#-1: Gopher volleyball (Re-Entry!). Promising start to what appears to be yet another veteran-laden, nothing-less-than-the-Final-Four-type run. They rightfully won both games in their part of the Big 10/ACC Challenge in Madison last weekend by sweeping North Carolina and defeating Louisville in four sets, two wins over pretty decent programs.
Minnesota is at the stage where they are reloading and not rebuilding. While there is some speculation that Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon had interest in taking over Stanford's job (I think there was mutual appeal, but I don't think we'll ever know the real and whole truth), his return keeps an important cog in a team that still has the tools to finally win its first title ever. They will be lead by Setter Samantha Seliger-Swenson (heretofore known, sometimes, as SSS), Outside Hitter Alyssa Goehner, and Senior Libero Dalianliz Rosado. However, they are in the Big Ten, The Best Conference In Women's Volleyball. They have enough talent to compete with the likes of Nebraska, Penn St. and Wisconsin, but that doesn't mean that they'll win.
Since my parents are leaving next weekend I won't have time to see this squad host the Diet Coke Classic. You don't see the likes of Texas-San Antonio, West Virginia, or Tennessee up in these parts (although the Volunteers were here in a tournament game once; it was a Sweet 16 game vs. Ohio St., Tennessee won the first two sets but then lost the match), so for that novelty alone I would try to attend at least one match over the two days. Oh, and the tournament, as always, will be played at the Sports ... wait, the what?! The Maturi Pavilion?!?! Oh yeah, they renamed the Sports Pavilion officially earlier this month (although they sort of already did it in December). Hey, it's better than 3M Arena replacing Mariucci. But wouldn't you think a sports facility would be renamed in honor of someone who actually was successful in Gopher sports teams, instead of one whose claim to fame is hiring Tim Brewster as Head Coach of the football team?
#-2: Gopher soccer (Last Week: -2). Meanwhile the Gopher XI remain undefeated, crushing North Dakota St. 3-0 at Robbie Stadium Monday and drawing with 24th-ranked Notre Dame at 1 Friday in their first game in the Iowa Tournament in Iowa City.
I did not notice, however, till now that they don't appear in any Top 25 poll when in fact they were ranked in a couple of the four women's college soccer polls before the season began. So last week they tie Washington St. and that was enough to drop them? Eh, whatevs.
They finish the Iowa Tournament playing Iowa St. early this afternoon. They then host their own Minnesota Classic (if I've never heard of it, can it really be a classic?) Labor Weekend. They play California-Santa Barbara -- another team that doesn't come around here often, and a school I regret not being able to see -- Friday night. They also play Providence Sunday afternoon, and I'm pretty sure I'll be able to see the Friars for my first Gopher soccer match of the year.
#-3: Lynx (Last Week: -3). They're still in massive trouble. On Sunday they ran out of gas and lost by nine at New York, a team that appears to be ascending right now. But with ensuing victories over Phoenix at home and San Antonio on the road (not to mention the gaudy record the club rolled up before injuries to Lindsay Whalen and Rebekkah Brunson), the Jynx did finally capture the double-bye for the WNBA Playoffs.
In case you are not aware, the WNBA does away with conference designations for the postseason. Instead, in a nod to some mad-scientist fans, the eight teams that qualify for the postseason enter a quasi-stepladder/bowling format. The bottom four teams play each other in a pair of one-off games; those winners take on the third- and fourth-seeds in another single game. Those ensuing winners face Minnesota and the other team that gets the double-bye in a best-of-three, and those winners meet in the best-of-five WNBA Finals.
It was essential that the Lynx get to the semifinals. I don't know what's wrong with this team, but there's something wrong with this team, and they are highly susceptible to a knockoff defeat against a hot-shooting, hungry squad itching for an upset. This team needs the cushion of a loss in a series, and their two-game winning streak provides that. Now, of course, they have to win -- not just against Los Angeles, but against New York and against everybody. Right now, I think they can lose to anyone.
Another three-game screening week. They visit the Sparks tonight, travel to Indiana Wednesday, then host Chicago Friday.
#-4: United FC (Re-Entry!). I want to be more positive over what this side has gone through this week. But a loss Sunday at Seattle, in which they were battling over a tie before coughing up a Penalty Kick Goal to Clint Dempsey in the 94th minute, forces me to push this team down to the penultimate spot in this week's survey.
Nevertheless, this season-ticket holder wants to laud the Loons for finally winning its first match on the road last (Saturday) night, where they beat the Chicago Fire 2-1 on a first-half brace by Abu Danladi. I was driving to Glam Doll and hearing the dying minutes of the match, hanging on Callum Williams's every word. My throat tightened when the Fire's David Accam halved the lead. But after the ref blew the whistle after 94 minutes, I pumped my fist while I was in my car. They finally nicked a team on the road. And it's no podunk rebuilding team -- Chicago is third in the Eastern Conference and was once leading it. This is a morale booster.
Manager Adrian Heath was satisfied enough with the Starting XI in Sunday's loss to the Sounders that he trotted them out again last (Saturday) night. With the glut of wingers this franchise acquired, Heath inserted former Columbus Crew member Ethan Findlay on a wing opposite Sam Nicholson. Danladi was the sole Forward because Christian Ramirez is still hurt. And even though I am still somewhat puzzled by Miguel Ibarra's standing with Heath, the results speak for themselves. Plus, Batman got out of the doghouse as a substitute in the Chicago game. I still think it's too late for the postseason, but this recent form insinuates a return to competence, which is all you want to see in an expansion team.
This week is a worldwide league break for country duties, mostly for World Cup Qualifying. MNUFC return to play on the 9th.
#-5: Twins (Last Week: -1). This is how good, and thus how unforgivable, this week's WMNSS is. The Twins finish last ... yet as of press time would be ALWC2, by a half-game over Seattle and Anaheim. I don't think they had a great week. It started off fantastically, where they finished off as sweep of a very good Arizona squad last Sunday at Target. But they lost a five-game series at Comiskey against the last-place White Sox and have so far split a pair at underachieving Toronto. This week saw too many cases where the lineup was hitting but the pitching was poor, or the pitching was great (or at least decent) but the bats were silent. And yet, because the other Wild Card contenders also seemed to have choppy screening weeks, they remain in solid contention of the other WC spot.
This isn't a great team, but I still believe they should have dominated the Blue Jays and the White Sox. They have a chance to win the series versus Toronto this (Sunday) afternoon, and then they host the Pale Hose for three beginning on Tuesday. They will then host an important three-game set with the Kansas City Royals for the weekend.
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