2019 Great Lakes Region

Started by Domino1195, August 31, 2019, 08:46:54 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Domino1195

Listened to Nazareth last week - the song "Telegram":

"Here we are again playin' the same old scenes
Lookin'for someone who will share our dreams"

Games I saw for at least a little bit:

  • CMU - looked totally dominate to begin the game - got the two goal lead before 20 minutes. Not sure what happened second half but Salisbury missed a golden opportunity to tie it in the 84-85th minute - shot from inside the 6 the CMU defender somehow prevented from going in
  • Otterbein - all the scoring late in the first half - from what I saw a fairly even affair - very windy - made the game a bit choppy.  Otterbein needs to tighten things up in the back.  Last year's keeper decided to play baseball exclusively so we'll have to see how the new players do.
  • CWRU-Berg - a beautiful goal from Case - all they needed but Berg impressed me.  They were in this game throughout - their keeper made some nice saves.  But they have attacking talent, and - as usually - Case's defenders smothered their attempts. Very interested to see Berg again
  • Capital-Geneva - game played on grass - historically not Cap's favorite surface.  Very dominant first half for Cap - several near misses. Second half Geneva comes out strong = tips the field for 15 minutes.  Cap adjusts and balances out the game for the rest of the half and steals the game in the first OT.
Not Great Lakes but I tuned in to see the end of the Chicago- Macalester.  Boxscore shows the dominance of Chicago - the small amount of the game I saw was UC attacking a parked-bus . . .

Other thoughts:

  • OWU - boxscore indicates a dominant performance that is negated by a late 'Zoo goal.  Got Calvin today.
  • Headscratcher of the day goes to Denison. Juniata has won 9 games since 2016, Denison projected to be in the top 4 of the NCAC
  • ONU - first time under a new coach for many years - draws away from home.  Tough equalizer conceded late - stats lean towards a strong performance by ONU.

midwest

#1
On Denison/Juniata, 6+ Denison freshman started. Apparently a different game in the second half when it was more of the regular line up -- live feed cut out early in the game so don't really know what it looked like.

Domino1195

Nice bounce back for Big Red today - but Juniata taking Transylvania to OT today? Maybe they have something this year?

Domino1195

Some very good wins for GL teams this weekend.  Did not see the OWU-Calvin game; did watch Otterbein at SLU, John Carroll at Rochester, attended Capital at Grove City.  Good wins against solid teams - all coming on the road.

Of the three I saw - gritty and grinding is how I'd describe them.  All three featured lots of mid field battles - lots of contact.  SLU had the better of field position for most of the first half.  Otterbein gets a fluky goal last in the first half and then sets in to beg SLU to break them down.  Otterbein gets a few counters in the second half and then a second goal.  Similar for John Carroll - although JC did have more possession than did Otterbein did in their game. 40 fouls - 23 by JC: this tells you how physical and gritty this game was.  Capital went down early - against the run of play - but got two back quickly.  Second half questionable PK tied the game before Cap came back with two more. 27 fouls in this one - 4 YC to Cap.

JC received 4 YC - 3 to players also.  A slippery slope to complain about officiating, but the Cap-GC CR had a poor game.  It is hard for me to understand how one teams receives all the YC in physical games while the home team receive none.  After UR tied up JC (very suspect PK) a JC defender is dribbling out of the area and a UR player throws a forearm into the neck-shoulder area of this player - foul given but clearly a cardable offense.  Similar situation at Cap with an attacker ready to dribble into the area - slide tackle from behind - no ball - no card.

Attended the Mt Union vs Wooster game Sat evening.  As even as the stats indicate.  A sad but legit PK the difference in this game.  Sad because the ball was heading out of the area - two players chasing to get it, Wooster player clumsily runs through the back of the MU player. Two different styles of play - both could yield results over the course of the season.  Very interested to see Mt Union at CWRU today.

