New England Soccer Discussion

Started by Jim Matson, June 09, 2006, 12:25:06 AM

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blooter442

If this first half is any indication, MIT may struggle for goals this year. Won Saturday 1-0 at Stevens but now drawing at home 0-0 with Newbury at half. (Yes, you read that correctly Mr.Right.)

PaulNewman

Player for RIC who scored on a PK versus Amherst is a Revs academy product who apparently has been at several different schools (and divisions) and must be 24-25 years old.  UMass-Dartmouth has a similar player, who actually used to play at RIC.  So we've got a star player at Trinity (CT) deciding enough is enough, and then some who will move around and drain every ounce of eligibility even at the D3 level.

Amherst of course racked up 3 yellows and 18 fouls in the first 70 minutes.

blooter442

Newbury 1, MIT 0.

No, that's not a typo! I thought that Endicott over Tufts last night was perhaps the biggest upset in the New England region so far this year, but this may well have eclipsed it. Did not see that coming at all.

Honestly, I half-expected it to be 4-0 by the time I got there towards the end of the first half. However, MIT, while dominating play, looked incredibly disjointed and seemed to mess up the fundamentals. Newbury put together a couple of solid moves, but they seemed to resemble a side that my intramural team would have been competitive with. Regardless, I was very surprised that they got into half level, but I was certain that MIT - the same team who beat them 7-0 last year - would win going away in the second half.

Second half comes, and MIT did look the superior side, but aside from a couple of shots they didn't manage to generate any great looks. What's more, Newbury wasn't parking the bus: they weren't necessarily trying to attack all-out, either, but they played a direct style that seemed to work for them, and started to retain possession better than in the first half. MIT, meanwhile, looked sloppier and sloppier as the game went on. Whether it was due to the wet turf or not, I don't know, but I had a hard time believing that this was the same team that beat Stevens away on Saturday.

12 minutes left, and Newbury puts in a nice ball from the right flank. Kid gets a head on it 6 yards out, seems ticketed for the net, the MIT goalkeeper makes a great diving save. Ball was loose, Newbury kid sent it towards an empty net, MIT defender hacks it off the line. 'Wow, Newbury almost stole it,' I thought.

While it might sound like I was perhaps underestimating Newbury, who did post a winning record last year, this is the same team that lost 7-0 to MIT last year. (Both team's 2014-15 schedules incorrectly show the final result that year as a 1-0 Newbury away win, but a look at the box score and recap shows that it was in fact a 1-1 draw.) Regardless, Newbury had a losing record every year between 2008 and 2014, and I know that Brandeis - mind you, pre-NCAA caliber Brandeis - beat them 13-0 in 2010, so you might understand my shock that Newbury had almost scored.

Regardless, a minute later, Newbury gets a free kick around 25 yards out, central. Kid hits a great shot, over the wall, into the left corner. Goalkeeper had no chance. And Newbury held out for the rest of the game, limiting MIT to half-chances. What an upset.

The thing that was crazy to me is that it wasn't like MIT was foiled by a fantastic goalkeeper - although Newbury's GK did play well - or hit the post 20 times. Sure, they outshot Newbury, but most of those were half-chances, and the couple of clear chances that they did get they completely blew. In one instance, an MIT player dribbled around the GK and put it wide. Even losing players like Sean Bingham, Austin Freel, and Jake Amereno, I thought that MIT would still put forth a good showing tonight like they did by winning at Stevens on Saturday. However, I was appalled at how out of sorts they were.

Hey, every team will have a bad game every once in a while, and perhaps lose even when they should win. However, I didn't think that it would be this game of all games for MIT. Even so, Newbury played hard, they have a couple of kids who can play, is now 4-0 on the year, and fully earned the win.

Mr.Right

What an absolute disaster. We all and I mean ALL figured MIT would struggle this year with the players they lost not to mention Singleton recruits starting to graduate but a 1-0 home loss to Newbury is bad. What makes the whole MIT situation even more stomach churning is the Stevens result. Futbol can be a strange game but that is why we all love it. It is interesting how wind and downpour rain can really keep weaker teams in games they have no business being in....Good report Bloots and good to see we have a trusted hand and someone finally giving us Northeast breakdowns every week. +1




















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blooter442

Quote from: Mr.Right on September 07, 2016, 09:52:57 PM
What an absolute disaster. We all and I mean ALL figured MIT would struggle this year with the players they lost not to mention Singleton recruits starting to graduate but a 1-0 home loss to Newbury is bad. What makes the whole MIT situation even more stomach churning is the Stevens result. Futbol can be a strange game but that is why we all love it. It is interesting how wind and downpour rain can really keep weaker teams in games they have no business being in....Good report Bloots and good to see we have a trusted hand and someone finally giving us Northeast breakdowns every week. +1

Cheers Mr.Right, and I suppose you might have figured out that Blooter's Beliefs is now Nor'easter News on D3soccer.com. :)

Anyway, what really puzzled me about the whole MIT thing was the Engineers' tactics. They were playing a 4-2-3-1 tonight, only going to 4-4-2 at the end when they were down. I know Bovell is a relatively defensive coach, as he pretty much parked the bus against Brandeis last year - although MIT did perhaps deserve to win that game - but that was a match-up of two nationally-ranked teams; this was a game where, had they attacked well, I think MIT would have won going away. Part of it was that MIT just did not play well, but I found myself scratching my head at the way the hosts were lining up.

