2019 D3 Men's Soccer National Perspective

Started by PaulNewman, August 26, 2019, 08:24:35 PM

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PaulNewman

Quote from: gustiefan04 on September 19, 2019, 11:51:46 AM
Quote from: PaulNewman on September 19, 2019, 10:58:13 AM
Thanks for the North report above.  Helpful.

Something I've wondered about but never asked....why are there always a big docket of games on Tues and Weds but never on Thurs?

I suspect its to allow players enough recovery time to get ready for the weekend slate of games. Although there are a fair amount of back to back games on the weekends, that would totally undermine that theory. I suppose the Sat/Sun, back to back game days, are meant to avoid players missing class, etc.

Yeah, I thought about that and I think you're probably right about back to back weekend games or the UAA pattern of Friday/Sunday, and, lol, I was thinking Tuesday and Thursday were the same amount of rest to or from a Saturday until a check on the math revealed that a Tuesday game provides two rest days from Saturday instead of just one for a Thursday. 

Shooter McGavin

#91
Just saw Zinn's Contenders and was surprised to not see Hobart listed. Great job overall and I like the spin on this column and the reasoning for the picks. It's a good refresher from a normal poll. Keep em coming Zinn!  ;D

Also, Chicago vs Loras tonight is a big game for both teams. Can't wait to tune in!

Shooter McGavin

Shooter's Top 25
1. Tufts (5-0-0)
2. John Carroll (7-0-0)
3. Amherst (5-0-0)
4. Calvin (6-1-0)
5. Kenyon (6-1-0)
6. Hobart (6-1-0)
7. Loras (6-0-1)
8. Hopkins (5-1-0)
9. RPI (6-1-0)
10. Ithaca (6-1-0)
11. Conn Coll (6-0-0)
12. F&M (5-1-0)
13. Chicago (2-0-4)
14. Hardin Simm (7-0-0)
15. Mary Wash (4-1-2)
16. Stevens (6-1-0)
17. CNU (3-1-2)
18. Rowan (4-1-2)
19. Montclair (6-2-0)
20. Cortland (4-2-0)
21. Oneonta (5-1-0)
22. TCNJ (7-1-0)
23. Messiah (4-2-1)
24. W&L (5-1-0)
25. Roanoke (5-0-1)
RV: PSU-Behrend, Catholic, Central, St. Mary's, W. Conn, Gustavus Adolphus, Skidmore, St. Joe's (Me), UW-Superior, Middlebury, Centre, Haverford, Kalamazoo, North Park, UW-Whitewater, MHB, Willamette

Went heavy on the New England and East regions as I think they are the two best regions currently and sport the most depth. Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic would be next followed by the Great Lakes. The North, Central and West round it out.   

Ejay

Nice list Shooter. My only knock is W&L (5-1) at #24 when they beat your #15 UWM (4-1-2).

gustiefan04

I think U of C is getting way too much credit based on the quality of their team the last couple years. With only 2 wins on the season, they are clearly not at the same level, and haven't earned a spot in the top 25 based on their performance in 2019.

Luther and Central out of the ARC are both very strong this year and probably deserve some consideration. You could definitely include Macalester on the that RV list and maybe Carleton. Puget Sound out of the NWC and St. Norbert from the MWC are both off to a solid start and probably belongs in the conversation as well.   

Gregory Sager

I don't know about "way too much credit" for Chicago. A #10 ranking is probably too high at the moment, but the Maroons are definitely a Top 25 team even at this point. And they will get better as the less-experienced players settle in, because the talent is clearly there and a schedule that tough is going to bring about faster maturity in those less-experienced players.
"To see what is in front of one's nose is a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

lastguyoffthebench

Quote from: gustiefan04 on September 20, 2019, 11:41:26 AM
I think U of C is getting way too much credit based on the quality of their team the last couple years. With only 2 wins on the season, they are clearly not at the same level, and haven't earned a spot in the top 25 based on their performance in 2019.

Luther and Central out of the ARC are both very strong this year and probably deserve some consideration. You could definitely include Macalester on the that RV list and maybe Carleton. Puget Sound out of the NWC and St. Norbert from the MWC are both off to a solid start and probably belongs in the conversation as well.

U of C has played some heavy hitters early and only played two matches at home.   I give them the benefit of the doubt here and would not have them below 15th nationally (at the very worst).  Will be interesting to see how all these 2OT games prep them as the season progresses.
   

blue_jays

Quote from: lastguyoffthebench on September 20, 2019, 01:25:59 PM
Quote from: gustiefan04 on September 20, 2019, 11:41:26 AM
I think U of C is getting way too much credit based on the quality of their team the last couple years. With only 2 wins on the season, they are clearly not at the same level, and haven't earned a spot in the top 25 based on their performance in 2019.

