Critical games for ND soccer/new coaches today and tomorrow

ND Women are only 4-4 as they start ACC league play at Louisville tonite who are 7-1 so far with wins at Michigan, Kentucky, and at Pittsburgh and only loss at Purdue by 1 where the Purdue goalie made 6 saves. There are only 2 ACC teams that had worse preseason records than us (Cuse: 3-5 & Miami: 3-3-2). 5 ACC teams are ranked top 16 (#4 UVA, #5 NC, #7 FSU, #12 Duke, #16 NC State) while Louisville, BC (8-0) and Wake are all getting votes. I can't remember the last time ND didn't even get a ranking vote.

If things don't change this may be the first year since 1992 that the ND women won't make the NCAAs. Last year 8 ACC teams made it (including ND). This year ND's RPI is currently 79 behind 9 ACC teams which include 8 who have RPIs 33 or better. The other is Clemson who also made the NCAAs last year at 61. Louisville didn't make the NCAAs last year so it is critical ND wins tonite or truly the season may be lost. We have the talent but the new coach needs to get the team to play together like it should and win a tough game away from home. It needs to start tonite.

As for the men, they have more margin but that 1-0 loss to MSU at home Monday was tough. They are 3-2-1 but both losses were to top 5 teams with very late goals (Iu in OT & MSU (88.20), although both were at home. The tie to Saint Louis also was a late goal at home (89.44) which ND needs to fix controlling the end of the matches. Still beating a #3 ranked North Carolina team at home tomorrow night would be a the first signature win for the new ND men's coach.

Both games are on TV (ACC Network Xtra/ESPN3).