The best season ever for Tacoma Tide FC came to an end on Sunday night July 27th in Fresno California as the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency throttled TFC 4-1.
Tacoma could only muster a stoppage time goal by Spencer Schomaker. Meanwhile the Whitecaps scored one goal just before the half and three more over a stretch of the second to move on to the PDL Final Four in their first-ever season.
Vancouver will play the Thunder Bay Chill next weekend in Ontario for a berth in the PDL Final.
Tacoma will have to be content with going a step further than last year by winning a playoff match, and a step further in the regular season by winning their first-ever division crown.
Tacoma's Ruben Orozco grimaces at the ball last night in Fresno. (Fresno Bee photo)
Last year's 4-1 playoff overtime loss to the Fresno Fuego has been avenged as Tacoma Tide FC returned to the same pitch and knocked Fresno out of the tournament with a 3-0 victory.
Tacoma got goals from Dan Scott, Spencer Schomaker and Chase Tangney to complete the biggest win to date in team history.
Scott's 19th minute header off of a throw-in put TFC up 1-0 at the half. Fresno came out pushing in the second half and the Tide defense was challenged. TFC goalkeeper Jordan Jennings was called upon to make several fine saves.
The Tide got their needed cushion in the 77th minute when red-hot striker Spencer Schomaker finished up after some nice touches to make it 2-0.
The Fuego pushed everyone up, but in stoppage time it was the Tide who would score again, this time on a counter attack that ended on the boot of Chase Tangney.
The Tide wrapped up their first playoff win exactly one week after earning their first division title.
The Conference Final between the Tide and the Whitecaps will be played tonight in Fresno at 7:30 PM. The winner advances to the Premier Development League Final Four!
GOALTacoma.com hopes to have updates of tonight's Final in progress.
Tacoma Tide FC forward Spencer Schomaker (Syracuse University) has had a great week. He scored three goals and added two assists to lead the Tide to their first-ever division title in their 6-2 win over Yakima on July 19th.
The Fresno Fuego front office will be using the USL "Match Tracker" to keep fans up to date onthe Western Conference PDL playoff matches as they happen. (Click link then scroll down to July 26 and Tide v. Fuego. Click binoculars icon to activate Match Tracker.)
The Tide have posted a highlight reel from their 6-2 win over Yakima Reds:
Tacoma plays Friday night at 7:30 in Fresno against the Fresno Fuego in the opening match of the regional PDL playoffs. The winner of that match advances to the regional final on Sunday.
Disclaimer:I am not a member of the Tacoma Tide, just a fan.
Bummer. The SFV Quakes did their part and beat the Fresno Fuego Sunday night, but a monumental collapse by the San Francisco Seals gave the Fuego the last berth, and 'hosting rights,' anyway. The Seals went into the weekend with a chance to win the division and instead lost both matches to miss the playoffs entirely.
Now I remember why I HATE Fre$no.
The Fuego have finished with the WORST record of all the playoff teams out west, but because the Seals couldn't finish the job it means that even with the loss the Fuego wil host the playoffs again this year. The Fuego are owned by the Grizzlies baseball club and regularly draw crowds near 4,000 per match.
Here's what the Tide are watching and waiting for tonight:
Fresno Fuego at San Fernando Valley Quakes (7:00 PM 7/20)
San Jose Frogs at San Francisco Seals (7:00 PM 7/20)
We want the home teams to win,and here's why.
If both of them do, then the Quakes and Seals will make the playoffs, and the Fresno Fuego will be out. Not that the Tide are big Fresno-haters (I kind of am), but if Fresno goes out then the Tide get to host the playoffs next week up here!
So Tide players, officials and fans will be watching the USL website tonight to see what happens and where we go and who we will play next week!
Top: Spencer Schomaker's header puts TFC up 2-1. Middle: Celebration after the goal. Bottom: Celebration after Ruben Orozco makes it 3-1 Tacoma. (Jenni Conner)
Tacoma Tide FC scored 3-1 advantages over the Yakima Reds in both halves and crushed their cross-state rivals 6-2 at Curtis High School on July 19th.
In Utah the Ogden Outlaws upset the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency 1-0. TFC and Vancouver finished the season tied with identical 11-4-1 records and 34 standings points. The PDL standings tiebreaker rules list the first tie breaker as head-to-head points. Since Tacoma and Vancouver split their two matches this year (5-5 goals for and against) the next tie breaker was overall league goals for and against. The Tide win the Northwest Division crown, their first ever, by virtue of scoring 46 goals and giving up only 23 (+23) to Vancouver's 34-14 (+20).
It was a nervous initial eleven minutes for the Tide. Tacoma knew a draw or a victory would put them in the 2008 PDL playoffs. The Yakima Reds knew only a win over the Tide would put them in.
The Reds dominated the early part of the match and went up 1-0 on a goal by Garcia in the 11th after a hit post rebound gave him the ball for the tap-in.
