Round two, thank you for having stunning upsets and remarkably closer games than Round One. A boring Friday night would be a crime and luckily, the 32 teams squaring off for a place in the Sweet Sixteen agreed. A quick recap of the action is below and, since it's right around Thanksgiving, we'll make the review fun with the theme: what each team is bringing to Friendsgiving.
Quick note: once again, alphabetical for ease of locating your favorite team.
Arkansas - Gravy
You can't have a Friendsgiving without gravy and this year Arkansas is bringing it. The two-seed feels right, as the Razorbacks haven't dominated the conversation like say Duke has, but Arkansas is dangerous. They haven't conceded a goal yet and made quick work of Oklahoma St. before managing a one-goal victory over Cal. The Razorbacks are an essential part of the College Cup conversation thanks to their complete play and gravy is an essential "side" dish.
Auburn - Cornbread
Cornbread is a solid choice for a Friendsgiving but it's not going to fill up your plate and it's easily sacrificed so some of the more traditional staples. In the same way, Auburn put up a fight against Ohio St. but couldn't manage to pull off the upset. The Tigers put together a strong season starting with that 4-0 demolition of Clemson that kicked off an eight-game shutout streak. But the ending of the season was a disaster going 1-3-2 in their last six games including the first two NCAA rounds. Unfortunately for Auburn, it's a classic case of peaking at the wrong time.
California - Buffalo Chicken Dip
Buffalo Chicken Dip is an appetizer that can also feature as an after-the-main meal snack and the Golden Bears were certainly hoping to be the latter. However, after a double overtime win against Pepperdine, Cal couldn't find the magic to send Arkansas home early. It was a season powered by the offense, led by Karli Lema with 16 goals, and bolstered by a sense of belief that the Golden Bears could create magic when they needed it.
Colorado - Ice Cream
There's usually ice cream to go with the Thanksgiving pies, but there's also an expiration date on how long that ice cream will last out of the freezer. The Buffs had an up-and-down season best summarized by their opening day 3-2 loss to UNC where the game slipped away from them. Colorado came out on top against Georgia but couldn't muster the perfect game necessary to defeat Wake Forest. It was simply the melting point on a season that was good when it was good, but never quite managed to stretch those good times into something permanent.
Duke - Hosting
This is kinda Duke's world and we're all just living in it. The Blue Devils cruised to a comfortable victory over Texas Tech with a 3-0 shutout victory. The early ACC Tournament loss was just a wobble as Duke has yet to concede a goal this tournament. The strict defense hasn't been at the expense of offense if the 11 goals in two games are any indication. It's a party of the Blue Devils own design so far.
Florida St. - Something Came Up
FSU had every intention of making Friendsgiving, really, but something came up at the last minute and they had to pivot. Everyone knows that winning back-to-back championships is hard. It's impressive enough that FSU managed to win the ACC Championship, though they won't be satisfied with that or how this season ended. Florida St. wasn't invincible this year, but it was always going to be tough to recreate the undefeated magic of last season.
Georgetown - Apple Pie
It's an American staple and, similarly, you'd probably be surprised to see Georgetown missing from an NCAA women's soccer tournament. But, in that same vein, as good as they are, it's not a surprise to see the Hoyas bow out between the second and quarterfinal rounds. With a stalwart defense, and, this year, a high-octane offense, it looked like this might be the year. But the Big East Championship loss heralded that this was a Georgetown team with weaknesses and Iowa needed only one goal to send the Hoyas home.
Iowa - Buttered Corn
This might seem like a cop-out, but you do need a vegetable on your plate (or at least the potential of one) and corn pretty regularly fulfills that role. Iowa has been pretty steadily in the conversation for top teams in the nation. The Hawkeyes aren't flying under the radar but they aren't dominating the headlines. However, just like how it isn't really discussed that there will be corn at the function, there's always a version of corn present, Iowa doesn't need to be in the conversation to still be present in the Sweet Sixteen and beyond.
Kentucky - Spinach Dip
This is another team that was hoping to be more than an appetizer. Kentucky didn't have an answer for the Notre Dame offense in a 3-1 loss that ended their tournament. This was a year of cultivating belief and the mentality from this season will carry over into next season. The penalty kick win over West Virginia showcases how bought in the Wildcats are and they can only benefit from the experience, even though it ended earlier than Kentucky wanted.
Michigan St. - Pecan Pie
This is another one of those dishes that can be under or over-rated depending on personal opinion. It has to be at a Friendsgiving, but, it doesn't always get scraped clean. Michigan St. grinds out wins and has offensive firepower. However, the defensive strong suits of the team tend to stand out more as part of the tough-as-nails team identity. Don't let the five seed fool you, Michigan St. is not to be messed with and, win or lose, will challenge Duke.
