New England Soccer Discussion

[nescac1]

So which NESCAC teams are likely to make the NCAA's at this point?  I'd say Wesleyan and Williams are a lock, Trinity may be on the outside looking in with only one high-quality win and a late season collapse, Midd probably needs to win the tourney although an upset of Wesleyan might squeeze them in.  Amherst and Bowdoin seem to be the real wildcards.  I would think beating Williams on Saturday would earn Bowdoin a spot, but perhaps they've earned it already?  With a Bowdoin loss, does Amherst squeeze in?  Or are they in already?

[Jim Matson]

I think Wesleyan and Williams are indeed a lock.  I'd give Bowdoin a strong chance as well.  Amherst may miss this year, but Middlebury, by winning their first NESCAC tourney match, has given themselves a chance.

But it could happen that due to the NCAA regional ranking system (which is the one used to pick post-season participants) would actually allow for 4-5 NESCAC teams to be playing after November 9th!  I really think Amherst is the team on the bubble here.

[ECSUalum]

So which NESCAC teams are likely to make the NCAA's at this point?  I'd say Wesleyan and Williams are a lock, Trinity may be on the outside looking in with only one high-quality win and a late season collapse, Midd probably needs to win the tourney although an upset of Wesleyan might squeeze them in.  Amherst and Bowdoin seem to be the real wildcards.  I would think beating Williams on Saturday would earn Bowdoin a spot, but perhaps they've earned it already?  With a Bowdoin loss, does Amherst squeeze in?  Or are they in already?

I woulld say that Trinity had two high quality wins in reg season, one vs Williams and other vs ECSU, which by the way could have gone either way as ECSU hit two off the crossbar in that game in Hartford.

I like Williams, Wesleyan and Bowdoin to move through.

ECSU WILL PREVAIL OVER RIC AND KEENE.

[ECSUalum]

NSCAA National Rankings
 

NCAA Rankings  National  Men
Division III  National Poll  - November 03, 2009

Rank   School                  Prev.     W-L-T  
1  Ohio Wesleyan                1     17 -  0 -  2    
2  Messiah (Pa.)                   2     17 -  1 -  0    
3  Loras (Iowa)                    3     17 -  1 -  1    
4  Wesleyan (Conn.)            5     11 -  0 -  4    
5  Trinity (Texas)                  6     13 -  1 -  2    
6  Rensselaer P I(N.Y.)         7     13 -  1 -  2    
7  Christ. Newport (Va.)     10     16 -  2 -  0    
8  Dominican (Ill.)                 8     13 -  1 -  3    
9  Rochester (N.Y.), U         11     12 -  1 -  2    
10  Swarthmore (Pa.)         12     14 -  1 -  2    
11  Carnegie Mellon (Pa.)    9     14 -  2 -  0    
12  York (Pa.)                    17     13 -  1 -  4    
13  Carroll (Wis.)                 15     14 -  1 -  3    
14  Williams (Mass.)            14     12 -  2 -  1    
15  Whitworth (Wash.)       NR     12 -  2 -  3    
16  Salisbury (Md.)              24     14 -  2 -  1    
17  Wheaton (Ill.)                NR     13 -  3 -  2    
18  Muhlenberg (Pa.)           RV     11 -  3 -  2    
18  Wheaton (Mass.)           NR     16 -  3 -  1    
20  Ohio Northern                25     14 -  3 -  2    
20  Plattsburgh St. (N.Y.)     22     12 -  2 -  4    
22  UC Santa Cruz               19       13 -  3 -  2    
23  Elmhurst (Ill.)                NR         12 -  3 -  3    
24  St. Olaf (Minn.)              NR       13 -  3 -  2    
25  Montclair State (N.J.)      24     15 -  1 -  2
    


Also receiving votes: Principia (Ill.), Calvin (Mich.), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (N.Y.), Bowdoin (Maine), Capital (Ohio), Hobart (N.Y.)

