MIAA chat

[WLCALUM83]

IL Wesleyan at Kzoo just underway--5 minutes in, no score yet.

[WLCALUM83]

IL Wesleyan 0, Kzoo 0  Half  (Stats indicate IL Wesleyan's shown more on offense.)

[WLCALUM83]

IL Wesleyan 1, Kzoo 0  2nd  (Goal came in 62nd minute).

[WLCALUM83]

Final:  IL Wesleyan 2, Kalamazoo 0.

[Dark Knight]

Soccer season is underway! Calvin played Aquinas yesterday and won 4-0. A number of freshmen started and contributed, which was good to see.

Calvin has a remarkably difficult schedule before the conference games begin. More than half of their first nine games are against top-20 teams, including bouts with three of the top eight!

#2 Wheaton
#7 Otterbein
#8 Wash U
#16 U of Chicago
#20 Denison

I wonder if any other teams have such a difficult a schedule so early on.

[DIIIdad]

Calvin lost for the first time this season 3-0 to U of Chicago.  The loss broke Calvin's 21 game unbeaten streak. 

[Jim Matson]

Calvin women lost yet again.  They are putting themselves in a tough spot - and really need to focus on winning the MIAA.

[WLCALUM83]

10/17 finals:

Calvin 1, Adrian 0
Hope 3, Trine 0
Kzoo 4, Olivet 1
Albion 3, St. Mary's 0

[WLCALUM83]

MIAA 11/3 Championships

Albion 1, Adrian 0  Final (Beck got the goal with .56 left in the 1st OT)

Kzoo & Calvin are into a 2nd OT period as I post.

[WLCALUM83]

Calvin and Kzoo are going to penalty kicks!

[sean-o]

Calvin and Kzoo are going to penalty kicks!

And Kzoo won 3-1 in the shootout. Astounding stat from the Calvin recap: The Knights are just 1-6-1 (how do you get a draw?) in shootouts. In fact, if Calvin doesn't make the tournament this year, they'll have lost their final game in a shootout their last FIVE years. Doesn't seem possible.

I'm curious as to how Calvin's move to the Central Region might have affected it this year. Certainly they couldn't pull it off against the region's best teams: They lost consecutive games to Chicago, Wheaton and Wash U. One of the biggest criticisms in the past has been that they have run away with an MIAA conference that didn't challenge them. Calvin certainly had the strength of schedule this year, but it looks like the Knights will be just a step below the postseason.

[Preto]

I'm curious as to how Calvin's move to the Central Region might have affected it this year. Certainly they couldn't pull it off against the region's best teams: They lost consecutive games to Chicago, Wheaton and Wash U. One of the biggest criticisms in the past has been that they have run away with an MIAA conference that didn't challenge them. Calvin certainly had the strength of schedule this year, but it looks like the Knights will be just a step below the postseason.

The Knight's surprising run continues today with a 7 p.m. Wash U rematch.

[atawg]

I don't think Calvin's deep NCAA run was surprising. They played a premier nonconference schedule (Otterbein, Denison, Ohio Northern, Washington U, Chicago, Wheaton - all ranked) They won over the 3 Ohio teams handily and although they lost the other 3 games, they outshot and outcornered (except Chicago on corners) in each of the losses - Wash U 7-5 shots & 5-1 corners, Chicago 17-13 shots & 2-3 corners, Wheaton 13-9 & 5-3 corners. In addition, Wheaton and Chicago were road games (at tough to win at places). Calvin had to overcome several injuries - Veurink and Schnabel; which although still hobbling at the end, probably made them better for it. Calvin outshot 12-6 and 6-1 on corners in the NCAA game also; but the game of inches went to Wash U. Either way, Calvin enjoyed a wonderful season and furthered their reputation as a premier soccer program (5 consecutive trips to NCAA and the Final 8 loss to Wash U this year was their 1st NCAA loss in those same 5 years). Calvin is graduating some their current talent, but has some wonderful young talent that gained a year or 2 of experience - 2010 should be another good year.

[sflzman]

My vote is for Alma to win the MIAA this year. With the player that will take over as all-time points leader this year returning for Alma, along with another forward that is just as good, or even better, the Scots will make it very tough on Calvin. Unless of course they loose to Albion twice in one year again...

[Dark Knight]

My vote is for Alma to win the MIAA this year. With the player that will take over as all-time points leader this year returning for Alma, along with another forward that is just as good, or even better, the Scots will make it very tough on Calvin. Unless of course they loose to Albion twice in one year again...

The MIAA is getting ever more competitive, and some other team such as Alma could definitely win. And Calvin is losing two all-MIAA first team players. And their keeper this year will be a freshman.

Still, Calvin has most of its elite-8 team returning and an amazingly strong incoming freshman class. 12 of the 24 players on the team this year are freshmen, and not because that many players graduated. What this means is that the weakest of those 12 freshmen was stronger, or had more potential, than some players on the elite-8 team last year, who didn't make the team this year.

I think how well Calvin does will depend on how quickly all the new players learn their roles, develop a team chemistry, etc.