte is one of a generation of universities founded in metropolitan areas of the United States immediately after World War II in response to rising education demands generated by the war and its technology. Now a research intensive university, UNC Charlotte is the fourth largest of the 16 institutions within the University of North Carolina system and the largest institution in the Charlotte region. The university comprises seven professional colleges and currently offers 18 doctoral programs, 62 master’s degree programs and 90 bachelor’s degrees. More than 900 full-time faculty comprise the university’s academic departments and the 2007 fall enrollment exceeded 22,300 students. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the 49ers.

[Chris R]

By the way, congrats to Libertin on reaching the double-double club today. She now has 10 goals and 10 assists on the season. Williams (16gls, 15asts) is also a member.

This is the same Libertin that couldn't earn All-Conference honors this year. Whatever.

[ud69]

What a glorious day of soccer. 60 degrees and sunny, nice breeze, and lots of fans - over 1600 of them - and a result to put a smile on Flyer fans everywhere. Not a lot I can add to the excellent write-up above - as it hits all the important items.

UMass was not the second best team in the league. They got lucky against La Salle, but then again you often make your own luck.

The only downer was the late goal. Coach Tucker is not one to run up a score - and he substituted liberally. The number of goals scored is inconsequential. However, I am sure he wanted a shutout badly - as did the whole team. Yet, you play 270 minutes of scoreless soccer in the tournament and then some very very sloppy marking in the mid-field allows a UMass player to get off a quality shot in the last few seconds. Kind of lets your teammates down.

I am now totally convinced that all-conference and all-tournament recognition is a complete joke. Where is it written that there must be a member of every participating team on an all-tournament team? If so, I have never seen it. Yet, that is what happened once again today. I can think of at least 2 more Flyers that should have been on the all-tournament team, but were not - and only because the powers that be had to put someone from each participating team on the squad.

Also, as noted above, Libertin now has a double-double - goals and assists. There are only 2 players in the whole freakin league with a double-double - Wiliams and Libertin - and Libertin gets no all-conference mention anywhere. Likewise, the lack of recognition for Kenyon. Yet, as everyone knows, defenders labor in obscurity. That is why it was great to see Kenyon take and make the PK today. See earned it.

Finally, kudos to the Baujan Field grounds crew. The field was an absolute disaster in late August - due to a fungus - with large patches of bare ground. In 6 weeks it was back to near normal. Today - after 6 games in 4 days - it was still in outstanding shape - and looked great. I also mention this because I just finished watching the end of the B1G title match on the BTN - Penn State vs Illinois - won by Illinois on a goal in OT. The match was played in dusk and darkness, in a near full gale, on a gosh-awful artificial turf field that sits 30 feet from Lake Michigan - Northwestern's home field. All the above conditions distorted the play immensely. Perhaps the result would have been the same, but the B1G players deserved better. What dope in the B1G office would schedule their premier women's soccer event at such a location and time in early November. Obviously, it was someone that cared little for the players or the quality of soccer. This weekend, the A-10 players got the best the A-10 could offer - and it put the B1G to shame.

On to the Big Dance!

	Massachusetts MASSACHUSETTS UMass Amherst, the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system, sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, 90 miles from Boston and 175 miles from New York City. The campus provides a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers. UMass enrolls over 20,000 undergraduates and 5,000 post-grad students. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Minutemen. Women's teams known as the Minutewomen. Sports achievements include NCAA Final Four appearances in men's basketball and women's soccer.

	LaSalle LA SALLE In 1863, La Salle University was established through the legacy of St. John Baptist de La Salle and the Christian Brothers teaching order, which De La Salle founded 300 years ago. Located in Philadelphia, La Salle is an educational community shaped by traditional Catholic and Lasallian values. La Salle's main campus is an ideal place for students to pursue an education. The 130-acre park-like setting includes 54 buildings and is located approximately six miles from Center City Philadelphia. The University can accommodate 2,114 resident students in its 12 residence halls, two apartment complexes, and 75 townhouses. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Explorers. Notable athletes include Tom Gola and Lionel Simmons.

[Chris R]

Some photos from the match:

























More photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/udpride...7627944928795/

[UDBrian]

I think I remember reading when Colleen Williams was signed that her brother said "she is the best player in the family". And she had two brothers that played at a very high level in college.

[NovaFlyer]

Great photos, so happy for the team, the hard work paid off.