US Santa Cruz in as Pool B?

Started by doodlesdad, November 07, 2011, 05:15:54 PM

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doodlesdad

The Cal Lutheran bracket sets up well for the homestanding Regals, since they've already beaten Puget Sound once and UC Santa Cruz twice. Having Santa Cruz in the playoffs makes no sense; they shouldn't have had a Pool B team if the Banana Slugs were their choice. If you take away the 22 games they scored against dreadful Mills, they were outscored for the season. ???

Jim Matson

Well, the Pool B rules are what they are, and without a better option, why not invite Santa Cruz so that the West coast teams don't have to travel so far?

Cal Lutheran is the one of the best women's teams I've seen out of California in years. It would be great for the West if they could get deep into the post-season.
Managing Editor, D3soccer.com

pheff

1) Goal differential is irrelevant. Only W-L-D matter, especially against in-region teams.
2) NCAA rules state: "Pool B will be composed of independent institutions and institutions that are members of conferences that do not meet the requirements for automatic qualification." Please tell me who you think is more qualified than UCSC in this category?
3) UCSC finished 9-7-2 (9-5-2 vs DIII). Losses to Trinity, CLU twice, Puget Sound, and Chapman. Wins against Concordia-Morehead and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (SCIAC runner-up). Strength of schedule was high.
4) Being independent is tough. No one wants to play you and if they do they want it at their place. UCSC and Mills are the only DIII schools in Northern California.  Travel costs are high.  UCSC had to play in Texas, Mississippi and twice in SoCal to get that strength of schedule this year.  UCSC should be a DII team with the enrollment size of 13K+ and soccer talent in CA but administration is so anti-athletics.
5) It's a great story. They went 1-14-2 last year. It's a huge turnaround - there out to be a story on that!

GarbageGoals33

Interesting stuff pheff.  I have a friend that is the asst. coach for Gustavus womens team this year and he had only good things to say about the UCSC womens team.  The quadrant of UCSC vs. Cal Lut and Concordia (Minn) vs. UPS should be a very competitive one. Concordia has a player (Rounds) who is very talented.

pheff

The group should be good. UCSC and C-M have nothing to lose.  Since there is no pressure on them maybe they will pull the upset.
I could question the group seeding between UCSC and Concordia (#3 vs #4) based upon head-to-head and SOS.
Perhaps it should have been CLU vs C-M and UPS vs UCSC in first round but I suppose it doesn't matter at this point.
You have to beat the best to move forward.

Minnesota got 3 teams in vs. 2 for CA although they are all on the road.
I was surprised the SCIAC runner-up did not make it to the dance.

dahlby

SCIAC runner-up  (Pomona) would have had to qualify as a pool c, and they did not have a strong sos or record. It was easier for UCSC to qualify as a pool b.

pheff

Well, here's to not making any sense!

UC Santa Cruz scores a golden goal in overtime to abruptly end Cal Lutheran's season and move on to the round of 32!
March Madness does happen in November as the Banana Slugs pull the upset of the first round in defeating the West Region #2 seed 1-0.
While I feel great for UCSC, I feel sad for Cal Lu. They have such talented players and a fantastic team.
The score was the only shot on goal by UCSC the whole night but it was a silver bullet. It was a cruel way to lose.

GarbageGoals33

Cruel was to lose indeed for CLU.  It looks as if Concordia (MN) took down the Slugs with a Rounds goal in OT.  Two MN teams in the Sweet 16 is a bit surprising.