NCAA Playoffs

If you want to follow the NCAA playoffs, there is a nice, dynamic bracket located on the NCAA site (link)

The WUSTL Women won both of their games over the weekend! Saturday they beat Principia 3-0 (link) and on Sunday they advanced past IL Wesleyan in penalty kicks. (link) The WUSTL keeper was fantastic, with seven saves during the game including a spectacular save off a delfected ball in the second half and then making two saves in the penalty kicks! You can follow the women's brackett on the NCAA site as well. (link)

The other news is that the press box finally has internet access and will be streaming games live next year. For the women's playoffs they used Ustream.TV (link) I will let you know if that ever changes.

WUSTL Soccer Gear

While the Bears have ended their season (sniff) there is still more news to tell. The WUSTL Athletic Department has developed a partnership with a St. Louis company, FRI Resorces, to produce officially licensed WUSTL Athletic Gear.The site can be found at www.wustlsportswear.com. There is some great stuff and all is high quality in my opinion. I have also found that the items run a little large (at least the XXLs). You can also order items for other WUSTL sports.

Chicago Game

The Bears found just enough yesterday to pull off a 2-1 win over Chicago with less than 2 minutes left in the second OT.  It was a very cold day (43 and windy at game time and the temp dropped during the game).  When I noted that it was a very happy pile of players on the field after the Pat McLean put away the game winner, Arloa commented that she thought they were just huddling together for warmth.

-we had over 30 parents, grandparents, and siblings at the game from 8 different states (9 if you count the state of Euphoria that Sheldon is still in after the election) 

- we actually had higher attendance for our game than the volleyball match between the Bears and Emory to decide the UAA championship.  It was probably a little warmer at the volleyball game but the Bears achieved great wins in both venues.  We rewarded many of our loyal fans, celebrated our seniors, and thanked the coaches and Mike the trainer (he is not working on a book deal) at a get together for pizza after the game at the Knight Center.  A huge thank you to Kathy Hill for making the arrangements and to Laura Brege for her heart felt words about the coaches and staff and the senior players and parents time as a part of WUSTL FC.

-as we were leaving the field someone commented that the scoring was perfect, the first goal by a senior and the final goal by a freshman to remind us all of the continuity we have in our program at WUSTL

-when Joe spoke after Laura about the team and the great work done by his staff this season I think we were all reminded how fortunate all of our sons are to have a coach that is passionate about the sport, knows the players are as well, and cares deeply about relationships that come out of the experience. 

-happy birthday to two Johns, John Hengel who celebrates his 50th today with all his family in St Louis and John Smelcer who turned 21 this week and celebrated with a fully legal beer as did the seniors during our post game party.

- go to pomranka.net (link) for game pictures and senior photos from Saturday's game

-NCAA selections for the tournament get announced on Monday.  We are a long shot but still have a chance after the win.

Game Report

We opened the game with a line up featuring 7 seniors (six players up top, Ryan in goal and 4 sophomores across the back line as Nat Zenner is still hurt) and played a high energy game with a lot of nice passes that culminated in a score with Eric Hill (who was playing with a bad knee) on our left hand side crossing the ball to Kevin Brege who put the ball over the keeper from about 12 yards out on a right footed shot.    We had a couple of other  chances in the first half on runs into the box but seemed to be thrown off our stride by a lot of pushing and chipping from the Chicago players.   The center, probably affected by the cold weather, actually called more fouls on the Bears and awarded Chicago a free kick from about 25 yards out in the middle of the first half.  They had a good shot over our wall but Ryan went up for the save and caught the ball to keep us up 1-0.   He also had a lovely save on a very dangerous corner at about the 40 minute mark that was curving into the back corner but was pushed wide to deny the score.   Just before the half ended we turned the ball over at about the 40 yard line and the Chicago player took two touches and hit a huge shot from 30 yards that went top shelf to tie the game.

The Bears came out with high energy in the second half and passed the ball very well thru the middle of the field and used the breadth of the field to both Pierre and Zach on the wings. We had a number of chances (Pierre on a header off a corner that went just left, Kevin with a run into the box where the goalie came up with the ball, Pierre with a ripped shot form the left hand side that went screaming over the goal) but despite the fact that we controlled the game and had 8 corners we could not score.  We had one last gasp right before the end of regulation with less than 10 seconds left as the ball came out of our back and was headed forward by Marshal to himself at midfield who made a great run into the box but was denied by a defender who closed from the left had side.

The Bears defense played well through out the game with Randy and David Klein in support of the wings and making several runs into the offensive 1/3 and Alex and Harry anchoring the middle.  Alex and Harry both won a number of headers in the box and Alex had a couple of clearances under pressure to prevent shots on goal.

