October 31, 2007

The local weatherman said that it would be an unpredictable day, but it ended up being an afternoon with an unpredictable start and a very predictable finish...

It only took 44 seconds for UMass to get on the board. I remember turning to Gareth after the goal went in and saying, "We like to make it exciting don't we?" The game still had 89 minutes and 16 seconds to go and, by the time of the final whistle, we would end up using all of that time to get a decisive victory in Amherst.

The shot which scored ended up being the Minutemen's only shot on goal for the half and 1 of 3 for the day.

Massachusetts had beaten Saint Louis a week earlier in Missouri, 1-0, in what (statistically) would have looked like a lopsided victory for SLU. So, UMass knew how to get a lead and hold it, no matter what the box score said.

This was the only thing I was a little apprehensive about.

In the end, I was very proud of the way the team responded after getting behind the eight ball early. They stuck with their game plan and preparation. We were methodical and patient, keeping possession when we needed, and attacking with speed and preciseness when required.

In a physical game, we kept our cool and found the equalizer just before the half on a direct free kick from redshirt freshmen midfielder Andres Ruiz (Providence, RI). It was a great moment for Andres in that it was his first career goal. I was delighted for him as he has worked very hard to get to this point. He got himself up to speed academically in the classroom and trained intensely in the off-season to earn his spot on the team and now on the field. But it was just one of a couple of memorable moments for the day.

The second half opened with our squad controlling play. We were without the services of Lukasz Tumicz (Bisztnyek, Poland) and Dawid Badecki (Jelenia Gora, Poland), who were both struggling with injuries. But, the veterans picked up the slack and the newcomers grew just a little more to provide the push we needed.

Everything came together with about 15 minutes to go when Geoffrey Cameron (Attleboro, MA) dribbled through several UMass players to get into the penalty box where he unleashed a low shot that the Minuteman goalkeeper could only parry away.

First year Greg Balicki (Wilbraham, MA) then pounced on the rebound and slammed home his second goal of the year. It was the second great moment of the day, as Greg had not only notched the game winner but it was done in front of his family and friends. We had eaten dinner at the Balicki's the night before, so now we are convinced that there was something magical in the pasta!

Not soon after, we got a great insurance goal from Domenic Petrarca (Providence, RI) when he overlapped from his right back position and got in the box where Steve Mellen (North Kingstown, RI) slipped him a perfect pass that Dom guided into the far corner for his first career tally. It was a nice finish to a great comeback and effort in an important A-10 match up.

We now sit at 3-1-1 and are in 4th place in the league.

Every game from this point on is important as we control our fate towards our goal to be one of the top two seeds in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. We run the table and we will accomplish this benchmark.

This weekend is yet another big one as second-place Fordham (just two points ahead of us in the A-10 standings) comes to town on Friday.

It's also a special weekend with Sunday's game against La Salle being our last home game of the regular season and "Senior Day" for the nine players who will be playing their last game at the URI Soccer Complex.

It should be a nice pre-game ceremony as Dawid Badecki's parents are here in the US from Poland as are Adam Howarth's (Isle of Wight, England) and Callum Bissett's (Pencaitland, Scotland).

We hope that you can be there with us to celebrate this class of players that has accomplished so much throughout their careers at URI.

GO RAMS!

October 22, 2007

We just finished what seemed to be the longest weekend of the season with our trip to Charlotte and Saint Louis. Of the A-10 travel, this trip was the most difficult not only because of the quality of the opponents but also because of the distance traveled. I know the guys look forward to these trips, but it takes a little out of the old coach.

Friday night's game versus Charlotte stacked up to be a very good one. The 49ers began the weekend 0-2-0 in the conference and were desperate for a win to keep their A-10 tournament hopes alive. We too were looking for 3 points after back-to-back wins at home the previous weekend versus Xavier & Dayton.

