September 29, 2009

Dear Alumni & Friends,

It’s been quite a couple of weeks for us that have included the start of classes and 5 games against some very good teams. Our results have been a little up and down but the quality of play has improved which I feel will serve us well down the road. The competition has been excellent and we have had stretches in those games where we were as competitive and anyone in the region.

Saturday night's match versus Boston University was another such performance that again was a short result for your Rams. The #19 Terriers came to town with a few scalps on their belt including perennial national powerhouses Uconn Huskies (beat 3-0) and St. John’s Red Storm (beat 1-0). So, we knew we had our hands full but were up to the challenge.

We started out the game really well and seemed to be on our way. But on one of just two corners on the night, BU deflected a shot ended that up as goal putting us in the hole 1-0. A second goal just after the halfway point of the first period and BU was in the driver's seat…it would seem. But, the boy’s kept plugging away and their hard work paid off when Reece Markman (Dallas, TX) came off the bench to win a ball back and fed left back Matt Preyss (Chagrin Falls, OH) on a short overlap who clipped the ball into the near post space to a diving Erkko Puranen (Viitasaari, Finland) who deposited into the net. That cut the deficit in half at the interval.

In the second half, the momentum had shifted as we pressed for the equalizer. Midfielder Michael Tanke (Niles, MI) and freshmen forward Thomas Lindroos (Espoo, Finland) were involved in several dangerous attacks including Thomas’s glance header that unfortunately went right to the Terrier goalkeeper. The guys kept up the intensity where we thought we got the tying goal on Franco LoPresti (Scarborough, Ontario) header that just went over the crossbar. The team fought into the final seconds getting our last gasp on a corner. The ball bounced around and unfortunately we couldn’t get a head, foot, shin or big toe on the rebound. The whistle blew and the visitors narrowly escaped Kingston with the 2-1 victory.

It was a tremendous effort in the end but one that unfortunately didn’t get us the result we wanted. I am confident - when looking at the way we are playing in the latter stages of the games - that we can compete with these nationally ranked teams. But, my biggest concern is maintaining our concentration and organization in the first 20 minutes of the game as that is when the goals we are conceding have been scored. It will be something we will discuss with the team and look for an answer too this week in preparation for our final non-conference game at Binghamton University (NY) next weekend.

GO RAMS!
Coach O’C

September 25, 2009

Dear Alumni & Friends,

Sorry for the delay but if you haven't seen the result as of yet we go a very important one Tuesday night down in New Haven at Yale University. Important for a couple of reasons. First coming off our close 5-0 loss to Brown...LOL, we needed to get back on track. Second, to come from behind and win was equally important to the confidence of the team. We nearly did it against Hartford but accomplishing it against the Bulldogs was encouraging and tells me that we are moving forward.

As far as the game is concerned as didn't get off to a great start, allowing Yale to get on the board early in the match. It has been our MO that last few games and this is an area which we need to sort out or it will be the bane of our existence for the remainder of the season. But, to the guy's credit they plugged away and were determined to equalize and then work up from that point.

At the half it was still 0-1 but I felt we had built momentum and were almost there. One of the shifters in that was freshmen Jamie Eckmayer (Harrington Park, NJ) who we put up front where he was able to threaten with his speed. Combined with Erkko Puranen (Viitasaari, Finland) they caused the Yale back line fits. Errko nearly scored the equalizer less then five minutes into the second half but his attempt pinged off the post. His determination paid off in the 55th minute when he banged in a free kick off a Andres Ruiz (Providence, RI) assist. We continued the pressure and got another couple of chances but regulation ended 1-1.

In overtime we continued our pressure and once again it paid off when junior Greg Balicki (Wilbraham, MA) ripped a ball which bounced out to him after a near chance by Erkko Puranen and it rocketed into the top left corner. It was quite a strike and one which Greg has repeated numerous times in training and now for a game winner. It was a much needed win and move forward in the season. Next up is 24th nationally ranked Boston University tomorrow night at 7:00 pm here at the URI Soccer complex. It will be the last home game until October 16th as we take to the road for our last non-conference match at SUNY-Binghamton on October 3rd and then open the Atlantic 10 schedule on the road at Dayton and Xavier.It has been a long, hard stretch over the past couple of weeks but I'm proud of how they have handled themselves.