Other thoughts: UAA results certainly enough to raise an eyebrow.  Heartland favorites Transy 2-0 but hardly dominate against Juniata - with Hope and Calvin this week we'll know more.  Marietta received lots of praise from the Eastern coach after their 2-0 loss at Eastern - stats were closer than one might think.  But did not expect the 4-1 result at Oberlin (watched most of this one around lightning delay).  Definitely a team to watch in the OAC. Baldwin Wallace will score goals - but will give up too many soft ones.  That first goal yesterday - the difference in a 3-2 loss at PSU-Behrend - was a tragedy. NCAC teams - the only notable win being OWU.  The rest of the conference's wins were against historically lesser opponents - and some not by impressive margins.  The OWU tourney this weekend will be a beauty - and the NCAC and OAC head-to-head matches over the next two weeks will separate those with real chances for post season bids and the also-rans.

Domino1195

Mount Union played as close to flawless as a team could - for 60 minutes.  First half the owned the possession - partly in response to CWRU's patient style of sit-in and punish mistakes.  Their goal against Berg was a result of forcing  turnover and cashing in; they almost had one in the first 20 minutes yesterday but for a great save from MTU's keeper.  An unfortunate misplay of a free kick by the CWRU keeper gave MTU the lead at half.

CWRU came out much more aggressive in the second and pushed the attack for the first 15 minutes - MTU was up to their challenges.  The turning point was a foul on MTU's keeper around the 60th minute.  The keeper was fouled earlier int he first half going up for a ball - this fouls was a cardable offense.  No card given to CWRU but one given to MTU for USB - kicking the ball away in frustration.  Case scores on a corner 2 minutes later.  For the game 4 YC to MTU, none to Case.

MTU is loaded with senior and junior leadership and are a real contender for the OAC title.  Based on very early games I've seen I think they "should" be one of the 6 teams to make the post season OAC tourney.

PaulNewman

First, let me note that JCU has a roster of 50+ players.

Big win by JCU at Rochester and now Kenyon at home tonight.

Kudos to JCU on a killer schedule........Rochester, Kenyon, CWRU, Carnegie Mellon, Messiah, OWU...plus a road game that might be tricky at Denison...and of course a full OAC slate.

Huge win for OWU at Calvin, which more than makes up for loss to Kzoo.  I saw bits and pieces and OWU seemed to outplay Calvin in general.  OWU was fortunate in the sense that in OT Calvin had 2-3 point blank type chances just a couple of minutes before OWU scored off a corner.  At any rate, this will almost certainly be a ranked win come November, so OWU comes out of the weekend with something very valuable.  In addition, OWU should be buoyed by beating Calvin at Calvin in terms of believing that this indeed could be a big year for the Battling Bishops.  The senior class came in with some fanfare and high expectations, so we'll see how they do in their last run.

Big weekend upcoming with Colorado College and Wheaton (Ill) visiting Kenyon and OWU on consecutive days.


Domino1195

I don't recall a JCU starting XI this young - 3 srs, 3 jrs, 5 sophs and freshman. I was at last year's game at Kenyon - JCU had two starters out with flu/injury - but it was a complete victory from Kenyon.  My guess is this will be another win for Kenyon, but I'm curious as to how much physicality there will be.  I think JCU will be in the 15-20 fouls range, and we'll have to see how Kenyon responds to this.  3-0 minimum for Kenyon.

midwest

Thoughts on JCU's 3-2 win against Kenyon? The beginning of perhaps a special season for JCU or more of a one time thing?

PaulNewman

Hopefully this will be at least 10% informational to supplement the 90% of catharsis.

I was fully prepared for Kenyon to have a down season, even a really down season.   Then I saw the preseason ratings with Kenyon predicted to somehow handle major losses better than other elite programs with similar losses.  Then I saw the preseason review where Coach Brown sounded far more relaxed and optimistic about this year's team than I expected.  Then the new roster came out replete with 15 new frosh and a quartet of internationals.  Then last Friday I saw the gorgeous Kenyon pitch with EPL-level mowing as the Lords demolished some rag-tag NAIA outfit.  Doesn't take a much to get a sucker back in the swing of things.  Now I can calm down and re-assess.

