Here are the automatic qualifiers (courtesy D3Soccer World (https://x.com/D3SoccerWorld/status/1987671382117748790?s=20) on X)
Tufts - NESCAC
Wash U - UAA
Macalester - MIAC
Hobart - Liberty
Lake Forest - MWC
Babson - NEWMAC
Christopher Newport - C2C
Berry - SAA
Oneonta - SUNYAC
Dickinson - Centennial
DePauw - NCAC
MSOE - NACC
WI Eau Claire - WIAC
Catholic - Landmark
Rowan - NJAC
Lynchburg - ODAC
Illinois Wesleyan - CCIW
Hardin-Simmons - ASC
Roger Williams - CNE
Texas Lutheran - SCAC
Calvin - MIAA
Otterbein - OAC
NC Wesleyan - USA South
Luther - ARC
UMass Boston - Little East
Grove City - Presidents
St Joseph's LI - Skyline
Transylvania - HCAC
Bridgewater St - MASCAC
Stevens - MAC Freedom
La Roche - AMCC
Maryville - CC South
WI Superior - UMAC
Geneseo - Empire 8
Saint Joseph CT - GNAC
Neumann - AEC
Penn St. Harrisburg - UEC
Lyon - SLIAC
Occidental - SCIAC
Messiah - MAC Commonwealth
Lehman - CUNYAC
SUNY Delhi - NAC
Whitman - NWC
21 At-Large recipients to the DIII Men's Soccer Tournament (https://x.com/D3SoccerWorld/status/1987673592704774403?s=20), which is down to #31 in the Final NPI Rankings (https://stats.ncaa.org/selection_rankings/nitty_gritties/46698):
Augsburg
St Olaf
Emory
Connecticut
Chicago
Bowdoin
Trinity TX
Wesleyan
Middlebury
Cortland
Williams
Gustavus Adolphus
Wheaton MA
Scranton
Hampden-Sydney
Brandeis
WI Whitewater
Amherst
Edgewood
Washington & Lee
Denison
Live Selection Show (https://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule/2025/11/10) about to begin...
some thoughts on the bracket...
Chicago and Wash U in same pod??? that's #8 and 9 ranked teams!
Tufts and Chicago did not get to host both women and men, think only Trinity was allowed to do so.
Something had to prevent UW Eau Claire from hosting. they are #10 and are going to #5, very similar to Chicago/Wash U conflict. UW-Whitewater is hosting (#27) and those two teams could easily be swapped if Eau Claire could host.
Trinity hosting texas pod makes sense along with two other Texas teams. the committee chose to send Whitman (#44) to Texas as the #2 seed in the pod. Makes the pod imbalanced, but Whitman was flying somewhere and this allowed them to fly someone else to meet a need.
In the end, they will only keep the top 8 from playing each other, after that, all bets are off.
Quote from: kansas hokie on November 10, 2025, 12:04:16 PMsome thoughts on the bracket...
Tufts and Chicago did not get to host both women and men, think only Trinity was allowed to do so.
I heard this morning that Tufts didn't want to host both this weekend, but are likely to do so if both the men and women make the sweet 16.
A few initial comments on Region X teams:
1. Fields/Attendance in the Trinity Pod
Get ready for complaints about Trinity's field with both men and women playing on the same field and rain currently in the forecast for the second day of games on Sunday the 16th. At least it is supposed to be dry during the week though.
The pod, however, should have strong attendance with both men's and women's teams from Trinity and Hardin-Simmons in this pod. Plus, Texas Lutheran is only 30-35 minutes away from Trinity.
2. Trinity/Texas Lutheran/Hardin-Simmons familiarity
The three Texas teams are very familiar with each other. Trinity has beaten both Texas Lutheran (1-0) and Hardin-Simmons (2-0) this season and Texas Lutheran beat Hardin-Simmons 2-0 in the opening game of the season. Trinity has a 37-7-1 all time record against Texas Lutheran and a 26-2-2 record against Hardin-Simmons and those two teams have played every year for the last five years, with Texas Lutheran winning 4 of those 5.
3. Whitman
Whitman may not have played any of these teams this year, but they did tie Colorado College from the SCAC and Mary Hardin-Baylor from the ASC back in early September, so they have some familiarity with the play in those conferences this season and with common opponents.
This trip and some of the teams, however, should be very familiar to some of the key Whitman juniors and seniors. In 2023, Whitman traveled to Texas and tied Hardin-Simmons 1-1 and lost to Trinity 3-1 (as well as losing to Southwestern 2-1). Lucas McAllister, Takahiro Hikida, Jude Clum-Stockton, and Riki Kobayashi all played minutes in those games for Whitman and so did Adam Knutsen, Luke Mayfield, Zach Anderson, Camerson Smith, Finnegan Saunders, and Ethan Chowdrey for Trinity as well as Carson Null, Jerron Garcia, Omar Estrada, Edwin Macias, and Diego Espinoza. So, if Whitman can get past Texas Lutheran, they will be facing teams and players they have played before.
3. Occidental in Minnesota
Occidental has at least two players who are very familiar with the MIAC and playing in the cold weather in Minneapolis, as well as probably access to the scouting reports from two different MIAC opponents on Augsburg.
Junior MF Elijah Edelman, who is leading the team with 11 assists and third on the team with 5 goals, transferred from Macalester to Occidental this season. While at Macalester, he started and played 80-90 minutes in all four games they played against Augsburg, including a win and a tie in 2023 and two losses in 2024. Edelman has a goal and an assist in those 4 games.
Junior D Alex Yu, who started 5 games this season for Oxy and played 8 games overall, transferred from St. Olaf's to Occidental this season. While Yu was on the squad, St. Olaf played Augsburg three times, beating them twice and tying them once. Yu is also a Minnesota native, hailing from Eden Prairie, which is a suburb of Minneapolis and about 20 minutes away from Augsburg's campus. Perhaps the Oxy players will get some home cooking and local fan support while they are in town.
They also have at least a few other players familiar with the cold weather, including freshman forwards Colton Sheffert and Ted O'Brien, both from Utah, who played 9 and 14 games, respectively, this season. Fortunately, it looks more like low to mid-50s and chance of light rain, which should be perfect weather for the bevy of players from the Pacific Northwest, Mid-Atlantic/Northeastern states, and the UK, that dot the Oxy roster. The California natives, however, will be the ones wearing long sleeves and field player gloves.
Quote from: kansas hokie on November 10, 2025, 12:04:16 PMsome thoughts on the bracket...
Chicago and Wash U in same pod??? that's #8 and 9 ranked teams!
Lazy and bad bracketing right there. Potential conference match-up in round 2 should never happen.
Quote from: kansas hokie on November 10, 2025, 12:04:16 PMTufts and Chicago did not get to host both women and men, think only Trinity was allowed to do so.
I have to think that UChicago decided against hosting both the Men and Women. Football is on the road, but they have their Men's and Women's basketball tournaments on Saturday and Sunday.
Great stuff here from the St. Olaf coach...going off on the NCAA selection.
https://x.com/justin_oliver11/status/1987929210199867637?s=46&t=0FevKR5xEJQBlFEq3_7kag
Quote from: kansas hokie on November 10, 2025, 02:03:13 PMGreat stuff here from the St. Olaf coach...going off on the NCAA selection.
https://x.com/justin_oliver11/status/1987929210199867637?s=46&t=0FevKR5xEJQBlFEq3_7kag
Justin can be kind of a hot head, but he's not wrong here.
This year the 4 toughest pods based on average NPI are the UWW, Macalester, St. Olaf, and Augsburg pods.
Olaf, Mac, and Chicago are all top 8 in NPI, yet all ended up with another top 16 NPI team in their pod.
Chicago, WashU, Macalester, Olaf, Lake Forest, and UWEC are all in the top 14 NPI and will play first round opponents in the NPI top 75. Meanwhile, Wesleyan (#13), Middlebury (#15), Hobart (#16), Williams (#17), Cortland (#18), & Dickinson (#22) all play opponents outside the NPI top 100. Some by a lot.
I'm sure Oliver is also not very happy that as the NPI #3 team in the country his squad is rewarded with a first round matchup against UW-Superior, one of only two teams to beat Olaf this season. (And the one that eliminated them last season.)
The only good news is it is actually better than last year when the entire North/Midwest was in 3 pods that all flowed to the same regional. At least this year the upper Midwest will have a chance to get more than one team in the final four.
It is what it is. In the NCAA tournament you are going to have to win games against good teams to get a national title. It's frustrating that bracketing works this way, but I get it that $$ is the ultimate factor. Because of it the paths that each team faces are not equal.
Quote from: kansas hokie on November 10, 2025, 02:03:13 PMGreat stuff here from the St. Olaf coach...going off on the NCAA selection.
https://x.com/justin_oliver11/status/1987929210199867637?s=46&t=0FevKR5xEJQBlFEq3_7kag
Unfortunately, until the randomize the the drawing, this is what you get.
SC.
Quote from: mngopher on November 10, 2025, 03:55:33 PMQuote from: kansas hokie on November 10, 2025, 02:03:13 PMGreat stuff here from the St. Olaf coach...going off on the NCAA selection.
https://x.com/justin_oliver11/status/1987929210199867637?s=46&t=0FevKR5xEJQBlFEq3_7kag
Justin can be kind of a hot head, but he's not wrong here.
This year the 4 toughest pods based on average NPI are the UWW, Macalester, St. Olaf, and Augsburg pods.
Olaf, Mac, and Chicago are all top 8 in NPI, yet all ended up with another top 16 NPI team in their pod.
Chicago, WashU, Macalester, Olaf, Lake Forest, and UWEC are all in the top 14 NPI and will play first round opponents in the NPI top 75. Meanwhile, Wesleyan (#13), Middlebury (#15), Hobart (#16), Williams (#17), Cortland (#18), & Dickinson (#22) all play opponents outside the NPI top 100. Some by a lot.
I'm sure Oliver is also not very happy that as the NPI #3 team in the country his squad is rewarded with a first round matchup against UW-Superior, one of only two teams to beat Olaf this season. (And the one that eliminated them last season.)
The only good news is it is actually better than last year when the entire North/Midwest was in 3 pods that all flowed to the same regional. At least this year the upper Midwest will have a chance to get more than one team in the final four.
It is what it is. In the NCAA tournament you are going to have to win games against good teams to get a national title. It's frustrating that bracketing works this way, but I get it that $$ is the ultimate factor. Because of it the paths that each team faces are not equal.
Or some pigs are more equal than others??!!
