#-1: Gopher soccer (Last Week: -2). I forgot this last Week as I was rapidly trying to finish that WMNSS, but I'm glad the club dominated Wyoming 4-0 Sunday -- I was at that Match, and I didn't see them scoring all those Goals, let alone all in the First Half -- and then tied Nebraska-Omaha at 0 last/Thursday night. That means the facts that were true last Week, and excite me, still hold true this Week!
Those facts? Minnesota is one of four top-flight women's soccer teams that still have yet to concede a Goal. However, of those four, the Golden Gophers are the only team that is not perfect. Tennessee, Wake Forest, and Boise St. have won all their Games up to last/Thursday night while keeping their sheets clean. (Wisconsin-Milwaukee was part of that group last Week, but lost last/Thursday night at home to Wisconsin, 2-1 in Double Overtime.) Meanwhile, the U. has alternated Wins and Draws through their six Games so far this season. What this says about this squad, I don't know, but it is interesting. And they outclass all the other Twin Cities teams for the screening Week.
By the way, while they are one of only for XI's who have yet to allow a Goal, there are still many undefeated teams. And that might be why they are not ranked in any poll. They haven't even received any votes, if I'm not mistaken.
One final non-conference tune-up: They host North Dakota Sunday afternoon. The same time as the Vikings' regular season opener? The Fighting Hawks could get back to their campus in Grand Forks in plenty of time if they left in the early evening, could they not?
#-2: Twins (Last Week: -3). A 4-3 screening Week. They avoided getting swept in Tampa with a 6-5 Win on Sunday, and that started a four-Game winning streak that ended yesterday/Thursday evening, a 4-1 Loss to Cleveland that prevented the Proto-Guardians from getting swept at their home.
I swear that the Twins have played much better in the second half. Jorge Polanco, a man I know I have trashed in WMNSSs past, is still hot. Moreover, there are some greenshoots coming from the mound that makes the hearts of (gullible) Twins fans beat much faster for next season. Bailey Ober continues to hold his own in The Show. Moreover, Joe Ryan, one of the assets the Twins got from the Bay Rays in exchange for Nelson Cruz, had a spectacular second Major League Baseball Start Wednesday evening, taking a Perfect Game into the Seventh Inning, one-hitting Cleveland and winning, 3-0. I detest the pattern of this organization trading players in the prime of their careers for the next young wave of players that still need time in the Minor League. But frankly, the Starting Pitching has been much better the second half of the Year.
The ballclub host Kansas City this weekend, then have back-to-back make-up Games. On Monday afternoon they go out to The Bronx to play the Yankees, a make-up of a rain-out on August 22. They then come back to Target Field and host Cleveland Tuesday afternoon, which is a make-up of a rain-out on June 26. (I am endeavoring to be at the contest, by the way. Have the afternoon off for it.) They will then go back to their regular schedule; Minnesota and Cleveland have a mid-week two-Game set scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
#-3: Lynx (Last Week: 0). A five-Game winning streak that was extended Saturday with an 18-Point victory over Washington at Target Center came crashing down emphatically Wednesday night with a 21-Point demolition at the hands of hosts Las Vegas. As great as ripping off five in a row is, the Lynx remain in a precarious position -- namely, as of press time, fifth in the WNBA and thus subject to the First Round of the playoffs, a one-off quasi play-in that, if they lose, would be the team's earliest exist from the postseason since they stopped sucking. That outside-looking-in spot happened because two teams have gotten their shit together and are now red-hot: Connecticut, who is currently on an 11-Game winning streak, has the best record in the WNBA and somehow has become the favorites to win the championship; and Phoenix, who has won ten in a row to currently lead the Lynx for the fourth-best record in the league (and the subsequent bye) by a half-Game with just two Weeks to go.
Luckily they have a chance to get back up this weekend. They host the Indiana Fever, the worst team in the WNBA, Friday and Sunday. Those are the last two home Games of the season.
#-4: Gopher volleyball (Last Week: -4). Once again, I appreciate the high standards this program now expects of themselves. There are not many pushovers the U. volleyballers schedule. At some point, however, this fuckin' team has live up to its own lofty ranking and fucking beat a good team. And they have yet to do that.
Their latest disappointment was a diplomatic road trip, a one-off defeat in Gainesville, Fla., to Florida. Of the four teams the Goofers have played so far this Year, three of them have been ranked. (All of them in the Top Ten, by the way.) The U. has lost to all three sides, and all of them, coincidentally, in four Sets.
I am very, very concerned about not just this squad, but this program. A high-functioning one like Minnesota should have won at least one of those Matches. But now they head to the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge (after undergoing a similar Challenge with the Big 12) having not yet demonstrated they can beat a ranked team. They play two of them this weekend in Eugene, Ore., Stanford and Oregon. The Cardinal are currently ranked 14th, the host Ducks 11th. Slightly lesser caliber of opponent, but can the U. beat these clubs? If not, the U. would go to 1-5, and it sure as fuck should be panic button-pushing time.
A few Weeks ago I agonized over no longer reviewing the U. women's volleyball team in the survey because St. Thomas has one that is transitioning to Division 1, and I can't follow two women's college volleyball teams, so I won't follow either. It's bad starts like that that don't make me miss following this team anymore. WTF is all I can say.
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