We came out in the OTs and continued to put pressure on the ball, pass well and control the game.  The Bears desire for in this game was epitomized by a very long ball down a wing that looked to be headed over the end line.  Marshal, from mid field, took off and made up 10 or 15 yards on the defender and caught the ball just before the end line and played it off the defender to win the corner.  It was amazing to watch and made even more amazing considering he had played over 90 minutes at that point in the game and still could will himself to go get that ball.   Chicago was clearly playing for the tie but with 2 minutes left in the second OT John Hengel chipped a pass over the defense to Pat Mclean at about 40 yards out on the left hand side. He was held onside by the right full back and took the ball in full stride and took two long touches to the edge of the box and calmly chipped the ball cleanly over the onrushing goalie to put up the W for the Bears.  Special mention to John on the assist as he made the play with a foot that had been stepped on in the first half, had his big toe nail partly ripped and had enough blood on his sock after the game that it made Curt Schilling look like a wimp in comparison.  Nice to know both assists came from guys playing hurt at the end of a long regular season.

A good win for the Bears and a nice way to end the regular season

Go Bears- Allez Ours.

paul

Case Western Report

On what turned into a lovely day weather wise in Cleveland, Ohio we had a disappointing result in yesterday's game. The game was, other than the last five minutes, very competitive but we just could not get anything to go in the net. We had a good turnout of 18 parents, grandparents, siblings and friends rooting hard for the Bears but it was not our day.

The evening before Jane and Ed Plow were hosts for a team dinner for both teams and parents. The food was great (the homemade Mac and cheese was a particular favorite) and the company was better. We continued the parent discussion on "how you met your spouse" and had Val tell us that he had seen his wife playing shortstop 60 years ago at a softball game and been impressed. They celebrated their 56th anniversary this year.

Before we begin with the game report a couple of notes:

• congratulations to John Hengel for his selection to second team all district by ESPN Magazine
• we are planning (assuming logistics can be worked out) a senior/loyal fan appreciation pizza party after Saturday's regular season finale. details to follow
• the Bears currently fifth in the UAA can finish as high as third (see the game write-up at the WUSTL website for details) (link)

game report

We began the game in a 4-4-2 and looked very rocky off the start. We gave up 4 corners and 3 shots in the first six minutes but steadied after that. Joe then switched to a 3-4-3 and we began to consistently get wide and had a number of chances but could not get anything home. Our best chance was a flick on form John Hengel off a long ball into the box from Alex that went just wide of the post. just as it looked like we were going into the half at 0-0 Case had a long throw (probably about 35 yards) into the box that was flicked on and went side netting just inside the back post.

We came out the second half and immediately put a ton of pressure on Case. Eric Hill, Pierre, Nick Karr and Pat Mclean put a ton of balls into the box but the marking by Case was excellent and we had a limited number of clean shots all of which the goalie made saves on. The Case goal came against the run of play in the 65th minute off a ball that was shot from 20 yards out and blocked by a defender. the ball bounced came across our box and we got a foot on it to clear to the 18 where a case player picked it up, touched once and hit a great shot a foot inside the left post.

we had two great opportunities in the next two minutes, the first on a free kick from Eric Hill from 25 yards out that went over the wall on a curve but was saved by a diving goalie who pushed it just wide of the post. marshal had a good shot on the subsequent corner but the shot was again saved by the keeper. We pushed forward everyone offensively and the game became wide open with a lot of case counters that were stymied by a 3 person back line. marshal had a great chance on a scissor kick at about the 11 minute mark but it went just wide of the right post. They got their last two goals on counters in the last five minutes of the game.

We look forward to seeing many of you next week in St Louis. So far our attendee list includes the Zenners, Neumann's, Jane Plow, and the Breges. let us know who else is coming.

See you Saturday.

Go Bears- Allez Ours

paul

Photos from recent games

It has taken me awhile to get photos from the past few games up on the net, but they are all there now and ready for viewing.  It appears the last link of photos I posted was from the Emory game.  So here are the links for each game since.

Starting with the NYU game.  The example photo has to be one of Randy, because he has been phenomenal!  For the gallery click here.

Next are photos from the Brandeis game.  It is not often that I get a good action photo of Smelcer, so I am using this one.  It was also nice to photograph a day game, the images are so much easier to make look good.  For the whole gallery, click here.

Back to a photographing under the lights, we have the Dominican game photos.  Do I dare use another action photo of John?

No, that would not be right.  The team might see my clear bias for the keepers.  Instead I am going to use one of of the seven shots I have of John Hengle spinning a defender and slotting the ball into the low corner.  For all the photos visit the gallery by clicking here.

The last game I have photographed was the Maryville game.  There are not as many photos from this game as others, because my hands were freezing holding on a metal camera.  I think Mike, trainer, had the right idea.

However, I was able to get a couple fun shots.  Just don't ask me what Alex is trying to accomplish in this image.  For the rest, click here.

The only other gallery of photos I have is the group shot of the senior class.  Both a serious and a relaxed shot.  A couple other options are in the gallery, click here.

Sorry it has taken so long to get the photos up and posted here.  I was looking at my photos and in the last half of October, I made over 2,000 images to go through, process and upload.  That is just too much.