The Sweet Sixteen is where teams can really start to taste that College Cup appearance and, potentially, final matchup. It's also a brutal test of endurance and conditioning as there are only about 48 hours of rest between the second round and Sunday's games. Ultimately, for half the teams that punched their ticket for Sunday's matchups, that dream ended with the final whistle. There's not a lot of romance there, unless you're the advancing team.
But, in the spirit of Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas, this Sweet Sixteen's recap is romance movies. As always, teams are alphabetical!
Arkansas - Runaway Bride
Like Maggie Carpenter running away before she can get to the altar, the Razorbacks didn't quite make it to the ceremony. Arkansas had the season they wanted to have. They had the lead over Stanford. The Razorbacks just couldn't put the game away in penalty kicks, running into a locked-in Haley Craig. Arkansas couldn't manage three tough wins in a row, despite having the game where they wanted it. With a lethal offense and a mostly steady defense, Arkansas had it all until the stakes were high. This PK loss to Stanford will join the OT loss to Texas in the SEC Tournament as moments where Arkansas just couldn't put the game away.
Duke - Miss Congeniality
Duke is absolutely at the part in the movie where Gracie has mastered how to walk in heels and glide through the pageant. The Blue Devils haven't conceded a goal through the first three rounds and have scored at least two goals in every match. Duke is tough to break down and tougher still because of their ACC Tournament loss. Feisty, talented, and playing for their coach, Robbie Church, in his last season, the Blue Devils are here to make a statement. A key difference from the movie though: Duke won't be satisfied with first runner-up or Miss Congeniality.
Iowa - Set it Up
Unfortunately for Iowa, they're still setting it up and haven't quite been successful. It has been two successful years for Iowa without an Elite Eight berth to show for it. The Hawkeyes play smart. They have the ability to eek out wins and snowball the momentum into bigger wins...right up until they don't. The good news is Iowa advanced further this year than last year, building on their experience. The Hawkeyes demonstrated their ability to score but couldn't halt the Hokies with 11 minutes left. It's a tough way to go out, but Iowa will be back, armed with more experience.
Michigan St. - You've Got Mail
So maybe CollegeCup152 didn't turn out to be an Elite Eight berth, but Michigan St. still had an impressive run this season. The Spartans can score in bunches but are stingy on defense, making a game against them a sparring match. While that identity has brought them great success, it hasn't been enough to take them to the College Cup the past two years. So yes, like Kathleen, the Spartans will be figuring out their next moves this off-season. But they won't need help putting the college soccer scene on notice by asserting themselves, Michigan St. has already done that.
Minnesota - Falling Inn Love
Minnesota is going to turn that inn into something beautiful, the scaffolding is already there, but it won't be an Elite Eight performance just yet. The Gophers put together a deep run that had the misfortune of running into UNC. After knocking off a good South Carolina team, the offense couldn't find a way through the Tar Heels defense. Nor could the Gophers keep UNC off the scoresheet to prolong the game. Minnesota plays compact and doesn't need to score a ton to generate big wins. More often than not though, they match the level of their opponents but can't always find the final goal in those kind of shootout games. It was a good season with plenty to build on for the Gophers.
Mississippi St. - Two Weeks' Notice
If you watched the Bulldogs in the regular season, you witnessed as close-to-perfect soccer as you're going to find. And while Mississippi St.'s season ended right after George Wade yells at Lucy that it's boring being perfect and living with a saint, the four attendance records set this season can serve as a slight consolation prize. In truth, it's that connection to the Starkville community while also playing unforgiving, defensive soccer that contributed to 16 shutouts over the course of the season, that makes this a truly remarkable season for the Bulldogs.
North Carolina - The Notebook
A titan of the genre meets a titan of women's soccer. It was announced on Sunday that UNC had reached 150 NCAA tournament wins...the next closest school was at 83. North Carolina is a staple, even if they look a little different this year and haven't been quite as dominant. The Tar Heels have freshmen that look like fifth-year players and scoring from up and down the roster. They're also the only other team that has yet to concede a goal so far this tournament. While UNC can wait until the final seconds to score, they're always dangerous, working as a team to create the space they want to exploit.
Notre Dame - The Princess Bride
Sword fights, ROUS-es, and mentions of True Love, The Princess Bride has it all. Similarly, Notre Dame and their freshmen are putting the Elite Eight on notice that their youth might be their biggest advantage. The Fighting Irish took down number one seed Mississippi St. with a shutout-not easy to do. They cruised over their first two tournament opponents, including a tough Kentucky team. So far, they've navigated the fire swamp without falling into the quicksand. Only time, and their Elite Eight matchup, will show if Notre Dame's story ends with true love, or if it's all just "to blave/to bluff."
