Go WEST young man (and NORTH)

[Kuiper]

If you're a Trinity fan, it's not terribly encouraging that your keeper only faced one shot on goal and couldn't preserve the clean sheet.  And it was the kid that played 13 games combined at B-SC and Spring Hill in goal.

It is encouraging that the defense held a quality team to one SOG despite the losses to graduation.

Speaking of the defense, did you happen to hear why Luke Mayfield wasn't playing?  He was one of the defenders I thought they would count on this season.  Is he injured?

[Ron Boerger]

I haven't heard anything (and was not able to be at the match).

[Kuiper]

UC Santa Cruz 3 - Willamette 0

UC Santa Cruz is a solid team, but this is not the Willamette team of a few years ago.  Santa Cruz outshot Willamette 14-3, including 8-2 in shots on goal.  In the first half, UCSC only had a 1-0 lead (after scoring an early goal in the 12th minute), but it had 10 shots to 1 for Willamette.  I didn't watch the whole game, but I just couldn't see where Willamette's goals were going to come from this season.

Chapman 2 - DePauw 2

After losing a game Friday to Wheaton 4-2, Chapman probably was relieved that it had won this game, breaking a 1-1 tie (off a penalty kick for each team) in the 88th minute on a drive down the sideline by Oliver Adams resulting in a cross to Evan White, who finished at the near post.  Alas, it was not be as Chapman conceded the equalizer less than 90 seconds later on a crazy sequence in which Alex Glynn blocked a shot and blocked the a header off the crossbar that DePauw was able to head into the goal. 

La Verne 0 Pacific 0

ULV has to be disappointed with not coming out with all three points in this game after outshooting Pacific 13-3, including 7-3 on goal, and having 9 corners to 0 for Pacific.

Puget Sound 4 Evergreen State (NAIA) 0

Puget Sound came out flying in this game against a weak NAIA side (3-12-1 in 2024), scoring in the 3rd and 5th minutes.  And just in case Evergreen State still thought they had a chance, they came out flying again after halftime, scoring goals in the 62nd and 68th minutes to put the game fully out of reach.

[Kuiper]

Wheaton (IL) 2 - Colorado College 1 with 16 minutes left in the first half

I think Colorado College must have accidentally mistaken Wheaton (IL) for Wheaton (MA) at some point and Wheaton (IL) is bearing a grudge because on the video feed, Wheaton identifies the opponent as Colorado, but uses the logo for Chapman.  I guess any old team from Region X with a "C" name will do, huh?  Wheaton just scored on a decent free kick that the Colorado GK dove to his left to block, but failed to parry it away and a Wheaton player got on top off and shot it to the roof of the goal.

Update:  Colorado College scored the equalizer late in the game to tie it 2-2.  I don't think CC is as strong as they were last season, but Wheaton is pretty decent too.  It would be nice if this historic program was back in the national conversation.

[Kuiper]

Occidental 1 - MIT 0 in the 18th minute

Sometimes you just have to pass the ball into the box and sometimes you have to make the run just in case.  Oxy player puts in a bouncing ball into the box from the left side and it goes under the MIT defenders foot and gets to Elijah Edelman who was running to the back post and takes the gift and slams it home for an Oxy goal.

UPDATE:  Oxy 2 - MIT 0 in the 29th minute.

Another MIT mistake leads to an Oxy goal.  Oxy pressure led the MIT right back to poorly pass back to the MIT GK (perhaps the first time I've seen that all day) and Oxy's striker was smartly coordinating the press and stole the ball from the GK outside his box.  Oxy Aiden Aley shoots it quickly before MIT defenders could get back and cover the goal

UPDATE:  Oxy 2 - MIT 0 at the half

Game is pretty equal in terms of chances, but MIT mistakes and Oxy clinical finishes off those mistakes are the difference.  Oxy actually gave MIT a chance on a mistake late in the half when the Oxy defender inexplicably lofted a ball sidewise to his GK near the 6 yard box that the GK smartly headed down and then cleared (or maybe it wasn't a mistake?  I know players cocky enough to try something like that in the box, but my guess is this was not one of those players and Coach Lafaurie was not amused).

UPDATE:  Oxy 3 - MIT 0 in the 68th minute

Aiden Reike-Wey scores on a feed from Edelman

FINAL:  Oxy 3 - MIT 0

[BTXCru18]

The ASC is down to only 4 teams this season, although it adds teams next year.  Still, a preseason poll seems a little silly, especially when the two top teams tie (Hardin-Simmons and Mary Hardin-Baylor) and 3 of the 4 get first place votes.  It looks odd to have 8 first place votes with 4 teams too, but this is a poll of both coaches and sports information directors.   Someone should have given Howard Payne a pity first place vote though.  Who cares if they were 0-15-4 last season?  Everyone should get an award in the ASC this season.

