My Dark Horse pick for this tournament is MSOE. They have one of the more difficult paths IMO but they've got something special this year and I'm pulling for them to make a run. Last year was their first ever tournament appearance and they had an early exit due to a PK loss against hosting Wartburg in the first round. They're a little more experienced this year and this won't be the first NCAA game (which is always intimidating) for many of their players.
The Andryk brothers are a two-headed monster who are BOTH averaging over a goal a game (Logan is averaging over 3 points per game, and Braden is averaging over 2.5 points per game). If you want to beat MSOE you're going to have to keep them off the score sheet which is no easy task. This is Logan's last year so you can bet he and his brother (and a team that's learned to rely on him for 4 years) are going to leave everything on the field. MSOE might not see 2 players of his/his brother's caliber in the same year again for some time.
St. Scholastica has been knocking on the door for a few years now and this looks like their year to make some noise.
Thomas More (can they be considered a dark horse??)...Still haven't gotten over witnessing their throttling of OWU back in September (I know, awhile ago) plus they just have that swagger to them that they are destined for big things. This should be the year for them to prove to everyone that they are the real deal come November. 6th straight ncaa appearance and they have not gotten out of the second round yet with each loss during this span coming by a goal or on pk's
MSOE over Calvin
Might seem like I'm hating on Calvin, but that is not the case. The incredibly impressive win streak stays in tact though by way of PKs
Cabrini is my dark horse. They are organized and can be tough to break down. Philly kids can bang with Amherst style of play...
W&L has some fire power and I think they take the Fords to OT...
Gotta go with RPI as a dark-horse as well even though they have been falling off.
University of Wisconsin Whitewater is my dark horse. After making a couple brief appearances in the top ten this year they have dropped down a bit and have been sent to Wheaton for their first two games. This team has beaten tournament teams Loras, MSOE, St. Olaf and Carthage (all of whom won their respective conferences).
UWW plays a direct style that is ugly at times but frustrates the best of teams. Countless numbers of free kicks and long throws pumped into the box all aimed at 6' 7" center back Justin Stanko will give any opposing coach nightmares.
The real difference this year from past years is that UWW has someone to lead the attack. Dylan Hottsmith has been a breath of fresh air for the Warhawks up top. He has 7g and 7a on the year and can create something out of nothing. Just ask Loras fans what they think of him after he single handedly beat 3 defenders and won the game in the last five minutes at the dreaded Rock Bowl.
Lycoming can knock off Amherst. They need to get through the weekend though.
Depauw - when playing determined and motivated - can hang with any team in the country. I could see them making a run.
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on November 12, 2015, 12:13:57 PM
Lycoming can knock off Amherst. They need to get through the weekend though.
I do not think so. Lycoming will play right into Amherst's hands. They lack the athleticism that Amherst has and the firepower. I could see a 3-0 or 4-1 scoreline. They will not know what hit them.
Quote from: Mr.Right on November 12, 2015, 12:30:56 PM
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on November 12, 2015, 12:13:57 PM
Lycoming can knock off Amherst. They need to get through the weekend though.
I do not think so. Lycoming will play right into Amherst's hands. They lack the athleticism that Amherst has and the firepower. I could see a 3-0 or 4-1 scoreline. They will not know what hit them.
I disagree. Lycoming is athletic, fast, defends better than mostly anyone I have seen play over the past couple of years since Gibboney took over and they are tough. They can mix up their style to get the job done. I think that Amherst is overall bigger and better and probably more technical than any of the other teams in this pod, but I think it's an instant classic if these 2 teams meet (Amherst vs Lycoming) and I hope it happens. Lycoming hasn't given up more than 2 goals in a game all season and they have only conceded 2 goals twice this year. Add on the 12 shutouts and I would take them against most teams defensively. Amherst has firepower which is why I think it would be a great match-up. I would not anticipate a 3-0 or 4-1 scoreline.
Also I am sure most anticipated Lycoming to lose 3-0 or 4-0 vs Messiah in 2013 but they held them to a 0-0 draw and won in PKs. The regular season game that year vs Messiah was a 2-1 game so even against the best team in the country that year they only gave up a total of 2 goals in 2 games against the eventual national champions...and 2 years later some of those same players are still on this team which is far better than the 2013 team that beat Messiah. This will help them with the experience portion of the game which can be a big factor when teams have a lot of young players.
