Liberty League

[Bartman]

With today's result, SLU achieves their first 10 loss season since 1991.  In the 63 year history of the program, there had been only 4 double digit loss seasons until this year. But I'm sure I'll watch the next SC vid and hear all about how dramatic I'm being.

the own goal with 8 minutes left was a really poetic touch, I must admit.

Ouch.

[kevdog]

With today's result, SLU achieves their first 10 loss season since 1991.  In the 63 year history of the program, there had been only 4 double digit loss seasons until this year. But I'm sure I'll watch the next SC vid and hear all about how dramatic I'm being.

That 1991 team went 3-1 in the first 4 games and then the wheels fell off so to speak. Like I have said before, Tosh needs to hit the recruiting trail hard.  I was told that Tosh was orchestra recruitier of the those great teams in the late 90's and early 2000's but I find that hard to believe since Durocher had some very good recruiting class 2009-2015.  Hats off to Vassar and Coach Hood.  Best of luck to them in the semis.

[Saint of Old]

With today's result, SLU achieves their first 10 loss season since 1991.  In the 63 year history of the program, there had been only 4 double digit loss seasons until this year. But I'm sure I'll watch the next SC vid and hear all about how dramatic I'm being.

That 1991 team went 3-1 in the first 4 games and then the wheels fell off so to speak. Like I have said before, Tosh needs to hit the recruiting trail hard.  I was told that Tosh was orchestra recruitier of the those great teams in the late 90's and early 2000's but I find that hard to believe since Durocher had some very good recruiting class 2009-2015.  Hats off to Vassar and Coach Hood.  Best of luck to them in the semis.

Whoever told you that the current Coach recruited the late 90s and 00s stars  was either mistaken or misinformed.

[kevdog]

With today's result, SLU achieves their first 10 loss season since 1991.  In the 63 year history of the program, there had been only 4 double digit loss seasons until this year. But I'm sure I'll watch the next SC vid and hear all about how dramatic I'm being.

That 1991 team went 3-1 in the first 4 games and then the wheels fell off so to speak. Like I have said before, Tosh needs to hit the recruiting trail hard.  I was told that Tosh was orchestra recruitier of the those great teams in the late 90's and early 2000's but I find that hard to believe since Durocher had some very good recruiting class 2009-2015.  Hats off to Vassar and Coach Hood.  Best of luck to them in the semis.

Whoever told you that the current Coach recruited the late 90s and 00s stars  was either mistaken or misinformed.

I think I read that some where that Tosh was a big influencer but I really think it was more Durocher. Durocher could sell ice to Eskimos and make them believe they really need it

[Saint of Old]

SLU is the only team in the Liberty League that has double digit losses (10) and Single single digit results (6) Every other team has double digit results (Wins/Ties).

Transition from Saints to Larries Complete.

[StatesSoccerFan]

RPI also had single digit results and only 1 lone LL win which is super surprising based on how strong SLU and RPI have been in this league over the years. Very unusual for both these programs to be down this year. RPI only has two wins in LL in last two years in fact.

[Saint of Old]

RPI also had single digit results and only 1 lone LL win which is super surprising based on how strong SLU and RPI have been in this league over the years. Very unusual for both these programs to be down this year. RPI only has two wins in LL in last two years in fact.

RPI was 4-8-5.  Got results in 9 out of 17 games.

Lets say then, SLU was the only team in the league that failed to get a result in atleast half (50%) of their games.

[Saint of Old]

The most successful captain in Saint History led the team for two seasons.
Both undefeated (39w 0losses 2 ties) en route to an undefeated National Championship.
Was a Defensive player of the year and All American during the programs most dominant era ever.

We decided to  snub him for the Hall of Fame induction  last year while 8 other men got in.

This one action cut the Alumni support in half.

