Mid-Atlantic Region

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

LVC could crack the 25 again though.

Yes LVC definitely has a chance if they can string together some wins. I misread the previous post and thought it referred to Misericordia making the top 25!! 

[paclassic89]

haha yeah I was referring to LVC.  Misericordia would have to string together a hell of a run to make top 25 after this start

[Falconer]

Fords beat Falcons 2-1.  Game moved to Rosemont due to weather.

Did anyone see this one? There was no streaming. From the box score, the Falcons had the better of it, but obviously just one number matters in the end. The sophomore who scored both Haverford goals was rookie of the year in his conference last year. I think he has four goals in two games already. Apparently a very dangerous guy who must be hard to mark.

I was able to make it to this one. Messiah did seem to be on the front foot most of the game. Haverford definitely put together some dangerous chances, but the Falcons had more possession and opportunities. Both of Haverford's goals came from #7, Jannelli, and unfortunately for Messiah, they both involved defenders slipping/getting tripped. The first half goal was a great turn with the ball at the top of the box that caused his defender to slip and opened up a wide lane for a beautiful left-footed strike inside the far-post. His second looked virtually the same, but the space was a result of his marker getting tripped by a Fords player cutting through the play. Other than those two opportunities, the Fords only had one or two other good looks offensively. They actually seemed to do their best work defensively and in the midfield - it seemed they were stepping in front of passes constantly, and they recovered quickly on defense most of the way. Messiah finally started carving them up pretty good in the last 20-25 minutes, but outside of West's goal to pull them back within one, they just couldn't get that final touch to draw level. Several times the ball was bouncing around loose at the penalty spot and a Fords defender just managed to clear it away before a Falcon could get there.

All in all, it was frankly a pretty high-quality and well-played game from both sides, especially considering both come from grass fields (this was played on concrete-colored turf) and that it poured down rain at times. A win Haverford should be proud of, and nothing for the Falcons to hang their heads over - they both looked like top 15-quality talent. Speaking of which, just to add to the "Haverford-shell-of-themselves" discussion, I'd have to disagree with that as well. They are obviously going to miss their key losses - players like Corkery don't come around very often. But they have plenty of big bodies who also have great touch and skill with the ball. They might not be a team that possesses you to death or runs you into the ground, but they can string passes together in the buildup and get a goal in a blink. Both goals today came seemingly out of nowhere. They look dangerous enough to me, anyway.

Thank you for the eyewitness account, Sherlock. Wet artificial fields always cause problems for the Falcons, but usually more on the offensive end (by disrupting their one-touch passing attack) than the defensive end. From your description, it sounds as though there might have been a different result on a dry grass field. But, no doubt Jennelli is a load and he might well have scored at least one goal if his defenders didn't fall down.

[Falconer]

Counting Haverford, Messiah has 3 games this year vs Centennial teams, all of them very good and Haverford was actually picked to win that conference: http://www.centennial.org/sports/msoc/2017-18/releases/Poll

All of the cupcakes on the Falcon schedule are in their own conference. Most of the other games are against teams that, in any given year, are legitimate tournament teams, as some of them surely will be this time. This could be the toughest overall schedule the Falcons have put together in many years. Montclair will be the first home game tomorrow night. If the Falcons play up to their potential they should win it, but they never have easy ones against Montclair.

[EB2319]

Montclair lost a ton of talent including 2 All-Americans. A trip to Grantham for Messiah's home opener is probably the last thing they need right now.  I'm sure Montclair would love to earn a point, but the reality is they are probably more interested in seeing how the team performs in that environment to gauge what they have this year. A 1-2 loss could certainly be a moral victory if such a thing exists.  League play starts next weekend and it's always a battle in the NJAC.

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

Some games to watch this weekend...

9/9
Lycoming @ Dickinson
Scranton @ Cortland
Etown @ Fords
Hopkins @ Manhattanville
Catholic @ Eastern
Montclair @ Messiah

9/10
Whitman @ Drew
Gordon @ Dickinson
Catholic @ Fords
F&M @ W&L
Etown @ Eastern
Gettysburg @ York

[EB2319]

Gettysburg defeated Stevenson 3-2.  They're now 3-0 and have won all three games by one goal.  Santini has 4 of their 6 goals, including all 3 game winners.  Oh, he also has assisted on the other two goals.

[Falconer]

Montclair lost a ton of talent including 2 All-Americans. A trip to Grantham for Messiah's home opener is probably the last thing they need right now.  I'm sure Montclair would love to earn a point, but the reality is they are probably more interested in seeing how the team performs in that environment to gauge what they have this year. A 1-2 loss could certainly be a moral victory if such a thing exists.  League play starts next weekend and it's always a battle in the NJAC.

After seeing the game tonight, I have to agree with you, EB. Montclair isn't nearly as strong this fall. They still have some men who can score goals--and twice tonight they almost did, including a shot off the bar against the Falcons' third team late in the game--but they have a ways to go if they want to be near the top in the NJAC. The 4-0 score was about right. Messiah dominated both ends, except for a couple of major defensive miscues, one involving a newbie who gave away teh ball in a dangerous place. The Falcons got a fully deserved PK from Colby Thomas (who was taken down hard well inside the box as he was moving from right to left and looking to shoot), two very nice goals from Kirby Robbins (who often missed similar shots last year), and one more very late when CB Cooper Robbins ran onto a loose ball in the box and used his left foot for hard shot on which the keeper really had no chance.

Good to see the Falcons play well in front of a large, loud crowd at home. If that isn't the best place to play soccer in all of D3, I don't know what is. The new kids have to be somewhat in awe. 