The match began with as good a first half as we have played all year. We were without the services of Geoffrey Cameron (Attleboro, MA), due to a red card suspension, as well as grad student Kevin Algozer (Northport, NY), who was unable to travel for the Friday game because of a lab he could not miss. But, we did have Callum Bissett (Pencaitland, Scotland) back from injury so we were almost at full strength.

Anyway, the ball was flying off the guys' feet and they played inspired soccer. It was beautiful to watch and a great example of what we are capable of doing. The effort and concentration paid off towards the end of the first half when Kevin Hamill (Easton, CT) got behind the Charlotte defense and played a great bending cross to Lukasz Tumicz (Bisztynek, Poland), who calmly took it on his chest and the volleyed the ball into the top left corner. It was a beautiful goal and only rivals Danleigh Borman's (Cape Town, South Africa) game-winning scissor kick versus Dayton as goal of the year.

The 49ers did not lay down and die but turned up the heat a notch when the second half began. Their direct play and counter attacking style was all we could handle for a while. Their pressure and determination unfortunately paid off with a goal of their own following a bevy of shots that were blocked by Chris Pennock (Middlesborough, England) and our defense.

The guys continued fighting on and we got some tremendous chances including a Steve Mellen (North Kingstown, RI) effort as well as a blistering angled shot from Kedan Crosby (St. James, Trinidad) that nearly knocked down Charlotte's goalkeeper.

The match continued that way through regulation and into overtime with both teams having chances to win. The 49ers' effort nearly put us on the end of a bad result as the second overtime expired. Going into the extra time, I had told the boys to play to win BUT make sure we come away from the game with a point. In our excitement to do so, we forgot to manage the game and time remaining better. It's a lesson I hope we've learned - in the final minute of the game, do not rush a goal kick, turn over the ball and then foul within shooting distance.

The 49ers ended up heading a ball in for an apparent winner but their own request for a 10 yard wall was not followed with the referees whistle so it was called back. Even then, a last-second shot goes in and not off the crossbar (as it did) and we would be sitting on a 2-1 overtime loss. We were lucky, but happy to have gained a point away from home.

On Saturday, we traveled to our second city of the weekend, St. Louis, MO - "The Gateway to the West". We arrived in time to train at SLU and prepare to be without Adam Howarth (Isle of Wight, England) who faced suspension due to yellow card accumulation. With Kevin Algozer now with us in St. Louis (after his flight down with the URI field hockey team on Saturday) and Geoffrey Cameron back in the lineup, we again had a squad which we felt very comfortable with for our battle with the Billikens.

On a beautiful but blustery day in the city with the famous Arch (not McDonalds), the game was a rematch of last season's A-10 final. The squad came out well off the kick-off and dominated the first 15 minutes or so getting several chances against the wind. But, the game of soccer is a funny one as one mistake and you can be fighting an up hill battle. A lapse in concentration and recovery had a ball which Callum Bissett intercepted and cleared almost straight up, bounce once and then was hit on the volley from 25 yards out for a 1-0 deficit.

We have come back from these type of games before, but another mistake was converted into a 2-0 SLU lead before the end of the half. We knew we had to tighten our belt buckles and come out with all guns a blazing.

In the second half, we had the wind at our backs and it indeed made a difference. Leading scorer Lukasz Tumicz got a long ball from Steve Scalzo (Plymouth, MN), hit an angled shot which the SLU goalkeeper didn't hold and Kedan Crosby calmly tucked it into the net to cut to make it 2-1. We continued to press and found some more success but unfortunately a semi-break away goal against the run of play gave SLU a cushion and the final 3-1 score.

It was a game which we felt we could win, but again, mistakes against high-quality teams will cost you. I was very happy with the players effort - especially after playing 110 minutes of soccer on Friday night.

We now have 5 games remaining, all in the A-10, which - if all goes right - could position us for one of the top 2 seeds in the tournament. It certainly will not be easy. We have a week to prepare for our next game at UMass, who currently stands at 3-1 in the conference after splitting the weekend with a 1-0 win over SLU and 0-1 loss at Charlotte. It should be interesting and we hope you all come along for the ride!

