Corner Kicks - By Pete Hill
Senior Pete Hill was a 2009 team captain and provided regular blog updates for SUathletics.com throughout the season.
NOVEMBER 3, 2009
Two games in 24 hours on Halloween weekend was the last time the seniors put on their Syracuse uniforms and laced up their cleats for a college game.
Up until this point in the season, all of the talk on the team had been about how disappointing the season was when expectations were so high. However, this weekend erased all of the frustration that had mounted all year, regardless of how the games ended up.
Mathematically it was impossible for our team to make the BIG EAST Tournament and NCAA Tournament, so there was talk about how difficult it must be to get motivated for games that don’t matter. However, if you were at the stadium Saturday and Sunday nights, you saw just how easy it was for us to go out and give our all.
Saturday night was Cincinnati. Win, lose, or draw, the only thing the seniors asked of the younger guys was to give their best effort and that’s exactly what they did. Competing as hard if not harder than we have all year, and finishing our chances, allowed us to win the first game of the weekend and come back from a 1-0 halftime deficit. Led by senior captain Hansen Woodruff’s two goals, the rest of the team worked hard to create chances and protect our lead. A great collective effort by each and every guy that stepped on the field gave us a big win that raised our morale going into the next game less than 24 hours later.
Sunday became a very important day for everyone, not just the seniors. This game against one of the best teams in the conference, on very little rest, would be very demanding on the team, especially with the injuries and illnesses we were battling. The most important aspect of the game was that it was the last game ever for the seniors, but also the game the returning players had to live with all winter and spring.
At the conclusion of the game, I was asked by multiple fans and reporters about how disappointing it was to end my career with a loss. But the way our team battled and supported one another, and the way we put together our most aggressive and impressive performance of soccer all year, was a great way to go out. I couldn’t be more proud to have played these final two games the way we did. Whether it was a senior or a freshman, everyone threw it all out on the line like everyone’s career was ending.
I definitely will not remember the score of my last game in a Syracuse uniform, but I will remember the final weekend of my career. I will always appreciate how every person stepped their game up to send the seniors out on a memorable performance, and how I could not have asked for a better group of guys to share my final year with.
I know that I will be proud to be a Syracuse soccer alum, and with guys like Ryan Jones, Dave Neumann, Mark Brode and Charles Schoening, (just to name a few), the program will be right back on track.
Thanks for following all year long!
-Pete
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OCTOBER 26, 2009
Following the final road trip of our 2009 campaign, the team has entered the final week of the season, and for the seniors, their careers at Syracuse. This means we have a couple practices and two games remaining.
Following the heartbreaking loss at DePaul, where we put together a solid performance, we are now mathematically eliminated from the BIG EAST Championship. As a result, in these last two games we are playing for pride and to try to spoil other teams’ seasons. We would have liked to get a win at DePaul to keep our chances of making the BIG EAST Tournament alive, as we come back home for our final two games, but that is no longer possible.
Some people may now see these last two games as being even harder to get mentally and physically prepared for, but the seniors will have no trouble getting ready for the last two games of our careers. Left on our schedule are two teams that we always have had good battles with in the past: St. Johns and Cincinnati.
Our younger guys have done such a good job for us all year, especially considering the roles we have asked them to fill due to important graduating players from last year and injuries. All we are asking of them now is to continue to play hard and work hard to help send the seniors out the right way, with a win on Senior Night.
I will update you all with how the final week of the season goes, and the feeling of playing my last career game at the SU Soccer Stadium.
-Pete
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OCTOBER 19, 2009
We are now down to the final few weeks of the soccer season and it has personally left me in a state of shock. I can not believe that I have less than a couple weeks left in my collegiate soccer career.
All of the seniors are wondering the same thing: “Where did the past four years go?” It’s a question that has been asked frequently. For me personally, I can still remember the exact feeling and the plays that happened in my very first career game, back in the fall of 2006 against Niagara. Not to sound cliché, but my freshman soccer season does feel like yesterday.
Everybody told me that college would go faster than I can imagine, but I never really bought into it. Now with four games left, I understand it. All of the hard work over the summers, all of the extra workouts, spring practices, and pre-seasons, comes down to four more games.