Before I sign off I met yesterday with our development staff and alumni relations coordinator and have finalized the schedule for HOMECOMING 2009! We are really looking forward to it as that is our return home from 2 weeks on the road as well as the home A-10 openers. Here is how the weekend will go:

FRIDAY OCTOBER 16th
7:00 pm URI Men's Soccer vs St. Joe's
*After game there will be a pep rally, bonfire and fireworks for all alums, families and friends.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17th
9:00 am URI Athletics Alumni Registration (between Beck baseball field & practice soccer) - coffee, donuts and FREE t-shirts.
10:00 am URI Soccer Alumni vs Alumni game
10:45 am 2009 URI Hall of Fame Inductees Plaque unveiling - Ryan Center.
11:00 am Lunch & Reception at the athletic tent in "RHODYVILLE" ($13.50 per person for food & football ticket).
12 Noon Football vs Hofstra

SUNDAY OCTOBER 18th
1:00 pm URI Men's Soccer vs Temple

As you can see it should be a fun filled weekend with a great chance to see this years squad, a traditional homecoming (with TAILGATING NOW) as well as catch up with old friends and teammates. For more information on "Homecoming 2009" go to http://advance.uri.edu/alumni/events/homecoming/default.htm.

We're asking that all alumni who plan on attending fill out the attached registration form and return it BEFORE FRIDAY OCTOBER 9th to reserve your football ticket(s) and lunch voucher. NOTE: football tickets and lunch vouchers will be available for purchase on site but NOT at the pre-registration discounted price.

Got to run and get the boys ready so keep in touch and we hope to see you this weekend at BU as well as HOMECOMING 2009!

GO RHODY!
Coach O'C

September 20, 2009

Dear Alums & Friends,

I woke up this morning and told my wife Sheila I had a nightmare that we got beat 5-0 by Brown...she told me unfortunately it was not a dream. But, I still feel I just woke up from a nightmare anyway. It certainly was a night to forget here in Kingston as we took a drubbing by the inter-state rival Bears. Two pairs of goals less then 3 minutes at crucial junctures of the game did us in. Full marks go to the victors as they were sharp, focused and determined. They are a talented team that will most certainly vie for the Ivy League Title this fall.

The most positive thing that came out for the home side was that we raised over $2,000 for Grassroot Soccer (www.grassrootsoccer.com) during our 2nd Annual fund-raising match. I want to personally thank Brown University men's soccer and Assistant Coach Pat Laughlin who contributed over $500 including a personal donation from Head Coach Mike Noonan. It is certainly a great cause and we are happy that we were able to use soccer to help educate about HIV/Aids in Africa. Thanks to all that attended including the parents and players of Rams Football Club, St. George's School (Newport, RI) and recent alums Kevin Algozer, Jeff Gonsalves and Kevin Hamill.

Anyway, the boy's are obviously not happy with their performance and the only thing we can do is learn from the game and move forward. It is a short break before we meet another Ivy League squad in the Yale University Bulldogs on Tuesday September 22nd at 7:00 pm in New Haven. All the guy's know it is an important for us to take a step forward in our preparations for the remainder of the season. We return to action at home on Saturday September 26th when we host Boston University at 7:00 pm. Hope to see you in CT or at home in the next week.

All the best and GO RHODY!
Coach O'C

September 18, 2009

Dear Alums & Friends,

Sorry for not writing until now but it has been a busy couple of days since our last match on Wednesday night. We have a quick turnover with Brown coming to town tomorrow night here at the URI Soccer Complex.

