Wow, Jump4Joy, bitter much? Williams has had plenty of uber-talented teams who dominated shot opportunities in NCAA games (particularly during the Khari Stephenson / Alex Blake era), yet still lost. It happens in soccer. Amherst created more opportunities. Williams had a few great ones that didn't come to fruition as well, but no doubt, Amherst (especially in the first half) created a lot more chances, and suffered from a lot of bad luck (although one of the five shots that hit the woodwork was first deflected by Than in one of his many tremendous saves). Williams has been just an incredibly clutch team this year, mounting comeback win after comeback win, and keeping their composure in the pressure of OT and in PKs. The Ephs earned their spot in the Final Four, and they will represent NESCAC with skill and class. Amherst had a great year and was an extremely talented team. They deserve credit for their tremendous season. But so do the Ephs.
As for Bull vs. Rashid, Rashid is clearly deserving. Bull looks good, but it's hard to say how good considering how strong the Amherst defense was and how few clean chances ANY team seemed to get vs. them this year. I think a lot of NESCAC goalies would have had similar stats playing with the same defense. Rashid completed turned around what was a dormant Williams offense from last year. He led the team in both goals and assists as a first year, and was a dynamic playmaker that every team had to account for. With basically the same crew of attackers but without him last year, the Ephs created very, very little offense. Take him away, they are an entirely different team, offensively.
And sorry, but Serpone is no Russo. First, there is the well-documented difference in, errr, demeanor (even watching the webcast of the last game, it was pretty annoying to watch Serpone waving his arms and going absolutely crazy complaining over every call / non-call, particularly on the several non-calls in which Amherst players obviously took dives, and particularly when two different Ephs were taken down in the box on borderline tackles, each time resulting in no-calls). Serpone has had a very successful run over the past few years, no doubt. Let's see if he can keep that run going once this year's great senior class and next year's great rising senior class are no longer with the team. Russo has won a national title, sent a slew of players to the MLS and other professional leagues, and will now be coaching in his, I believe, sixth final four (would have almost certainly been more if the Eph powerhouses of the last 1980's were eligible for the NCAA tourney), and all while earning the uniform respect and admiration of his peers. And he's replaced innumerable seemingly irreplaceable players, each time revitalizing the program with fresh blood.
