Lady Eagles fall to SMU 4-1

[jgb0607]

I wish they had managed a win or a closer game, but SMU is a soccer powerhouse.

Funny how they will play us in other sports, but not the one that matters most!

[GrandGreen]

UNT is apparently an awful road team. Overall disappointing season thus far based on expectations.

[greenbyx]

That hurts hate to lose to them in anything

[greenbyx]

Now I see why C-USA wants them!!

[res1dg16]

UNT is apparently an awful road team. Overall disappointing season thus far based on expectations.

Agree. It would be interesting to hear theories as to why their wheels have come off. On the other hand, this mid-season slump will be forgotten with 3 wins in the conference tournament. Then again, that's 3 more road games!

Edited October 23, 2003 by res1dg16

[CMJ]

It does seem they are easily intimidated/distracted on the road.

[jgb0607]

It does seem they are easily intimidated/distracted on the road.

I just don't get it! It's not like football where you have thousands of drunk rabid fans yelling at you all game long. There I can see some intimidation!

The field is the same size and you're playing with the same regulation ball. They need to man up(lol) and put it together on the road!

[NT80]

The field is the same size and you're playing with the same regulation ball. They need to man up(lol) and put it together on the road!

I think I read that college soccer fields can be different sizes. I believe UT's field is very wide, and some are long and narrow, allowing for different styles of defense and offense tailored to their field. Plus, the comfort factor of a home field always counts for something.

[res1dg16]

well if the midfield & defense don't get their act together, starting this week-end vs. ULL & USA, then they may not even make the tournament final.

[Reb UT '70]

Field size and layout is not set by the "laws of the game" of soccer. This gives every team a huge home advantage. All your muscle memory works against you. You know how much to put on the ball to send it to a given spot on the field. When you are under pressure you rely on reflexes and those don't work when the field is the worng size. One reason that UNT is such a bad road team is that we have choose to make our field the shortest narrowest possible. It gives us a great advantage at home, but kills us on the road.

[BudWiserMan]

There are regualtions to how long and wide a soccer field may be. They are from 100-120 yards long and 40-80 feet wide! Thats at least pretty close to the regualtions. Most HS use the minimum so it can be used as a soccer/football field. I havent seen too many college games played but they are more likely going to have a same size field as high school. And most pro teams have a large playing field. Its all up to the school.

Any team should be able to handle any type of field. If its a smaller field they need to learn how to adjust their runs and passes, shorter field, do the same thing. The easiest way to solve this problem is practice on a field that is close to the size you will be playing on! Simple as that.

It shouldnt be a matter of being on the road or playing on a larger/smaller field!

[jgb0607]

Different size fields!!????

That is ridiculous!

I can't believe I never knew that!

[greenbyx]

I never knew that either untill last year at the national championship games they said on ESPN that ford

field was more narrow that most fields so i guess there is some sort of home field advantage

[Reb UT '70]

For Bud and others

Link to FIFA Laws of the Game

The laws allow field length between 100 and 130 in length and 50-100 yards in width. International matches have to be between 110 and 120 long and 70-80 wide.

It is the width of the field that causes the most trouble. I think that they do try to adjust a little for field size in practice, but remember they play games on Friday and Sunday. They don't practice on Saturday, so they can only prepare for one field. In the case or our killer weekend in Wky and MUTS it was the Sunday game that got us. However, even a week's practice on a field doesn't do much when you're spending 20+ hours a week all year long on your own field. That is the home field advantage. In Europe they actually give a goal advantage for visiting teams in their Cup play.