As we all know soccer is a delicate game and can change in the blink of an eye and feel like a slap in the face. We've all been a part of matches like that and no one feels comfortable when it happens. Wednesday night the first 15 minutes of the match was the difference on the night and although our boy's fought hard to get themselves back in the game, the hole was just a little too deep for us to climb out of against a talented University of Hartford squad. Kudos to them for holding us off as they cleared two off the line and their goalkeeper and defense did well recovering from two breakaway opportunities from Greg Balicki (Wilbraham, MA) and Thomas Lindroos (Espoo, Finland). On the positive side we did battle and got back into the game just 20 second into the second half when Erkko Puranen (Viitasaari, Finland) tallied his first goal of the season. That set the tone for the rest of the match but we just couldn't get the equalizer.

Well, the past is the past and we have to move on and there is not much greater than the inter-state rivalry between the Rhode Island Rams and the Brown Bears. It will be a great game not only because of the intense competition and mutual respect the teams hold for each other but also because it is GRASSROOT SOCCER NIGHT at the URI Soccer Complex. It is the second consecutive year URI and Brown have played a game which benefits Grasroot Soccer, a global aids education and awareness organization. Admission to the game is FREE but we are asking everyone for a minimum $1.00 donation of which ALL PROCEEDS go to Grassroot Soccer. Both URI and Browns men's soccer will be adding to that tally through the purchase of limited addition warm-up jerseys they will wear prior to the game generously donated by both of our apparel sponsors Adidas.

So, we hope that all our local supporters will be there tomorrow night for what is always a great match-up. We have another short week when we are away at Yale on Tuesday September 22nd and home again with Boston University on Saturday September 26th at 7:00 pm. Don't forget Alumni Weekend October 16-18 and our Alumni v. Alumni game at 10:00 am on the 17th.

Keep in touch and GO RHODY!
Coach O'C

September 13, 2009

Dear Alumni & Friends,

We've just returned from the Nike/Hypertherm Classic hosted by Dartmouth College, coming away with a 1-1 record and second place finish. We defeated previously undefeated Iona College 2-0 on Friday night before falling to the host 2-0 this afternoon. Over the stretch of the weekend I was pleased with the teams play as I fell we are starting to come together and getting a hold of our strengths and weaknesses. We were also happy to get back captain Kevin Shaw (Denny, Scotland) and Michael Tanke (Niles, MI) from injuries. Although we unfortunately got limited time from Andres Ruiz (Providence, RI) who is battling injury himself, the players around him picked up the slack.

In our first match we met Iona College (NY) who came into the weekend 3-0 and ranked in the top five in their region. They are a technically talented team who have a certain amount of "trickery" to them so we had to be careful coming out. The first half we were not our best but grinded it out through the 45 minutes and even getting a goal from freshmen Jamie Eckmayer (Harrington Park, NJ) on a wonderful assist from Michael Tanke. The score stayed that way until senior midfielder Gary Crooks (Falkirk, Scotland) shot from the left side of the box and junior forward Jonathan Pereira (Barrington, RI) redirected for an insurance tally and the first goal of his career. The team collected its‚ second shutout of the season and we were off to a good start in Hanover.

After a day off and some much needed rest, we returned to action on Sunday versus the host Big Green who had drew with the University of Connecticut 0-0 the day before. The Dartmouth match was certainly a good test as the home team was ranked as high as 6th in some of the national polls so we knew we would have our hands full. The game began with a flurry and our boy‚s got on the offensive and threatened the Dartmouth defense several times. Dwayne Williams (Westmoreland, Jamaica), the Nike/Hypertherm Classic Defensive Player of the Tournament, had a great match containing the Big Greens reigning Ivy Rookie of the Year in the air and along the ground. In a flurry of legs and feet a foul was called against the Rams on top of the box and Dartmouth's New Zealand International Daniel Keats scored on the ensuing free kick to make it 1-0 which carried into the half-time interval.