Luther and Central out of the ARC are both very strong this year and probably deserve some consideration. You could definitely include Macalester on the that RV list and maybe Carleton. Puget Sound out of the NWC and St. Norbert from the MWC are both off to a solid start and probably belongs in the conversation as well.

U of C has played some heavy hitters early and only played two matches at home.   I give them the benefit of the doubt here and would not have them below 15th nationally (at the very worst).  Will be interesting to see how all these 2OT games prep them as the season progresses.


I'd say UChicago will have played the toughest schedule in the nation by the end of the regular season. The issue at this point is we still don't know who they are. The Rowan and Wheaton games should have been wins based on how the games were played, and if those had gone down as Ws, everyone would feel more assured about them.
The issue is now they have road games at Loras and Calvin where they are definite underdogs. A split in those contests would be big for their resume. But a week from now, they could just as easily be 2-2-4 and needing a lot of work to even be considered for postseason.

blue_jays

What I'm really bracing for mentally is 3 hours from now if/when Loras fans (who were as quiet as church mice last season) come out of the woodwork to beat their collective chests about beating a Top 10 team and that they are destined for the Final Four once again ...

gustiefan04

Quote from: blue_jays on September 20, 2019, 06:20:35 PM
What I'm really bracing for mentally is 3 hours from now if/when Loras fans (who were as quiet as church mice last season) come out of the woodwork to beat their collective chests about beating a Top 10 team and that they are destined for the Final Four once again ...

SPOT ON Blue jays! lol

U of C certainly has a great SOS - no argument here. But if you can't produce a 'W' in at least some of those games, are they really a top 15 team, or even a top 25 team? I'm not sold on it yet. This year's squad has yet to earn that distinction in my opinion. Doesn't mean they won't, just that they haven't yet...

Dubuquer

Loras and Chicago tied 0-0 at half.  Chicago has had possession. Loras has had the better chances. Chicago without Lopez, Koh and Adeosun is not close to the same.  Loras played almost the whole roster in the first half. We will see if that plays dividends later in the game.

Buck O.

Quote from: gustiefan04 on September 20, 2019, 06:45:15 PM
Quote from: blue_jays on September 20, 2019, 06:20:35 PM
What I'm really bracing for mentally is 3 hours from now if/when Loras fans (who were as quiet as church mice last season) come out of the woodwork to beat their collective chests about beating a Top 10 team and that they are destined for the Final Four once again ...

SPOT ON Blue jays! lol

U of C certainly has a great SOS - no argument here. But if you can't produce a 'W' in at least some of those games, are they really a top 15 team, or even a top 25 team? I'm not sold on it yet. This year's squad has yet to earn that distinction in my opinion. Doesn't mean they won't, just that they haven't yet...

Of course, they have produced a W in two of those games.   And what's also relevant is that they haven't produced any Ls in any those games.  Every game they've played has been against a top-100 team in the Massey ratings, so their winning % against top-100 teams, as I write this, is .667--exactly the same as (to pick a team not entirely at random) GAC, which is 2-1 vs. top-100 and 3-0 vs. sub-250 teams.

gustiefan04

 I haven't once said GAC should be ranked in the top 25. Frankly, they haven't earned it yet...their most notable win was this week against a St Thomas team that has also struggled to get wins. But hey, their schedule is really strong, so maybe they should be in the top 25 too.

To Chicago's credit, they did pick up a nice win tonight over a strong Loras side.

Dubuquer

Chicago picks up the win tonight, 2-1.  The Maroons do not have the firepower that they've had in recent years but they managed to capitalize on two Loras miscues.    I thought it was a very even game.  I think Loras had the better chances overall and missed a couple great opportunities.  I had not been impressed by what I had seen of the Duhawks yet this season but I left this game thinking that they are at least a top 25 team.

Buck O.

Quote from: gustiefan04 on September 20, 2019, 09:25:12 PM
I haven't once said GAC should be ranked in the top 25. Frankly, they haven't earned it yet...their most notable win was this week against a St Thomas team that has also struggled to get wins. But hey, their schedule is really strong, so maybe they should be in the top 25 too.

Well, of course they should.  The Tommies are 1-3-3 and Chicago was 2-0-4 (now 3-0-4), so exactly the same.