Minnesota - Pineapple Pudding
It's not impossible to find pineapple pudding at a Friendsgiving, but it would be a little unexpected. And Minnesota isn't exactly a surprise edition to the Sweet Sixteen but you might be tempted to raise an eyebrow. The Gophers have a decent resume but their most recent 2-1 win is their biggest so far. Their reward is having to play the powerhouse that is UNC, another reason to give the Gophers a nontraditional Friendsgiving offering. They'll want to continue shaking up the bracket.
Mississippi St. - Sweet Potato Casserole
Mississippi St. plays silky smooth soccer with the perfect crunch. It's been a historic year for the Bulldogs, who just broke their attendance record for the fourth time this season. Defensively, Mississippi St. is as close to perfect as a team can get, allowing only two goals in SEC regular season play. They have yet to concede a goal in the NCAA tournament and tend to find the goals they need to win games. The Bulldogs are a complete package with a stunning regular season record.
North Carolina - Turkey
Look, someone has to bring the turkey to Thanksgiving, it's a staple. And what could be more of a staple than UNC advancing to the Sweet Sixteen? Sure, it took a late goal by Tessa Dellarose with less than a minute left, but, to probably stretch the metaphor too far, who doesn't stress about the turkey being ready in time? UNC finds ways to win and at this point in the season, that's just about all that matters.
Notre Dame - Mac and Cheese
I've said it before: this Notre Dame team is hard to dislike with the freshman duo and scoring fiends of Izzy Engle and Lily Joseph. It's an offense that's hard to stop, especially when it's had time to percolate. Just like a good mac and cheese, there's not just one element of Notre Dame that works, the whole team contributes and can switch up at a moment's notice. It's that perfect blend that has allowed this season to be so successful for the Fighting Irish.
Ohio St. - Cheese and Crackers
Easily shareable, versatile, and up to an individual's discretion on what kind of cheese is included, cheese and crackers are necessary for any good party. Like cheese and crackers, Ohio St. has been a staple of the college soccer rankings this season with their staying power coming from their collective team effort. The Buckeyes prefer to win by a comfortable margin and their losses are all tight affairs. Ohio St. has solid fundamentals and a team that when clicking is hard to stop because it's not an individual but the entire entity.
Penn St. - Cranberry Sauce
It's gotta be on the table and, in the same way, it feels like you have to have Penn St. in the NCAA tournament making a deep run. The 1-0 win over TCU felt more in line with how the season had been going, though their 8-0 opening win demonstrates that they do have offensive firepower. Penn St. brings a lot to the table, if they can pull it all together. Which, to their credit, so far so good. And while cranberry sauce isn't for everyone, Penn St. is certainly for the tournament.
Saint Louis - Chili
There was a whole lot of spice in SLU's 4-3 OT loss to USC. In addition to the heat, SLU's gutsy performance after losing Emily Puricelli showed their heart and ability to battle back no matter the circumstances. It was a performance where everything came together: freshman goalkeeper Nimu Karani played like a four-year veteran, Sophia Stram scored two goals in key moments, and the Billikens refused to die. It was a performance overflowing with heart and a game that no one wanted to see end.
Santa Clara - The Music
Santa Clara beat BYU 1-0 and pushed UNC to the final seconds of regulation making them a fun watch. The Broncos were dancing and despite heading home, teams will want their playlist for taking on tough competition. It's a team that worked by shaking other teams out of their game plan and forcing them to adjust. Shaking up the bracket, putting up a fight, dancing even when they maybe weren't supposed to be, Santa Clara will be missed, even if it's just for their entertainment value.
South Carolina - Hot Chocolate
A hot start against East Carolina cooled off in a 2-1 loss to Minnesota in the second round. That hot to cooling off was unfortunately a trend for the Gamecocks who could pull off the impressive win before tying their next game to prevent building on their own momentum. Take a 3-0 win over Mississippi St. in the SEC tournament immediately followed by a 1-0 loss to Texas in the Championship. Everyone loves hot chocolate, but it's better well, hot, and South Carolina could never manage to stay hot long enough to make waves.
Southern California - Apple Cider
Apple cider is good, and in season, but not all apple cider is equal and you have to be in the mood sometimes. USC is undoubtedly good, but the penalty kick loss in the Big Ten Tournament and the rollercoaster game against SLU have proven that they're far from perfect. There's a lot to like about this Trojans team that works incredibly hard for their goals. The problem is, that as talented as they are, USC needs a push to really play to their best ability. The Trojans are going to have to hope that they don't live to regret how late they wait to put games away sometimes.
Stanford - Mashed Potatoes
Another staple, it would be odd to see Stanford missing from the round of 32, even though this Stanford doesn't seem as formidable as past iterations. But, they're winning the games they need to win and they managed to weather a UConn team that's proven to be pesky. Coming back from down a goal is good for building confidence. Warning, there might be some lumps in these potatoes, despite advancing to the Sweet Sixteen.