GO RAMS!

October 18, 2007

HOMECOMING 2007... and what a homecoming it was for your Rams! It was a fantastic weekend all around - which was just what we all needed.

We kicked things off on Friday night, with our opening Atlantic 10 match against Xavier University. The game was the start to the 2007 URI Homecoming schedule and the parents, friends and alumni in attendance got what they paid for in an exciting 2-1 win. After dominating the first half statistically, we unfortunately went into the intermission down 0-1. The boys showed confidence though and they certainly were not ready to fold up the tents. Their hard work and determination paid off in the second half when Lukasz Tumicz (Bisztynek, Poland) tallied the equalizer after a great build up with the help of teammates Kedan Crosby (St. James, Trinidad) and Dawid Badecki (Jelenia Gora, Poland).

The goal, Lukasz's sixth of the year gave us extra energy and this materialized into a Geoff Cameron (Attleboro, MA) goal from Danleigh Borman (Capetown, South Africa). Danleigh played a nice ball into the box that Geoff flicked back over the on rushing Xavier goalkeeper. Cam nearly got his second in the final minutes on a breakaway after he took the ball off one of the Muskateers central defenders but his slotted ball just went wide of the goal. It was great to comeback from a deficit and finish what we had started.

Following the game, the guys were able to bask in the short-lived glory at the Rhody Rally held in Keaney Gymnasium. The squad got a nice reception when introduced and a couple of laughs when Dwayne "the Hurricane" Williams (Kingston, Jamaica) got a chance to speak to the crowd on behalf of the team... I couldn't hear exactly what he said but the boys found it very funny.

A bonfire and fireworks followed the rally and it was great way to start the weekend!

Saturday morning came quickly for everyone, especially the former players who showed up for our alumni vs. alumni game following the team practice. It was nice to see Dan & Vince McCrudden, Pat McGuire, Brian Bradley, Mike Stricklin, Mike Rogers, Kevin Kennedy, Dennis Richards and Jesse Simmons who all joined in with some of the reserves for a small-sided game. Afterward, we all retired to Rhodyville, where we had a tent and a place to rest the tired bones. We had a nice crowd of about 60 which included the players, parents and our alums. David Caetano who was back in the country from Portugal (to be inducted into the Danbury HS Athletic Hall of Fame) and Cliff Schechter stopped by and we finally got to meet after exchanging a lot of e-mails over the past year or so. It was a nice atmosphere and convenient staging area to support the football game that followed.

On Sunday, you couldn't have asked for a better game from a fans point of view. But, becoming a team referred to as the "cardiac kids" is not exactly what I was looking for in the season but I'll take it. The game, which was broadcast via tape delay (on Cox Sports Rhode Island, Monday night at 10:00 pm) was an epic battle. Your Rams came out firing on all cylinders again and carried the play for most of the first 45 minutes. At the interval, we went in tied at 0-0 but I could tell by their body language and conversation that the guys were confident and we just needed to "tweak" a few things to be successful.

As we all know in life, the "best laid plans of mice and men often go astray" and this was the case in the 59th minute when Dayton found the net and a 1-0 lead. The guys knew that they didn't need to be looking ahead too far, just look for the equalizer... and that we got on a superb effort by Tumicz. He was set up by a great long pass by Steve Scalzo (Plymouth, MN) - who was filling this weekend for an injured Callum Bissett (Pancaitland, Scotland). Steve was outstanding on the weekend after being called into duty under difficult circumstances. Anyway, he sent a long ball through, which Tumicz ran onto... The Flyers' GK came to get the ball on the end line but Lukasz got there first, pulled the ball back and cut around him to deposit it into an empty net. It was electric!

We kept the pressure up and in a "Made For TV" scripted ending, scored the go-ahead goal with 3 minutes to go after Tumicz served a ball from the end line that Danleigh Borman hit on the flying side volley into the goal at the back post. WOW! I'm sure COX TV was delighted with that one!