The Tide seemed unsettled until the 16th when Dennis Sanchez flicked a ball into the Reds' box that was knocked in by Spencer Schomaker. Only two minutes later Schomaker headed the Tide into a permanent lead when he perfectly placed a ball off of a throw in from Tucker Maxwell. The Tide were rolling from then on out and had numerous chances on goal the rest of the first half.
The third goal, eventually the match winner, was scored by Ruben Orozco in the 31st. His blast into the far corner of the goal came off an assist from Schomaker.
Tacoma's 3-1 halftime lead gave them a bit of a cushion to play with. The second half looked to have far fewer fireworks until the 70th minute when Rafael Cox scored on an assist from Chase Tangney. By that time the Reds were playing with 10 men after Al Valencia was ejected for being the last defender behind the ball and tripping Tacoma's Rory Agu. Technically the lead official had the rule book in his favor, though the call seemed harsh.
There were still three goals left to tally and they all came in the 80th minute or later. Yakima drew to within 4-2 on Garcia's second score. Then Rory Agu (82nd, assist to Schomaker) and Schomaker (90th, assist to Brayton Knapp) completed the rout.
Schomaker ended up leading the Tide with the hat trick and two assists.
The nerves had turned to adrenalin, and the adrenalin had turned into the Tide's 18th straight match at home without a loss dating back to 2006.
500 fans celebrated the win with the club in the bright Tacoma evening sun. Afterwards hugs and applause greeted the guys as they left the pitch and later came out for autographs.
TFC will travel to Fresno this Friday to play the Fuego for the second straight year in the first match of the playoffs. Read why that ticks this Tide fan off here.
Tacoma Tide FC have earned their second straight 10-win season in the Premier Development League. In 2007 10 wins was enough to get the Tide into the playoffs. This year we'll have to wait until after tonight's 7:00 PM match with Yakima to know if that also holds true for 2008.
When the Yakima Reds take the pitch with the Tide tonight at Curtis High School they'll be facing a must-win situation if they hope to make the playoffs. If the Reds can win they'll knock Tacoma out by virtue of a season sweep of the Tide.
If Tacoma can draw or win, the boys in yellow will not only stretch their home undefeated string, but they'll make the playoffs and Yakima will be out.
Yellow and Red face off in last year's rivalry match. (David Falk)
These two clubs have never really liked each other. The matches in Tacoma have always included cards of various colors, including red. Last season the Tide qualified for the playoffs with a few matches to spare. How did they do it? A 5-0 thrashing of the Reds.
This year Yakima has rebounded with a fine campaign and with some very big road wins. The Reds recently went up to BC and pulled off a sweep of Vancouver and Abbotsford.
Something's gotta give tonight. Will it be the Tide's long (18 matches and counting) home unbeaten streak, or will it be Yakima's chance to return to the playoffs?
The rivalry grows.
1. Vancouver Whitecaps Residency (34 points, 11-3-1) 2. Tacoma Tide FC (31 points, 10-4-1) 3. Yakima Reds (28 points, 9-5-1)
Vancouver at Ogden tonight Yakima at Tacoma tonight
Coming to watch the Tide: Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, all general admission Stadium food available Free Parking Directions to Curtis High School
It is do or die for Tacoma Tide FC and the Yakima Reds on Saturday July 19th down in Tacoma. With the Sounders playing at home the night before, and a sunny Saturday in the forecast, this is your last chance to see the future stars at TFC as they fight for a playoff spot.
Who will represent the State of Washington in the PDL (USL) playoffs?
See the excitement for half-price courtesy of GOALTacoma.com
The victory gives TFC a 10-win campaign for the second season in a row in the 16-match PDL Northwest summer league.
With the result the Tide move back into a tie for first place in the division. The Vancouver Whitecaps Residency were shocked 3-0 in Spokane by the last-place Spiders on the same night. In Yakima the Reds kept pace with a 4-1 victory over the Abottsford Mariners.
A playoff entry, and perhaps the division title as well, will be decided July 19th at Curtis High School in Tacoma when Yakima Reds visit the Tide at 7:00 PM. It is a must-result match for Tacoma. A win or a draw sends the Tide to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. A loss would put Yakima in the playoffs and eliminate TFC.
Standings
Vancouver Whitecaps (31 points after 14 matches) 10-3-1. Tacoma Tide (31 points after 15 matches) 10-4-1 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Yakima Reds (28 points after 14 matches) 9-5-1 BYU Cougars (23 points after 14 matches) 7-5-2 Abottsford Mariners (17 points after 14 matches) 5-7-2 Ogden Outlaws (14 points after 14 matches) 4-8-2 Spokane Spiders (11 points after 15 matches) 3-10-2 Cascade Surge (11 points after 15 matches) 2-8-5 Remaining matches
Vancouver: July 18 at BYU July 19 at Ogden
Tacoma: July 19 Yakima
Yakima: July 19 at Tacoma
Tacoma-4 Cascade-3 The Tide traveled to Salem on July 12th and took on a recently rejuvenated Cascade Surge. The match was a back and forth affair that saw Tacoma fall behind 1-0 in the very first minute. The Tide went on a scoring spree before the half was over with goals by Chase Tangney (14th minute), and a brace by Spencer Schomaker (18th, 36th).