I'm guessing that JCU is very good.  The only thing I don't get is barely getting by Oberlin in the 90th minute, but maybe Oberlin will be a little better this year and it's hard to make too much out of the first game of the season.  Now JCU is in the very enviable position of having what likely will be two ranked wins already come November (Rochester and Kenyon).  We won't have to wait too long for how "for real" the Blue Streaks are with more highly rated teams waiting on the near horizon. 

I thought JCU was better than Kenyon, and I was thinking that even when the Lords were up 1-0 at the half and then again 2-1 midway thru the 2nd half.  JCU looked like the more mature team and I don't want to say that Kenyon got punked, but Kenyon got punked.  JCU is very physical and in response Kenyon resorted to fouling a ton and repeatedly in the final third which gave JCU a bunch of dangerous free kicks.  And indeed JCU scored a couple of beauties off two free kicks with the Lords looking clueless.  The second one to tie the game at 2-2 was eerily similar to CWRU's free kick to draw even in last year's Sweet 16 tilt.  Watching from a computer screen many miles ways, I didn't have any obvious complaints about the officiating.  Kenyon could have had a PK but JCU had an argument for one as well.  Kenyon was fouling in an effort to keep up and hold on while JCU appeared much more comfortable with physicality and did not give up the kind of final third free kicks that they got.  I'm guessing JCU and Capital will slug it out for the OAC title, or maybe that's just because they both play on football field turfs and win a lot.  The latter two schools especially appear to have replaced longstanding top dog, Ohio Northern.  The Turrittin kid is a player and appears to have the clutch gene.  Three straight GWs, and his free kick to tie the game last night for the first time was sublime.  He's going to be an All-American as long as he stays healthy.  They have several other very good players, and even though they only scored once from the run of play off a phenomenal long pass from the left wing that put the goal scorer in on the Kenyon GK, my impression was that JCU carried more of the possession.  They also played a Kenyon style press and swarm defense better than the Lords who did have some possession but rarely in a manner that was threatening.

There is still hope for the Lords but I'm not purchasing any Final Four or even NCAA tickets yet.  They have a very long way to go with figuring out lineups and how to play together.  As they have in the past, I thought they gave up far too many overloaded counters with way too much space.  They had remarkably few really good chances, and Kenyon's speed players never got loose into space or near the goal except for one missed sitter in the first half that would have put Kenyon up 2-0.  Even though I do believe they got outplayed, it was disheartening to not walk away with at least a draw given how the scoring played out.  No shame in losing at Don Shula Stadium to a strong opponent, but at least last night Kenyon did not look like a top-tier squad. 

Domino1195

Watched the entire game. Also watched JCU vs Rochester - entire game.

I use "T's" to evaluate teams: Technical - can the kids trap and pass; how well? Under pressure?
Tactical - what's the team approach to the game - how well to they maintain it? When do they abandon it? Thinking - decision-making; and Toughness. Toughness IS the most important. Every time some frosh parent complains about "where did the beautiful game go?" I give them a copy of the Tufts-Calvin final on DVD.

JCU is just reloading - much the same way Calvin does. Much the way ONU used to. Tough kids, technical and able to adapt to game situations. The "thing" about last night was Kenyon. Toughness without thinking is just stupidity, and that was the dumbest game I've seen them play in 6 years. THEY were the aggressors, they committed the most fouls and the majority of the fouls were stupid. JCU's first two goals came directly off restarts from fouls in their defensive third - neither of which needed to be committed.

History always dominates the first couple weeks of a new season - but is the UAA really off to
a 4-8-4 start? Messiah dropping to 0-2? Too early to tell about Kenyon but if they come to Delaware this weekend doing what they did last night they're in trouble.

I'm at Wooster today, be at Three Tigers in Granville tomorrow, CWRU At Cap Friday and the double header at OWU Sat. If you're in Granville tomorrow let's have a beverage at Three Tigers.