The final minutes of the match were not without excitement as Dayton pressed for the equalizer. We finished the game off and got the win but not without a loss as Geoff Cameron was shown his second yellow of the day in the final minute for a late tackle when his enthusiasm got the best of him. He will now miss the game at Charlotte on Friday but I'm confident that the guys will pull up their boot straps to fill in during his absence.

Regardless, it was a great weekend and tremendous results for us. We've continued to make strides forward in our goal to qualify for the Atlantic 10 Tournament. I appreciate our parents, friends and alums for being there and showing their support.

I would also like to personally thank Dennis Tierney of the Narragansett Youth Soccer Association and Jay Sisson of Jamestown Youth Soccer Association for coming to the games for their special nights at the URI Soccer Complex. These groups, along with South County Youth Soccer and Soccer Rhode Island, have had "theirs nights" at URI - which have included give-a-ways, an exhibition at half-time and involvement in our pre-game festivities. It has meant a lot to us to have the support of the local community as these youth players could be the future of URI men's soccer.

Well, we're back on track now and looking to keep it going the rest of the way through our Atlantic 10 games. We head to Charlotte and St. Louis this weekend, which will be a great challenge. We follow that with a game at UMass and then return home at the beginning of November for our last home games versus Fordham and La Salle of which the latter will be senior day at the URI Soccer Complex. The season finishes with an away weekend at Temple and St. Joe's, so let's hope we are in position to play in the Atlantic 10 Tournament at that time.

Thanks again to everyone who was with us this weekend... we hope to see you and others soon!

GO RAMS!

October 8, 2007

HOT, HOT, HOT... That was the word to describe the weather in Richmond, VA this past weekend as well as the play of your Rams! It was an excellent performance in difficult conditions and the boys came through with an effort which would have made you very proud.

It was a long day of travel to Richmond as we left campus at 6:15 am to catch a flight out of TF Green to Baltimore. We arrived and loaded up into vans for the 2 1/2 hour ride south - which reminded us all why it is so nice to live in a small state like Rhode Island. The traffic was nothing compared to what I had experienced in Chicago for 10-odd years but it did make you wonder if you could be a commuter around our Nation's capital. We had a big slow down just outside Washington DC, which ended up being caused by people "rubber necking" at a car that had hit a deer. Will wonders never cease.

We got to Richmond in time to train and shake out the travel cobwebs. We experienced outstanding hospitality from the Richmond Assistant Matt O'Toole (who is a Providence grad) who got us situated on an afternoon where I'm sure he would have rather been home watching college football. After a short session, it was off to our hotel and a nice meal at place called "Vinnies". It was just across the street from the hotel so we were not in a rush and had a nice relaxing meal and tremendous preparation for the match.

The boys were very excited for the game and were up early for their pre-game. It got even more exciting for Coach Stone and myself as we were sitting enjoying the tail end of our breakfast after the players had left when a fire erupted in the toaster. Someone had foolishly put a plastic plate with their toast onto the conveyor and it ignited. There was lots of black smoke and no one in the place seemed to be moving. So, in a move that would make my father-in-law (an ex-fire fighter and Fire Marshall) proud I grabbed and extinguisher in the hallway and proceeded to do my best impersonation of "Firefighter John" as I was tabbed later. Everything ended up being fine but it was just the beginning of our exciting day.

At the match, we started out very well and created numerous chances in the first half. We got several quality chances from Lukasz Tumicz and Kedan Crosby as well as super sub Steve Mellen who had a great week of training prior to the match. Andrew Ruiz added a great spark to the team and gave us some much appreciated flexibility to the line-up. The conditions were tough as the players experience HOT feet from the sun and the fact that the Richmond field turf adds another 10 degrees onto the actual temperature!

Richmond only really threatened once - from a melee in front of the goal after a corner kick - otherwise, Chris Pennock and our defensive unit held strong. It should noted that Kevin Algozer, who had received several stitches from a collision in the UMaine game, did a fantastic job defending Richmond's best attacking player who happened to be a good buddy of Kedan Crosby's from Trinidad.

