It's indeed a bummer that, due to costs, Whitman will never, under any foreseeable circumstance, get to host a sectional. But I will say, the NCAA did as good a job as possible under those circumstances in giving Whitman a fair shake this year. By all accounts Whitman and NWU were the top two seeds in this tournament. Had things gone according to chalk, here are their respective paths to the title game. It's not at all clear that (notwithstanding two fewer home games), Whitman was expected to face a more difficult path:
Whitman: hosting Texas Lutheran, hosting Pomona Pitzer, vs. Williams on a neutral court, at Hamilton, vs. Amherst on a neutral court
NWU: hosting Eureka, hosting St. Thomas, hosting Wittinberg, hosting Wisconsin Oshkosh, vs. Augustana on a neutral court