MSO 2016

[VULB#62]

Ohio State is on the schedule for a September 21st match.

[tweet]742810501005094914[/tweet]

It was retweeted on the SMO Twitter site as well.

Isaiah Madrid, Nico Campbell and Ramone Howell apparently are doing well in collegiate summer leagues around the midwest.

Last season's roster shows only 3 seniors.  We'll definitely miss MF Jordan Aidoud, but the returning core is experienced and last year MSO knocked off two nationally ranked teams in the course of a week.  But it's not been the OOC record that wins the HL.  This year they need to be solid in conference, get a good seed and then win it.

[agibson]

Nice! I remember well the 2011 game when Ohio State came to Valpo. 0-0 draw, and my kids were along.

I _think_ that was the game where they gave out the plastic VU vuvuzelas. Was quite a racket from the fans!

[oklahomamick]

I was on the team in 2003 when we tied OSU at Columbus. 

[VULB#62]

We need to get out of that rut with a win.

[agibson]

I was on the team in 2003 when we tied OSU at Columbus. 

I had no idea you played! Scoring goals, notching assists. Olympic Development Program. Cool!  Funny that the roster back then just lists positions as "A" and "D".

Still lace them up?

[oklahomamick]

I didn't have very many goals or assists....This beer belly only coaches now....heading down to regionals as my team won state last week. 

It's funny, because the soccer assistant at Tulsa University and I were just talking about that game today at camp.  He was on that Ohio St. team. 

[agibson]

heading down to regionals as my team won state last week. 

U15? In any case, congrats to you and the team! And good luck this weekend.

[78crusader]

It seems like MSO gets more big wins, and more disappointing losses (almost always in HL action) than any other VU team.  Perplexing.

Paul

[bbtds]

It seems like MSO gets more big wins, and more disappointing losses (almost always in HL action) than any other VU team.  Perplexing.

Paul

Really?

VUMBB wins--Florida State, St Marys, BYU
           losses--Ball State, Wright State (2), Green Bay

[VULB#62]

[tweet]743924261354635264[/tweet]

Looks like we're getting a Belgian national?

Lommel United is a Belgian association football club based in the city of Lommel, Limburg.

SOEVEREINSTADION
City:Lommel
Opened:1992
Capacity:12911
Surface:grass

[M]

It is probably easier to upset, and be upset, in soccer where not many points are tallied and one fluky goal could decide the game.

[agibson]

It is probably easier to upset, and be upset, in soccer where not many points are tallied and one fluky goal could decide the game.

I'm still learning the game, to be sure. But, it seems like VU prefers a strong "defense first" style, which maybe enhances these odds.

If you keep it 0-0, one completed chance from your side might let you beat a very strong opponent.

But, if you have trouble recording multiple goals in a game, it might make it harder, also, to win games regularly against games you maybe "should" beat.

Sheer speculation. It does seem a sort of regular curse with the last team in recent seasons. Very impressive results in the pre-season, but then struggling in conference.

Not that I have a problem with "defense first" - clean sheets seem like good soccer to me. But, it's of course always a challenge to produce the complete package. Clean sheets and an offense that regularly scores two or three a game, and i guess we'd be advancing in the NCAA tournament.

[VULB#62]

Seems like Mike is now going after the strikers and MFs that could complete the package.  Depth is also a key to those positions.  The number of talented shooters you have, the less the chance of a drop in offensive pressure when subbing.  In the  NCAA, unlike the MLS and FIFA, there is limited subbing in and out.  That's part of the reason for the sometimes frenetic pace of a college soccer match in comparison to the flow of the game seen in Copa America or EUFA.  There, the scorers are on on the field the whole game (sometimes subbed out to protect leads near the end) -- not so in college.

[agibson]

In the  NCAA, unlike the MLS and FIFA, there is limited subbing in and out.

Sometimes they feel practically _unlimited_! I've looked up the NCAA rules once or twice, but never internalized them. They seemed complicated.

If anything, I've been a little surprised they don't sub _even more_. Fresh legs, fresh lungs, and all. But, surely it helps your own team to have some flow on the field.

[VULB#62]

In the  NCAA, unlike the MLS and FIFA, there is limited subbing in and out.

Sometimes they feel practically _unlimited_! I've looked up the NCAA rules once or twice, but never internalized them. They seemed complicated.

If anything, I've been a little surprised they don't sub _even more_. Fresh legs, fresh lungs, and all. But, surely it helps your own team to have some flow on the field.

I concur 

[valpotx]

I always thought that they had unlimited subs in college, based on how often you see the same player go into the game and then be pulled.

