2008 Woodie Awards
Women's soccer bewildered
By Matt Matusek
Rocket Staff Writer
Issue date: 11/11/05 Section: Sports
Despite the Slippery Rock University women's soccer team's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship win and a 13-5-3 overall record, the Rock was not awarded an NCAA playoff bid by the committee Monday.
"We definitely should have got an NCAA bid, we were robbed," freshman standout Jen McCormick said.
Instead, West Chester University (18-1-2), who lost in the semi-finals to Kutztown, was the only PSAC team given an NCAA birth. The Golden Rams also claimed the No. 1 seed in the tournament for the Northeast Region and will play defending regional champion Adelphi, the No. 4 team in the tournament this year. West Chester beat SRU, 1-0 during the regular season.
"I understand why West Chester is the No. 1 seed in the playoffs but I really felt that winning the PSAC championship should have got us at least a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament," coach Noreen Herlihy said.
This is the first year the winner of the PSAC playoffs was not given a birth to the NCAA playoffs since 1995, when the field only included eight teams. The tournament now includes 32 teams.
"I'm just disappointed that the seniors on our team didn't get a chance to go to the NCAA playoffs," Meghan McGrath said. "We didn't get the respect that we deserved. But we still went out on top."
The team thought it had a bid for sure after coming seemingly out of nowhere to take the PSAC championship.
"I just don't understand," senior Julie Kirwan said. "I'm in shock and I'm disappointed. We were getting better and we would have been tough to beat in the playoffs. I just hope the team gets there again next year."
Last year, West Chester received an NCAA bid with a record of 11-7-2 after losing in the opening round of the PSAC playoffs. Slippery Rock, on the other hand, was not awarded a bid after having a record of 13-3-2 and losing in the semifinals of the PSAC playoffs.
"Why was it one way last year and another way this year?" coach Herlihy said. "I just want to know what changed, why the selection committee felt like we did not deserve to be in the playoffs after winning the PSAC championship. It feels like we're never on the right side."
The team said it will no doubt use the no-selection by the NCAA committee as motivation to get to the playoffs next year.
"Everyone is obviously disappointed because nobody saw it coming," Herlihy said. "But all we can do is take care of what we need to take care of and work that much harder and get stronger than ever. It's a shame for the girls. They deserved it."
"We definitely should have got an NCAA bid, we were robbed," freshman standout Jen McCormick said.
Instead, West Chester University (18-1-2), who lost in the semi-finals to Kutztown, was the only PSAC team given an NCAA birth. The Golden Rams also claimed the No. 1 seed in the tournament for the Northeast Region and will play defending regional champion Adelphi, the No. 4 team in the tournament this year. West Chester beat SRU, 1-0 during the regular season.
"I understand why West Chester is the No. 1 seed in the playoffs but I really felt that winning the PSAC championship should have got us at least a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament," coach Noreen Herlihy said.
This is the first year the winner of the PSAC playoffs was not given a birth to the NCAA playoffs since 1995, when the field only included eight teams. The tournament now includes 32 teams.
"I'm just disappointed that the seniors on our team didn't get a chance to go to the NCAA playoffs," Meghan McGrath said. "We didn't get the respect that we deserved. But we still went out on top."
The team thought it had a bid for sure after coming seemingly out of nowhere to take the PSAC championship.
"I just don't understand," senior Julie Kirwan said. "I'm in shock and I'm disappointed. We were getting better and we would have been tough to beat in the playoffs. I just hope the team gets there again next year."
Last year, West Chester received an NCAA bid with a record of 11-7-2 after losing in the opening round of the PSAC playoffs. Slippery Rock, on the other hand, was not awarded a bid after having a record of 13-3-2 and losing in the semifinals of the PSAC playoffs.
"Why was it one way last year and another way this year?" coach Herlihy said. "I just want to know what changed, why the selection committee felt like we did not deserve to be in the playoffs after winning the PSAC championship. It feels like we're never on the right side."
The team said it will no doubt use the no-selection by the NCAA committee as motivation to get to the playoffs next year.
"Everyone is obviously disappointed because nobody saw it coming," Herlihy said. "But all we can do is take care of what we need to take care of and work that much harder and get stronger than ever. It's a shame for the girls. They deserved it."