[rudy]

Some games to watch this weekend...

9/9
Lycoming @ Dickinson
Scranton @ Cortland
Etown @ Fords
Hopkins @ Manhattanville
Catholic @ Eastern
Montclair @ Messiah

9/10
Whitman @ Drew
Gordon @ Dickinson
Catholic @ Fords
F&M @ W&L
Etown @ Eastern
Gettysburg @ York

Lyco over Dickinson 3-0. They continue a strong start to the season. Look to be poised to challenge Messiah again for the league title. Still early but clearly they are playing well.

[backyarddawg]

Great weekend games - it is early but some teams are starting to separate themselves.

Lycoming has to be the winner of the Mid-Atlantic after two weeks going 5-0 with wins over RUC, Rowan, Susquehanna, Dickinson & Washington College.  They look to be on the heels of Messiah which they host this year.  Other teams with great starts are Gettysburg and John Hopkins.  Watch out for those two in the Centennial Conference.

Other winners has to be Etown coming out of a tournament 1-1 where they should've beat Haverford and gone 2-0.  Great win for ETown yesterday vs Eastern.

Great set of mid-week games coming up this week:
9/12:
Scranton vs Misericordia

9/13:
Swarthmore vs Eastern
Stevens vs Haverford (After seeing Haverford hang on vs Etown and look not much better vs Catholic I am expecting an 0-2 week from them with Stevens and Hopkins Saturday.
Salisbury vs Washington
Dickinson vs Messiah
Moravian vs Montclair
York vs John Hopkins
Etown vs F&M (The "BOOT")

Some games to watch this weekend...

9/9
Lycoming @ Dickinson
Scranton @ Cortland
Etown @ Fords
Hopkins @ Manhattanville
Catholic @ Eastern
Montclair @ Messiah

9/10
Whitman @ Drew
Gordon @ Dickinson
Catholic @ Fords
F&M @ W&L
Etown @ Eastern
Gettysburg @ York

Lyco over Dickinson 3-0. They continue a strong start to the season. Look to be poised to challenge Messiah again for the league title. Still early but clearly they are playing well.

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

If I had to do power rankings up to this point I think it would go something like this...

1. Fords (3-0-1)
2. Lyco (5-0-0)
3. Messiah (3-1-0)
4. Scranton (4-0-0)
5. Gettysburg (4-0-0)
6. Hopkins (4-0-0)
7. Dickinson (3-1-0)
8. F&M (2-1-1)
9. Eastern (3-1-0)
10. Muhles (2-0-1)
RV: Etown, LVC, Drew, Moravian, Catholic

This is based off records, wins, ties, losses etc not necessarily who I believe are the best or top teams in any given order. This is my best guess at what the regional rankings might look like for United Soccer Coaches poll (old NSCAA).   

[EB2319]

If I had to do power rankings up to this point I think it would go something like this...

1. Fords (3-0-1)
2. Lyco (5-0-0)
3. Messiah (3-1-0)
4. Scranton (4-0-0)
5. Gettysburg (4-0-0)
6. Hopkins (4-0-0)
7. Dickinson (3-1-0)
8. F&M (2-1-1)
9. Eastern (3-1-0)
10. Muhles (2-0-1)
RV: Etown, LVC, Drew, Moravian, Catholic

This is based off records, wins, ties, losses etc not necessarily who I believe are the best or top teams in any given order. This is my best guess at what the regional rankings might look like for United Soccer Coaches poll (old NSCAA).

I might have the order a bit different but overall I like this, though I'd drop Eastern and Muhlenberg and add Etown and Drew. 

[EB2319]

http://unitedsoccercoaches.org/web/Rankings/College_Rankings/NCAA_DIII_MEN/web/rankings/ncaa/diii_men.aspx

1    Lycoming - DH Susquehanna University 5-0; DA Dickinson College 3-0; DA Washington College (Md.) 3-1;    NR    5-0-0
2    Haverford - DH Messiah College 2-1; DA Elizabethtown College 1-0; DH Catholic University 1-0;    NR    4-0-0
3    Messiah - LA Haverford College 1-2; DH Montclair State University 4-0;    NR    3-1-0
4    F&M - DH Randolph College 2-1; TA Washington & Lee University 2-2;    NR    2-1-1
5    Gettysburg - DH Stevenson University 3-2; DA York College (Pa.) 4-0;    NR    4-0-0
6    Scranton - DA King's College 2-1; DA SUNY Cortland 2-1;    NR    4-0-0
7    Johns Hopkins - DA Frostburg State University 3-0; DH Manhattanville College 2-0;    NR    3-0-0
8    Dickinson - LH Lycoming College 0-3; DH Gordon College 1-0;    NR    3-1-0
9    Eastern - DH Catholic University 1-0; LA Elizabethtown College 0-2;    NR    3-1-0
10    Drew - DA Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham 9-2; TH Elmhurst College 0-0; DH Whitman College 3-2;    NR    4-0-1

[NEPAFAN]

Scranton is halfway through what I thought would be a difficult stretch:

Kings W
Cortland St W
Miseri W ( Miseri can't score, down year for them)
Lycoming on Saturday (likely L)
Haverford next week...will be happy with a T

[EB2319]

Scranton is halfway through what I thought would be a difficult stretch:

Kings W
Cortland St W
Miseri W ( Miseri can't score, down year for them)
Lycoming on Saturday (likely L)
Haverford next week...will be happy with a T

Doesn't get much easier after that with away games at E-Town, Drew and Dickinson. Those are three potential L's as well.