And to be clear I did not say Lycoming will beat Amherst...I said they
could knock them off if they survive the weekend.
I do not think Lycoming gets by the winner of Rowan / Dickinson. If they do they better step on the field ready to battle for 90 minutes against Amherst or it will be like getting hit by a train as they will not be used to a team that are more athletic, more physical and have more weapons up top. When Amherst hits they hit hard and early goals are the norm. If Lycoming gives up a goal or 2 early forget it they will be cooked.
It's obviously a homer pick, but I really think SLU can make a run this year. Seems like most poeple have them making it to the sweet 16 and falling to Haverford, but I could easily see them getting through the second weekend with a rock solid D and some pretty electric strikers. Good mix of youth along the backline and young attacking talent.
Here we go Saints!
Quote from: Mr.Right on November 12, 2015, 01:17:17 PM
I do not think Lycoming gets by the winner of Rowan / Dickinson. If they do they better step on the field ready to battle for 90 minutes against Amherst or it will be like getting hit by a train as they will not be used to a team that are more athletic, more physical and have more weapons up top. When Amherst hits they hit hard and early goals are the norm. If Lycoming gives up a goal or 2 early forget it they will be cooked.
As I said they need to survive the weekend. ;)
Carthage is very inconsistent, but I think they will beat Loras who is over rated and should have never gotten a bye!
Quote from: SandyMac on November 12, 2015, 01:43:22 PM
It's obviously a homer pick, but I really think SLU can make a run this year. Seems like most poeple have them making it to the sweet 16 and falling to Haverford, but I could easily see them getting through the second weekend with a rock solid D and some pretty electric strikers. Good mix of youth along the backline and young attacking talent.
Here we go Saints!
As our brother Saint of Old keeps saying, our depth gives us a HUGE advantage going into the tournament. Our entire front 3 as well as the starting CMs are completely interchangeable off the bench. When a lot of teams are wearing down at this point in the season, we still have the fresh legs.
Quote from: stlawus on November 12, 2015, 09:46:07 PM
Quote from: SandyMac on November 12, 2015, 01:43:22 PM
It's obviously a homer pick, but I really think SLU can make a run this year. Seems like most poeple have them making it to the sweet 16 and falling to Haverford, but I could easily see them getting through the second weekend with a rock solid D and some pretty electric strikers. Good mix of youth along the backline and young attacking talent.
Here we go Saints!
As our brother Saint of Old keeps saying, our depth gives us a HUGE advantage going into the tournament. Our entire front 3 as well as the starting CMs are completely interchangeable off the bench. When a lot of teams are wearing down at this point in the season, we still have the fresh legs.
Why are they playing at 11am and not "prime time" at 130?
They've always played at 11 in the opening round, not sure why but it's been like that every year.
Quote from: d3fan1 on November 12, 2015, 09:35:54 PM
Carthage is very inconsistent, but I think they will beat Loras who is over rated and should have never gotten a bye!
How isLoras over rated? They were #1 in their region and had a very high SOS, that's how you get a bye. Sour grapes anyone?
The trend over the past 6-8 years has the host team playing in the early match, whether at 11:00 vs 1:30 or 5:00 vs 7:30. In the 90s, it seemed that teams set up for the "primetime" match for the home crowd's sake.
Playing early in the evening is strongly preferred especially if one has an afternoon match the next day (assuming a win), but I don't think playing a morning match gives any advantage over a 1:00 or 1:30 match. It might be a disadvantage as not many teams play that timeslot during the regular season.
Quote from: d3fan1 on November 12, 2015, 09:35:54 PM
Carthage is very inconsistent, but I think they will beat Loras who is over rated and should have never gotten a bye!
I disagree, Loras is rested and has a lot of tournament experience. They have 14 seniors on the roster and Carthage will have travelled 10 plus hours in the past four days come Sunday. Duhawks 3-1!
Quote from: stlawus on November 12, 2015, 10:49:29 PM
They've always played at 11 in the opening round, not sure why but it's been like that every year.