Some analysis and commentary with focus moreso on the Northeast, South and New England teams:
Midwest teams certainly have some tough 2nd round matchups. The left-half of the bracket with 5 NESCAC teams (n addition to the tough Midwest matchups) also looks challenging. Top-left quadrant with Tufts-Conn-Bowdoin means only one of those 3 teams will make it to the Final 4. Augsburg (#2) and Lynchburg (#4), conversely, seem to have the easiest road to the Final 4. I would also say #5 Emory and #13 Wesleyan have fairly easy paths to Final-4 as well.
St Olaf could face Williams in the 3rd round who I'd say are not playing great in the latter-half of the season. Williams had a big win early September at Tufts (basically their only good W of the year) but they've done nothing since a 1-0 win at Bates over a month ago. They've lost to Wesleyan, Conn, Middlebury, and Conn in the last 4 weeks with 1 GF. It's a long way of saying Williams could be the easiest opponent in the 3rd round but at the same time it's a school with strong pedigree and plenty of experience facing top teams.
Macalaster-Middlebury is another potential 3rd round match with Middlebury being another school with incredible history that has found their stride in the last 3 weeks. Minimal goals (GF) til late October but they're 4-1-0 in their last five games defeating Vassar, Bates, Williams, Bowdoin and losing in OT to Tufts with a combined 13 GF in those last 5 games with at least 2 GF in every contest. Their defense has been excellent all season with only 3 multi-GA games this year (Tufts, Vassar, and Tufts each with 2 GA). Also of note regarding Middlebury is their aptitude for earning cards: leading the NESCAC with 37 YC + 2 RC in 16 regular-season games plus another 5 YC vs Bowdoin in the playoffs and 5 more YC vs Tufts in the playoffs!!
Tufts' 2nd round would be at #26 Brandeis (granted it's only a 20 minute drive but still) who has played 8 games amongst top-80 teams with a 3-2-2 record: W @ Bridgewater, W @ Wesleyan, W @ Babson, Tie vs Wheaton, Tie vs Emory, Loss [2-3] at Chicago, and one blowout loss [0-4] at WashU. Brandeis has 5 games against Top-21 teams in which they're 1-2-2 which means they're no stranger to very good competition and they have some offense which in single-elimination goes a long way: 13 GF and 14GA in their 7 games against top-80 opponents and 8 GF - 12 GA in 5 games against top-21 teams. Tufts has solid offense and defense with only 2 multi-GA games this year (1-3 loss to Williams which was not nearly as bad a beating as the score implies, and the Tufts 3-2 comeback win vs Middlebury last weekend. Some have commented that Tufts have scored a lot of PKs this year (10 or perhaps 11 goals on 11 or 12 attempts) but most of them, I believe, have been in non-NESCAC games.
Hobart (potential 3rd round opponent for Tufts) is undefeated at 13-0-5 however most of their opponents are outside the top-100 NPI (probably 75% of Hobart's opponents are lower-ranked NPI then 80+% of Tufts opponents this year). I can't comment much on Hobart. Hobart might be an easier 3rd round for Tufts (if they get there) than their 2nd rounch match at Brandeis.
Conn-Bowdoin in the 3rd round would be tough. Conn is 8-1-2 in their 11 games since a loss vs Tufts on 9/21 (with the single loss being... Tufts [again] in the NESCAC final game on 11/9. I think any non-biased observer would say Conn is a very strong team and they've been playing very well for the last 2 months straight. Bowdoin is also playing quite well and fairly consistent in the last 5+ weeks. Since the Bowdoin 9/28 loss at Hamilton (top ~50 NPI) they've gone 6-1-2 including regular season wins over Middlebury, Wesleyan and Amherst, coupled with ties at Williams and vs Tufts, and one loss to Middlebury in the NESCAC quarterfinal. Bowdoin has the NESCAC player of the year in Senior midfield Tyler Huck (2022 rookie of year, 2023 and 2024 NESCAC 1st team) who lead the NESCAC in goals and assist for 27 points total.
I'm not as familiar with the right-half of the bracket but as I said, I think Augsburg and Lynchburg have the 2 easiest paths to the final-4. Augsburg vs Amherst as a potential 3rd round match: Amherst is nothing like what they've been in recent years. Their "scoring margin" is 3rd-worst in NESCAC (9th of 11 teams) and they are 4-5-0 in their last 9 games dating back to late September. They have an abnormally tall team (which I think is common for Amherst) and they commit a lot of fouls (tied with Middlebury at 37 YC for the regular season).
Wesleyan (lower-right quadrant) has been consistent all year. They suffered non-conference early season losses at Babson [0-1] and vs Brandeis [1-2] but Babson is NPI #63 and Brandeis is NPI #26 so they're not terrible losses. Ever since their 9/16 loss to Brandeis they are 7-2-3 with the 2 losses being vs #9 NPI Bowdoin [0-1] and #7 NPI Conn [1-2]. In that stretch they also defeated Middlebury, Amherst, Williams and Amherst and had ties at Tufts [1-1] and vs Conn [1-1]. Aside from scoring 5 goals in their 2 matches hosting Amherst, Wesleyan does not have the offensive firepower of the top-ranked NESCAC teams. They seem to eke-out a lot of low-scoring wins and ties and they only had 1 good opponent (not named Amherst) with 2 goals whereas all their other tough matchups have been 0 or 1 single goal for Wesleyan. That said, I think the Wesleyan's lower-right quadrant is the easiest of all 4 quadrants and Wesleyan's right-half bracket is easier than the left half, so Wesleyan could have the best opportunity of any NESCAC school to reach the final 4.
Emory being ranked #5 is comical to me. They're 1-1-2 vs top-30 NPI teams (only win was in August vs #29 Wash&Lee). After the W&L win, their next best win was at #46 Univ of Rochester. No way is Emory equivalent to #2 in the NESCAC! I would say Emory is behind Tufts, Conn, Bowdoin, Wesleyan, and Midd and they may not even be as good as Williams or Amherst. I imagine the Midwest also has several teams that are better than Emory. Emory appears to lack offense with only 5 GF in their 6 matches against top-50 NPI teams (2-1-3). Emory tied Brandeis 1-1 (Brandeis NPI #26 who Tufts would potentially face in the 2nd round).
Additionally, Lynchburg at #4 is overrated. They have not faced any top-20 NPI teams this year! They only lost 1 game all season but it was their toughest opponent #23 Hampden-Sydney [0-2]. Their best 2 wins were both against #29 Washington & Lee (late regular season away game 2-0 win; ODAC championships hosting W&L 2-1 win). Again using #26 Brandeis as a barometer, it's hard to say that Lynchburg is much better (if at all) since Brandeis actually has a win and 2 ties against top-21 teams (plus 2 losses).
Between Chicago and WashU, if one of them survives the 2nd round I would like either of them over Trinity in the 3rd round. Trinity at 15-1-1 on the season lost (as home team) to their only tough opponent #19 Christopher Newport [2-3] and tied # 73 Berry 1-1 with a loss on PKs in their conference tournament. Trinity's best win for the year was a 2-1 win as home team vs #38 Southwestern. WashU offense looked more potent early in the season but they've managed their best 2 wins of the year within the last 2 weeks at #5 Emory [1-0... again I don't think Emory is truly #5] and hosting #8 Chicago [1-0]. Aside from a weird loss on 9/5, WashU lost 2 other games within the last few weeks: 2-3 at #46 Rochester and 0-1 at #121 NYU. Against top-30 NPI they're 4-0-0 so who knows.
Chicago: they have strong SOS this year with a lot of top-100 opponents including 7 games against top-30 NPI teams in which they are 2-2-3. They also tied #45 Carnegie Mellon and #95 Hope. I'm not really sure who would be the favorite between Chicago and WashU. They met recently at St Louis where WashU won 1-0.
I would love to hear commentary from people familiar with the MN and WI teams on what you think of their current trajectory and overall strengths or weakenesses.
Augsburg 16-2-2 on the season are 4-0-1 against top-30 NPI teams with the tie vs #3 St. Olaf. However, they also have 2 oddball losses to Saint John's (#40 NPI but not in the NCAA tournament) losing 2-5 away and 1-2 home in the conference quarterfinals.
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on November 12, 2025, 03:59:59 PMSome analysis and commentary with focus moreso on the Northeast, South and New England teams:
Midwest teams certainly have some tough 2nd round matchups. The left-half of the bracket with 5 NESCAC teams (n addition to the tough Midwest matchups) also looks challenging. Top-left quadrant with Tufts-Conn-Bowdoin means only one of those 3 teams will make it to the Final 4. Augsburg (#2) and Lynchburg (#4), conversely, seem to have the easiest road to the Final 4. I would also say #5 Emory and #13 Wesleyan have fairly easy paths to Final-4 as well.
St Olaf could face Williams in the 3rd round who I'd say are not playing great in the latter-half of the season. Williams had a big win early September at Tufts (basically their only good W of the year) but they've done nothing since a 1-0 win at Bates over a month ago. They've lost to Wesleyan, Conn, Middlebury, and Conn in the last 4 weeks with 1 GF. It's a long way of saying Williams could be the easiest opponent in the 3rd round but at the same time it's a school with strong pedigree and plenty of experience facing top teams.
Macalaster-Middlebury is another potential 3rd round match with Middlebury being another school with incredible history that has found their stride in the last 3 weeks. Minimal goals (GF) til late October but they're 4-1-0 in their last five games defeating Vassar, Bates, Williams, Bowdoin and losing in OT to Tufts with a combined 13 GF in those last 5 games with at least 2 GF in every contest. Their defense has been excellent all season with only 3 multi-GA games this year (Tufts, Vassar, and Tufts each with 2 GA). Also of note regarding Middlebury is their aptitude for earning cards: leading the NESCAC with 37 YC + 2 RC in 16 regular-season games plus another 5 YC vs Bowdoin in the playoffs and 5 more YC vs Tufts in the playoffs!!
Tufts' 2nd round would be at #26 Brandeis (granted it's only a 20 minute drive but still) who has played 8 games amongst top-80 teams with a 3-2-2 record: W @ Bridgewater, W @ Wesleyan, W @ Babson, Tie vs Wheaton, Tie vs Emory, Loss [2-3] at Chicago, and one blowout loss [0-4] at WashU. Brandeis has 5 games against Top-21 teams in which they're 1-2-2 which means they're no stranger to very good competition and they have some offense which in single-elimination goes a long way: 13 GF and 14GA in their 7 games against top-80 opponents and 8 GF - 12 GA in 5 games against top-21 teams. Tufts has solid offense and defense with only 2 multi-GA games this year (1-3 loss to Williams which was not nearly as bad a beating as the score implies, and the Tufts 3-2 comeback win vs Middlebury last weekend. Some have commented that Tufts have scored a lot of PKs this year (10 or perhaps 11 goals on 11 or 12 attempts) but most of them, I believe, have been in non-NESCAC games.