Up to this point, it has not been the season any of the seniors played out in their minds as the ideal way to end our careers, but we continue to work hard and enjoy every game, every practice, and the memories that are still being created each day, regardless of what the score may show after the final whistle. We are determined to try to turn our season around for these last four games and go out with some wins. Although it has not been a statistically strong season for us, we still can make the BIG EAST Tournament, which was a big goal of ours at the beginning of the season.
In these last four games there are teams on the schedule that we have had great battles with in the past few years and they are teams we know we can get positive results against if we play well. The motivation for our team right now is to put together solid performances, make the best out of the last few games that we will all play together, and leave it all out on the field. We all know that the memories created will be remembered far longer than the scores of individual games.
Be there Tuesday night when we take on Adelphi!
- Pete
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OCTOBER 12, 2009
HOME SWEET HOME! Whether our players and fans realize it or not, we are already down to our last six games of the regular season. This means all the hard work we have put into the program since the final whistle blew against Louisville, in our memorable come-from-behind win last Nov.1 will be drawn upon during the final stretch of the season.
In college soccer, it is very difficult to win a game on any given day, based on the level of competition, but it is even more difficult to win a game on the road. Fortunately for our team, five of our final six games are at home. As each game and each point becomes more and more important, we have the benefit of playing at home as we push to make a run at the postseason.
Not being in the position we would like to be in after the first two-thirds of the season, we know the top priority is to get back to basics and put together full games of good soccer, like we know we are capable of.
We need to string together a few wins and get back to good team defending and finishing our chances at the offensive end. The good news for us is that we can still control our fate in the conference. A few of the games left in the BIG EAST are not only at home, but are against teams that are near us in the conference standings. This means that each win we get could freeze our opponent in the standings and help us close the gap, and eventually jump ahead of teams.
Being able to get into our normal routine for a few weeks at home without all of the extra distractions and altered academic schedules that come from traveling, should benefit us during the long home stretch.
We have an opportunity to turn the season around during the final third of the season, starting Tuesday night when we take on New York rival Hartwick. Then it is back to BIG EAST play on Saturday as we take on nationally-ranked South Florida.
Keep coming out and showing your support for the team as we try and put together a winning streak.
- Pete
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OCTOBER 5, 2009
Last Thursday night our team got back on the road for our third to last road trip of the year. The destination this time was Rutgers. The team knew exactly what was at stake playing our first Red Division game of the season.
In the BIG EAST there are two separate divisions, Blue and Red. Six out of eight teams from each division make the BIG EAST Tournament. There is more importance in each division game because a win not only gives you three points, but it allows you to catch teams ahead of you by denying them points at the same time.
A gorgeous Friday night and perfect field conditions allowed for an ideal setting to take on the Scarlet Knights. Being in serious need of a BIG EAST win to build momentum going back home, we had to put together a solid performance for 90 minutes. That is exactly what we did.
A 3-0 win against a solid team like Rutgers gives us a little more confidence, and the three goals really broke the scoring slump we had fallen into. The scoring opened up with Tom (Perevegyencev) notching his fourth goal of the season on a great finish to the far post. Hansen Woodruff added to the lead in the first half as his shot slipped past the fingertips of the Rutgers goalie.
A halftime lead, along with our midfield and forwards keeping possession for our team, took a lot of pressure off our defense and goalie. With time winding down, Rutgers began to commit more people to their attack and Elliott Townsend was able to seal the game with his first career goal late in the half.
A nice statement game to get our team back on track made the long, late bus ride home much more enjoyable. This was the win we needed as we head home against another talented division rival in Villanova.
Come support our team Wednesday night as we look to start a winning streak!
- Pete
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SEPTEMBER 28, 2009
It’s Sunday night and we are currently all on the bus heading back to Syracuse from Connecticut. Our four-day road trip revolved around games Friday and Sunday at Providence and Connecticut, respectively.
It’s a long trip for the players, who have had to balance school work, soccer, relaxation, and taking care of their bodies all weekend. We will get home to Syracuse at approximately 2:30 a.m. Monday morning, but luckily because of the holiday (Yom Kippur) there are no classes Monday.
We drove to Providence Thursday afternoon, stopping to practice on the way, then getting to our hotel and eating dinner. After dinner we had a few hours of free time before our curfew and lights out. Waking up Friday morning for breakfast, the focus was on the game ahead of us. Providence always is a good hard-fought battle. Being a tough place to play, our team was on the wrong end of a 1-0 game. The guy who was trying everything he could to keep a shutout and get our team momentum, was Ryan Jones, who played unbelievably for us in the net. He denied Providence attackers on many opportunities that to give us a chance to win.