The home team or highest ranked team in the pod gets to choose the starting time they prefer. It is all preference. Some coaches like the earleir game because it gives players almost 3 extra hours of rest over your next opponent. This is critical especially for bigger guys because do not bounce back quite as fresh as smaller guys. They get leg heavy in the 2nd game. Some coaches does not think it makes a difference and let the players choose. Players usually want the later time so they can sleep in.
I made that prediction for my old friend Kicken to see if he was still around. It would be a major upset for Carthage to beat Loras, but they have some explosive offensive players so it it not out of the question. Glad to see you a,re .still alive and "Kickin"😉
Quote from: Mr.Right on November 13, 2015, 08:30:43 AM
Quote from: stlawus on November 12, 2015, 10:49:29 PM
They've always played at 11 in the opening round, not sure why but it's been like that every year.
The home team or highest ranked team in the pod gets to choose the starting time they prefer. It is all preference. Some coaches like the earleir game because it gives players almost 3 extra hours of rest over your next opponent. This is critical especially for bigger guys because do not bounce back quite as fresh as smaller guys. They get leg heavy in the 2nd game. Some coaches does not think it makes a difference and let the players choose. Players usually want the later time so they can sleep in.
I'm almost certain that this is one of the reasons we always played the first game. I definitely think 3 hours of recovery is significant!
In addition, once the team takes care of business then the coaching staff can turn the entirety of their attention to scouting the second match without having to worry about their own match afterwards.
Quote from: SandyMac on November 13, 2015, 10:59:46 AM
Quote from: Mr.Right on November 13, 2015, 08:30:43 AM
Quote from: stlawus on November 12, 2015, 10:49:29 PM
They've always played at 11 in the opening round, not sure why but it's been like that every year.
The home team or highest ranked team in the pod gets to choose the starting time they prefer. It is all preference. Some coaches like the earleir game because it gives players almost 3 extra hours of rest over your next opponent. This is critical especially for bigger guys because do not bounce back quite as fresh as smaller guys. They get leg heavy in the 2nd game. Some coaches does not think it makes a difference and let the players choose. Players usually want the later time so they can sleep in.
I'm almost certain that this is one of the reasons we always played the first game. I definitely think 3 hours of recovery is significant!
In addition, once the team takes care of business then the coaching staff can turn the entirety of their attention to scouting the second match without having to worry about their own match afterwards.
I think your last point is what makes a ton of sense for playing the early game. On top of the extra rest, players and the staff are able to watch the next match while the opposing team would not have the opportunity to see them live.
Ahh...The opposing teams are both watching the 1st game live or at least they should be. Players can run warm up somewhere else while the coach looks at both possible opponents.
Who said something about Cabrini?
TMC is being cast as lucky to be in the tourney, but the team undoubtedly has some talent - you don't beat OWU away 5-1 without it.
Quote from: wingtips2 on November 13, 2015, 12:04:42 PM
Who said something about Cabrini?
TMC is being cast as lucky to be in the tourney, but the team undoubtedly has some talent - you don't beat OWU away 5-1 without it.
I am a big TMC fan, except for this weekend, but this OWU win keeps getting mentioned and to be fair it was an abberration little different from OWU losing to Otterbein 4-1 the year before on their home field. OWU had multiple injuries during that stretch and they did not look good. TMC beat a depleted OWU squad that bears little resemblance to the OWU of the past 3-4 weeks. If they played today, I'd favor OWU in a tight, chippy affair that would be decided in the last 10 minutes or in OT. That said, TMC is capable of beating Chicago, Kenyon, Montclair/Tufts, etc. A team will have to play well and very hard for a full 90 or more minutes to beat them.
I'm the nut job that said something about Cabrini...
....Also have TMC in my sweet 16 losing to MSU
Quote from: d3fan1 on November 13, 2015, 09:04:24 AM
I made that prediction for my old friend Kicken to see if he was still around. It would be a major upset for Carthage to beat Loras, but they have some explosive offensive players so it it not out of the question. Glad to see you a,re .still alive and "Kickin"😉
Oh I am around baby, the DuHawks will emerge victorious!
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on November 12, 2015, 12:13:57 PM
Lycoming can knock off Amherst. They need to get through the weekend though.
Looks like shooter (lycoming) and myself (Depauw) are the only ones to have their dark horse picks survive the first weekend. Stay tuned!