Hobart (potential 3rd round opponent for Tufts) is undefeated at 13-0-5 however most of their opponents are outside the top-100 NPI (probably 75% of Hobart's opponents are lower-ranked NPI then 80+% of Tufts opponents this year). I can't comment much on Hobart. Hobart might be an easier 3rd round for Tufts (if they get there) than their 2nd rounch match at Brandeis.
Conn-Bowdoin in the 3rd round would be tough. Conn is 8-1-2 in their 11 games since a loss vs Tufts on 9/21 (with the single loss being... Tufts [again] in the NESCAC final game on 11/9. I think any non-biased observer would say Conn is a very strong team and they've been playing very well for the last 2 months straight. Bowdoin is also playing quite well and fairly consistent in the last 5+ weeks. Since the Bowdoin 9/28 loss at Hamilton (top ~50 NPI) they've gone 6-1-2 including regular season wins over Middlebury, Wesleyan and Amherst, coupled with ties at Williams and vs Tufts, and one loss to Middlebury in the NESCAC quarterfinal. Bowdoin has the NESCAC player of the year in Senior midfield Tyler Huck (2022 rookie of year, 2023 and 2024 NESCAC 1st team) who lead the NESCAC in goals and assist for 27 points total.
I'm not as familiar with the right-half of the bracket but as I said, I think Augsburg and Lynchburg have the 2 easiest paths to the final-4. Augsburg vs Amherst as a potential 3rd round match: Amherst is nothing like what they've been in recent years. Their "scoring margin" is 3rd-worst in NESCAC (9th of 11 teams) and they are 4-5-0 in their last 9 games dating back to late September. They have an abnormally tall team (which I think is common for Amherst) and they commit a lot of fouls (tied with Middlebury at 37 YC for the regular season).
Wesleyan (lower-right quadrant) has been consistent all year. They suffered non-conference early season losses at Babson [0-1] and vs Brandeis [1-2] but Babson is NPI #63 and Brandeis is NPI #26 so they're not terrible losses. Ever since their 9/16 loss to Brandeis they are 7-2-3 with the 2 losses being vs #9 NPI Bowdoin [0-1] and #7 NPI Conn [1-2]. In that stretch they also defeated Middlebury, Amherst, Williams and Amherst and had ties at Tufts [1-1] and vs Conn [1-1]. Aside from scoring 5 goals in their 2 matches hosting Amherst, Wesleyan does not have the offensive firepower of the top-ranked NESCAC teams. They seem to eke-out a lot of low-scoring wins and ties and they only had 1 good opponent (not named Amherst) with 2 goals whereas all their other tough matchups have been 0 or 1 single goal for Wesleyan. That said, I think the Wesleyan's lower-right quadrant is the easiest of all 4 quadrants and Wesleyan's right-half bracket is easier than the left half, so Wesleyan could have the best opportunity of any NESCAC school to reach the final 4.
Emory being ranked #5 is comical to me. They're 1-1-2 vs top-30 NPI teams (only win was in August vs #29 Wash&Lee). After the W&L win, their next best win was at #46 Univ of Rochester. No way is Emory equivalent to #2 in the NESCAC! I would say Emory is behind Tufts, Conn, Bowdoin, Wesleyan, and Midd and they may not even be as good as Williams or Amherst. I imagine the Midwest also has several teams that are better than Emory. Emory appears to lack offense with only 5 GF in their 6 matches against top-50 NPI teams (2-1-3). Emory tied Brandeis 1-1 (Brandeis NPI #26 who Tufts would potentially face in the 2nd round).
Additionally, Lynchburg at #4 is overrated. They have not faced any top-20 NPI teams this year! They only lost 1 game all season but it was their toughest opponent #23 Hampden-Sydney [0-2]. Their best 2 wins were both against #29 Washington & Lee (late regular season away game 2-0 win; ODAC championships hosting W&L 2-1 win). Again using #26 Brandeis as a barometer, it's hard to say that Lynchburg is much better (if at all) since Brandeis actually has a win and 2 ties against top-21 teams (plus 2 losses).
Between Chicago and WashU, if one of them survives the 2nd round I would like either of them over Trinity in the 3rd round. Trinity at 15-1-1 on the season lost (as home team) to their only tough opponent #19 Christopher Newport [2-3] and tied # 73 Berry 1-1 with a loss on PKs in their conference tournament. Trinity's best win for the year was a 2-1 win as home team vs #38 Southwestern. WashU offense looked more potent early in the season but they've managed their best 2 wins of the year within the last 2 weeks at #5 Emory [1-0... again I don't think Emory is truly #5] and hosting #8 Chicago [1-0]. Aside from a weird loss on 9/5, WashU lost 2 other games within the last few weeks: 2-3 at #46 Rochester and 0-1 at #121 NYU. Against top-30 NPI they're 4-0-0 so who knows.
Chicago: they have strong SOS this year with a lot of top-100 opponents including 7 games against top-30 NPI teams in which they are 2-2-3. They also tied #45 Carnegie Mellon and #95 Hope. I'm not really sure who would be the favorite between Chicago and WashU. They met recently at St Louis where WashU won 1-0.
I would love to hear commentary from people familiar with the MN and WI teams on what you think of their current trajectory and overall strengths or weakenesses.
One minor correction on your discussion of Trinity. Trinity might have been classified as home team, but Christopher Newport beat them 3-2 on a neutral field, not at Trinity's home. They were playing in Abilene at Hardin-Simmons, which is obviously closer to San Antonio than Newport News is to Abilene, but still a decent bus ride away (it would be one of the longest road trips in the NESCAC not involving Hamilton). Interestingly, Trinity's one loss and one tie were both at neutral sites. They were 10-0 at home and 5-0 away, but 0-1-1 at neutral sites. Just a quirky fact I suppose.
On the broader point, while the odds are that Trinity will advance out of its pod just based on NPI rankings, the odds are against them winning in the third round if they have to travel. Trinity has not won a third round NCAA Tournament away game since 2015, when they beat Brandeis 2-0 in Amherst, MA.
The Trinity loss to CNU was also less than 24 hours after they played HSU at HSU.
Regarding those third-round losses, fair point, but let's look at the travel involved:
2024: 2,032 miles to Babson (L)
2018: 1,199 miles to UChicago (L)
2016: 2,046 miles to Tufts (L)
2015: 1,993 miles to Amherst (W, L)
2014: 1,189 miles to Wheaton (W, L)
2013: 1,159 miles to Loras (W, L)
In addition to the travel these games frequently involve weather conditions virtually impossible to prepare for in South Texas. The combination makes an already difficult task even harder.
Edit: those ar driving miles; of course the teams flew but there aren't many direct connections from San Antonio.
Quote from: Ron Boerger on November 12, 2025, 05:36:26 PMThe Trinity loss to CNU was also less than 24 hours after they played HSU at HSU.
Regarding those third-round losses, fair point, but let's look at the travel involved:
2024: 2,032 miles to Babson (L)
2018: 1,199 miles to UChicago (L)
2016: 2,046 miles to Tufts (L)
2015: 1,993 miles to Amherst (W, L)
2014: 1,189 miles to Wheaton (W, L)
2013: 1,159 miles to Loras (W, L)
In addition to the travel these games frequently involve weather conditions virtually impossible to prepare for in South Texas. The combination makes an already difficult task even harder.
Edit: those ar driving miles; of course the teams flew but there aren't many direct connections from San Antonio.
Totally agree, but that's the scenario that is usually at play when a Region X school advances out of their pod. They get sent to somewhere very far away and/or cold or both. So, it's not that Trinity is particularly bad at playing those 3rd round games away (Oxy lost @ Amherst in 2023, albeit in a very close game, and St. Thomas lost @ Chicago in 2022 in frigid weather), but it's not like Trinity has fared much better either.
Would not disagree (especially over the last decade). It's difficult for any Region 10 team once they get out of the confines of home.
Going back to the subject of Chicago/Wash U potentially meeting in the third round, I wouldn't rule out DePauw upsetting Chicago. DePauw is #39 in the NPI and wouldn't have qualified for the tournament if it didn't win the NCAC AQ, but it's coming into the tournament on a 10 game unbeaten streak, during which it beat Denison twice, including in the NCAC championship, and it beat a Kenyon team in the NCAC semifinals that was coming off consecutive 4-0 victories over Wooster and Ohio Wesleyan. Both of DePauw's losses - to Colorado College (8/29) and Calvin (9/27) - were in the first half of the season.
Random question for this thread...who are the biggest programs missing out on the NCAAs this year? Or even programs who had a great season but are still missing out?
Quote from: Mr_November on November 13, 2025, 10:47:12 AMRandom question for this thread...who are the biggest programs missing out on the NCAAs this year? Or even programs who had a great season but are still missing out?
A couple of traditional teams that I've noticed missing were Johns Hopkins and Kenyon, among others.
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on November 12, 2025, 03:59:59 PMSome analysis and commentary with focus moreso on the Northeast, South and New England teams:
Midwest teams certainly have some tough 2nd round matchups. The left-half of the bracket with 5 NESCAC teams (n addition to the tough Midwest matchups) also looks challenging. Top-left quadrant with Tufts-Conn-Bowdoin means only one of those 3 teams will make it to the Final 4. Augsburg (#2) and Lynchburg (#4), conversely, seem to have the easiest road to the Final 4. I would also say #5 Emory and #13 Wesleyan have fairly easy paths to Final-4 as well.
St Olaf could face Williams in the 3rd round who I'd say are not playing great in the latter-half of the season. Williams had a big win early September at Tufts (basically their only good W of the year) but they've done nothing since a 1-0 win at Bates over a month ago. They've lost to Wesleyan, Conn, Middlebury, and Conn in the last 4 weeks with 1 GF. It's a long way of saying Williams could be the easiest opponent in the 3rd round but at the same time it's a school with strong pedigree and plenty of experience facing top teams.
