NESCAC 2014

Started by Becks, February 27, 2014, 08:56:22 PM

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jc2

i watched the last bit of the Amherst game last night. It looked like they were playing on a turf field. Is this something new at Amherst. In prior years their games were played on grass. This would make Amherst the only women's NESCAC team to play on turf.

jc2

The latest NCAA Regional rankings are out. Four NESCAC teams in the top 6.

Ocean 1

Quote from: jc2 on October 29, 2014, 02:09:43 PM
i watched the last bit of the Amherst game last night. It looked like they were playing on a turf field. Is this something new at Amherst. In prior years their games were played on grass. This would make Amherst the only women's NESCAC team to play on turf.

I attended an Amherst game this year...field is still grass. Looks I guess, remain deceiving!  ;)

Ocean 1

Quote from: jc2 on October 29, 2014, 02:12:16 PM
The latest NCAA Regional rankings are out. Four NESCAC teams in the top 6.

Yes...a couple of observations:

1) Rankings changed for NESCAC v. 10/22
    - Williams remains #1
    - Amherst went from #2 to #4
    - Conn went from #4 to #2
    - Bowdoin went from #5 to #6

2) Imagine at stake are NCAA at-large berths, seedings and 1st round matches

3) Perhaps another shake-up in rankings next week when yesterday's games are added-in

jc2

Quote from: amh63 on October 08, 2014, 09:07:16 PM
Amherst gets beat in the second half by ECSU....2-1.  Could say it was cold and under the lights...on turf....etc.  Plain and simple the Warriors came out strong in the second half and dominated the Lady Jeffs.  The Warriors go over 500 for the season.  The announcers stated that Amherst dominated the first half.  Halftime lead was 1-0, Amherst.  In the 2nd half with less than 20 minutes to go and the lead holding, Amherst quite mentally and physically.  The goal that tied the game with 15 minutes left was a mistake by Gibson of Amherst and Burwick, the GK that fell down coming out for the ball.  The game winner was off a corner kick and a fine header that saw Amherst and its GK out of position.  Fine shot by the ECSU player. 
I am disappointed..yes.  Amherst had the advantage in talented players..ECSU had the advantage in coaches....imo.

Maybe Amherst uses two different fields? It really looked like turf with a lots of lining (perhaps for lacrosse).

Ocean 1

Quote from: jc2 on October 30, 2014, 02:17:29 PM
Quote from: amh63 on October 08, 2014, 09:07:16 PM
Amherst gets beat in the second half by ECSU....2-1.  Could say it was cold and under the lights...on turf....etc.  Plain and simple the Warriors came out strong in the second half and dominated the Lady Jeffs.  The Warriors go over 500 for the season.  The announcers stated that Amherst dominated the first half.  Halftime lead was 1-0, Amherst.  In the 2nd half with less than 20 minutes to go and the lead holding, Amherst quite mentally and physically.  The goal that tied the game with 15 minutes left was a mistake by Gibson of Amherst and Burwick, the GK that fell down coming out for the ball.  The game winner was off a corner kick and a fine header that saw Amherst and its GK out of position.  Fine shot by the ECSU player. 
I am disappointed..yes.  Amherst had the advantage in talented players..ECSU had the advantage in coaches....imo.

Maybe Amherst uses two different fields? It really looked like turf with a lots of lining (perhaps for lacrosse).


Now that you mention it, that is possible. I did not notice the different field lines on the video. Good eyes! When I attended it was their normal grass soccer field.

GUBFL

Looking at the First Round games this weekend, excuse me, the Quarterfinal games does anyone see any upsets in the making?  The top 4 seeds have significantly better records so you would think not, but this is the NESCAC and it seems every year that at least one non top 4 team ends up in the final 4.  If I had to pick one upset, Middlebury over Amherst?

All NESCAC

Quote from: GUBFL on October 30, 2014, 09:27:00 PM
Looking at the First Round games this weekend, excuse me, the Quarterfinal games does anyone see any upsets in the making?  The top 4 seeds have significantly better records so you would think not, but this is the NESCAC and it seems every year that at least one non top 4 team ends up in the final 4.  If I had to pick one upset, Middlebury over Amherst?