In overtime, our players looked the fresher of the two teams and only a couple of good saves by the Spider goal goalkeeper and some near misses kept us off the board. I thought we deserved better, considering our performance, but that is the way the game goes sometimes. All in all, I felt that it was a tremendous team effort and great preparation for the beginning of the conference schedule next weekend during homecoming.

Just a last push for Homecoming - which begins next Friday night (October 12th) with our game against Xavier at 6:00 pm and the Rhody Rally and fireworks to follow. Saturday, as noted in earlier game reports, will feature an alumni vs. alumni game at 10:00 am followed by a BBQ at noon in "Rhodyville" (outside Keaney Gym) just prior to the Homecoming Football game versus James Madison.

The cost of Saturday's events is $25.00 person which includes a t-shirt, BBQ, ticket to the football game and help in defraying the cost for our current players. The weekend finishes up with our game versus Dayton on Sunday at 1:00 pm which will be shown locally on Cox Sports television.

So, if you haven't already told us that you are coming, then sort yourself out, drop me an e-mail and get your butt to Kingston. It's going to be a great time!

GO RAMS!

October 1, 2007

WHEW! We knew it was coming and I am so happy for the guys that their hard work has paid off. Sunday was a strange match as we were not only facing off against my alma mater the University of Maine but the team is now being coached by former URI assistant coach Pat Laughlin. Games like this can always be strange because as good of friends as we all are, and as much as we follow one another's progress, all of the sudden we are competitors.

We knew that it would be a good game as Pat is a good coach and would have the Black Bears organized and ready for a squad that he knows very well. The beginning of the game started off well as the teamwork and sharing of the ball paid off with a well-placed header from Kedan Crosby (St. James, Trinidad) from Danleigh Borman (Capetown, South Africa) found its way into the net and there was a collective sigh of relief... at least from the old coach on the sideline!

A second goal followed about 10 minutes later when Geoff Cameron (Attleboro, MA) slipped a pass to Lukasz Tumicz (Biznytek, Poland) who blasted it in the net. The goal was great but the build-up even better.

Maine responded with one of its own to make it 2-1 but a goal wasn't all we lost as just before the half an accidental collision of Kevin Algozer (Northport, NY) and a Black Bear player resulted in stitches for Gozer and 9 staples in the head for our opponent. It was not something you would have wanted to be the result of two competitors going at it. We're just glad they are both ok!

In the second half, we were fortunate to extend the lead on goals about 10 minutes apart from Tumicz and Greg Balicki. Balicki's goal was the first of his URI career and came on a well executed free kick from about 30 yards out. I'm sure its a moment Greg won't forget as he was mobbed by his teammates. The team finished the game out well and was happy for the final score.

After a nice day off today, we're back to training tomorrow in preparation for this weekend's match at the University of Richmond. Although the Spiders are in the Atlantic 10, the game does not count towards our A-10 record as they are one of four teams not in our league rotation this season. It will be a re-match of the 2006 A-10 Tournament semifinal game, so we know it will be a good one.

Before I sign off, Homecoming is just around the corner and we've heard from a few of you who have said you are coming. PLEASE E-MAIL AND LET US KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE HERE SO WE CAN BE SURE TO HAVE ENOUGH FOOD AND T-SHIRTS FOR EVERYONE!

The cost of the event is $25.00 which includes a limited edition Homecoming t-shirt designed by our assistant coach Mitch Stone, a BBQ and ticket to the football game... So, let us know NOW if you will be in attendance as we must purchase everything in advance. It should be a wonderful weekend with our Xavier & Dayton games, alumni vs. alumni match, the BBQ and the traditional homecoming football game.

Well, that's about it from here. We're back on track and appreciate all the e-mails and calls of support and encouragement. Keep the faith and we hope to see you in a couple of weeks...

GO RAMS!