We have gradually cut all pipelines to recruiting and influential alumni.
We have WHITE WASHED a team that was the most diverse in college soccer for 25 years, bringing in some of the best African/Jamaican talent the division had ever seen year after year.
We have changed our playing style from attacking possession/penetration to pass backwards at all times and keep possession in our own final 1/3 waiting to get picked off.
We have decided to only play 13-14 players and hope to not get ran through by aggressive fit players.
Nothing  that is happening to the Saints was done by anyone but Saints.

Our dominance was not put to an end, We decided to end it.

The past 8 or so seasons we have had 2 of the best players in program history (Top 10) in Jethro Dede/ Marvin Sibanda, both African players.
These two men covered many cracks which are mentioned above, but now they are gone and so are the wins this program once took for granted.

Some of us tried to send a warning, first diplomatically, then more forceful, and we were called negative and dinosaurs.

SLU has been around since 1860, the soccer program since 1962.
First 0-4 start since 1962.

2024 (Last Season) was the 25th year of the 22-0-0 National Championship in 1999 and the program decided not to recognize the accomplishment in any way.


When you cut the roots of a tree, the tree dies.

I have to agree with a lot of this. It would be nice to see more players used over the years, rather than just a couple of subs. Perhaps Tosh doesn't have the depth, or that's just his style. It's been a problem with back to back games, and injuries the last few years. Last year the team seemed to be more aggressive than the previous year, perhaps because Mogul and Brown refused to go backwards. SLU had just two losses (7 ties) with a great back line, the player of the year up top, and the best player in the league on the wing. Unfortunately they were missing two international players in the middle which would have turned them into NCAA national contenders. Jeremy with an injury, and Marco Wong losing his eligibility playing in a few pro games in Hong Kong. With those two players you would have seen a very diverse starting team (5 international players from different countries, Cyprus, Holland, Kenya, Canada, and Hong Kong).
This was a diverse team. It wasn't the Jamaican connection. Somehow that was lost. Unfortunately, SLU is not the most diverse school. It is 75 percent white, and about 2 percent black or African American. The soccer team is certainly more diverse than the student body. What we do know about the team is that Tosh recruits kids with character. Just watch them on the sidelines. And after each game. Great kids.
This team lost some talented players from last year. George was a top goalie in the region. Will Baker and Owen Lillis were two of the best defenders in the conference, The Dutchman was a leader on the field, Henry Brown could score goals and has moved on to Tufts, where he is their PK taker, and Mogul, the attacker that stirred the drink, is attempting a pro career in Portugal.
There is some talent on this team. They are a young team with only two starting seniors. I'm not giving up on this season yet.

Still not giving up on the season?

[StatesSoccerFan]

Best two teams are in the finals.

[deutschfan]

No truer words... Vassar and Hobart have some unfinished business.  If Vassar wins LL has 2 in the dance.  If Hobart wins it will be tough for Vassar to get through with 6 losses despite their SOS.  The game is going to depend on which Vassar defense shows up: the one that shutout Skidmore over 2 games or the one that give up 3 goals to Clarkson in one half.

[Bartman]

Gross day for a soccer Championship game today. Too bad the bubble doesn't allow for soccer games.

[deutschfan]

Congrats to Hobart.  Undefeated before the dance--very impressive.  Does Vassar have a shot at getting into the tournament?  Last year SLU lost in a shootout in the final, had a much higher win percentage, and was left out.  You could speculate that if SLU had won last year, Brown would have had a NCAA experience and may have stayed.  Instead he just won the NESCAC on the top ranked team in the nation.

[stlawus]

Vassar's out.  Above the cut line as is, but too many bid thieves regardless.  I think if they didn't drop the game against Clarkson they might have made it. 

As far as Brown, everything has already been said, ad nauseam. 

[kansas hokie]

Stlaw, quick clarification...Vassar's out because of one-bid leagues, not because of upsets in conference tourneys (bid thieves). small point I know.  Only Hobart will make it in from Liberty this year.

[stlawus]

Well there are some bid thieves like the SUNYAC.  I could have thought there were more than I originally believed, but there have been actual bid thieves.