Tacoma's 3-1 halftime lead slipped away when the Surge jumped back with goals in the 55th and 66th minutes. It was left up to Rory Agu, Tacoma native, to put the Tide back on top for good and he did so with an 81st minute tally.
Tacoma outshot the Surge 11-6, had more corners 6-3 and forced more saves 7-3.
Spencer Schomaker and Dan Scott hope to lead Tacoma into the playoffs. (David Falk)
The Vancouver Whitecaps Residency are off and running towards the Northwest Division title after they invaded Yakima on July 11th and torched the Reds 4-1. The victory hurt the Tide's slim chances of finishing in first place but dramatically helped their chances of finishing second and making the playoffs. Yakima and Tacoma are now on equal footing as far as matches left to play (2) but the Tide have more standings points, 28-25.
If Tacoma wins or draws tonight in Salem against the Cascade Surge, and the Reds lose at home to Abottsford, then the Tide would clinch the final playoff spot. A second scenario that could work: A Tide win and a Yakima draw would put TFC four points up with only three points left to grab. Anything else and next Saturday's Yakima-Tide match at Curtis High School will determine who enters the playoffs with Vancouver.
The BYU Cougars sit in 4th place and need to win out along with having the exact right scenario from Tacoma and Yakima: A Yakima loss to Abbey tonight and a win over Tacoma next week, along with a Tide loss tonight. If that all somehow happened, BYU would have 29 points and TFC and Yakima would end the season with 28 each and out of the playoffs.
Vancouver Whitecaps (31 points after 13 matches) 10-2-1
Tacoma Tide (28 points after 14 matches) 9-4-1
Yakima Reds (25 points after 14 matches) 8-5-1
BYU Cougars (20 points after 13 matches) 6-5-2
Abottsford Mariners (17 points after 13 matches) 5-6-2
Ogden Outlaws (14 points after 13 matches) 4-7-2
Cascade Surge (11 points after 12 matches) 2-7-5
Spokane Spiders (7 points after 13 matches) 2-10-2
Remain matches
Vancouver: July 12 at Spokane July 18 at BYU July 19 at Ogden
Tacoma: July 12 at Cascade July 19 Yakima
Yakima: July 12 Abottsford July 19 at Tacoma
BYU: July 12 at Ogden July 18 Vancouver July 19 Abottsford
The Vancouver Whitecaps Residency Club have caught the Tacoma Tide for first place and still have two matches in hand to take the lead all for themselves.
Vancouver beat Abottsford 3-0 on Sunday July 6 to get to the 28 point total, same as Tacoma. The Tide were idle and next play in Salem July 12 against the Cascade Surge.
Vancouver Whitecaps (28 points after 12 matches) 9-2-1
Tacoma Tide (28 points after 14 matches) 9-4-1
Yakima Reds (25 points after 13 matches) 8-4-1
BYU Cougars (17 points after 12 matches) 5-5-2
Abottsford Mariners (16 points after 12 matches) 5-6-1
Ogden Outlaws (14 points after 12 matches) 4-6-2
Cascade Surge (11 points after 12 matches) 2-7-5
Spokane Spiders (7 points after 13 matches) 2-10-1
Remain matches
Vancouver: July 11 at Yakima July 12 at Spokane July 18 at BYU July 19 at Ogden
Tacoma: July 12 at Cascade July 19 Yakima
Yakima: July 11 Vancouver July 12 Abottsford July 19 at Tacoma
The Tacoma Weekly has a nice story on Tacoma Tide FC goalkeeper (Seattle University) Jordan Jennings.
“I’ve been playing soccer since I was really small,” said Jordan Jennings, goalkeeper for Seattle University and the Tacoma Tide, in a recent interview in a cafe, where he nursed a root beer – the only drink in the place without some caffeine.
“At this point, it’s all mental. It’s not about technique. It is about staying totally focused during the entire game.”
Here is focused: during a recent seven-game streak, Jennings went on a binge of stinginess, giving up one goal and posting six shutouts. He said, in the great tradition, it is not about the goalie, but about the entire defense.
“We have a good defense and we all work together really well,” Jennings said.
Tacoma's Ruben Orozco grimaces at the ball last night in Fresno.
The Fresno Fuego front office will be using the USL "Match Tracker" to keep fans up to date onthe Western Conference PDL playoff matches as they happen. (Click link then scroll down to July 26 and Tide v. Fuego. Click binoculars icon to activate Match Tracker.)
Top: Spencer Schomaker's header puts TFC up 2-1.
Before the 2007 Tacoma-Yakima match.
Yellow and Red face off in last year's rivalry match.
Click, print and clip!
Rory Agu's 81st minute goal gave TFC a 4-3 win last night in Salem.
Spencer Schomaker and Dan Scott hope to lead Tacoma into the playoffs.
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