Moving hotels Friday evening and putting that game behind us, we changed our location and our mindset to focus on Connecticut. Saturday was spent recovering from the game the previous night. Pool recovery sessions for the guys who played a majority of the minutes, and a more technical practice to keep the other guys sharp, took up some of our Saturday afternoon. A great Saturday night dinner was prepared to give us all the energy we needed to hopefully get a good result at UConn.
Sunday morning started off with a team breakfast at 9:30 a.m. followed by a team meeting to discuss our game plan and schedule for the day. A cold, rainy day was in store for us as we prepared to leave for the stadium. Getting there early gave us ample time to examine the field and settle in before we had our pre-game meeting and start of warm- ups. An increasingly sloppy game as the time went on, due to the conditions and the women’s game played there earlier, made it tougher for us to execute our strategy. When the final whistle blew we had not finished the chances we created, and lost 2-0.
Continue to follow us as we look to change our season around starting this weekend at Rutgers!
- Pete
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2009
The season is in full swing as BIG EAST Conference play began this past weekend. Our weekend consisted of games against division cross-over opponents Seton Hall and Georgetown. Having barely missed the BIG EAST Championship the past few seasons, we are excited to try and make an impact this season.
Not having the luxury of playing these teams every year, we are less familiar with their players and their style of play. As a result, it took extra preparation by both our coaching staff and players.
Friday arrived and our team got together and had a great meal at a local Syracuse Italian restaurant. It was a perfect evening for a game with nothing but clear skies and a light breeze. In front of a great crowd we looked for a win in our BIG EAST home opener, but a few unlucky breaks put us on the losing end of a hard-fought game.
Knowing we had little time to recover from bruises and soreness before the Sunday game versus Georgetown, Saturday was a day of recovery and mental preparation of our next opponent.
The same game-day routine followed on Sunday. Keeping our pre-game preparation constant helps the team focus on the task ahead of us with minimal distraction. Sunday’s team meal was at another Italian restaurant in town.
Knowing that although there are several conference games, each game is seen as a must win due to the competitive nature of every team. Although we worked hard and created chances, we were unable to get our first win in conference play against Georgetown.
The team is excited to continue BIG EAST play at Providence and UConn and our focus is solely on soccer while traveling away from campus.
- Pete
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SEPTEMBER 14, 2009
Driving back to Syracuse after a disappointing week of soccer has left the team in silence, replaying the games in our heads.
Last Monday night we traveled to Colgate, a Central New York rival, to play another non-conference game. An intense battle back and forth left the score even at 0-0 at the half. One minute into the second half, Tom Perevegyencev buried a through ball into the net to give us an early second-half lead. Later in the half, Mark Brode turned and shot from the corner of the box over the goalie’s head for the goal and regulation ended in a 2-2 tie. In overtime an unfortunate hand ball was called in our box. Ryan Jones, who kept us in the game all night, made a great effort on the penalty kick, but was unable to come up with the save. It was not the way anyone wanted the game to end.
This weekend we stayed in Oneonta, playing in the Mayor’s Cup hosted by Hartwick College. Between it being the longest running tournament in the country, and that it’s the location of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, makes it a great tournament to participate in.
Our first game, against Loyola of Maryland, ended in disappointing fashion in double-overtime. A cross entered our box and as their forward tried to get out of the way, it deflected off his back into the net. Having played well, our guys tried to take what we could from the game and move forward. Great runs and unselfish plays by Manny Sevillano, Kevin Chan-Yu-Tin, and Hansen Woodruff created scoring chances for us. Unfortunately, the goalie made some big saves and we were unable to get on the scoreboard.
Sunday we played Bucknell University in the second round of the tournament. Knowing that we would be a little tired and sore coming off minimal rest, we tried to play simple and within ourselves. Not wanting to enter BIG EAST Conference games after a loss, it was an important game for us. Brien Chamney, Mawuena Agbossoumonde, and Kenny Caceros had good chances to get us the lead, but they were blocked by the goalie. Moving the ball well and taking it to Bucknell for the majority of the game, made this loss even more disappointing. With just two minutes left in a scoreless game, a deflected shot re-directed towards the top corner, past a diving Jones.