Macalaster-Middlebury is another potential 3rd round match with Middlebury being another school with incredible history that has found their stride in the last 3 weeks. Minimal goals (GF) til late October but they're 4-1-0 in their last five games defeating Vassar, Bates, Williams, Bowdoin and losing in OT to Tufts with a combined 13 GF in those last 5 games with at least 2 GF in every contest. Their defense has been excellent all season with only 3 multi-GA games this year (Tufts, Vassar, and Tufts each with 2 GA). Also of note regarding Middlebury is their aptitude for earning cards: leading the NESCAC with 37 YC + 2 RC in 16 regular-season games plus another 5 YC vs Bowdoin in the playoffs and 5 more YC vs Tufts in the playoffs!!
Tufts' 2nd round would be at #26 Brandeis (granted it's only a 20 minute drive but still) who has played 8 games amongst top-80 teams with a 3-2-2 record: W @ Bridgewater, W @ Wesleyan, W @ Babson, Tie vs Wheaton, Tie vs Emory, Loss [2-3] at Chicago, and one blowout loss [0-4] at WashU. Brandeis has 5 games against Top-21 teams in which they're 1-2-2 which means they're no stranger to very good competition and they have some offense which in single-elimination goes a long way: 13 GF and 14GA in their 7 games against top-80 opponents and 8 GF - 12 GA in 5 games against top-21 teams. Tufts has solid offense and defense with only 2 multi-GA games this year (1-3 loss to Williams which was not nearly as bad a beating as the score implies, and the Tufts 3-2 comeback win vs Middlebury last weekend. Some have commented that Tufts have scored a lot of PKs this year (10 or perhaps 11 goals on 11 or 12 attempts) but most of them, I believe, have been in non-NESCAC games.
Hobart (potential 3rd round opponent for Tufts) is undefeated at 13-0-5 however most of their opponents are outside the top-100 NPI (probably 75% of Hobart's opponents are lower-ranked NPI then 80+% of Tufts opponents this year). I can't comment much on Hobart. Hobart might be an easier 3rd round for Tufts (if they get there) than their 2nd rounch match at Brandeis.
Conn-Bowdoin in the 3rd round would be tough. Conn is 8-1-2 in their 11 games since a loss vs Tufts on 9/21 (with the single loss being... Tufts [again] in the NESCAC final game on 11/9. I think any non-biased observer would say Conn is a very strong team and they've been playing very well for the last 2 months straight. Bowdoin is also playing quite well and fairly consistent in the last 5+ weeks. Since the Bowdoin 9/28 loss at Hamilton (top ~50 NPI) they've gone 6-1-2 including regular season wins over Middlebury, Wesleyan and Amherst, coupled with ties at Williams and vs Tufts, and one loss to Middlebury in the NESCAC quarterfinal. Bowdoin has the NESCAC player of the year in Senior midfield Tyler Huck (2022 rookie of year, 2023 and 2024 NESCAC 1st team) who lead the NESCAC in goals and assist for 27 points total.
I'm not as familiar with the right-half of the bracket but as I said, I think Augsburg and Lynchburg have the 2 easiest paths to the final-4. Augsburg vs Amherst as a potential 3rd round match: Amherst is nothing like what they've been in recent years. Their "scoring margin" is 3rd-worst in NESCAC (9th of 11 teams) and they are 4-5-0 in their last 9 games dating back to late September. They have an abnormally tall team (which I think is common for Amherst) and they commit a lot of fouls (tied with Middlebury at 37 YC for the regular season).
Wesleyan (lower-right quadrant) has been consistent all year. They suffered non-conference early season losses at Babson [0-1] and vs Brandeis [1-2] but Babson is NPI #63 and Brandeis is NPI #26 so they're not terrible losses. Ever since their 9/16 loss to Brandeis they are 7-2-3 with the 2 losses being vs #9 NPI Bowdoin [0-1] and #7 NPI Conn [1-2]. In that stretch they also defeated Middlebury, Amherst, Williams and Amherst and had ties at Tufts [1-1] and vs Conn [1-1]. Aside from scoring 5 goals in their 2 matches hosting Amherst, Wesleyan does not have the offensive firepower of the top-ranked NESCAC teams. They seem to eke-out a lot of low-scoring wins and ties and they only had 1 good opponent (not named Amherst) with 2 goals whereas all their other tough matchups have been 0 or 1 single goal for Wesleyan. That said, I think the Wesleyan's lower-right quadrant is the easiest of all 4 quadrants and Wesleyan's right-half bracket is easier than the left half, so Wesleyan could have the best opportunity of any NESCAC school to reach the final 4.
Emory being ranked #5 is comical to me. They're 1-1-2 vs top-30 NPI teams (only win was in August vs #29 Wash&Lee). After the W&L win, their next best win was at #46 Univ of Rochester. No way is Emory equivalent to #2 in the NESCAC! I would say Emory is behind Tufts, Conn, Bowdoin, Wesleyan, and Midd and they may not even be as good as Williams or Amherst. I imagine the Midwest also has several teams that are better than Emory. Emory appears to lack offense with only 5 GF in their 6 matches against top-50 NPI teams (2-1-3). Emory tied Brandeis 1-1 (Brandeis NPI #26 who Tufts would potentially face in the 2nd round).
Additionally, Lynchburg at #4 is overrated. They have not faced any top-20 NPI teams this year! They only lost 1 game all season but it was their toughest opponent #23 Hampden-Sydney [0-2]. Their best 2 wins were both against #29 Washington & Lee (late regular season away game 2-0 win; ODAC championships hosting W&L 2-1 win). Again using #26 Brandeis as a barometer, it's hard to say that Lynchburg is much better (if at all) since Brandeis actually has a win and 2 ties against top-21 teams (plus 2 losses).
Between Chicago and WashU, if one of them survives the 2nd round I would like either of them over Trinity in the 3rd round. Trinity at 15-1-1 on the season lost (as home team) to their only tough opponent #19 Christopher Newport [2-3] and tied # 73 Berry 1-1 with a loss on PKs in their conference tournament. Trinity's best win for the year was a 2-1 win as home team vs #38 Southwestern. WashU offense looked more potent early in the season but they've managed their best 2 wins of the year within the last 2 weeks at #5 Emory [1-0... again I don't think Emory is truly #5] and hosting #8 Chicago [1-0]. Aside from a weird loss on 9/5, WashU lost 2 other games within the last few weeks: 2-3 at #46 Rochester and 0-1 at #121 NYU. Against top-30 NPI they're 4-0-0 so who knows.
Chicago: they have strong SOS this year with a lot of top-100 opponents including 7 games against top-30 NPI teams in which they are 2-2-3. They also tied #45 Carnegie Mellon and #95 Hope. I'm not really sure who would be the favorite between Chicago and WashU. They met recently at St Louis where WashU won 1-0.
I would love to hear commentary from people familiar with the MN and WI teams on what you think of their current trajectory and overall strengths or weakenesses.
I don't know a ton about the WI teams, but can give a breakdown of the 4 MIAC teams. I'll start with this, Macalester is not a team anyone should want to play right now. Here are my thoughts on each MIAC team in order of how dangerous I think each is to go on a big run in the NCAAs.
Macalester - Two things have stuck out to me about this team. 1. Maina (striker) is going to be a big problem for any defense Mac faces. Had a couple very clinical finishes in the MIAC championship game, and I think he has even improved as the season has gone on. Early on he was not very consistent, but in their past 5-6 games he has been fantastic. Good luck to any defenses that have to deal with him. 2. Macalester's size is going to be as asset for them in the tournament. This is what created the most problems for St. Olaf in the MIAC title game. The Oles had a good amount of possession in the 2nd half of the game, but Macalester was getting on the end of any service into the box that was in the air. Unless there is another team with some height, it's going to be tough to beat Mac via set pieces, corners, or crosses. The scouting report on Mac is that to beat them you need to do it on the ground and through the middle of the field.
This was a top 25 program in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but has been relatively down for most of the last 10 or so years. They won 7 out of 9 MIAC titles from 1997-2005, and had a couple of nice NCAA runs in that time period.
St. Olaf - The Oles were again the most talented team in the MIAC. There are a few holdovers from the 2023 national title squad, though none who contributed to that team in a big way. Attacking is this team's strength, and they like to create 1v1 situations on the wings and then let their guys cook. They are on the smaller side, and against bigger and more physical teams they have had some issues. They can get in trouble in a game where the whistle isn't tight, which is often the case in the NCAAs. They like to push numbers forward and get defenders involved in the attack, so they can be caught with the quick counter. Fairly balanced in terms of scoring. Bechtel is probably their most dangerous player in the attack, and they'll move him around to either wing and occasionally in the center of the field as well. Center defender Olseth was a really good striker in high school so if the game situation calls for it they will move him up to the #9.
The committee did not do this team any favors. In round 1 they get the team that eliminated them last season as well as one of the two teams that beat them this season (UW-Superior). Then in the 2nd round they would get either Luther (who tied them this season, and is also the only team to hold them scoreless all season) or Lake Forest (#14 in NPI with a 19-1 record).
This year's squad has some major contributors in the sophomore class, and a couple are currently nowhere near 100%, so I don't think this will be the Oles year. Bu assuming everyone comes back, this should be a top 5 team next season with an good of a chance as anyone to win it all. (Full disclosure: I am a former Ole player from the 2000s.)
Augsburg - It starts and ends with Carver Tierney, a D1/D2 transfer who is a senior. He's been firing on all cylinders of late so he could carry them a ways. This team likes to possess the ball, but are still very direct with their attack. No a lot of outside in, they go right up the gut. This team has had problems closing out games, which I think is what will do them in. It would be one thing if it happened once, but it has happened three times in the past month where they didn't get a result when the game should have been in hand. Bethel tied them with a goal in the final ten seconds. Auggies were up 2-0 on St. Olaf with about 5 minutes to go, and that game also ended in a tie. In the MIAC quarterfinal it was 1-1 at home vs St. John's with 15 min to go and the Johnnies received 2 red cards. Even playing 11 on 9 the Auggies gave up a goal and could not find one of their own to lose 2-1. NCAA games are going to be tight, and this team has shown it can't close out close games.
Gustavus - Kind of a disappointing year for this team based on preseason expectations. Many thought it would be a battle between Olaf and Gustavus for the conference title, but the Gusties ended up 4th. Very impressive win over Chicago to open the season, but things have kind of gone downhill from there. They have some talent, but no real identity. I've watched them play 6 times and I couldn't tell you about their bread and butter. Some of this might be normal in the first year for a head coach, but because of it I would be very surprised to see them get past the 2nd round.
General comment -- All of these teams have really tough round 1/2 pods.
TL;DR Macalester has the pieces and are primed to make a run. Oles have the talent, but are a year away. Auggies have the stud striker, but blow games late. Gusties have no identity.
