2016 ?

Started by 2xfaux, August 04, 2016, 05:25:23 PM

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2xfaux

Perhaps, everyone is packing before Canada builds their wall.  No politics, just wondering.

Does Williams have enough to repeat?  Any teams that will surprise?  My early pick, as always, is UCSC.  Gotta love the Banana Slugs.


Purplegatorade

Can you really count out Williams?  Your early pick could be a sleeper as long as they don't get sent to Texas again.

Preaseason Top 25 is out.  http://www.nscaa.com/web/Rankings/web/rankings/2016/Preseason/NCAA_DIII_WOMEN.aspx

Looks like the usual suspects.  Only surprise is no Wheaton in the Top 25.

Ron Boerger

I will be interested to see how Trinity (TX) is impacted by the coaching change there.  7th might be a bit high to start the season given the necessary adjustment period to a new coach and new styles, and he'll also have to make adjustments returning to D3 after dealing with D1 players/politics for the last seven years. 

Ocean 1


nescac1

Seems odd that Williams, after losing in a shootout in the championship game two seasons ago, winning the title last year, and returning players responsible for 44/50 goals scored as well as both GKs, would be ranked fourth.  Not a ton of respect -- maybe a little extra motivation!  The Ephs have a monster senior class who will be motivated to repeat, but of course never easy with a target on your back every single game. 

I think the Ephs' offense will actually be stronger this year as some of the main offensive weapons should benefit from better health (Albaneze, who emerged during the tourney as a major threat, should now be fully recovered from a major knee injury, all-American caliber striker Thomas was out or limited by a leg injury much of last year and should have a huge senior year, and championship game hero Alvarado is now a sophomore).  That group, plus top returning scorer and likely all-American Kirshe, talented playmaking midfielders Swarr and Feeney, and two talented strikers who are now experienced in Kaesar and Turner-Wyatt (Kaeser in particular could have a breakout year, seems like she was involved last year in a lot of near-misses), should give the Ephs more depth and firepower up front than they had last season, and I think they will be more dynamic offensively.  The Ephs had a lot of games where they struggled to finish and I don't see that reoccuring. They do lose Mitsuyama, a huge loss who helped control the middle of the field, and that will be the biggest hole to fill by far; they also graduate their top defender.  But the Ephs have plenty of talented midfielders and defenders who are ready to step up into bigger roles, and I imagine another very strong incoming class.   

I also think it's odd that William Smith is not ranked higher.  They outplayed the Ephs in the round of 8 (the only team in the tourney to do so) and the Ephs were frankly fortunate to beat them in penalty kicks.  They lose two elite players including their top goal scorer, but bring everyone else back.  I'm not sure I'd put Wash U. first, but they do bring back their amazing GK and most of their offense (although they do lose an all-American midfielder / top point-scorer), certainly they belong in the top 3.  Messiah is always loaded but does lose a TON of talent, including the top three goal-scorers, one of whom was a three-time all-American who accounted for an insane 77  points, a two-time all-American midfielder, and the GK who started every game.  Seems like a lot of uncertainty for a team ranked above both of last year's finalists, each of whom graduated far less talent. 

Seems like Williams, William Smith, and Wash U. should be the top three in some order, followed by Messiah and then Carnegie Mellon (who returns most of its roster but also lost in the third round last year) and Amherst (which had a very young team last year and should be really tough). 

Purplegatorade

Looks like some pretty good schedule break down done by a couple of folks over on the Bigsoccer boards.

http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/division-3-2016.2034211/

Purplegatorade

For the season being 2 days away, it is pretty quiet here. :( :o

2xfaux

It should be an exciting start to the season in the Mid Atlantic and the East.  William Smith, Messiah and Hopkins all start with interesting games.  Stevens may surprise a young Messiah side early.

Ron Boerger

Dylan Harrison's Trinity (TX) coaching career got started with a bang, as the Tiger women (1-0) opened their season with an 8-0 defeat of #21 NAIA Our Lady of the Lake (3-1).   Eight different players scored for Trinity.   The margin of defeat was the largest in Our Lady of the Lake's short (10 year) history. 

Ron Boerger

And in a surprising early season matchup of two top-ten teams, #7 Trinity (TX) yesterday defeated #8 Illinois Wesleyan by a surprising 5-0 margin.   Trinity outshot the visitors 18-2 and dominated the ball throughout. 

2xfaux

Lance Who?  My goodness Trinity is off to quite a start.

Meanwhile here in the Mid-Atlantic and East..Messiah lost to Stevens and has 3-0 William Smith and 1-1 Hopkins this week.  Messiah starting 1-3 is very possible.  The Falcons have a lot of work to do.

soccer1717

Quote from: 2xfaux on September 01, 2016, 04:59:25 PM
It should be an exciting start to the season in the Mid Atlantic and the East.  William Smith, Messiah and Hopkins all start with interesting games.  Stevens may surprise a young Messiah side early.

Great call! Messiah just wasn't ready for the adversity of getting down early. Young team, they will get better. But props for calling the upset...

Ron Boerger

The first d3soccer rankings of the season are out:



# School (1PV) Record Pts. Prev.
1 Williams (9) D.N.P. 964
2 Wash U. (2) 2-0-0 956
3 William Smith 3-0-0 920
4 Stevens 2-0-0 818
5 Trinity (Texas) 2-0-0 796
6 Thomas More 3-0-0 785
7 Centre 3-0-0 778
8 Chicago 2-0-0 618
9 Messiah 1-1-0 611
10 Swarthmore 2-0-0 545


2xfaux

I don't have the time or energy (it is really hot) to think too much about this but I am wondering who in the D3 Top 25 has the most to prove (or at stake) this weekend.

I think Wheaton at 1-2 needs a good weekend at Va. Beach.  Hopkins needs to rebound from a painful loss at home to Messiah but they have TCNJ this weekend.  Lynchburg, who tied Hopkins has Emory (I think) at home.  CMU is maybe also at Va. Beach.  Messiah is at home with William Smith at noon Saturday.  Should be 100 plus degrees on the field at Shoemaker..Ugh.

2xfaux

The William Smith website says the game at Messiah has been moved up to 10:30 AM to escape the noon day heat.  I don't know about other games in the east but if you plan to attend, watch or listen I would check.  Hopefully it will be fall soon.