PaulNewman

Domino, I don't want to put a damper on your weekend but Kenyon is playing CC and Wheaton in Gambier.

I thought I was clear that JCU plays physically more naturally than Kenyon and that Kenyon indeed did foul more and yes often stupidly.  For me this was a function of not being able to match JCU physically and so they resorted to flailing away and as you said a bunch of stupid, unnecessary fouling.

As for re-loading, you compare JCU to Calvin and ONU.  JCU has had 2-3 strong years recently but not close to matching Kenyon's six year run.

Domino1195

Shoot - there goes my Sat plans. But if you look at my pregame comments I expected JCU to be the aggressor - but they weren't. At half fouls were 10-8 Kenyon - but two of JCU's whistles were for handling. As a 30 year referee the fouls Kenyon committed weren't honest - they were lazy and flippant. I'm sure they'll hear it in practice this week.

This was uncharacteristic of Kenyon in many ways. Their possession (yes it was turf) was not up to par as was their defending.

Massey be damned but my eye test has Mount Union as the best GL team I've seen. Looks like I'll have to choose to go to OWU on Sat - so I'll get to see them in person. But Wooster vs MTU was only decided by a Pk and Berg made a silly turnover in their 1-0 loss to Case - I'm 30 minutes from seeing how they do against one another

PaulNewman

Quote from: Domino1195 on September 04, 2019, 04:37:53 PM
Shoot - there goes my Sat plans. But if you look at my pregame comments I expected JCU to be the aggressor - but they weren't. At half fouls were 10-8 Kenyon - but two of JCU's whistles were for handling. As a 30 year referee the fouls Kenyon committed weren't honest - they were lazy and flippant. I'm sure they'll hear it in practice this week.

This was uncharacteristic of Kenyon in many ways. Their possession (yes it was turf) was not up to par as was their defending.

Massey be damned but my eye test has Mount Union as the best GL team I've seen. Looks like I'll have to choose to go to OWU on Sat - so I'll get to see them in person. But Wooster vs MTU was only decided by a Pk and Berg made a silly turnover in their 1-0 loss to Case - I'm 30 minutes from seeing how they do against one another

Yeah, I think we're just missing each other.  I'm agreeing with you.  Saying JCU is better at and more naturally physical doesn't mean I was saying they were fouling more.  They had their fair share, just as they did vs Rochester, but I agreed that Kenyon fouled more and did so because they could not handle JCU....like grown men versus a bunch of college freshmen...and the latter fouling to keep the stronger, more physical players from getting around them.  And I agree about the stupidity.  They had to know about Turrittin and they just kept gifting him more bites at the apple from dangerous spots.  Anyway, I think JCU is going to be tough to beat...a team like Tufts that is even bigger and even more physical but more skilled overall would be the kind of team to knock JCU out of the tournament but of course recent history says Tufts would knock anyone out of the tournament. 

The GL is stronger than ever.  It's used to be OWU and the field.  Now it's CWRU, Kenyon, OWU, JCU, Capital, CMU...and also Mt Union, Otterbein, and maybe Grove City, Geneva, etc.  The OAC has definitely become stronger while the NCAC has weakened.  Denison has done nothing since about 2010 or 2011 and DePauw has fallen off quite a bit.  Good to see programs like Wabash and maybe Wooster on the rise.  Calvin should be considered an honorary GL member given how often they play GL teams and end typically up in the same NCAA sectionals.

Domino1195

Did you see Amolo is on the coaching staff at Kenyon East?

PaulNewman

#14
Quote from: Domino1195 on September 04, 2019, 04:58:17 PM
Did you see Amolo is on the coaching staff at Kenyon East?

I knew he and Clougher had been in Massachusetts over the summer and I assumed Tony might have gotten a spot in admissions or coaching or both.  I think JJ Jemison also was there for several years.  As for the pipeline, I think that's been a bit overhyped.

The video quality at Wooster is poor and perhaps due to camera being directly in the sun?

Now video is better.  Can't believe Woo didn't just score.