Not getting the results we would have liked up until this point, we all know that regardless of record, every BIG EAST team is 0-0 heading into this weekend’s conference games.
We look forward to seeing everyone at the SU Soccer Stadium against Seton Hall and Georgetown this weekend. Let’s add to the great crowd we had against Cornell!
- Pete
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SEPTEMBER 7, 2009
The first week of our 2009 season is over and our record is 1-1-0 after games at Binghamton and then at home against Cornell.
The first game of the season came on September 1st at Binghamton. Playing in front of over 2,000 fans created a great atmosphere for our first game of the season. However, it made it a tougher place to play in front of a historically successful team at home. The game started with a high level of intensity as it was the season opener for both squads.
It took about half of the first half for both teams to get into a rhythm and get the nervous touches out. Tom (Perevegyencev) opened the scoring on the season with a beautiful finish just below the crossbar, giving the goalie no chance. At halftime we had a one-goal lead. The second half was a different story. Early in the second half we gave up a goal to tie the game, but soon after, a great effort by Hansen (Woodruff) gave us back the lead. We were unable to hold our lead and came up one goal short in a 3-2 loss.
With no time to feel sorry for ourselves about the loss, we had to move on and get ready for our home opener against Cornell. Ever since our former assistant coach Jaro (Zawislan) took the head coaching job at Cornell, we knew this game was going to be even more important. Hansen’s goals off a header and a penalty kick, combined with our team battling on defense, proved to be too much for Cornell. Playing in front of over 1,400 wild fans gave us the motivation to play hard for 90 minutes. This large of a crowd created a difficult atmosphere for Cornell, and the fans assisted in our ability to win.
With only a day rest before our Monday night battle against Colgate, the team is trying to recover and prepare for another tough road match. I will update you all again with the results of a few more games!
Thanks again to the Colvin Street Elite for making your presence felt against Cornell!!!
- Pete
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AUGUST 31, 2009
The intense preseason has come to a close and the 2009 Syracuse men’s soccer team is within 24 hours of its season opener! This season starts off at Binghamton University on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 7PM!
The last couple of practices in the preseason had a focus on fine tuning how we want to play as a team, with our coaches adjusting formations based on personnel to maximize our potential to succeed. Every member of our team is looking forward to finally getting the season underway. For me personally, I am a senior so this is my last chance to try and take advantage of every opportunity we get to have our best season possible. The other six seniors have worked just as hard their past few years here, as well as this off season, to be the best players they can be.
Receiving better results in each successive scrimmage has given us a great feeling as we prepare to start the year. Our preseason exhibition games ended with a trip to Boston College. The five-hour bus trip there was spent watching movies, listening to music, and of course - sleeping. Arriving in Boston we ate at a great steak and seafood restaurant as a team before returning to the hotel to prepare for the game the next morning. We had a very promising showing in that game and it good performance to build on as we head into the season.
With classes starting today it has been a little distracting and a little chaotic due to the thousands of students returning to campus. No longer is the routine to practice hard and then just recover for the next practice. Now our new players have had multiple orientation meetings each day, which overloads their brains with things other than just soccer. But when time comes for practice it gives everyone a chance to focus solely on the sport we love playing.
Classes will add new challenges for players during the season. Many weekends during the year we are traveling for a game, which means we have to miss classes. Additionally, there are always players who have exams, projects, and papers that are due when we have games. It’s manageable, but it does make concentrating on soccer a little more of a challenge sometimes.
Wish us luck on our season opener and I will update you all soon with game results as well as how classes are going! Thanks for reading.
- Pete
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AUGUST 24, 2009
Hello to everyone out there in Orange Soccer Nation! I'm Pete Hill and I'm a senior from Pittsford, N.Y. This is the debut of my blog - Corner Kicks - which I hope you will all enjoy. My goal is to keep everyone updated on what's going on with the team from a player's point of view.
The much anticipated 2009 soccer season is officially underway as everyone reported for preseason on August 14. Team meetings and physicals took up the majority of the first day, which seemed even longer because everyone just wanted to get back on the field together for the first time since April. The first team meal was a great opportunity to catch up with the team and meet the new players. Coming off a very productive spring season, there is a lot of chatter about what can be accomplished this year.