No upsets...favorites (home teams) across the board in Quarterfinals

Ocean 1

Quote from: GUBFL on October 30, 2014, 09:27:00 PM
Looking at the First Round games this weekend, excuse me, the Quarterfinal games does anyone see any upsets in the making?  The top 4 seeds have significantly better records so you would think not, but this is the NESCAC and it seems every year that at least one non top 4 team ends up in the final 4.  If I had to pick one upset, Middlebury over Amherst?

I concur with your assessment GUBFL. Midd gave both Amherst and Williams fits this year, losing to both by a score of 0-1.

In the Amherst contest in particular, Midd outshot Amherst 18-6 (with SOG 9-2) while losing the corner kick duel 6-2. If there is an upset in the making, it could be this game. Having said that, home field advantage is probably worth a goal for Amherst and Midd is not exactly a goal scoring machine with a 1.2 goals/game average in conference. And with Amherst's superior defense, it may be a stretch for Midd to prevail.

Ocean 1

A change in 'tie' rules from the regular season for the NESCAC Championship per the Championship manual:

Tie-breaking Procedure

There shall be no ties. A tied game will be broken to determine a winner. Ties will be broken by playing up to two 10-minute sudden-victory periods. If the score still is tied, the game shall be recorded as a tie and the penalty-kick tie breaking procedure shall be used to determine the team that will advance (or receive the automatic bid).

2xfaux

Has the 8 team playoff always been the case in the NESCAC?  I know there are other conferences that use the same format but does a #8 v #1 game really make sense?  I don't think it helps prepare a team for the NCAA tournament. 

All NESCAC

Quote from: 2xfaux on October 31, 2014, 12:22:23 PM
Has the 8 team playoff always been the case in the NESCAC?  I know there are other conferences that use the same format but does a #8 v #1 game really make sense?  I don't think it helps prepare a team for the NCAA tournament.

If you are going to have 8 teams in the playoff (which has been the case for a number of years) then #8 vs #1 makes a lot of sense as it rewards #1.  Semi's and Finals are the testing ground for the NCAA.

2xfaux

I agree in any playoff format the top seed should play the lowest seed.  I guess my question is, more specifically, about the idea of a regular season that eliminates only (in the NESCAC case) 3 of 11 teams.  Would it not make more sense to have an extra game in the regular season against W.S., Ithaca, Hopkins etc. as a test for the top NESCAC teams?

Becks

Quote from: 2xfaux on October 31, 2014, 12:22:23 PM
Has the 8 team playoff always been the case in the NESCAC?  I know there are other conferences that use the same format but does a #8 v #1 game really make sense?  I don't think it helps prepare a team for the NCAA tournament.
From the start of the NESCAC league in 2002 through 2007, there was a 7-team playoff, with the #1 seed getting a bye into the semis. That left 3 teams out of the tourney. In 2008, they switched to the 8-team playoff. There were still only 10 teams, so only 2 missed out, until 2011, when Hamilton joined the league, and so once again 3 miss out.

All NESCAC

Quote from: 2xfaux on October 31, 2014, 01:41:50 PM
I agree in any playoff format the top seed should play the lowest seed.  I guess my question is, more specifically, about the idea of a regular season that eliminates only (in the NESCAC case) 3 of 11 teams.  Would it not make more sense to have an extra game in the regular season against W.S., Ithaca, Hopkins etc. as a test for the top NESCAC teams?

The 8 spots in the NESCAC playoffs gives the rest of the League hope of a potential tourney berth if they can make the playoffs and somehow upset 3 teams in a row....not likely but it does give the bottom 5 or 6 teams something to shoot for....IMHO it is better than just adding an extra regular season game when you know you don't have any chance at a NCA berth if there were no League playoffs....it's a very low percentage for the #8 or #7 seed to advance, but it does give hope to the bottom of the League and makes the entire regular season have some importance for the bottom tier.