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Commodore Notebook 11/7/2005 By Rod Williamson I’m still not over the Florida football game. It is a good thing that young minds recover faster than old ones. Time has done little to soften the affects of our 49-42 double-overtime defeat, although I plan to move forward after these brief remarks. Perhaps some of you didn’t expect to win in Gainesville but I can assure you that our team did. This isn’t your father’s Commodore football team in case you haven’t figured that out by now. A national television audience learned what we already knew. There is no quit in the Commodores. In my opinion, other teams might have thrown in the towel or softened in the fourth quarter but not the ‘Dores. This is also a team that refuses moral victories and if you could have glanced around the locker room minutes after the battle, you wouldn’t have to ask if it does. There are stark realities in football — you either win or you lose. It is a game that tests your character and resolve. It can also test your tact. I opined in this cyberspace earlier this fall that the official’s review system was a great thing for underdogs everywhere. No longer would an official get swept up by the emotions of a huge home crowd or a prohibitive favorite. They may still be swayed but the review would set most things straight. It now appears, painfully, that this isn’t going to be the case. To this Commodore partisan Saturday’s outcome didn’t seem fair. But there is nothing fair in major college football. It is a weekly survival of the fittest. And don’t waste any time looking for justice, at least not at a place they call the Swamp. Soccer Near Misses Dizzy Dean said they can’t beat you if they can’t score. Well, ole Diz never saw a soccer game. Our very good women’s soccer team has set a Southeastern Conference record with 15 shutouts this fall. Last week it topped Georgia, 2-0 in the quarter-finals of the Southeastern Conference tournament. However, in the memorable semi-final battle with top-seeded Tennessee, despite not allowing a Volunteer goal over two overtimes, the ‘Dores were eliminated in a shoot-off, 4-3. So while the game is officially ruled a tie, running our record to 16-3-2, we must now wait for the NCAA Tournament field that will be announced late Monday. The complete NCAA bracket will be available at www.ncaasports.com beginning Monday evening. The men’s team could have won the Missouri Valley Conference with a win over the tough Creighton Bluejays in Omaha Saturday but that was not to be. The Jays won, 1-0, sending Vanderbilt into a tie for third in the conference, still our best finish in this difficult league. The ‘Dores will play Eastern Illinois Wednesday in the opening round of the MVC Tournament in Peoria. Many Honors for Women’s Soccer In case you missed it, Ronnie Coveleskie Hill and goalkeeper Tyler Griffin earned major honors for their splendid performances this fall. Hill shared the SEC Coach of the Year award while Griffin became the first Commodore player ever to be honored as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Voting was conducted by conference coaches. Hill earned her first SEC Coach of the Year honor after leading Vanderbilt to an 8-2-1 mark in SEC play and the best overall record in the league at 16-3-2. Griffin, a junior, earned the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award, leading a Commodore defense that held SEC opponents to only six goals in 11 conference matches. The Commodores had four other team members honored. In addition to Griffin, junior Kim Perkins was named to the first team while two more juniors, Lea Lafield and Monica Buff were chosen on the second team. Jessica Lenze and Katie Schulz were named to the all-freshman team. It is difficult to look at our returning roster and not be very optimistic about next year. |