Quote from: VASoccerDad on November 13, 2025, 10:56:11 AMQuote from: Mr_November on November 13, 2025, 10:47:12 AMRandom question for this thread...who are the biggest programs missing out on the NCAAs this year? Or even programs who had a great season but are still missing out?
A couple of traditional teams that I've noticed missing were Johns Hopkins and Kenyon, among others.
OWU missed the tournament for only the 4th time in the last 49 years.
Quote from: Ejay on November 13, 2025, 12:48:35 PMQuote from: VASoccerDad on November 13, 2025, 10:56:11 AMQuote from: Mr_November on November 13, 2025, 10:47:12 AMRandom question for this thread...who are the biggest programs missing out on the NCAAs this year? Or even programs who had a great season but are still missing out?
A couple of traditional teams that I've noticed missing were Johns Hopkins and Kenyon, among others.
OWU missed the tournament for only the 4th time in the last 49 years.
Franklin & Marshall's 11 year consecutive NCAA tournament bid streak was broken this year
Quote from: Mr_November on November 13, 2025, 10:47:12 AMRandom question for this thread...who are the biggest programs missing out on the NCAAs this year? Or even programs who had a great season but are still missing out?
Not necessarily a big name, but I think teams in the NCAAs are lucky St. John's barely missed playing their way in. They beat Augsburg twice (once 5-2, and the other scoring the winning goal playing 9 on 11) and beat UW-Superior (in the NCAAs this year and made the Sweet Sixteen last year) 7-2, and played other NCAA teams close. They would have been a tough out.
Rochester seems to frequently find a way to get in, they are missing.
F & M is still the biggest shock this season.
Quote from: Mr_November on November 13, 2025, 10:47:12 AMRandom question for this thread...who are the biggest programs missing out on the NCAAs this year? Or even programs who had a great season but are still missing out?
One way to answer the latter question is to think about the wins against regionally ranked teams factor used under the old Selection Committee approach and apply it to a few teams that might have at least gotten a careful look under the old system (which is not the same as the teams that the NPI would have placed close to the line). The Regional Rankings we have available are through Nov. 4th, so they don't reflect the conference tournament results.
1. Teams that were undefeated but didn't make the tournament
Pfeiffer (13-0-4) (little chance) - they played all of their games against Region VI teams and didn't have a single win against a Regionally Ranked team. Maybe they get credit for beating USA South AQ NC Wesleyan, but only if USC had issued a regional ranking after the conference tournament and NC Wesleyan was elevated to being ranked
Haverford 10-0-10 (decent chance) - They had 2 wins against regionally ranked teams (Rowan and TCNJ) and 4 ties (Dickinson, Muhlenberg (x2), and Gettysburg). A tie against Johns Hopkins might have looked better after Hopkins made it to the Centennial final. 2 wins and 4 ties has definitely been enough in some years, but it's not a slam dunk with all the ties, especially against some relatively weaker teams.
2. Teams losing in conference tournament finals
Colorado College (12-1-6) (decent chance) - They had 2 wins against regionally ranked opponents (Texas Lutheran and DePauw) and 3 ties (Wheaton (IL), Whitman, and Mary Hardin-Baylor). Similar record to Haverford with more wins and fewer ties.
Southwestern (15-2-3) (probably falls short) - They had 1 win against a regionally ranked opponent (Texas Lutheran) and 1 tie (Mary Hardin-Baylor). They had a number of wins against teams that traditionally might have been regionally ranked (CMS, St. Thomas, Concordia TX, UCSC) but weren't at the end of this season and they lost to Trinity, their strongest opponent.
TCNJ (11-5-5) (probably falls short) - They had 1 win against a regionally ranked opponent (Montclair State) and 1 tie (Stevens) and they played several other regionally ranked opponents in a schedule that was probably harder than it initially looked as well as finished the season with bigs wins in the NJAC tournament, but the resume likely falls short
Buffalo State (12-2-5) (falls short) - 3 ties against regionally ranked opponents (Cortland, Oneonta, and Hobart), but probably falls short because they did not play a very strong schedule and they lost to Grove City, the only other team they played who made the tournament.
Mary Hardin-Baylor (13-2-5) (falls short) - Same as Buffalo State. 3 ties against regionally ranked opponents (Whitman, Colorado College, and Southwestern), but that's probably not enough, especially given the weakness of their ASC opponents.
Mount St. Vincent (14-1-2) (no chance) - no games against regionally ranked opponents
3. Others who might have had a case
Virginia Wesleyan (12-5-1) (too close to call) - They had 2 wins against regionally ranked opponents (Christopher Newport and Bridgewater) and 1 tie (Dickinson) and a pretty strong schedule where they played strong teams pretty tight. Not sure if it's enough though.
Quote from: mngopher on November 13, 2025, 12:31:52 PMI don't know a ton about the WI teams, but can give a breakdown of the 4 MIAC teams. I'll start with this, Macalester is not a team anyone should want to play right now. Here are my thoughts on each MIAC team in order of how dangerous I think each is to go on a big run in the NCAAs.
Macalester - Two things have stuck out to me about this team. 1. Maina (striker) is going to be a big problem for any defense Mac faces. Had a couple very clinical finishes in the MIAC championship game, and I think he has even improved as the season has gone on. Early on he was not very consistent, but in their past 5-6 games he has been fantastic. Good luck to any defenses that have to deal with him. 2. Macalester's size is going to be as asset for them in the tournament. This is what created the most problems for St. Olaf in the MIAC title game. The Oles had a good amount of possession in the 2nd half of the game, but Macalester was getting on the end of any service into the box that was in the air. Unless there is another team with some height, it's going to be tough to beat Mac via set pieces, corners, or crosses. The scouting report on Mac is that to beat them you need to do it on the ground and through the middle of the field.
All 7 of the NESCAC teams in the tourney have 15-20+ players over 6' tall on their rosters, and they all have at least 2-3 players 6'3" or taller (not including GK's). I don't know precisely how many of the tall players are starters / regular participants, but they generally have a lot of size by D3 standards. Amherst and Midd have 5-6 non-goalie players at 6'3"+.
Quote from: mngopher on November 13, 2025, 12:31:52 PMSt. Olaf - The Oles were again the most talented team in the MIAC. There are a few holdovers from the 2023 national title squad, though none who contributed to that team in a big way. Attacking is this team's strength, and they like to create 1v1 situations on the wings and then let their guys cook. They are on the smaller side, and against bigger and more physical teams they have had some issues. They can get in trouble in a game where the whistle isn't tight, which is often the case in the NCAAs. They like to push numbers forward and get defenders involved in the attack, so they can be caught with the quick counter. Fairly balanced in terms of scoring. Bechtel is probably their most dangerous player in the attack, and they'll move him around to either wing and occasionally in the center of the field as well. Center defender Olseth was a really good striker in high school so if the game situation calls for it they will move him up to the #9.
St Olaf would potentially face Williams and Middlebury. All NESCAC teams are big and play physical ball. Middlebury is the worst NESCAC offender when it comes to cards: 37 YC + 2 RC during 16 regular season games, plus another 10 YC in their 2 playoff games!
Quote from: camosfan on November 13, 2025, 01:54:54 PMF & M is still the biggest shock this season.
Maybe so for some, but not for people who have followed them for a while. Lost 9 seniors who played a substantial amount of time last year as well as some players who did not come back. Lost a lot from last year's team. Never able to generate offense other than one game. 17 games scored 16 goals. Take away the one 5 goal game, then 16 games 11 goals (.69 goal per game). Don't score goals . . .
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 13, 2025, 02:30:42 PMQuote from: camosfan on November 13, 2025, 01:54:54 PMF & M is still the biggest shock this season.
Maybe so for some, but not for people who have followed them for a while. Lost 9 seniors who played a substantial amount of time last year as well as some players who did not come back. Lost a lot from last year's team. Never able to generate offense other than one game. 17 games scored 16 goals. Take away the one 5 goal game, then 16 games 11 goals (.69 goal per game). Don't score goals . . .
I'll echo the same for Hopkins. They turned over a ton of guys, particularly the all-important to their system guys in the back who control their entire offense.
(Sierra and I have chronicled a lot of this over in the MA thread this season.)
While not as impressive a run as the Diplomats, this is the first November without dancing since 2016 (8 consecutive tournaments.) That 2016 miss was due to a loss to F&M in PKs in the CC finals. That season marked the first true sign that Appleby had the Jays turned in the right direction.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 13, 2025, 02:10:12 PMOne way to answer the latter question is to think about the wins against regionally ranked teams factor used under the old Selection Committee approach and apply it to a few teams that might have at least gotten a careful look under the old system (which is not the same as the teams that the NPI would have placed close to the line). The Regional Rankings we have available are through Nov. 4th, so they don't reflect the conference tournament results.
Oooh, fun game.
University College (8-5-3) - Very good schedule, but only 2 of 8 wins vs. regionally ranked teams. Combined team record of remaining 6 wins was 35-44-20. Lost in QF of conference tournament to team that lost in Semi-Final of said tournament.
Two games on Friday (involving teams that need to play Friday-Saturday rather than Saturday-Sunday, for religious reasons)
I think this game could be interesting
Calvin (NPI #37) v. Grove City (NPI #50) @ Hobart Friday at 1:30 pm EST
Calvin is 16-3-1 and a traditional power. Grove City is 15-2-2, but it is definitely not a traditional power. This is its first PAC championship in two decades and the PAC isn't exactly a top league. Nevertheless, there are reasons to wonder if Grove City can surprise here. First, Grove City is hot. It's coming in on a 10 game winning streak and a 15 game unbeaten streak and has 12 shutouts overall this season. Second, Grove City has shown that it is competitive with teams that have NCAA experience and/or are in stronger conferences. It tied Carnegie Mellon 1-1 in early September and it beat Buffalo State 1-0 in mid-September in one of the few games where a team held Buffalo State's Diego Rivera (the D3 Men's Soccer golden boot winner during the regular season this year) off the scoresheet and without a shot on goal. Third, Calvin and Grove City have one common opponent - Hope - and both Calvin and Grove City beat it by the identical 2-0 score. Finally, Grove City and Calvin actually played against each other this season on 9/20 in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the game was called on account of lightening after 57 minutes. Calvin was winning 1-0 at the time, but I found a few highlights of the game (https://fan.hudl.com/usa/pa/grove-city/organization/22988/grove-city-college/team/83553/mens-varsity-soccer/watch?hr=SGlnaGxpZ2h0UmVlbFN1bW1hcnk2OGQwNWUxNDFiNjM3YjAyNmI0M2EyOGE%3D&ot=TEAM&oi=83553) (from a Grove City perspective) and it looked like both teams had some chances. Although that game was almost two months ago, neither team is going to come into this game flying blind and, most importantly from the perspective of the underdog, Grove City will likely not be in awe of Calvin given that experience going toe-to-toe with them earlier in the season. One player on Grove City to watch might be Aidan Eck, a senior midfielder. He's not the leading scorer, but he is on a hot streak of his own, scoring goals in 5 of the last 6 games.