Of course, a 4-2-3-1 can be somewhat attacking if played well, and a lot of teams do play it, but it is mainly a defensive lineup in my experience and is usually used in competitive games where the teams are pretty evenly matched. I was rather perplexed as to why MIT was playing a defensive formation against an opponent who they should've beaten by multiple goals in my opinion. Stevens away, sure, I can get it, but Newbury home is the game for 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 methinks.

Ommadawn

Quote from: NCAC New England on September 07, 2016, 09:01:52 PM
Player for RIC who scored on a PK versus Amherst is a Revs academy product who apparently has been at several different schools (and divisions) and must be 24-25 years old.  UMass-Dartmouth has a similar player, who actually used to play at RIC.  So we've got a star player at Trinity (CT) deciding enough is enough, and then some who will move around and drain every ounce of eligibility even at the D3 level.

Your comment about Revs academy products brought to mind Dean College, which is transitioning from NJCAA to NCAA D3 and has been racking up lopsided wins so far this season.  Their current lineup features at least 4 former Revs academy players.

ECSUalum

I only saw the last 30 min of the second half of the ECSU-Muhlenburg College match, but it was like looking at a completely different Warrior team this afternoon!!  In the 2-0 Eastern victory, last year scoring leader Xavier Doran, who was absolutely inconsequential is the 3 previous games got on the end of some beautiful pass work by the Warrior midfield and winger Justen Jensen and struck a bomb into the top left corner from 15 yards out.  The second goal by Freshman Griffen Luczek came off a breakaway where Luczek got a head and foot on the ball, but was tripped just outside the box, no call, and then the Muhlenberg GK mishandled the ball and fell over the goal line.

Much better hustle on 50/50 balls, better pressure on the Mule midfielders, and MUCH MUCH better ball control, passing and possession today, and ECSU did not fall back into their prevent D today, but continued to put pressure on the Mulenburgh defense. Almost made it 3-0 with 5 min left.   Not sure how good the Mules are this year as I see they lost to Lebanon Valley and Scranton but beat Centenary (NJ).  If ECSU can play like today going forward, it will give me confidence that they can compete for the LEC championship.  If they play like the first 3 games it will be a lost season.


PaulNewman

How in the world can Keene St be up 5-0 on Wheaton at the half?

blooter442

From Wellesley: Babson pulls the upset over Brandeis, 1-0 in 2OT on a PK. Judges were outshot, and defeated by Babson for the first time since 2011 (had been 4-0 against their rivals in the last 4 years - 3 wins at 'Deis, 1 at Babo.) Even if it wasn't a PK - I haven't seen the handball - the fact that they kept a shutout against an offense that had scored a number of goals against them is commendable, and while I think Brandeis will be disappointed to lose to their rivals - a big upset from the Beavers' point of view - you have to give Babson credit.

Brother Flounder

Quote from: blooter442 on September 10, 2016, 05:07:06 PM
From Wellesley: Babson pulls the upset over Brandeis, 1-0 in 2OT on a PK. Judges were outshot, and defeated by Babson for the first time since 2011 (had been 4-0 against their rivals in the last 4 years - 3 wins at 'Deis, 1 at Babo.) Even if it wasn't a PK - I haven't seen the handball - the fact that they kept a shutout against an offense that had scored a number of goals against them is commendable, and while I think Brandeis will be disappointed to lose to their rivals - a big upset from the Beavers' point of view - you have to give Babson credit.

Yes, credit is deserved!

ECSUalum

Kenawy is back for the UMBoston Beacons in 3-0 win over Union today!!  Freshman Ocane Williamson (Spanish Town, Jamaica), sophomore Mohamed Kenawy (Revere, Mass.) and Edmilson Barros (Praia, Cape Verde) all scored in the win for the Beacons. Williamson also added an assist, to add to his team-leading total of 11 points.

It will be interesting to see if UMB can run their schedule!!

Off Pitch

Attended Babson v Brandeis today.  A couple of Babson parents confirmed that they had been playing 3 in the back to date, but Babson returned to a 4-4-2 look today.  Brandeis looked very solid.  However they never seemed particularly dangerous and did certainly not play to the level of the team of the past two seasons.   The Judges will probably play a number of 1-0 games again this year.  The handball resulting in the PK looked legit.  Overall, Babson was the slightly better side, at least for today.

Mr.Right

Where does Brandeis practice for grass fields?

The Wheaton 6-1 loss to Keene St is a sign that Wheaton threw in the towel early and did not take Keene seriously.

blooter442

Quote from: Off Pitch on September 10, 2016, 06:47:25 PM
Attended Babson v Brandeis today.  A couple of Babson parents confirmed that they had been playing 3 in the back to date, but Babson returned to a 4-4-2 look today.  Brandeis looked very solid.  However they never seemed particularly dangerous and did certainly not play to the level of the team of the past two seasons.   The Judges will probably play a number of 1-0 games again this year.  The handball resulting in the PK looked legit.  Overall, Babson was the slightly better side, at least for today.

Just going by the stats, it looked like Babson played Brandeis well, and while reverting to 4 at the back is being more pragmatic, it wasn't like Babson parked the bus based on the shot count. Good to know the handball at least wasn't a blatantly blown call - my view is that if it's legit, it's still rough, but at least you didn't get hosed.

Quote from: Mr.Right on September 10, 2016, 08:01:21 PM
Where does Brandeis practice for grass fields?

Good question, and genuinely no idea. Possibly the rugby practice field adjacent to the turf, but I doubt it.

blooter442

Colby scores in the 79th minute to go 1-0 up at crosstown rival Thomas. Colby was upset by Thomas last year at home in OT, so this could be a slight measure of revenge.

Fantastic finish by the Colby player, banged a loose ball off a restart into the top corner.