[ECSUalum]

NSCAA National Rankings
 

NCAA Rankings Regional Men  New England
Division III  9th Poll  - November 03, 2009


Rank   School                                                                   W-L-T   
1  Wesleyan (Conn.)
DA Connecticut College 2-0; DH Colby 5-0                  11  -  0  -  4
   
2  Williams (Mass.)
LA Middlebury 0-1; DH Connecticut College 3-0          12  -  2  -  1
   
3  Wheaton (Mass.)
DH Worcetser Polytchnic Institute 2-0                        16  -  3  -  1
   
4  Bowdoin (Maine)
DH Tufts 2-1; DH Trinity (Conn.) 3-0                           11  -  3  -  1
   
5  Eastern Connecticut State
DA UMB 3-1; DH Fitch. St 3-0; DA Ply St 3-2 (OT)        14  -  4  -  1
   
6  Amherst (Mass.)
DA Trinity (Conn.) 2-1; LH MIddlebury 1-2                   11  -  3  -  1
   
7  Babson (Mass.)
DA MIT 4-2                                                                   13  -  5  -  1
   
8  Trinity (Conn.)
LH Amherst; LA Bowdoin 0-3                                       10  -  4  -  1
   
9  Keene State (N.H.)
DA Connecticut College 1-0; DA South. Maine 2-1        13  -  6  -  0
   
10  Western New England (Mass.)
DA New England 3-0; DH New Engtland 3-2                 14  -  5  -  2
   
10  Middlebury (Vt.)
DH Williams 1-0; DA Amherst 2-1                                    9  -  4  -  2

   
 

[owl]

Interesting to see Middlebury back there at #10 after knocking off #2 Williams and #6 Amherst.  Who woke the sleeping giant.  Ought to be quite a match between #1 Wesleyan and #10 Middlebury.

[ECSUalum]

ECSU 2 RIC 0
UMD 2 Keene St 1

UMD @ ECSU Saturday for LEC Championship

[ECSUalum]

ECSU LEC Champs with 1-0 win over UMD

[Jim Matson]

ECSU will have two teams in, right?  Nice!

[ECSUalum]

ECSU will have two teams in, right?  Nice!

Jim,

Yes Sir, the mens and women soccer are in the NCAA tourney!

Lets see how far thay can progress.

[Bucket]

Midd beats Wesleyan, 2-0.

Do the Panthers need to beat Williams (for the second time in a little more than a week)? Or are they in regardless?

[owl]

Midd battled Williams very even to a 1-1 tie at regulation and gave up an own goal about 6 min into the first ot.  In the past 12 days, Midd beat Williams at home, Amherst away Wesleyan away and then lost to Williams in ot.  Some very tired lads walked off the field today.  Koodos to both Williams and Middlebury on a very good game.  In light of their recent play, it would be a shame if Middlebury did not make the tournament.

[ECSUalum]

Agreed,

NESCAC teams have best shot at progressing deep into NCAA tournament

[Jim Matson]

Interesting to see Bowdoin make it in over Middlebury.  Better record perhaps, but it seemed like Middlebury played up when they needed to.

[truenorth]

Here are the observations from LaPaz, as posted on the D3 Futbol site.  He saw both NESCAC semi-final games on Saturday.

"Saw the games this weekend and felt Williams deserved to win.  I thought Wesleyan looked the worst out of all 4 teams. Maybe they just had a bad day. They have no offensive firepower and rely to much on their defense and superb goalkeeping. That keeper plays like a senior not a frosh.  For all you Bowdoin haters they belong in the tournament, that kid Jones has some wheels and they are very organized defensively...Williams scored on a keeper mistake, but Bowdoin had some chances but could not finish them.  They looked like the 2nd best team in tournament..Midd played well got lucky to tie Williams on a 25yard cracker from Redmond but that was their only real legitimate shot of the game.  Still it was fun to hear those Williams fans all gulp when that went in..The way Midd has owned Williams recently you would think that Midd would have found a way to win after that goal..Coincidently they lose the game on an own goal.  You can compare all the nescac teams to e/o all you want but Bowdoin got in b/c they beat Babson,St.Joe's, and Husson all NCAA tournament teams...argue the system all you want but thats the way it is.  Having seen them a few times this year they deserve it anyway."