SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer How much more physical is R3PL than HS soccer?

SCHSL is not on the same page as us until we see the elimination of PK's in regular season games and neutral sites used for state quarter-final and semi-final matches.

Eh, I was more thinking along the lines of player safety and at least semi-fair competition at the JV level as the more important concern, but if you want to throw in method of deciding regular-season matches, yeah, they're pretty steadfast.

Although...at the risk of sounding heretical in this company...

Just what IS so evil about "no match may end in a tie"?

(Here he goes, playing devil's advocate again)

When the "perceived" weaker of the two teams busts their arse for 80 minutes of regulation, plus ten minutes of OT, they deserve at least a point for their effort. I think most will agree that, for deciding tournament matches or finals, PK's are a rather cruel necessity that are not indicative of what really went down in the prior 90 minutes.

Very well stated, and I agree. I'm just coming off a U18 PMSL girls' championship match that we lost in PKs after a hard-fought 110 scoreless minutes; it's hard to lose that way, especially when you feel like you played every bit as well as the other team.

Of course, just to look at the other side objectively, it might be equally hard (and seem as unfair) to settle for a tie and equal points against a team that doesn't move the ball well and can't shoot for anything, but manages to bunker down and clog the goal for a scoreless match. In that circumstance, the tie isn't necessarily indicative of what went down the previous 90 either. Not arguing--I agree with what you said--just thinking out loud.

Put another way...and again, thinking out loud...

Team A has worked to develop a good defense AND a good offense.

Team B has put all their resources into a good defense, but has little to no offense.

Both defenses have done their job and held the match scoreless, but Team A has had more scoring opportunities, moved the ball, kept possession on their offensive side of the field, rung the posts and crossbar a couple of times, but has just not managed to thread the ball through B's defense into the net.

Team B is simply playing for the tie and has bunkered, choked the scoring lanes with numbers, and has barely possessed the ball past midfield, but has still managed to keep A out of the goal.

Are these two teams equal, and do they deserve equal points? Or do Team A's shooters deserve a chance to prove that A's offensive capabilities are better than B's for the win?

Oh, and Hurst...as you probably know, I usually AM that underdog team that would love to be recognized for stepping up with that extra effort, so I really do appreciate what you're saying...just trying to look at it from all sides.

Chass: And then imagine team "B" wins the PK-shootout...

the tie in soccer allows for the underdog to feel as if they won. many times a tie is a fair results. too bad schsl can only think football. thank goodness for club ball.

Chass,

As a rule, I almost always pull for the underdog. Give 'em their hard-earned point.