NESCAC 2016

Started by Giggs, August 30, 2016, 08:45:26 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Ocean 1

3 NESCAC teams in the 3rd Round...pretty good showing!

2xfaux

#16
And perhaps two in the final four.  I wish I could make it to Williams this weekend.  I expect three great games.

Ocean 1

Agree.

On the Williams Sectional...think Williams advances v JHU and Messiah advances v Midd. What a Sectional!

nescac1

Great Sectional indeed.  JHU is on a major roll of late, crushing a host of quality teams over the past few weeks and led by a senior who has 25 (!) goals on the season.  JHU and Williams have a long history of dead-even games in the tourney.  Messiah of course is Messiah.  After a dominant scoring stretch in early October, the Ephs have struggled a bit to put the ball into the net over the past few weeks despite totally dominating games in all respects, and will need to stop hitting crossbars, missing penalties and fairly open goals, and so on, if they hope to survive a very tough sectional. 

The good news for the Ephs is that everyone finally seems to be healthy and the defense has been extraordinarily stout -- for the Ephs, the key is to settle in and focus quickly as they have sometimes lacked a bit of sharpness early in contests.  The Ephs defense has only given up ONE goal beyond the first half of games all season (and zero since September 10), which is just unreal, and of the six goals they have surrended in total, two have come in the first MINUTE of games.  Once they get into the flow, the Ephs are really a tough nut to crack, and the tremendous team depth helps wear opponents down. 

Midd is definitely the underdog in the sectional but could of course surprise. 

Amherst will be a serious underdog vs. William Smith but Amherst has been killing it of late so who knows. 

2xfaux

Williamstown Accuweather tells me 60 with sun and clouds Saturday but 45 with heavy rain and snow on Sunday.  "Hey, that's no way to say goodbye."  Say it ain't so.

Jump4Joy

Amherst had the #1 up against it today. Sorry to see their run come to an end.

nescac1

Tough end to an amazing three year run for the Ephs' incredible group of seniors -- Kirshe and Thomas finished as the number 1 and 2 all-time scorers for Williams, and of course had two championship game appearances and one national title in addition to this year's Elite 8.  Williams once again surrended an early goal, but then Messiah absolutely exploded late in the game with a crazy flurry of goals to salt it away.  They look like the favorite in the Final Four with William Smith losing. 

Despite losing a historically-good senior class, the future for the Ephs remains bright, as they return the (normally) very stingy entire starting defensive backfield and midfield unit and GK, save for one player (Wardlaw, who also had a great career).  Obviously, they lose a lot of firepower up front, but this year's dynamic frosh duo Scire and Lu -- who may end up challenging some of Kirshe and Thomas's records -- and last year's championship game hero Alvarado provide some optimism that the Ephs will still be able to knock the ball into the net.  All-NESCAC MF Maddie Swarr missed the entire year with an injury ... perhaps she will redshirt and return next year to give the Ephs' even more returning firepower on the attack. 

2xfaux

I wish the weather would have been better in Williamstown this past weekend.  I have no idea if the results would have been different but the wind and snow....Oh well.  I would love to see Williams and Messiah play more often.  Messiah made the trip to Williams a couple of years ago for an early season game and I have always hoped Williams would find a way to get to Grantham. 

Ocean 1

Johnny come lately here on commenting but very much doubt results would have changed due to weather. Messiah just had some unbelievable good luck (and well placed shots!).

Would also like to see these two square-off more frequently...would help both programs although both have a top-level SOS already.

amh63

Wow.....no post here for years!
In any case, Amherst won the Nescac championship today on Tufts' home field.  Amherst beat the host team Tufts yesterday 3-0. Today, Amherst the 4th seed beat Mid, the 2nd seed.  Several FYs' combined with veterans to return to the NCAA post season...pre season goals within reach ;).