Nevertheless, they do the poll and vote for a whole bunch of player awards while they do it

2025 ASC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
Rank    Team (1st votes)    Pts.    2024 Record (ASC)
1.    Hardin-Simmons (4)    26    12-6-2 (6-2)
1.    Mary Hardin-Baylor (3)    26    10-6-3 (7-0-1)
3.    East Texas Baptist (1)    19    8-10-1 (3-4-1)
4.    Howard Payne    9    0-15-4 (0-7-1)

2025 ASC Preseason Players of the Year
Offense: Junior Lopez, MF, So., East Texas Baptist
Defense: Dylan Vadnais, D, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
 
2025 ASC Men's Soccer Players to Watch
Name    Pos.    Cl.    Team    Hometown
Deaven Connelly *    D    Sr.    Howard Payne    Burleson, Texas
Dylan Garcia *    F    Jr.    East Texas Baptist    Clovis, Calif.
Jerron Garcia    CM    Jr.    Hardin-Simmons    Midland, Texas
Junior Lopez * O    MF    So.    East Texas Baptist    Lufkin, Texas
Ryan Lord * DF    GK    So.    East Texas Baptist    Fate, Texas
Karsen Macias *    F    Sr.    Mary Hardin-Baylor    Arlington, Texas
Ethan Mauldin *    F    Sr.    Howard Payne    Weatherford, Texas
Aston Riedel *    D    Sr.    Howard Payne    Rosenburg, Texas
Dylan Vadnais *    D    Jr.    Mary Hardin-Baylor    Comfort, Texas
Daniel Villagomez *    CM    So.    Hardin-Simmons    Waco, Texas
James Webb *    F    So.    Hardin-Simmons    Waco, Texas
 
2024 All-ASC Selection *
2024 ASC Offensive Player of the Year O
2024 ASC Defensive Freshman of the Year DF

Admittedly forgot all about this board since the end of last season... But excited for another season watching Region X/Texas D3 soccer!

I think this season could be VERY intriguing for NPI considerations given the departure of Trinity and Southwestern to the SAA(SoS+ with Oglethorpe, Rhodes), the thin nature of the ASC and the numerous midweek non-conference games throughout the entirety of the regular season rather than just pre-conference schedule. UMHB @ CC & Whitman in Colorado Springs this week, @ Rhodes, @ Belhaven, @ Trinity 2nd to last game of the season. Hitting up many other conferences for non-conference games this year rather predominately the SCAC. HSU facing CNU also a boost to OOWP if that is even still factored into the ever changing dials of NPI.

ASC Weekend Recap
UMHB goes 2-0 beating Schreiner 3-1 on Friday and TLU 2-1 on Saturday, both moved places and times to the turf at Belton HS due to rain. Check out the game winning goal vs. TLU from sophomore returner Aidan Aguilera.

HSU goes 1-1 falling @ TLU 2-0 Friday and beating Schreiner 4-0 Saturday night in Belton.

ETBU hammered U of Dallas 7-0 Friday and is currently tied 1-1 vs. Ozarks with 15' left in the 1H.
Update: ETBU takes the lead 2-1 in the 74'.
Full-time: ETBU takes the win 2-1.

HPU continued their rough go of things losing 2-1 @ Ozarks Friday and plays Austin College in Sherman this evening at 5:30.
Update: Lost 2-0 in Sherman. 0-2 to start the season.

[Kuiper]

Redlands 1 - Swarthmore 0 54th minute

Fantastic sequence leading to a top-flight goal.  Beckton takes on three men on a breakaway, but instead of getting selfish, he drags them right and is patient, allowing a pass to Darmnayan who one-touch pass to Connor Claborn for a strong shot from the top of the box that beat the Swat goalkeeper.  I think Swarthmore was more on the front foot in the first half, but Redlands has turned the tables this half.

UPDATE:  Redlands 1 - Swarthmore 1

Swat's Eyiolowope scores in the 68th minute.  He's a handful for the Redlands defenders.  I'm not sure why Swat doesn't play him more.  He's not exactly their style of player, but he can be effective in these types of games.

UPDATE:  Swarthmore 2 - Redlands 1

Swat's Len Yamabe scores the potential game-winner in the 83rd minute

FINAL:  Swarthmore 2 - Redlands 1

Hard-fought match.  Some beautiful plays and some scrappy plays.

[CarefreeTX]

If you're a Trinity fan, it's not terribly encouraging that your keeper only faced one shot on goal and couldn't preserve the clean sheet.  And it was the kid that played 13 games combined at B-SC and Spring Hill in goal.

It is encouraging that the defense held a quality team to one SOG despite the losses to graduation.

Speaking of the defense, did you happen to hear why Luke Mayfield wasn't playing?  He was one of the defenders I thought they would count on this season.  Is he injured?

Injured currently but should be back by week 2 or 3

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity 2 StThomas 0 24' (on 2 SOG) but in a rain delay for over half an hour now.

[Kuiper]

Trinity 2 StThomas 0 24' (on 2 SOG) but in a rain delay for over half an hour now.

Do you think that's going to delay the CMS-Southwestern game as well in Georgetown, TX?

[Kuiper]

Trinity 2 StThomas 0 24' (on 2 SOG) but in a rain delay for over half an hour now.

Am I reading the LiveStats correctly that one of the St. Thomas players get a red card in the 5th minute?  That was quick, even by St. Thomas-Trinity game standards.

[Kuiper]

Southwestern 1 - CMS 0

The stream is down (there may be rain interfering with the signal), but according to the LiveStats Southwestern's Quinn McLeod scored on a feed from Greyson Pinto in the 19th minute to take the lead.

UPDATE:  Southwestern 1 - CMS 1

John Laidlaw ties it up for CMS in the 29th minute