TCU - Store Bought Cookies
TCU has the potential to cook and had the intention to cook but definitely hasn't been cooking in this tournament. The Frogs didn't look convincing in their 1-0 win over SFA and while they held Penn St. to one goal it wasn't enough for TCU to advance. It was a season where everything seemed to be going right until the 1-0 loss to Kansas in the Big 12 Soccer Championship and the high-flying mojo of the Frogs just never returned. It was a snag that, so late in the season, couldn't be adjusted for.
Texas - Fruit Salad
Fruit salad is good and people aren't usually going to say no, but, with so many other dishes, it's hard to stand out. Texas had a great tournament with six goals but ultimately couldn't get the one defensive stop they needed, falling 3-2 to Michigan St. There's not a lot that Texas needs to improve on, which is more frustrating than a tragic collapse. It just wasn't the Longhorns season, despite the goals. Texas wanted the answer to be score more (and I suppose it could have been if they had) but the game asked for stronger defense.
Texas Tech - Soda
Texas Tech spent the season prone to either an eruption of goals or coming out flat. Despite the 2-1 win over LSU, their time was up by the time they played Duke, who shut them out 3-0. It was a tough ask from the start and a Big 12 loss to Kansas might have hinted at troubled times for Texas Tech. For what it's worth, the shutout was only the fourth time all season the Red Raiders have been shutout.
UCLA - Flowers
The Bruins really tried to put something together for Friendsgiving, but it didn't quite work out, so they brought flowers instead. It was a good run for UCLA, winning the Big Ten Tournament, but Virginia Tech capitalized on two quick goals to hold the Bruins off from advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. Despite having 14 shots, the Bruins only managed to get six on goal and scored just one goal to seal their fate. It was a season where things worked for the Bruins right up until they didn't.
UConn - Sparkling Grape Juice
You forget how good sparkling grape juice is until someone unexpectedly has some. UConn has that same crisp, bubbly energy around them. The Huskies won the Big East Tournament and then put the college scene on notice with a gutsy win over Rutgers and scoring first against Stanford even though they ultimately couldn't hold on. UConn brought grit and a reminder of how much fun it is to watch a team play with chemistry and belief. And, just like how usually you graduate from sparkling grape juice to something stronger, I think the Huskies will be back in the tournament, thankful for the two rounds of experience.
Vanderbilt - Green Bean Casserole
It's controversial, people love it or hate it, and it's not always on the menu. Vanderbilt managed to knock off the defending champions in a wild 3-3 draw that went to penalty kicks. The offense is rolling, confidence is sky-high, and Vanderbilt is making a statement that they should have been taken more seriously at the start of this tournament. It's not exactly house money they're playing with but they are the lowest seed left in the tournament.
Virginia - Salad
It's been a mix of everything this season for Virginia: strong wins, losing streaks at inopportune times, and an inability to tie. The offense can score but goes quiet at moments, which is what happened against Wisconsin and ultimately led to the Cavaliers' exit from the tournament. It was a mixed bag all season long and Virginia was certainly hoping for more consistency in the tournament to extend their season. The elements were all there for a deep run but it never gelled.
Virginia Tech - Rolls
The Hokies weren't really sure they were going to be able to make it, so they didn't have time to cook. Virginia Tech has faced two good teams so far in Tennessee and UCLA and come out on top in back-to-back 2-1 victories. Versatile, taking care of business, and matching up well with their opponents, Virginia Tech is on a roll. The level of competition in their first two games is only going to help the Hokies make a deep run.
Washington - Stuffing
Stuffing really depends on the recipe and ingredients and the strength of the Washington team is kinda the same. After taking Utah St. to a penalty shootout the Huskies ultimately won, Washington fell to Mississippi St. 1-0. It's impressive, especially if you saw their Big Ten Tournament performance against UCLA where there didn't seem to be much in the tank. Washington changed up their recipe and put together two tough performances, ultimately coming up just a little short.
Wake Forest - Pumpkin Pie
This is another holiday staple, and, Thanksgiving time is really pumpkin pie time to shine. Which, this NCAA tournament is the perfect time for Wake Forest to add some whipped cream to an incredible season. It hasn't been perfect, but the Deacs have made a name for themselves this year by felling giants in impressive fashion. Wake Forest is going to want desperately to capture the moment and cap off their impressive year with a deep run. Which is complicated by their high ranking-how do you slay a giant if you are the giant?
Wisconsin - Party/Funeral Potatoes
Not to be confused with mashed potatoes, party potatoes dress up potatoes with cheese and cornflakes. Similarly, Wisconsin has dressed up their NCAA tournament with a penalty kick win over Virginia. There's just a little something extra to this tournament Wisconsin team and they're certainly adding entertainment. The Badgers have a strong soccer history (Rose Lavelle was a Badger) but I don't think many people had them favored over a Virginia team that has pulled out the wins when they need to. It's a case of everything melting together at the right time.
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