Quote from: NEsoccerfan on November 16, 2015, 11:08:32 AM
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on November 12, 2015, 12:13:57 PM
Lycoming can knock off Amherst. They need to get through the weekend though.
Looks like shooter (lycoming) and myself (Depauw) are the only ones to have their dark horse picks survive the first weekend. Stay tuned!
I have seen Lycoming play a couple times this season. They are good and definitely an underrated team in this tournament. The tricky thing with this match-up is that it is on grass which Lycoming is not accustom to. This will favor Amherst but I am sure Lycoming will be able to adjust but it might make some of their players uncomfortable as I do not believe they have played on too many grass fields this season or in seasons past.
As for the match itself I would give Amherst a slight edge seeing that it is at home, grass field, no long bus/plane trip, and it's Amherst. They are good and there is no denying that. 55-45 in favor of Amherst. Not saying Lycoming can't do it...but I give my pregame edge to Amherst.
As for the statement by Shooter about potentially knocking off Amherst...yes they most certainly can. Should be a good game to follow this coming weekend.
Quote from: NEsoccerfan on November 16, 2015, 11:08:32 AM
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on November 12, 2015, 12:13:57 PM
Lycoming can knock off Amherst. They need to get through the weekend though.
Looks like shooter (lycoming) and myself (Depauw) are the only ones to have their dark horse picks survive the first weekend. Stay tuned!
Yes! There have been a lot of good games so far! Glad to see some of my picks survive ;D
Quote from: Mr.Right on November 12, 2015, 01:17:17 PM
I do not think Lycoming gets by the winner of Rowan / Dickinson. If they do they better step on the field ready to battle for 90 minutes against Amherst or it will be like getting hit by a train as they will not be used to a team that are more athletic, more physical and have more weapons up top. When Amherst hits they hit hard and early goals are the norm. If Lycoming gives up a goal or 2 early forget it they will be cooked.
They got by Mr. Right...do you still think they (Lycoming) are overrated? This is an intriguing match-up. Is Serpone the crazy coach you guys always refer to in his mannerisms towards the officials?
I never said Lycoming was overrated. I said I have not seen them play. Then you said something about 2 strikers up top and them pressing and being physical. Then I said they better step on the field ready to play. Then you predicted Amherst will lose. Then I just stayed quiet.
Quote from: Mr.Right on November 16, 2015, 03:08:28 PM
I never said Lycoming was overrated. I said I have not seen them play. Then you said something about 2 strikers up top and them pressing and being physical. Then I said they better step on the field ready to play. Then you predicted Amherst will lose. Then I just stayed quiet.
I was just assuming you think they are overrated based off your posts from the past couple months and always degrading them. Was not meant to be a jab at you but more of a conversation starter is all. And back to my other question you missed...is Serpone the coach that terrorizes officials? Or Shapiro? I remember you mentioning both coaches but I am unfamiliar with which one was the headcase.
And in the couple games I have seen Lycoming they only played with 1 striker not 2.
I never degraded Lycoming. I have never seen them play. I was saying throughout the rankings weeks that I felt their resume did not stack up with other "bubble" teams. It did not matter as they won the AQ and beat 1 decent team. If they beat Amherst then you will have me as a believer. Ugh 1 striker...Do they sit with 6 and attack with 4 at least?
Quote from: Mr.Right on November 16, 2015, 03:36:38 PM
I never degraded Lycoming. I have never seen them play. I was saying throughout the rankings weeks that I felt their resume did not stack up with other "bubble" teams. It did not matter as they won the AQ and beat 1 decent team. If they beat Amherst then you will have me as a believer. Ugh 1 striker...Do they sit with 6 and attack with 4 at least?
They tend to sit with 5 and attack with 4 and one of their CM trails in-between from what I saw. I did not watch any of their games this weekend but I heard they took it to Dickinson from a fitness standpoint in a very physical game. I am sure Dickinson was a little more worn down after having to go to OT with Rowan which I also can imagine was a very physical game (Most NJAC schools play extremely physical). Stat line looked pretty even.
And I will try a third time on the headcase coach question...? ;D
I think Mr. Right is still distraught from our SLU Skidmore bets...he lost a lot of bananas 2 weeks back. ;)
Lycoming is good but they will have their hands full with Amherst.