Loads of responses! JHU, F&M, Kenyon, OWU, VA Wesleyan, St. John's, Haverford, Buffalo State, Pfeiffer, and many others miss out on the NCAAs this year.
Kuiper - thank you for the detailed breakdown. Very interesting read accompanying each program you listed
Love these back stories, keep them coming! Thanks for all the time you put in here!
Quote from: LibbyMoore on November 14, 2025, 09:35:08 AMLove these back stories, keep them coming! Thanks for all the time you put in here!
If you want more back stories on the Calvin - Grove City game, Eli Ribbe, who has been an assistant coach at Grove City for the last four seasons, graduated from Calvin, where he was a three year captain of Calvin's JV soccer team.
Here's a great story from the Calvin school newspaper (https://calvinchimes.org/2021/11/07/jv-soccer-makes-the-most-of-five-game-season/) about the experience of playing JV that includes several quotes from Ribbe, who also graduated summa cum laude from Calvin. His connection may be how Grove City came to travel to Michigan to play Calvin and Hope for the first time ever this season, and also puts non-varsity teams in a positive light, which isn't a perspective you often hear.
Does anyone know whether it was a foul or an offside call in the build up to the Messiah goal? If offsides—that makes sense. If a foul—then the center can't rely on his AR to call that back correct?
Quote from: D3SoccerTalker on November 14, 2025, 11:48:00 AMDoes anyone know whether it was a foul or an offside call in the build up to the Messiah goal? If offsides—that makes sense. If a foul—then the center can't rely on his AR to call that back correct?
The play-by-play on the NCAA website lists it as a foul.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 14, 2025, 11:54:41 AMQuote from: D3SoccerTalker on November 14, 2025, 11:48:00 AMDoes anyone know whether it was a foul or an offside call in the build up to the Messiah goal? If offsides—that makes sense. If a foul—then the center can't rely on his AR to call that back correct?
The play-by-play on the NCAA website lists it as a foul.
It seemed as though legs got tangled at the top of the box. I replayed it a few times and I think this call could have gone either way, but it was probably the correct call. There might have been a slight push as well but couldn't see from the angle given by the camera.
HALFTIME: Hobart 0-0 Messiah
Messiah had a disallowed goal and a quality shot from #10 that smacked the post and bounced out. Hobart had a good chance as well from around the PK spot. Shot was on frame and on the ground toward the far post but Messiah keeper made a good save.
This is a tight contest so far and I could see it going either way. Messiah have probably had better looks and are pressing Hobart well. Hobart, on the other hand, look dangerous every time they go forward. They've been able to break Messiah's press at times through their crafty dribblers.
As to whether a center can "rely on" his AR to call it back, the CR, not the AR, makes the ultimate call, but there's nothing that prevents the CR from consulting his AR about a possible foul.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 14, 2025, 10:03:25 AMQuote from: LibbyMoore on November 14, 2025, 09:35:08 AMLove these back stories, keep them coming! Thanks for all the time you put in here!
If you want more back stories on the Calvin - Grove City game, Eli Ribbe, who has been an assistant coach at Grove City for the last four seasons, graduated from Calvin, where he was a three year captain of Calvin's JV soccer team.
Here's a great story from the Calvin school newspaper (https://calvinchimes.org/2021/11/07/jv-soccer-makes-the-most-of-five-game-season/) about the experience of playing JV that includes several quotes from Ribbe, who also graduated summa cum laude from Calvin. His connection may be how Grove City came to travel to Michigan to play Calvin and Hope for the first time ever this season, and also puts non-varsity teams in a positive light, which isn't a perspective you often hear.
The Calvin/Grove City game is also a family affair. Older brother Athan Ladas (Calvin) faces his younger brother Luke Ladas (Grove City).
Huh. Seems odd there's only one game today. Is it just me?
Quote from: ExiledInTexas on November 14, 2025, 12:29:20 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 14, 2025, 10:03:25 AMQuote from: LibbyMoore on November 14, 2025, 09:35:08 AMLove these back stories, keep them coming! Thanks for all the time you put in here!
If you want more back stories on the Calvin - Grove City game, Eli Ribbe, who has been an assistant coach at Grove City for the last four seasons, graduated from Calvin, where he was a three year captain of Calvin's JV soccer team.
Here's a great story from the Calvin school newspaper (https://calvinchimes.org/2021/11/07/jv-soccer-makes-the-most-of-five-game-season/) about the experience of playing JV that includes several quotes from Ribbe, who also graduated summa cum laude from Calvin. His connection may be how Grove City came to travel to Michigan to play Calvin and Hope for the first time ever this season, and also puts non-varsity teams in a positive light, which isn't a perspective you often hear.
The Calvin/Grove City game is also a family affair. Older brother Athan Ladas (Calvin) faces his younger brother Luke Ladas (Grove City).
I missed that! Love it. The crazy thing is that the two are from Parsippany Hills (or maybe Morris Plains), New Jersey. They had to by-pass a lot of DIII men's soccer programs to end up at Calvin and Grove City.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 14, 2025, 12:44:03 PMHuh. Seems odd there's only one game today. Is it just me?
Two games. Grove City v. Calvin is next.
It's because Calvin and Messiah can't play on Sundays, so they had the Hobart pod be the Friday/Saturday pod
Quote from: Kuiper on November 14, 2025, 12:47:10 PMQuote from: Hopkins92 on November 14, 2025, 12:44:03 PMHuh. Seems odd there's only one game today. Is it just me?
Two games. Grove City v. Calvin is next.
It's because Calvin and Messiah can't play on Sundays, so they had the Hobart pod be the Friday/Saturday pod
Yeah, I meant only one pod... very poor wording. I feel like in years past we've had more games on Friday. Probably some Mandela-effect thing for me.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 14, 2025, 12:59:54 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 14, 2025, 12:47:10 PMQuote from: Hopkins92 on November 14, 2025, 12:44:03 PMHuh. Seems odd there's only one game today. Is it just me?
Two games. Grove City v. Calvin is next.
It's because Calvin and Messiah can't play on Sundays, so they had the Hobart pod be the Friday/Saturday pod
Yeah, I meant only one pod... very poor wording. I feel like in years past we've had more games on Friday. Probably some Mandela-effect thing for me.
I'm sort of surprised the Trinity pod isn't Friday-Saturday because of Hardin-Simmons. It started on Friday in 2024 and I assumed that was because of Hardin-Simmons, but H-S did play in the ASC Championship game on a Sunday in 2024.
Messiah 1 - Hobart 0 OT
Messiah gets the golden goal in the 3rd minute of OT, working the ball around the box in Messiah fashion and then putting in a ball from the left side from a seemingly impossible angle that got to the back post.
Hobart departs from the Yet to Lose club.
Fair result. Messiah was slow getting off the bus. Other than that looked to be the better team to me.
Something tells me this is the first of many lower NPI victories.
Quote from: Freddyfud on November 14, 2025, 01:29:02 PMSomething tells me this is the first of many lower NPI victories.
There are always upsets, but the one thing the NPI ignores entirely that the selection committee approach used to take into account was how a team was playing coming into the tournament. That wouldn't have changed Hobart's standing, but Messiah's early results were a drag on their ranking in the way that didn't reflect their later performances.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 14, 2025, 01:35:58 PMQuote from: Freddyfud on November 14, 2025, 01:29:02 PMSomething tells me this is the first of many lower NPI victories.
There are always upsets, but the one thing the NPI ignores entirely that the selection committee approach used to take into account was how a team was playing coming into the tournament. That wouldn't have changed Hobart's standing, but Messiah's early results were a drag on their ranking in the way that didn't reflect their later performances.
Yea I wanted to say many more upsets but paused to think about how an upset should be defined given the Committee's selections. So landed on NPI? I dunno...
My post keeps getting eaten.
Fair result, at least what I watched. Hobart had a sequence late in the 2nd where the ball was pinballing around for at least 3 shot attempts... Dicey moment for Messiah.
I don't think I've ever seen a Messiah team turn the ball over so cheaply before. I don't mean giving it up under pressure; I mean passing the ball to Hobart under zero pressure.
Messiah's goal was very, very nice.
Messiah's win was their first ever at Hobart. They've played just 4 times, 2-2, with no game decided by more than one goal. I still remember their very first meeting, when Hobart beat the defending national champions in Grantham, 2-1 in OT, in a game that Hobart dominated right from the start. (Though it certainly helped the visitors when AA striker Josh Wood went down early with a major injury, they'd probably have won anyway.)
The only previous time the Falcons went to Geneva was another opening game, in 2019, when Hobart won 1-0. That year the Falcons were 18-3-2, with 2 of the Ls coming vs Liberty League teams. RIT beat them, 3-2 in OT, in a third-round game in Amherst.
Congrats to Hobart on one of their best seasons ever.
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 14, 2025, 02:01:26 PMMessiah's goal was very, very nice.
The one that hit the post earlier was even nicer. ;)
Congrats to Messiah on the OT win today. You broke the Statesmen's hearts ,but frankly looked like the better team from the opening of the second half. No dishonor in losing to any Messiah team, but it still hurts after a "no loss" regular season.
FINAL: Calvin 1 - Grove City 0 (2OT)
Calvin scores a golden goal in the second minute of double OT on a great dribbling foray that led to a pass to the right winger who crosses it back to the striker in front of goal for the easy shot. Grove City was on the front foot in the 1st OT and looked like they might take it, but this was a pretty even game overall.
Should be a fun second round game between Messiah and Calvin
Quote from: Kuiper on November 14, 2025, 12:47:10 PMIt's because Calvin and Messiah can't play on Sundays, so they had the Hobart pod be the Friday/Saturday pod
Calvin doesn't play on Sundays. Messiah doesn't schedule regular season games on Sundays, either, but years ago they told the NCAA they were willing to play post-season games on Sundays. Indeed, this weekend the Messiah women are hosting a Saturday-Sunday pod. Grove City might be in the same category as Calvin; I don't know.