The second half was an extension of the first as our boys put together some good attacks which unfortunately stalled a bit in the final 18 yards. The Big Green were not to be outdone as they put together their own offensive surges, one ending in a semi breakaway that Chris Pennock (Spennymoor, England) made a fantastic stop on. But late in the match after a near penalty shot was called the second we didn't get so lucky and the referee pointed to the spot. Keats again stepped up and buried the 12 yarder to give Dartmouth the security they needed for the win.

All and all there were a lot of good things we could take from the weekend even in defeat. We got a few of the boys back and playing as well as encouraging and consistent performances out of defenders Franco LoPresti (Scarborough, Ontario) and Matt Preyss (Chagrin Falls, OH). I'm confident that when we get to full strength prior to the A-10 season beginning we will be ready and productive.

Its a short rest and then the University of Hartford Hawks come to town for our first game at home since the students returned for the fall semester. They have started off well on the season so it should be another great match at the URI soccer complex. Kick-off is 7:00 pm. We hope to see you there!

GO RAMS!
Coach OC

September 3, 2009

Dear Alumni & Friends,

We’re off and running and what an exciting game it was the other night in the home opener against defending ACC Tournament Champion Boston College. It was a beautiful night and we got a great crowd considering that classes don't begin until September 9th. There was a little dew on the ground that made for a fast game for both teams.

The game started at a furious pace with both teams playing with the energy of the first game of the season. BC nearly got on the board just about 2 minutes into game as an Eagles forward side volleyed a ball that just missed the outside of the right post. The guy’s persevered and created a few opportunities of their own from Reece Markman (Dallas, TX), John Pereira (Barrington, RI) and Andres Ruiz (Providence, RI). BC threatened again when a hard shot hit the post but luckily didn’t tickle the net. Half-time came with the game tied 0-0.

The second stanza began and it looked like we had got the lead on a Franco LoPresti (Whitby, Ontario) cross which bounded off the BC keeper and into the goal but was waved off for a foul. It didn’t take long after that for the Rams to get the actually lead. After a BC foul on the right side of the box, senior midfielder Gary Crooks (Falkirk, Scotland) bent a beautiful free kick over the Eagle wall and into the top left hand corner for his first goal of the season. The tally sent electricity in the air and the next 10 minutes the guy’s were buzzing. But, BC was too good a team to lie down and accept defeat but instead mounted a fierce attack that put our guy’s on their heels for a bit in the last 20 minutes. Senior goalkeeper and captain Chris Pennock (Spennymoor, England) had to come up with a couple of very good saves including a “blast” from BC’ Jeremiah Gallington from 35 yards out that he tipped over the bar and a second on a skipping and dipping shot that he just smothered. When the final whistle blew Rhody had earned a hard fought win over a quality opponent.

Next up on the schedule is old friend and alumnus Gareth Elliott and his Siena College squad on Sunday September 6th in Loudonville, NY. The Saints are coming off their own 1-0 victory over the University of Vermont in Burlington. It should be another great match as I know “G” and assistant and fellow alumnus Ahmad Manning will have their squad well prepared.

It will be a busy couple of weeks with the Siena match, classes starting on September 9th and then our trip up to my old stomping grounds Dartmouth College for their Nike/Hypertherm Classic where we play Iona and the hosts. It will be the first time back for me in a long time and in particular to play on Burnham Field, a brand new soccer only complex named for former Dartmouth coach, administrator and good friend Whitey Burnham who passed away last spring. Whitey was a kind and bright face for me when I went to the NSCAA Convention where he was one of the “red apron gang”. He was also a tremendous gentleman and mentor to young coaches because his handling of people transcended the decades since he last coached. It will be an honor to play on that field.

The next home game is Wednesday September 16th at 7:00 pm against the University of Hartford followed by our 2nd Annual Grassroot Soccer fund-raiser on Saturday September 19th versus interstate rival Brown University. Kick off is 7:00 pm. Last year at Brown we made a donation of $1,000 to this global Aids and HIV prevention and education organization. Admission is FREE although we are asking for a minimum $1 donation that will go directly to benefit Grassroot Soccer. Hope to see you there…

GO RAMS!
Coach O’C