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on November 16, 2015, 03:47:11 PM
Quote from: Mr.Right on November 16, 2015, 03:36:38 PM
I never degraded Lycoming. I have never seen them play. I was saying throughout the rankings weeks that I felt their resume did not stack up with other "bubble" teams. It did not matter as they won the AQ and beat 1 decent team. If they beat Amherst then you will have me as a believer. Ugh 1 striker...Do they sit with 6 and attack with 4 at least?
They tend to sit with 5 and attack with 4 and one of their CM trails in-between from what I saw. I did not watch any of their games this weekend but I heard they took it to Dickinson from a fitness standpoint in a very physical game. I am sure Dickinson was a little more worn down after having to go to OT with Rowan which I also can imagine was a very physical game (Most NJAC schools play extremely physical). Stat line looked pretty even.
And I will try a third time on the headcase coach question...? ;D
Serpone is the one oft discussed (although not by me). Definitely not Shapiro.
Quote from: NEsoccerfan on November 16, 2015, 04:11:26 PM
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on November 16, 2015, 03:47:11 PM
Quote from: Mr.Right on November 16, 2015, 03:36:38 PM
I never degraded Lycoming. I have never seen them play. I was saying throughout the rankings weeks that I felt their resume did not stack up with other "bubble" teams. It did not matter as they won the AQ and beat 1 decent team. If they beat Amherst then you will have me as a believer. Ugh 1 striker...Do they sit with 6 and attack with 4 at least?
They tend to sit with 5 and attack with 4 and one of their CM trails in-between from what I saw. I did not watch any of their games this weekend but I heard they took it to Dickinson from a fitness standpoint in a very physical game. I am sure Dickinson was a little more worn down after having to go to OT with Rowan which I also can imagine was a very physical game (Most NJAC schools play extremely physical). Stat line looked pretty even.
And I will try a third time on the headcase coach question...? ;D
Serpone is the one oft discussed (although not by me). Definitely not Shapiro.
I am curious of this as well as I said before I am not that familiar with the NE region as compared say the Mid-Atlantic. Why is he always a topic of discussion? Just yells at refs or players or what?
Quote from: NEsoccerfan on November 16, 2015, 04:11:26 PM
Quote from: Shooter McGavin on November 16, 2015, 03:47:11 PM
Quote from: Mr.Right on November 16, 2015, 03:36:38 PM
I never degraded Lycoming. I have never seen them play. I was saying throughout the rankings weeks that I felt their resume did not stack up with other "bubble" teams. It did not matter as they won the AQ and beat 1 decent team. If they beat Amherst then you will have me as a believer. Ugh 1 striker...Do they sit with 6 and attack with 4 at least?
They tend to sit with 5 and attack with 4 and one of their CM trails in-between from what I saw. I did not watch any of their games this weekend but I heard they took it to Dickinson from a fitness standpoint in a very physical game. I am sure Dickinson was a little more worn down after having to go to OT with Rowan which I also can imagine was a very physical game (Most NJAC schools play extremely physical). Stat line looked pretty even.
And I will try a third time on the headcase coach question...? ;D
Serpone is the one oft discussed (although not by me). Definitely not Shapiro.
So Serpone is Amherst and Shapiro is...?? Tufts? Williams?
Tufts.
Have not seen St. Olaf or Wheaton in the tournament. Can St. Olaf get the W? Would this be considered an upset? I mean Wheaton was projected to be higher early in the season, but have not performed to that level of expectation.
Quote from: lastguyoffthebench on November 17, 2015, 10:07:41 AM
Have not seen St. Olaf or Wheaton in the tournament. Can St. Olaf get the W? Would this be considered an upset? I mean Wheaton was projected to be higher early in the season, but have not performed to that level of expectation.
No clue about St. Olaf but yes this would be a major upset!!!! St. Olaf is the only non-ranked team left in the tournament and Wheaton, although not as strong as last year, is still a team looking to make back to back final 4 appearances, so yes this would be a huge upset. Wheaton is dangerous offensively but seem to give up a lot of goals as well which is why they have had some high scoring affairs in this tournament. A team like Lake Forest should not have scored against them but it ended up 3-2 with the 3rd goal coming in the final seconds.
I know Tufts isn't ranked but they are RV and that's pretty much the same thing. Plus they are the defending national champs so I don't think anyone will consider Tufts winning an upset.