florida disappointment

The first game separates the winners bracket from the losers bracket. Losing in the first round bites. It means you cannot achieve anything greater than 5th place, and that’s if you win out. After we lost to Dallas Baptist 2-0 in our first game of the NCCAA tournament, 5th place became our 1st place. Next we had to play Judson for our fourth time this season, a drag, beating them 1-0. We went on to tie Palm Beach Atlantic, with probably our worst performance this season, but we earned the 5th place title after winning a shootout. It was the most melodramatic shootout I have ever been a part of. Its hard to play a game like that when it doesn‘t really mean anything, instead its just a consolation game. Coach tried to inspire us for our last game with things like:
It’s the last game for the seniors
We could achieve 20 wins
It will set the tone for off-season training

If I was a senior I would like to go out with a little more dignity. Losing to Dallas Baptist was not humiliating. Maybe on the surface because we were the #1 seed and they were the #8 seed, but it was a well played game. It was a good game to end on and even though it was a loss it shouldn’t affect how we would train this Spring. Instead we ended on a lackluster tie and then a less-than-redeeming shootout win, which didn’t give us the 20-game winning season that we had hoped for.
My eyes are set on the NAIA next year. NCCAA Tournament Director Furey hoped that he would see us again and I said, “No thanks, but maybe we’ll stop by to say hello when we are in Daytona.”


I’m going home for THANKSGIVING! I think. I’m in the airport right now wasting time and waiting to find out if there’s a seat number with my name on it when flight 23 boards at 2:52 pm. If all goes as planned I will be in Washington until Friday.