That was a super fun 1-0 game. End to end. Congratulations to both teams!
Cross-posting from the Go WEST thread for the early game involving a Region X team
PREVIEW: Occidental at Augsburg, Sat 11/15 at 11 AM Central
Occidental was 10-5-4 this season and is ranked #129 in the NPI. It qualified for the tournament by winning the SCIAC conference tournament final 1-0 over Redlands. It was also the SCIAC regular season champion with a 6-3-3 conference record. The team started with a rough trip to the northeast, losing to Babson 2-1, beating MIT 3-0, and then losing to UMass Boston 4-0 in a game where the team looked beat. The team meandered around most of the rest of the season until ending conference regular season and conference tournament play with 5 wins in a row, beating their opponents (all but one of which were conference tournament qualifiers) by a combined 15-4 score. They essentially put it together at the right time, raising their performance when other SCIAC foes were faltering or dealing with injuries.
Augsburg was 16-2-2 this season and is ranked #2 in the NPI. It lost in the QFs of the MIAC tournament 2-1 to Saint John's, which has been its nemesis this year, also beating Augsburg 5-2 at the end of September. I'm sure Oxy's coaches have been scouring video of those two games to see if they can pick up any tactical secrets. That wasn't the only team to trip up Augsburg down the stretch, though. The 2-2 tie with Bethel on 10/15 and with St. Olaf on 10/25 were other blemishes after starting the season with 10 straight wins. Maybe the rest from losing early in the conference tournament will allow them to come out energized or maybe they will have some doubts and some rust.
Augsburg should be the overwhelming favorite, even before you factor in that they are playing at home and with the weather and time zone advantage (Oxy will feel like they are playing at 9 am). Does Oxy have a chance? Every team has a chance, but this is a heavy lift for Oxy. It has some talented players. SCIAC offensive player of the year Devin Bening is fast and crafty in the box, they pass and move well, and they have some NCAA tournament experience left on the roster from 2023 when they made it to the third round and took Amherst to the limit. However, Oxy doesn't exactly have an airtight defense and isn't built to withstand pressure for long. Not sure they can handle Augsburg's Carver Tierney (not that many have). Moreover, Oxy has shuttled through goalkeepers and I'm not even positive they've found their starter yet. Sammy Gramlich was outstanding in the second half of the SCIAC championship game, but he's been splitting halves with Casey Scott the last few games. If Oxy can hold the fort, however, they play pretty well in transition and may be able to catch Augsburg pressing. They also have the benefit of Macalester transfer midfielder Elijah Edelman, who led the SCIAC in assists this season and has both scored and provided an assist in his 4 games against Augsburg during his first two years of college soccer. Edelman, as well as St. Olaf transfer defender Alex Yu, may have been able to provide some advance scouting on Augsburg and at least offer a player or two with familiarity playing in this environment.
Some schools (like Mary Hardin-Baylor) have moved their policy to be "no kickoffs before noon" on Sundays. Otherwise you're hamstrung if a weather related reschedule happens on a Saturday evening.
Cross-posted from the Go WEST thread:
PREVIEW: Hardin-Simmons @ Trinity at 4 pm Central
Hardin-Simmons has a 6-8-3 overall record and a 2-2-2 record in conference. It earned the AQ from the ASC by tying Mary Hardin-Baylor 1-1 and advancing on PKs in the ASC tournament final. At a NPI ranking of 231, and with a record below .500, Hardin-Simmons has to have one of the weakest resumes in the tournament. On the bright side, it is coming into the tournament on a 5 game unbeaten streak, including two ties against Mary Hardin-Baylor, so advancing isn't a fluke.
Trinity has a 15-1-1 overall record and a 7-0 record in the SAA regular season. Problem is that it has a 0-0-1 record in the SAA conference tournament, which is where it lost in the semifinals to Berry in PKs. It is ranked #12 in the NPI. It comes into the tournament with a 10 game unbeaten streak (a 9 game winning streak before the Berry tie). Its last loss was a 3-2 loss to Christopher Newport @ Hardin-Simmons where Trinity was down 3-1 when Max Salinas received a straight red card and Trinity was still able to claw back a goal in the last 24 minutes. So, while Trinity was frustrated in the Berry game, it should still have plenty of confidence (and a day more rest, for whatever that's worth).
Furthermore, Trinity and Hardin-Simmons played each other on 9/18 at Hardin-Simmons the day before the CNU game and Trinity won 2-0, outshooting H-S 18-3. Among common opponents (Schreiner, Texas Lutheran, Concordia TX, Christopher Newport and UMHB), Trinity went 4-1 and H-S went 1-3-2. Trinity is also 26-2-3 all-time against Hardin-Simmons and is 18-1-1 against them at home.
Bottom line is that Trinity should be heavily favored in this game, especially at home. The one caveat to that is that H-S knows how to play Trinity. It knows it needs to stay compact, play defensively, and cede possession around the perimeter like Berry did against Trinity in the SAA semifinals. I'm just not sure Hardin-Simmons has the players who can stick with Knutsen, Theiss, et al for Trinity for 90 minutes of passing and moving in the box, or that can consistently defend Trinity on corners, which is what you inevitably concede out of a compact, low block, set up in front of your goal.
Cross-posting from the Go WEST thread
PREVIEW: Whitman v. Texas Lutheran @ Trinity TX at 6:30 PM Central
Whitman comes into the game undefeated on the year with a 14-0-6 record overall and a 13-0-3 record in the NWC. Winning the AQ in the NWC is no fluke. They don't use a conference tournament where one bad bounce can knock a team out. Every team plays each other twice in a home-and-away series and the team at the top gets the AQ. It did, however, beat the #2 team in the NWC in Pacific Lutheran in the last game of the regular season to clinch the championship, so Whitman does have some experience with winning in a must-win game. Whitman is ranked #60 in the NPI despite being undefeated mostly because of its weak strength-of-schedule (the NWC is pretty weak) and its measly 0.699 in QWB points. Out-of-conference, it tied Colorado College and Mary Hardin-Baylor, both of which lost in their conference tournament finals and didn't get at-large bids, and beat Cal Lutheran, which finished last in the SCIAC. So, not a single one of its results came against an NCAA tournament team.
Texas Lutheran is 12-4-3 overall and 8-1-2 in the SCAC. It finished #2 in the SCAC to Colorado College, but beat them in the finals of the conference tournament to earn the AQ. It comes in on an 8 game unbeaten streak, with its last loss to Colorado College. It is ranked #97 in the NPI in part because the best team it beat (other than Colorado College in the conference final) was Hendrix, which was #198 on the NPI. It does play a lot of good teams close, losing 1-0 to Trinity, Southwestern and 2-1 to UMHB.
These two teams are a study in contrasting styles. Whitman scores 2.45 goals per game and has conceded 21, while TLU only scores 1.63 goals per game, but has only conceded 12. Whitman has a lot of skilled players that can score in bunches, but they sometimes appear to lack the grit or motivation to really push their opponents, while TLU has grit and motivation, but sometimes lack that skill to put the ball in the back of the net, like in the first half against Colorado in the SCAC finals when TLU came out on the front foot and outshot CC 16-0, but scoring none. Whitman often fell behind this year to weak teams before they got their acts together and rallied for wins, while TLU is pretty good at defending a lead (the one exception was against Austin College when they gave up a 2-0 lead by allowing goals in the 86th and 87th minutes). I expect Whitman won't have as much trouble finding motivation in this game, but if they falter, they also may not have the ability to overcome a strong TLU defense playing close to home in a familiar environment.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 14, 2025, 08:41:44 PMCross-posting from the Go WEST thread for the early game involving a Region X team
PREVIEW: Occidental at Augsburg, Sat 11/15 at 11 AM Central
Occidental was 10-5-4 this season and is ranked #129 in the NPI. It qualified for the tournament by winning the SCIAC conference tournament final 1-0 over Redlands. It was also the SCIAC regular season champion with a 6-3-3 conference record. The team started with a rough trip to the northeast, losing to Babson 2-1, beating MIT 3-0, and then losing to UMass Boston 4-0 in a game where the team looked beat. The team meandered around most of the rest of the season until ending conference regular season and conference tournament play with 5 wins in a row, beating their opponents (all but one of which were conference tournament qualifiers) by a combined 15-4 score. They essentially put it together at the right time, raising their performance when other SCIAC foes were faltering or dealing with injuries.
Augsburg was 16-2-2 this season and is ranked #2 in the NPI. It lost in the QFs of the MIAC tournament 2-1 to Saint John's, which has been its nemesis this year, also beating Augsburg 5-2 at the end of September. I'm sure Oxy's coaches have been scouring video of those two games to see if they can pick up any tactical secrets. That wasn't the only team to trip up Augsburg down the stretch, though. The 2-2 tie with Bethel on 10/15 and with St. Olaf on 10/25 were other blemishes after starting the season with 10 straight wins. Maybe the rest from losing early in the conference tournament will allow them to come out energized or maybe they will have some doubts and some rust.
Augsburg should be the overwhelming favorite, even before you factor in that they are playing at home and with the weather and time zone advantage (Oxy will feel like they are playing at 9 am). Does Oxy have a chance? Every team has a chance, but this is a heavy lift for Oxy. It has some talented players. SCIAC offensive player of the year Devin Bening is fast and crafty in the box, they pass and move well, and they have some NCAA tournament experience left on the roster from 2023 when they made it to the third round and took Amherst to the limit. However, Oxy doesn't exactly have an airtight defense and isn't built to withstand pressure for long. Not sure they can handle Augsburg's Carver Tierney (not that many have). Moreover, Oxy has shuttled through goalkeepers and I'm not even positive they've found their starter yet. Sammy Gramlich was outstanding in the second half of the SCIAC championship game, but he's been splitting halves with Casey Scott the last few games. If Oxy can hold the fort, however, they play pretty well in transition and may be able to catch Augsburg pressing. They also have the benefit of Macalester transfer midfielder Elijah Edelman, who led the SCIAC in assists this season and has both scored and provided an assist in his 4 games against Augsburg during his first two years of college soccer. Edelman, as well as St. Olaf transfer defender Alex Yu, may have been able to provide some advance scouting on Augsburg and at least offer a player or two with familiarity playing in this environment.
Just noting here, since Occidental is really the only school in the three MN pods traveling in from outside the region, it was unseasonably warm in the Twin Cities yesterday. Touched 70 degrees, and was a beautiful day. Today isn't quite that warm, but will be around 55 and sunny for kickoff for all three pods. Should be great soccer weather.