[VULB#62]

Schedule just came out.  Another ambitious bunch of OOC games -- six matches against teams which finished in the top-75 in the nation in RPI last season.

@ Notre Dame (exhibition)
@ Loyola
@ SIU Edwardsville
Western Illinois
@ Ohio State
@ Eastern Illinois
@ Omaha
@ Western Michigan
@IPFW
IUPUI

8 home dates, 10 away matches
5 home HL matches, 4 away

[FWalum]

I am sure there is an easy answer for this question, but to my knowledge VU has never participated in the National Soccer Festival here in Fort Wayne, why is that when teams like Wright State will be participating this year?  http://www.nationalsoccerfestival.com/teams-summer/

[VULB#62]

Send an email to Mike  (mike.avery@valpo.edu) asking that question.  He's always up front about his program.

[valpo64]

I talked to Terry S., Director of the National Soccer Festival regarding our participation in his event.  He said Valpo last played in the event 3 years ago and beat IPFW.  He added they will try to get VU back in the future and appreciated my comments.  We'll see if it happens in the future.

[FWalum]

I talked to Terry S., Director of the National Soccer Festival regarding our participation in his event.  He said Valpo last played in the event 3 years ago and beat IPFW.  He added they will try to get VU back in the future and appreciated my comments.  We'll see if it happens in the future.

Thank you so much for checking on my question.  I guess I have not been following the festival as closely as I did when my son was playing in high school and was not aware that VU had played in the event.  I hope to see them when they return!!

[agibson]

I always thought that they had unlimited subs in college, based on how often you see the same player go into the game and then be pulled.

I looked it up again, quickly.

Probably there are more descriptive sources, but the official rules seem to be
http://www.ncaapublications.com/DownloadPublication.aspx?download=SO17.pdf

Section 3.6, which also has some Q&A

3.6 Re-entry Conditions, Restrictions, Exceptions
3.6.1 Field Players. With reference to periods of play, substitutions are permitted
as follows:
First half: no re-entry.
Second half: one re-entry.
First overtime period: no re-entry.
Second overtime period: no re-entry

The rules for goalkeepers are even a bit looser - a little funny, since they're rarely subbed.

I'm pretty sure the rules above would mean things like:

If you play in the first half, and come off, you can't come back on during the first half. But, you could start the second half, or otherwise enter play during the second half, get subbed off during the second half, _and_ re-enter during the second half.

So, if you wanted both a lot of playing time and a lot of rest, as an individual, you could:

Start the first half, come off in the 30th minute. Start the second half, come off in the 70th minute. Re-enter in the 75th minute. Come off in the 85th minute. Start the first overtime (91st minute), come off in the 100th minute. Start the second overtime (105th minute), come out in the 115th minute.

One way to think about it, I believe, would be "the only re-entry is allowed during the second half, but every period is accounted separately". So, you can enter the game once during each period, and twice during the second half.

[VULB#62]

Thanks for the explanation - you made it pretty simple.

[VULB#62]

Men's Soccer Adds Steffen Pulinx to Incoming Class
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Valparaiso University men's soccer head coach Mike Avery announced today that Steffen Pulinx, a 6'3" defender from Genk, Belgium, will be joining the Crusader program as a freshman entering the 2016 season. Pulinx joins the previously announced class of incoming players to give Valpo an eight-player group of newcomers for 2016.

STEFFEN PULINX
Hometown: Genk, Belgium
Position: Defender
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 180 lbs.
Previous School: Onze-Lieve-Vrouwlyceum Genk
Club Team: Lommel United

Coach Mike Avery on Steffen:

"We are very pleased to announce the addition of Steffen Pulinx to our Valparaiso soccer family. Steffen is a great fit for us, gives us exactly what we needed to help round out this recruiting class, and is a player that has a very bright future as a Crusader. Steffen is a defensive player that reminds me of another Stefan who starred at Valparaiso, Stefan Antonijevic. Antonijevic was the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 before moving on to a career in professional soccer (currently with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL), and our newest Steffen has the same potential. Steffen is a dependable defender, has good size and athletic ability, and he has the technical ability to help us build possession as we like to do. Steffen can play as an outside back, a central defender, or even as a sitting midfield player. He has played at a high level in Belgium, has played with and against quality players, and this experience is evident in his positioning and in the way he handles the game. As a student, Steffen is equally as impressive. He comes to Valparaiso with a perfect 4.0 from his Belgian secondary school, and we have enjoyed getting to know Steffen through this process. He is thoughtful, well spoken and very mature, and I think he will be a great addition to our university community."

[bbtds]

FYI, Genk is in the Belgian province of Limburg. They will have an expert in stinky cheese and waffles on this year's VUMSO team.