Nov. 25, 2011
Lobo Golden Goal Beats Duke in OT
NCAA Tournament Notes – Game 2 
New Mexico Lobo Men’s Soccer – In The NCAA College Cup
LOBOS ON LIVE: Live stats and live stream are available on GoUSFBulls.com
Sunday: 4 p.m. (MT) — New Mexico Lobos at South Florida
GoLobos.com: Game Recap, Stats, LoboTV
By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
Do you think maybe the Tampa Bay Sports Commission thinks the South Florida Bulls need some extra fans in the stands when the No. 1 ranked and undefeated New Mexico Lobos roll into town?
It seems that way.
That committee basically has knocked down the gates in Tampa by offering free general admission tickets to Sunday’s third-round NCAA playoff game. South Florida drew a Corbett Soccer Stadium record mob of 3,029 in their win over UCF. They expect even more fans for Sunday’s battle with the nation’s top ranked team.
“It’s a new challenge,” said Bulls striker Dom Dwyer, who led the Big East with 16 goals. “They’re the only undefeated team left in the country.”
The nation’s top 16 NCAA D-I soccer teams have been identified by the basic measurement of sports. They are the 16 still alive in the race for the Cup. They have won, others have lost.
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LOBOS ON LIVE Live stats and live stream are available on GoUSFBulls.com |
Now, who wants to be Elite Eight?
The No. 1 New Mexico Lobos are one of the Sweet 16 and hope to avoid a sour ending to their season with a Sunday visit at the University of South Florida. In a way, it’s a payback kind of visit for the Lobos and that has little to do with USF.
It’s payback to the NCAA Selection Committee that decided USF was a No. 7 seed and the undefeated Lobos were a No. 10 seed. That three-level difference in seeding sent UNM to Tampa instead of sending the Bulls to Albuquerque.
The Lobos can prove that committee wrong – or right.
For sure, it’s a challenge because that’s the nature of NCAA soccer at this elite level. Look at the top four seeds in the NCAA bracket and you will see that No. 1 North Carolina advanced by a single goal, No. 3 UCONN advanced by a single goal and No. 4 Boston College is no longer around.
It was tough for UNM and USF, too. The No. 10 seed Lobos advanced with a golden goal in overtime and so did the Bulls. At this level, little things matter so much.
“Our guys know we have a great challenge in South Florida,” said Lobo coach Jeremy Fishbein. “But our guys have done a great job all season in focusing on the immediate challenge in front of us. We know what’s in front of us and we’re prepared for the challenge.”
One of the challenges at South Florida is a rowdy Bulls’ crowd. The Bulls’ second-round draw of 3,029 was about half of what the Lobos drew in their 2-1 win over Duke, but by college soccer standards, the Bulls had a good good draw.
Another challenge is the very good USF Bulls, who, like the Lobos, are carrying a bit of a chip on their shoulders heading into NCAA play.
“I feel like there is a little bit of a lack of respect for the type of group that we have,” head coach George Kiefer said on the USF web site. “I think the team resents that.”
The Lobos weren’t happy about being undefeated and ranked No. 1 and only earning a No. 10 seed from the NCAA Selection Committee. USF is happy with the committee, but not happy with being ignored in the national polls.
USF went undefeated in the tough Big East and is 7-1 against ranked opponents in 2011. USF has beaten then-No. 10 Louisville, No. 14 Wake Forest, No. 16 West Virginia and No. 25 FGCU on the road. At home, the Bulls beat No. 6 UC Irvine, No. 8 St. John’s and UCF, which was nationally ranked for most of the season.
If USF can do what no other college team has done and beat the Lobos, the Bulls will turn some heads. More importantly, they become Elite Eight.
“In a way, it doesn’t matter where you play,” said UNM midfielder Michael Green. “You have to beat the field.”
At this level of NCAA play, you can beat anyone and you can lose to anyone. That’s the nature of soccer that often favors moments and opportunities on the pitch more than it favors teams. USF and UNM converted on their opportunities in second-round games and two excellent teams march on.
USF advanced with a 2-1 golden-goal win over Central Florida. Bulls Wesley Charpie ended the game in a fashion similar to the OT dagger UNM’s Carson Baldingerplunged into Duke’s season. Charpie ended it with a golden-goal header.
“After I scored that goal, I just blacked out,” said Charpie. “I don’t remember anything. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had.”
The Lobos plan for Charpie and the 13-3-3 Bulls to remember Sunday’s visit by the 18-0-3 Lobos. UNM plays a physical and aggressive brand of soccer. They defend hard. They attack hard.
The Lobos are led in scoring by Blake Smith with 10 goals followed by Devon Sandoval (8), Baldinger (5), and Kyle Venter (5). James Rogershas three goals and five assists.
South Florida also likes to attack the net and Dwyer is the major threat. However, in their win over UCF, the Bulls took only five shots. They did get exceptional keeping from Chris Blais, playing in his ninth NCAA tourney game.
“I think we just need to play with intensity for 90 minutes (vs. UNM),” said Blais. “When we do that, we usually play well.”
Editor’s Note: Richard Stevens is a former Associate Sports Editor and Sports Columnist for The Albuquerque Tribune. He can be reached at rstevens50@comcast.net.