Ohio St. - 50 First Dates
Another year, another Ohio St. team that has promise but can't quite put the finishing touch on their season. This was an improvement over last year's 6-0 loss to Pitt, but the Buckeyes are going to want more, especially after spending all season (minus the first week) ranked in the top 25. At some point, Ohio St. is going to want more than just a slightly different experience at the NCAA tournament. Beating Auburn, who had beaten them in the regular season, was a step forward. But the Buckeyes will have wanted their offense to connect more and will have a big hole to fill as all-time leading goal-scorer Kailyn Dudukovich leaves the program.
Penn St. - Pride and Prejudice
There's a pedigree to the Nittany Lions as the only team to make the Sweet Sixteen the past eight years in a row. Now, Penn St. is in the Elite Eight after defeating an upstart Vanderbilt 3-1. More than any other team left, there's a sense that the Nittany Lions are navigating this tournament on their own terms, despite what an up-and-down regular season might say. They've advanced far enough that they might be "handsome enough to tempt [us]" into believing that there's still a lot left in the tank. This could end like Darcy's first proposal (horrifically) or it could end like the second (much more positive). Only time, and the Nittany Lions offense, can decide.
Southern California - When Harry Met Sally
USC's 3-1 win over Wisconsin is the most convincing the Trojans have looked since the first round. It's been a bit of a rocky road for USC, who have struggled to close out big games. Just like how Harry and Sally kept running into each other, the Trojans have found ways to win games and advance to the next round. As USC gets into their groove, it'll be easier to play off of their opponents instead of simply fighting through them. The Trojans are a good team that make it more complicated than it needs to be sometimes. As their confidence grows, they might have an easier time finding the back of the net.
Stanford - Sleepless in Seattle
Stanford is probably sleeping soundly after their penalty kick win, but Stanford fans likely aren't. There have been a lot of reaching the observation deck just seconds after the person you're supposed to meet has left, ie missed opportunities. Stanford reached the finals last year and has unfinished business this year. The past two matchups have been tough, but Stanford has found a way to win. The last time Stanford matched up with Notre Dame it was a 3-0 loss. Stanford's stolen two when they were in dire straights, so maybe it's not the perfect meeting, but they haven't missed a date yet.
Vanderbilt - How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
It feels mean to retitle that How to Lose a Game in 90 minutes, especially given how Vanderbilt knocked off reigning champions FSU. But, How to Lose a Guy is such a classic, feel-good movie that it's 100% not a knock to give the Commodores said film. It is, however, a reference to how Vanderbilt scored eight minutes into the game and then had Penn St. score three unanswered to end the Commodores underdog run. No matter what was thrown at Vanderbilt, they found a way to gut through it and gave the tournament one of its biggest upsets. Commodores, you'll always be famous.
Virginia Tech - While You Were Sleeping
While the Hokies certainly aren't sleeping, plenty of people were sleeping on them. Like Lucy in the movie, I suspect that as people watch Virginia Tech, they'll fall in love with them. As the lowest-seeded team remaining, the Hokies carry the hopes and dreams of anyone who roots for underdogs. It might make America both Peter and Jack, but the infectious and relentless energy of Virginia Tech makes them easy to root for. As their sense of belief continues to grow, it will be harder and harder to turn back the clock and send them home.
Wake Forest - Ten Things I Hate About You
I wouldn't call Wake Forest grungy, but I do think Kat Stratford would approve of the way the team plays. They're going to make the opposition work. Their wins can create a grand gesture worthy of singing in the middle of the bleachers. Teams might have an answer just for the Demon Deacons to figure out a way to win anyway. If this was an article about music, they would be the type of band Kat would go see. With plenty of spunk, Wake Forest can find space no matter how organized the opponents' defense is. On the opposite end, it's hard to find space in Wake Forest's defense, making them tough all around.
Wisconsin - The Wedding Planner
After beating Virginia in penalty kicks, Wisconsin had to feel good about their chances against a similarly exhausted USC. Instead, it was a 3-1 loss that ended the Badgers NCAA tournament run. This was a versatile Wisconsin team that preferred to rely on offense but could switch it up. Take for example holding the Cavaliers to no goals on five shots on net-all without registering a shot of their own. That lack of offense ultimately hurt the Badgers, as their defense couldn't singlehandedly keep them in the game. The Badger's flexibility is their greatest strength, but they'll need more consistency moving forward.
Comments