2010 NCAA Soccer Tournament (Round 1 Run-Down)
I am going to post predictions for all of the first round games of the NCAA tournament. While I was at Winthrop, we played six of the teams that are in this year’s tournament: College of Charleston, William and Mary, Coastal Carolina, Duke, UNC Greensboro, and South Carolina, and went 6-4 in games with them. I’ll try to reason my picks for these team’s games based on experience seeing their team, their schedule this year, and/or if home field advantage would be applicable.
From my experience in 2008 at my team’s NCAA first round match against William & Mary, even geographic location can cause significant differences in these games. Playing in 0 degree windchill (somewhat normal for a Virginia team) when the temperature hasn’t felt but 20 degrees all year for your team definitely makes a difference in a match.
And with that… here are my predictions.
College of Charleston 2 vs East Tennessee State 0
Having played at College of Charleston with their stands packed, I can guarantee they will have a large turnout (over 1,000) for the first round match, creating a very hostile environment for Atlantic Sun Conference champs East Tennessee State.
Providence 2 vs St. Peter’s 1
Monmouth 1 - Dartmouth 0
Santa Clara 2 - Sacramento State 1
Creighton 2 - New Mexico 0
Princeton 2 - University of Maryland Baltimore County 0
Michigan State 1 - Oakland 0
UNC-Greensboro 1 - Georgetown 0
Wow, if I had the funds and time to travel to any first round match of my choice on Thursday, this would be the match. Georgetown has the upper-hand playing at home, but that didn’t stop UNCG in 2008 when they traveled to Duke. UNCG has advanced to the sweet 16 the past four tournaments they’ve been in. I’d say Georgetown definitely had the stronger schedule this year, with a trip out west and playing in the Big East. The Hoyas were an early out in the Big East tournament, losing to Providence in the quarterfinals, while UNCG has had an opposite lead up to the NCAAs, winning the SoCon regular season and tournament titles. I think UNCG’s history in the first round and end of season momentum takes them to Chapel-Hill for the second round.
UNCG vs NCAA teams this year: W Duke, L UNC, L Creighton, W William & Mary, D College of Charleston.
Georgetown vs NCAA teams this year: W MichSt, L New Mexico, L Denver, D Princeton, L UPenn, W West Virginia, W/L Providence, W UConn, L Notre Dame.
West Virginia 2 - Xavier 0
Tulsa 1 - Bradley 0
Boston College 2 - Brown 1
UC Santa Barbara 2 - Denver 0
Duke 3 - Coastal Carolina 1
After my Winthrop team lost in the first round last year to Duke 3-2, I was hoping that I could somehow find some revenge over the Blue Devils. I went to see my friend who plays for Wake Forest play at Duke in the last regular season game of the year, with Duke wining 2-1. Duke looked extremely sharp. With the ACC Offensive Player of the year Sophomore forward Ryan Finley, and a host of other quality players, Coastal Carolina is going to have to bring a lot more than an upset win in the Big South Conference tournament to compete with #24 Duke. Playing in Durham will be very hostile, as the students will come out in large numbers for this NCAA match. They can be over-the-top rude though… not very classy.
UCF 2 - South Florida 0
With three of my former Georgia ODP teammates playing for UCF, I’m looking for them to make a deep run in the tournament. Furman transfer Warren Creavalle, along with Cameron Cooksey and Kevan George are three key members of this C-USA team that has proven itself this year so far. Looking ahead at the bracket, if they win this crucial match, no team looks too much for the Knights. I think they could be elite-8 quality. If not this year, then next year when these guys are seniors.
Virginia 3 - Old Dominion 0
Have to give the reigning champs something!
UPenn 2 - Bucknell 0
Can’t wait to follow all the matches on Thursday!
NCAA Tournament Central:
