2019 D3 Men's Soccer National Perspective

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

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d4_Pace

I think amherst is really underrated this year. This is their most talented group since the title team in 15. Winning 3-0 versus bowdoin has to be the most impressive nescac result of the week, and given that they play Tufts at home on their small, slow grass field, I think they are at least co-favorites to win the nescac.

paclassic89

D3Soccer had them ranked 10th preseason so def not underrated.  But yes, they'll be a strong side this year and will probably be in the top 25 for most of the season

Domino1195

Paul - the most significant change for OAC and some NCAC teams is the influx of new, young Ohio coaches.  Not only are the new coaches deeply rooted in Ohio soccer, they all have strong pedigrees as former players.  These coaches use their roots to create pipelines, which not only offer solid candidates but become less strenuous for the coach to recruit.  Success strengthens interest, current players connect to recruits from the feeder programs from which they came - makes the coaches life a little easier.

Coach Poe at Mt. Union is just getting started; Coach Van der Sluijs at Wilmington will mine Dayton and Cincinnati. Coach Griffiths at Otterbein, former MLS player, ran a very successful club program 10 miles away from Otterbein - very well connected to central Ohio. Coach Zidron at Wooster (three tough, 1 goal losses this season - do not be fooled by their record) - Cincinnati HS player, long connection with Denison - in his 5th year. Coach Yost is affiliated with one of the strongest boy's clubs in the Midwest, having gone to nationals 3-4 years now?  Ohio Premier's coaches include Yost, Griffiths, Matt Weiss (OWU asst), Billy Thompson (storied college and professional career, Capital asst) and until taking the St. Olaf job, Travis Wall.

Cincinnati becomes a very interesting market now that Thomas More is out of D3.  They featured 20+ Cincy kids every year - there is some formal arrangement with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and Thomas More where Catholic HS students having some type of preferred entry to TM.  The logical choice for D3 kids to go would be Mt. St. Joseph, but as that program really struggles those players will be looking elsewhere.

lastguyoffthebench

Quote from: PaulNewman on September 08, 2019, 03:32:54 PM
Johns Hopkins should rise to #2 in the country after wins against W&L and Montclair St 5-2 and 2-0.

Strong wins, likely #7 in nation.   #1 in Mid Atlantic region

Rowan case is interesting, great result vs Cortland St and drops to CSI the following day...

Gregory Sager

"To see what is in front of one's nose is a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

Ron Boerger


PaulNewman

Watching some of Amherst today.  Opining based on streaming video (versus live) lowers the value of opining, but nevertheless Amherst does not appear to be in Tufts' class and does not look like the #2 team in the land.  That's not to say that Amherst won't dig out a win versus Tufts at home or in the NESCAC tourney, and that's also not to say that Amherst won't be a load for the rest of the NESCAC to handle.  My guess is that there is a risk of making too much out of the 3-0 win versus Bowdoin as this Polar Bear edition may not be your grandfather's Bowdoin (so to speak) or put another way, not 2010 or even 2018 Bowdoin.  Of course early results tend to be overvalued because what else do we have thus far, but still....for me, Tufts is a full step above the rest of the NESCAC and their biggest opponent may be themselves (injuries, looking past someone, championship fatigue, etc).  BTW, Messiah (or Tufts) fans, is there such as thing as "championship fatigue"?

The D3 soccer rankings are light years beyond the other poll, partly because D3 soccer actually thinks about it.  Four Great Lakes teams in the top 10 and six in the top 20?  Nice, but perhaps a little generous (and that's not even counting usual top 25 Carnegie Mellon).  #6 is way too high for Kenyon at this point, but being dropped entirely out of the top 25 in the other poll was way off as well.  A single or even two losses didn't keep other teams from keeping a favorable ranking in that poll.

PaulNewman

Hope up 2-0 on Chicago....looks like two scores within 35 seconds in the 5th and 6th minutes.  Great video.

Ommadawn

Quote from: PaulNewman on September 10, 2019, 07:22:54 PM
Hope up 2-0 on Chicago....looks like two scores within 35 seconds in the 5th and 6th minutes.  Great video.

Beautifully struck free kick pulls one back for Chicago just before the half.

blooter442

Quote from: PaulNewman on September 10, 2019, 06:38:35 PM
Watching some of Amherst today.  Opining based on streaming video (versus live) lowers the value of opining, but nevertheless Amherst does not appear to be in Tufts' class and does not look like the #2 team in the land.  That's not to say that Amherst won't dig out a win versus Tufts at home or in the NESCAC tourney, and that's also not to say that Amherst won't be a load for the rest of the NESCAC to handle.  My guess is that there is a risk of making too much out of the 3-0 win versus Bowdoin as this Polar Bear edition may not be your grandfather's Bowdoin (so to speak) or put another way, not 2010 or even 2018 Bowdoin.  Of course early results tend to be overvalued because what else do we have thus far, but still....for me, Tufts is a full step above the rest of the NESCAC and their biggest opponent may be themselves (injuries, looking past someone, championship fatigue, etc).  BTW, Messiah (or Tufts) fans, is there such as thing as "championship fatigue"?

The D3 soccer rankings are light years beyond the other poll, partly because D3 soccer actually thinks about it.  Four Great Lakes teams in the top 10 and six in the top 20?  Nice, but perhaps a little generous (and that's not even counting usual top 25 Carnegie Mellon).  #6 is way too high for Kenyon at this point, but being dropped entirely out of the top 25 in the other poll was way off as well.  A single or even two losses didn't keep other teams from keeping a favorable ranking in that poll.

Good take on Amherst, Paul — they look good but not quite on Tufts' level. I do think Tufts will be a bit more average defensively this year, but they have enough offense and a strong enough midfield that it won't really matter. Amherst will definitely score goals, but probably not as many as Tufts. I was pretty surprised to see Brandeis in the USC top 25 — and I was equally stunned to see TEN other teams with losses in the top 25 considering these are the first rankings.

d4_Pace

I would also say to not underestimate the fact that Tufts ended Amherst's season last year, in rather convincing fashion at that. Coach serpone is a master motivator and you can guarantee the Amherst players have been reminded of that 3-0 loss during every sprint, morning lift, and training session the past 8 months. I remember how pumped we were to get another shot at kenyon after they knocked out us out the year before.


EastCoastSoccer

Quote from: Ommadawn on September 10, 2019, 07:49:43 PM
Quote from: PaulNewman on September 10, 2019, 07:22:54 PM
Hope up 2-0 on Chicago....looks like two scores within 35 seconds in the 5th and 6th minutes.  Great video.

Beautifully struck free kick pulls one back for Chicago just before the half.

Besides about 15-20 minutes in the first half, Chicago completely dominated that game in possession. It takes a lot to come back from 2-0 in the first five minutes against a well coached and organized Hope side. This Chicago team is different with only two seniors, but seems to be carrying that chip on their shoulder to each and every game. It will be interesting to see what they can do this year.

PaulNewman

Quote from: EastCoastSoccer on September 11, 2019, 12:18:16 AM
Quote from: Ommadawn on September 10, 2019, 07:49:43 PM
Quote from: PaulNewman on September 10, 2019, 07:22:54 PM
Hope up 2-0 on Chicago....looks like two scores within 35 seconds in the 5th and 6th minutes.  Great video.

Beautifully struck free kick pulls one back for Chicago just before the half.

Besides about 15-20 minutes in the first half, Chicago completely dominated that game in possession. It takes a lot to come back from 2-0 in the first five minutes against a well coached and organized Hope side. This Chicago team is different with only two seniors, but seems to be carrying that chip on their shoulder to each and every game. It will be interesting to see what they can do this year.

Again, watching by video may be deceptive, but my impression is that Hope was equal to or better than Chicago throughout the match.  Chicago cuts the lead to 2-1 with 13 seconds left in the 1st half off a free kick and doesn't get an equalizer until 1:23 left in regulation.  Hope also had multiple other good chances to score over the course of the game.  I didn't watch every second of the 2nd half but I didn't have the impression that Hope was parking the bus.  Stats were basically even with the exception of Chicago having more shots in the 2nd period while chasing an equalizer.  Great dramatic comeback win for the Maroons and heartbreak for Hope.

My take on Amherst above may be way off the mark especially if they have the overall talent suggested.  My bias towards Tufts is that the Jumbos have won 3 out of the last 5 national titles and this year's edition very well may be their strongest squad yet with at least two-deep talent at almost every position.

I am curious about the vindication factor that D4Pace suggests.  Does that account for Tufts getting by Kenyon in the 109th minute (off a kind of trick play that the Tufts kids said had never worked before) and 108 minutes of a 0-0 game with the Lords missing a point blank chance to win themselves in the 108th minute (Koval wide right from the six)?  Brandeis getting a sort of out of the blue winner in OT against Tufts in 2017?  Can Serpone get Amherst any more pumped up than he usually does?  Anyway, I can definitely see Amherst getting a win in the regular season or even a NESCAC semi or final, but I'd still have my money on Tufts in a Sweet 16 or Elite 8 tilt.  Tufts has a bigger team than Amherst overall and can't be bullied by the Mammoths, and I'll have to be convinced that Tufts doesn't have the edge in overall skill and team cohesion/chemistry.

Mid-Atlantic Fan

Will this be the year where a powerhouse program doesn't win it all? It seems like that's what we are in the making of here early on.

Tufts is a handful to deal with but only takes one team to knock them off come tournament time.
Messiah not the Messiah of the early and mid-2000's and have been suspect since 2013 team won it all.
Amherst once again strong but only one team is winning it from the NESCAC if any do.
Centennial and UAA schools are always hyped but haven't taken that last step. Is this the year they do?
Outsiders with a real chance may come from the SUNYAC or out west this year? Cortland and Oneonta have had much success and Trinity is always a threat despite their early woes. Does the Midwest have anyone besides Loras, Chicago, and St. Thomas that can be a threat? Can the South Atlantic or Great Lakes provide a team that looks destine to compete like the Rutgers Camden or Ohio Wesleyan's of old?

Lots of what ifs and unknowns but I think we are in the making of a special season where some of the more non-traditional teams make deep runs into the NCAA tourney and may even pull off the miracle of beating a powerhouse school like Tufts. Time will tell  ;D

Flying Weasel

#44
Quote from: NESCAC43 on August 27, 2019, 04:13:01 PM
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on August 27, 2019, 03:10:00 PM
Do we know if there will be a top 25 preseason poll for the men as there is for the women?

I'm assuming it will be released in the next day or so before the season kicks off. I believe there are more voters for the men's poll than the women's so I'm guessing the delay is waiting on votes to come in. I could be wrong. I'm a much bigger fan of the D3Soccer.com preseason rankings because they are usually voted on by a panel versus the United Soccer Coaches poll because that one simply rolls forward from the end of the previous season.

I just noticed that the USC preseason poll, because it's actually just a re-post of the previous season's final poll, showed a non-Division III team as receiving votes in the Division III poll.  UT-Tyler actually was already NOT a Division III member last season as they began the reclassification process to Division II.  But they played one last season in the ASC and basically a Division III schedule last year.  However, this year they are playing in a Division II conference and a full Division II schedule and yet were receiving votes in the Division III preseason poll ! ! !   Why do they pretend that they do a preseason poll?!?!  No one requires them to do a preseason poll, so if they aren't going to actually do one, why go through with the whole charade?