Thursday, September 13, 2012

Charlotte 49ers news, notes

Charlotte 49ers news and notes:

Men's soccer

-- Giuseppe Gentile is off to a slow start, with one goal in Charlotte's first six games. But it's not like he's not getting chances. In the 49ers' 3-2 double overtime victory Wednesday against South Carolina, Gentile had five shots, at least three of which he'd probably admit he should have scored on. But Gentile also had the assist on Donnie Smith's game-winning goal. Gentile has 23 shots this season, tied for the team lead with Smith. Gentile has also put 13 of those shots on frame, so he's coming close.


-- Here's how Charlotte is ranked in this week's national polls: Soccer America, 8th; NSCAA, 5th; College Soccer News, 4th; Top Drawer Soccer, 24th.

-- Interesting to hear coach Kevin Langan say that Wednesday that goalkeeper Klay Davis is the second-fastest player of the team behind Gentile.

-- The 49ers now play five straight on the road, starting with UNC Greensboro on Saturday, then Elon on Sept. 22, Central Florida on Sept. 26. They start Atlantic 10 play at Virginia Commonwealth on Oct. 5 and at Richmond on Oct. 7, before coming home to face Fordham on Oct. 12.

Remember, the A-10 tournament is at Transamerica Field Nov. 8-11.

-- Here's what Gamecocks coach Mark Berson said about playing the 49ers:

"They're truly one of the best teams in the country and one of the best we'll play this season. They have that ability to unbalance you. Their style is so direct, they're not going to build the ball. They just win it and put you back on your heels right away."

South Carolina's 2-3-1 record is deceiving. Charlotte was the fourth Top 25 team the Gamecocks have played. They beat No. 5 South Florida 1-0, losing to No. 15 St. John's 2-0 and tying No. 25 Northwestern 0-0.

Men's basketball

-- Ran into Chris Braswell on Wednesday. He said his broken foot is healed and he's been playing pickup games. He'll be ready to go when practice begins in October.

-- Also talked with Lenoir recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons about Charlotte's freshman class. He said forward Darion Clark is a "warrior, a real effort player" who will make the 49ers better immediately. Willie Clayton "was one of the best players in Georgia over the past few seasons." Denzel Ingram is a "true point guard who can shoot it and really understands how the game is played."

Football

--The 49ers are wrapping up three weeks' worth of conditioning drills and will have their first pads-and-helmets practice Sept. 21.

Volleyball

Charlotte is off to its fastest start since 2007 (coach Chris Redding's first season) and is host to the 49er Invitational this weekend. Charlotte (7-2) plays Kennesaw State at 7 p.m. Friday, then faces UNC Asheville at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and Towson at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Because of the Democratic National Convention taking up hotel rooms, this is Charlotte's first home action of the season. Charlotte has already broken a school record by winning its first 10 sets of the season (sweeping its first three opponents, then winning the opening seat against Clemson).

Bianca Rouse has passed the 1,000-kill mark for her career and is 12th on the school's all-time list.
A pleasant surprise has been senior setter Lily Vera, who is third in the Atlantic 10 with 11.91 assists. This is Vera's first season as a starter.  



19 comments:

Anonymous said...

GO NINERS!!!!

Mike Curry said...

Niners stink in EVERYTHING, but soccer! Just sayin'

Anonymous said...

you obviously don't follow Charlotte sports

Anonymous said...

Nah, he's a Walmart Tarhole and thus an expert on stink.

Anonymous said...

Have you seen the cheerleading squad? I thought Duke had ugly cheerleaders...Bawhahahaha!!

Anonymous said...

Mrs. Curry stinks in even more.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps Mike Curry will adopt another team after he returns to high school and finally earns a degree. Those high school dropouts seem to like UNC-chapel hill. Perhaps that's because they know they could ace some of those bogus courses they have in chapel hill.

Anonymous said...

So, does anyone want to watch a volleyball game with me at Obama Courts?

Bruce said...

UNCC still stinks in EVERYTHING, but soccer...commuter school...Bawhahahahaha!!!

Anonymous said...

Whar do Bruce, Mike Curry, and the athletes in Chapel Hill have in common?

None of them have ever attended a class in Chapel Hill.

Anonymous said...

Its Charlotte NC 49ers on highway 49 you nitwit or you can use
UNC-Charlotte 49ers (hyphen required) or the vastly superior more flowing easier to articulate correct UNCC 49ers.


Get it right next time punk !!!

Rose take a hike. Congrats on having some smelly, muddy, dirty filthy, nasty, unclean male jock strap fieldhouse named for you

ROFFLMFAO !!!!!!!!!!!!!! too much ... couldnt have turned out better had it been scripted ...

Anonymous said...

The only school in the UNC system is "UNC-CHapel Hill". UNC Charlotte, UNC Wilmington, UNC Greensboro, etc do not have commas. Anon 10:12 hit the nail on the head with the reference to the stupidity of all the tarheel fans who have never gone to college.

Anonymous said...

Commas? Some moron didnt get a GED apparently ...

Bruce said...

Im Gay!

Anonymous said...

Go Niners! Tarheels better watch out, UNC-Charlotte is going to take their recruits, and after getting beat up by Pittsburgh today the Tarheels should be very worried.

Anonymous said...

I understand some of these anti Charlotte comments are coming directly from within the Observer Sports Department. There must be a lot of hate toward the hometown team. Perhaps all those UNC-chapel hill (their correct name, including the hyphen) grads on the O's staff are upset over their recent humiliation.

I think "Bruce" was probably right when he said he was gay. I guess that means he did go to school there.

Anonymous said...

Bruce said...
Im Gay!

10:17 PM
_____

That's your business. I couldn't care less. I do think if you hate the Charlotte 49ers as much as you say in your comments, your time would be better invested in visiting the blogs of the schools you like.

Now, back to the business at hand...

SOCCER: Not being a big soccer follower, could someone who is tell me if we should be ashamed of tying UNCG, and if it should cost us a bunch of spots in the national rankings?

HOOPS: At least one of those professional recruiting reporters thinks we'll be better right away with Clark and Clayton.

FOOTBALL: Did anyone catch UNC Greenville's destruction of The Program Formerly Known As Southern Miss on Saturday? They looked awfully impressed with themselves. Given their history, they'll cancel that out with a loss to TOO-lane or Houston. I still think we could beat them right now with our 27 redshirt freshmen.

Anonymous said...

The tie at UNCG won't hurt much, if at all. Now tying or losing at Elon would be another matter.

Anonymous said...

Will Topdrawersoccer.com ever be legitimate in their rankings? To be that off in their soccer rankings compared to the rest of the pack should be embarrasing for them. Obviously, they are not UNCC fans or need better staff.