Category: Soccer

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Soccer

Mean Green Soccer loses to Texas 0-3, Exits NCAA Tourney

North Texas was not able to replicate the earlier matchup with Texas as the Longhorns scored two early goals and NT chased the game for a long stretch before allowing an unlucky third.

Texas flustered the NT attack most of the match, pinning back Aaliyah Nolan and forcing Taylor Torres to battle for cleared long balls solo to little effect. While NT managed some shots on goal, it was nothing like the CUSA season where NT led the league in shots.

Highlights from LHN are below.

This was another great season for John Hedlund’s women, and was a bitter end for yet another crop of seniors who won everything:

NT has yet to break through to the next level of making noise in the NCAAs, but that may change as the program moves into the new track/soccer complex.

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Soccer

North Texas Soccer Wins 2017 Conference Tournament on Penalty Kicks

North Texas beat Charlotte 3-1 on Penalty Kicks after the two teams could not be seperated in regulation or overtime.

Tori Phillips, Elle Marie Defrain, and Taylor Torres scored in the shootout. NT will await their opponent in the tournament. The selection show is Monday, Nov 6.

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Soccer

North Texas Soccer Beats FAU 2-0 to Advance to CUSA Tournament Final

Aaliyah Nolan scored the insurance goal to kill the Owl comeback attempt late and North Texas is through to the Final against 8th seeded Charlotte. Ariel Diaz scored the winner early in the match to put FAU on the back foot. NT’s defense held the Owls and countered often on their attempts to earn the tying goal.

NT had a few chances but Nolan’s winner was the only one to break through. She looked more relieved than excited to seal it. She beat her marker to a long clearance and rounded the keeper for the final goal.

NT plays Charlotte in the final on Sunday at 10am Central. The game will be on ESPN3.

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Soccer

2017 CUSA Soccer Tournament

North Texas soccer will attempt to take the sting off losing the regular season title to Rice today in the start of the CUSA tournament. Number 2 NT takes on Number 7 MTSU at 3:30pm on CUSA.tv.

This year the tournament is in Boca Raton. While it is brisk here, it is nice over there. Live vicariously through the soccer squad.

Right now 1. Rice is playing 8. Charlotte in the earliest game.

Bracket:

1 Rice vs 8 Charlotte
4 LT vs 5 ODU

3 UAB vs 6 FAU (hosts)
2 NT vs 7 MTSU

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Soccer

NTD: Soccer Gets Revenge Over UTSA

NTD

More good stuff from the Daily

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Soccer

North Texas 3 Incarnate Word 0 — 2017 Opener

On a warm summer night, North Texas Soccer was dominate. The 3-0 thrashing was not indicative of the dominance NT had over UIW, as the first game of the season was not quite as crisp as the team would have hoped. There were chances missed, easy tap-ins not tapped-in, and plenty to discuss in the film session, no doubt.

Still, the talent disparity was clear, as NT pressed early and often, forcing Incarnate Word to try hopeful balls into the midfield to break the press. The Cardinal’s goal keeper did not have the biggest boot to relieve any pressure by going over the top and so NT pressed and the midfield size advantage and work rate was too much too often.

Ariel Diaz forced a turnover, broke into the box and drew a penalty for the first goal. Tori Phillips converted the chance easily.

Video Link

The final two goals came in the second half as NT pressed their advantage. Tori Phillips had a few chances to fire in set piece balls into the box and NT converted one after a scramble. Ariel Diaz completed the scoring later in the 80th minute.

NT had some turnover in the roster as some old favorites graduated but they showed they still will be the same old NT last night.

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Soccer

Rachel Holden Game Winner

MGN Favorite, and goal-scorer extraordinaire Rachel Holden is a baller.

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Soccer

2016 Brief Soccer Preview

The defending CUSA champs begin play August 12 against Oklahoma.

2016 CUSA All-Freshman team member Taylor Torres and Alexis Cable played summer soccer for the WPSL. I write that to tell you how good they are and that you should pencil their names in your Soccer notebook for later.

John Hedlund signed Katie Gernsbacher and Lauryn Buffet from Texas and Miss St in addition to eight freshman to bolster the roster. Buffet is a forward and should help replace the firepower that Karla Piñeda provided from the midfield.

Hedlund is one of the most decorated soccer coaches in the game, and built North Texas into a quiet powerhouse in the region. While regular season and conference tournament success comes frequently, the only thing missing from his trophy case is a deep NCAA tournament run.

North Texas finished ranked 37th in the nation in RPI after bowing out to Texas Tech 1-0 in the NCAA tournament.

While there are highly ranked TopDrawerSoccer players on the squad, NT doesn’t have to deal with the issues the the elitist-of-elite have. Namely, squaring national commitments with the start of the season. UCLA’s Mallory Pugh will likely redshirt her first season, and perennial powerhouse North Carolina will juggle their lineup to accommodate the players similarly.

Barring injury or catastrophe, this year’s squad should compete for the conference title again, on the strength of FW Rachel Holden’s quick feet and penchant for goals. She scored 12 last year on her way to co-offensive player of the year.

Outside of that, the loss of so much senior experience might lead to a ‘down’ year, in the squad probably aren’t favorites to win the conference. Again, this is all relative. Hedland’s teams haven’t been bad just slightly less good when they are reloading.

If you have thoughts I encourage you to leave comments below. I can’t be talking about this squad in a void y’all.

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Soccer

All Hail The CUSA Champs: North Texas Soccer wins 1-0

Ladies and gentleman, your North Texas Mean Green are CUSA champs!

Like any conference championship, winning is rewarded with tougher competition. The squad will now compete in the NCAA tournament. Last seasons’ champion Rice fell to Texas 3-0 in the first round. We, like all of CUSA, will be expecting better from this group. As we discussed with starting LCB Molly Grisham on the podcast, this championship was expected.

This was the second straight appearance in the title game and the team desired a measure of revenge. Last year’s title game loss vs Rice saw star GK Jackie Kerestine go out early with an injury and a late goal from Rice.

North Texas got a bit of revenge on Rice to end the season on the final day, and rode the good form on to three straight 1-0 victory. While not the free-scoring squad that we saw in the regular season, defensive, gritty soccer is what this team builds their offense upon. The backline and Kerestine boasted 13 shutouts this regular season added three in the tournament.

This team should be a handful in the NCAAs considering their defensive prowess, speed on the wings, and skilled #10 Karla Pineda. North Texas is most dangerous on set-pieces, despite the talent on the field. Amber Haggerty pounced on a ball thrown in the box by Marchelle Davis early in the first half, forcing the keeper to make a save on her header. She then followed that shot and tapped in the rebound for the first and only score of the game.

Although Marshall produced some chances late, Kerestine and company were never consistently threatened. Jackie did make two highlight saves. The first was on a long shot from outside the box that forced her to dive right. The second, late in the match was off a set piece header that she punched out.

Rachel Holden, reining CUSA Offensive CO-POY, was named offensive player of the tournament and Jackie Kerestine nabbed the Defensive award. We’ll find out the matchup on Monday November 9th.

Go Mean Green!

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Soccer

Rice Soccer Play-by-Play Guy Calls Coach a “Prick”

I am not the kind of guy that recoils at “adult” language. The MGN Podcast includes liberal use of serious language. Still it is a bit shocking to hear the Rice play-by-play guy openly call our coaches pricks.

Some context: a second ball was rolling on the field and one of the assistants (the MLS guy) causally kicked the ball to the side. It wasn’t exactly a punt. This is a case of some homerism.

It is 1-1 as rain is creeping into Houston.