A&M's stay in Pensacola begins with must-win match against Georgia
Do-or-die in Florida for the Ags.
On Sunday, Texas A&M will travel to Pensacola for the first round of the 2024 SEC Soccer Tournament. The Aggies (8-8-2, 3-5-2) face Georgia (7-5-6, 3-3-4) in a must-win match.
The first-round game is set to kick at 11:30 A.M. CT.
“I think having a fresh opponent is a good thing,” head coach G Guerrieri said on Monday. “One of the things that I think from a coaching standpoint that's really unique about our particular league is it's an interesting chemistry set that is the SEC. Every single game, you can't just go in and say, ‘OK, well, this is who we are. We're not gonna change who we are for this particular opponent.’ Because every game really is so different.”
Last week's scoreless draw with No. 5 Arkansas and 2-0 loss to No. 2 Mississippi State allowed the Aggies to jump 21 spots in the RPI, moving from No. 66 to No. 45.
Now on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament, A&M must meet another qualifier.
“The first game is absolutely critical,” Guerrieri said. “Because if we don't win, if we lose that first game, then we fall below the high water mark (.500), and we're automatically out. If we go into penalty kicks, then that would be a draw, and if we advance, we would advance the next one again at .500, having to win.”
There are a few ways Sunday’s match can go for the Aggies.
A win would advance to the second round, improve their overall record to over .500 and help immensely for NCAA consideration.
A loss would eliminate them from the SEC tournament, put them under .500 and out of NCAA consideration.
A 90-minute draw and a subsequent loss in extra time or penalty kicks would keep their overall record the same, thus left to a selection committee to determine their NCAA fate.
“We've [had] our backs up against the wall for a while now,” Guerrieri said. “We've been on this high wire for a while, so we're kind of used to the heights. Walking that tightrope has been something that they're kind of used to.
“Now, can we learn the lessons from those games to be able to finish off these games? These next games are going to be the big test.”
Both A&M and Georgia have faced similar seasons with close records and comparable opponents.
Both teams faced Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Texas and Auburn. They each lost to Texas and Mississippi State. The difference is that A&M beat Auburn, while Georgia won over Vanderbilt and tied Oklahoma.
Along with this, A&M acquired a total of 28 goals compared to the Bulldogs’ 30.
However, the Aggies have taken more shots (302-246) and allowed more goals from opponents (23-18).
The Bulldogs are led by Margie Detrizio, who has accumulated eight goals and two assists.
“Every team has a different type of strength and a different type of maybe Achilles heel that you can go after,” Guerrieri said. “So you've got to come up with a little bit different formula to who you're going to go after and how you're going to adjust the strengths that you have. So it makes for kind of a fun week.”
The Maroon & White began the week focusing on honing their skills. Practicing their execution in the final 30 yards was a major point, according to Guerrieri.
With an SEC season full of ups and downs, one can only hope the Aggies have learned from their mistakes and grown as a team. With a healthy roster and players back to their usual positions, they will hopefully show improvement.
The one thing that has remained unfaltering, though, is their evident chemistry.
“If you don't have good chemistry within your team, then you don't have a team,” Guerrieri said. “And chemistry can be something that kills a team. If you look at teams like ours and you look at programs like ours and the success that our program has had over the years, chemistry is a great healing force and something that can help you to take you to the next step.”