Quote from: mngopher on November 15, 2025, 10:20:10 AMQuote from: Kuiper on November 14, 2025, 08:41:44 PMCross-posting from the Go WEST thread for the early game involving a Region X team
PREVIEW: Occidental at Augsburg, Sat 11/15 at 11 AM Central
Occidental was 10-5-4 this season and is ranked #129 in the NPI. It qualified for the tournament by winning the SCIAC conference tournament final 1-0 over Redlands. It was also the SCIAC regular season champion with a 6-3-3 conference record. The team started with a rough trip to the northeast, losing to Babson 2-1, beating MIT 3-0, and then losing to UMass Boston 4-0 in a game where the team looked beat. The team meandered around most of the rest of the season until ending conference regular season and conference tournament play with 5 wins in a row, beating their opponents (all but one of which were conference tournament qualifiers) by a combined 15-4 score. They essentially put it together at the right time, raising their performance when other SCIAC foes were faltering or dealing with injuries.
Augsburg was 16-2-2 this season and is ranked #2 in the NPI. It lost in the QFs of the MIAC tournament 2-1 to Saint John's, which has been its nemesis this year, also beating Augsburg 5-2 at the end of September. I'm sure Oxy's coaches have been scouring video of those two games to see if they can pick up any tactical secrets. That wasn't the only team to trip up Augsburg down the stretch, though. The 2-2 tie with Bethel on 10/15 and with St. Olaf on 10/25 were other blemishes after starting the season with 10 straight wins. Maybe the rest from losing early in the conference tournament will allow them to come out energized or maybe they will have some doubts and some rust.
Augsburg should be the overwhelming favorite, even before you factor in that they are playing at home and with the weather and time zone advantage (Oxy will feel like they are playing at 9 am). Does Oxy have a chance? Every team has a chance, but this is a heavy lift for Oxy. It has some talented players. SCIAC offensive player of the year Devin Bening is fast and crafty in the box, they pass and move well, and they have some NCAA tournament experience left on the roster from 2023 when they made it to the third round and took Amherst to the limit. However, Oxy doesn't exactly have an airtight defense and isn't built to withstand pressure for long. Not sure they can handle Augsburg's Carver Tierney (not that many have). Moreover, Oxy has shuttled through goalkeepers and I'm not even positive they've found their starter yet. Sammy Gramlich was outstanding in the second half of the SCIAC championship game, but he's been splitting halves with Casey Scott the last few games. If Oxy can hold the fort, however, they play pretty well in transition and may be able to catch Augsburg pressing. They also have the benefit of Macalester transfer midfielder Elijah Edelman, who led the SCIAC in assists this season and has both scored and provided an assist in his 4 games against Augsburg during his first two years of college soccer. Edelman, as well as St. Olaf transfer defender Alex Yu, may have been able to provide some advance scouting on Augsburg and at least offer a player or two with familiarity playing in this environment.
Just noting here, since Occidental is really the only school in the three MN pods traveling in from outside the region, it was unseasonably warm in the Twin Cities yesterday. Touched 70 degrees, and was a beautiful day. Today isn't quite that warm, but will be around 55 and sunny for kickoff for all three pods. Should be great soccer weather.
Considering that it is rainy and 50s in Los Angeles today, sounds like an improvement!
The nescac tournament is more difficult to win than this funsy jamboree.
Quote from: Bartman on November 14, 2025, 03:44:46 PMCongrats to Messiah on the OT win today. You broke the Statesmen's hearts ,but frankly looked like the better team from the opening of the second half. No dishonor in losing to any Messiah team, but it still hurts after a "no loss" regular season.
Congratulations, Bartman, on the season that Hobart had. I'm disappointed to see them go, as that was such an entertaining game. #14 is some player. Always looks dangerous on the ball. I wish I had watched more Hobart matches this season.
Quote from: Dustin_Patrón on November 15, 2025, 12:05:22 PMThe nescac tournament is more difficult to win than this funsy jamboree.
Me: *purses lips, checks username, keeps scrolling for a more relevant post*
Thought Cortland and SUNNY D were from the same conf?
Another thrilling match underway in the Hobart/Messiah/Calvin/GC pod. First 5 min, Messiah should have scored 2. Next 5 min, Calvin should have had 2. And now, 20 min, Messiah should have scored. This is an end-to-end match. Highly entertaining.
Quote from: Mr_November on November 15, 2025, 01:28:01 PMAnother thrilling match underway in the Hobart/Messiah/Calvin/GC pod. First 5 min, Messiah should have scored 2. Next 5 min, Calvin should have had 2. And now, 20 min, Messiah should have scored. This is an end-to-end match. Highly entertaining.
Agreed, very entertaining. Lots of up and down. Worst part of the live stream is the incessant whining from the Messiah fans. Woof.
Quote from: doc on November 15, 2025, 01:34:49 PMQuote from: Mr_November on November 15, 2025, 01:28:01 PMAnother thrilling match underway in the Hobart/Messiah/Calvin/GC pod. First 5 min, Messiah should have scored 2. Next 5 min, Calvin should have had 2. And now, 20 min, Messiah should have scored. This is an end-to-end match. Highly entertaining.
Agreed, very entertaining. Lots of up and down. Worst part of the live stream is the incessant whining from the Messiah fans. Woof.
And now a weather delay...
Dickinson is gnarly. 4-0 up on NC Wesleyan.
FYI, what is the NCAA rule on "dog on the field?" Apparently, the UMASS Boston/Rog Williams game was just delayed at Bowdoin. Asking as a dog owner, hahahaha
Quote from: Mr_November on November 15, 2025, 02:18:25 PMQuote from: doc on November 15, 2025, 01:34:49 PMQuote from: Mr_November on November 15, 2025, 01:28:01 PMAnother thrilling match underway in the Hobart/Messiah/Calvin/GC pod. First 5 min, Messiah should have scored 2. Next 5 min, Calvin should have had 2. And now, 20 min, Messiah should have scored. This is an end-to-end match. Highly entertaining.
Agreed, very entertaining. Lots of up and down. Worst part of the live stream is the incessant whining from the Messiah fans. Woof.
And now a weather delay...
Now Amherst Cath game, weather delay. Weird.
Bad news for Calvin-Messiah game as lightning delays have halted game. Not sure lights are on the field, and Football game is also delayed , so field with lights unavailable. Not sure what the contingency is.
Bad news for Calvin-Messiah game as lightning delays have halted game. Not sure lights are on the field, and Football game is also delayed , so field with lights unavailable. Not sure what the contingency is.
Quote from: Bartman on November 15, 2025, 03:12:36 PMBad news for Calvin-Messiah game as lightning delays have halted game. Not sure lights are on the field, and Football game is also delayed , so field with lights unavailable. Not sure what the contingency is.
This raises the "play on Sunday" dilemma for may both Calvin and Messiah
Quote from: Kuiper on November 15, 2025, 03:20:08 PMQuote from: Bartman on November 15, 2025, 03:12:36 PMBad news for Calvin-Messiah game as lightning delays have halted game. Not sure lights are on the field, and Football game is also delayed , so field with lights unavailable. Not sure what the contingency is.
This raises the "play on Sunday" dilemma for may both Calvin and Messiah
Dilemma averted as the teams were able to resume play. Still 0-0 in the 50th minute
Messiah pots one after a dice back pass to the Calvin CB leads to a turnover and a quick strike from inside the 18 to the far post. Clinical.
Jeez. That escalated quickly. Calvin throwing numbers forward and Messiah capitalizes on two quick counters.
3-0 Falcons.
Amherst 0-0 Catholic with 10 min remaining. Very feisty, passionate affair. Referees calling a tight game.
Nasty off-the-ball foul from Amherst at 7:12 left in the match. Couldn't see his number, but Amherst defender was recovering and hacked an elbow into the back of a Catholic player. Catholic team outraged but referee didn't see it. Moments prior to that, Catholic player picked up a yellow for screaming and gesturing in the face of an Amherst player. It is apparent that these teams do not like each other.
Catholic with a chance to end the game on a counter break.
Really should be 1-0 Cards.
With less than 3 mins, that would've really done it.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 15, 2025, 05:08:11 PMCatholic with a chance to end the game on a counter break.
Really should be 1-0 Cards.
With less than 3 mins, that would've really done it.
Great counter attack. Cards player ran the distance of the field and set himself up brilliantly but just miscued his finish missing that near post
Washington and Lee the better team, but score is 0-0.
Quote from: Another Mom on November 15, 2025, 05:24:01 PMWashington and Lee the better team, but score is 0-0.
Just tuned in as Amherst-Catholic moves into yet another weather delay
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 15, 2025, 05:08:11 PMCatholic with a chance to end the game on a counter break.
Really should be 1-0 Cards.
With less than 3 mins, that would've really done it.
Amherst - Catholic game suspended again three minutes into OT. One of the problems with having two pods 60 miles apart is that if you have bad weather, you've doubled your game stoppage problems.
Berry just equalized against CNU. 13 left in second half
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 15, 2025, 05:08:11 PMCatholic with a chance to end the game on a counter break.
Really should be 1-0 Cards.
With less than 3 mins, that would've really done it.
As could have Amherst's shot that hit the post a minute later.
Very late goal for Denison with about 3 min left. Tough one.
Will Joseph, W&L's keeper, tough to end his career. Over his 4 years, 2 straight semis, one round of 16 along with many post season pk shootouts. Solid keeper.
Ball game at Cortland. PK for the Cards winner.
Lots of great games tomorrow.
Dickinson v. Denison (in Carlisle)
Tufts v. Brandeis
ConnC v. Babson
So many more, but those jump out to me.
Amherst's last of 23 fouls happened in the box and that's the game.
Quote from: Maine Soccer Fan on November 15, 2025, 06:29:17 PMAmherst's last of 23 fouls happened in the box and that's the game.
Are you saying that they finally went too far?? Too soon?? Hahaha.
Saw the rain coming down, that was a lot. Lucky they played on turf with another game tomorrow.
2 of 4 final 4 from last year are out. Maybe a wide open tournament?
The reffing seems to be stricter than in the past!
HALF: Trinity 2 - Hardin-Simmons 0
As expected, H-S conceded possession with a low block and held off Trinity for about 42 minutes of the half, but Trinity's Luke Mayfield got around to the endline and lofted a beautiful chipped cross to Luke Chandler, who hit a header that forced H-S GK Carson Null to make a full stretch one-handed save to his left that left the ball in front of the net and Hodge McDonald slammed it in the roof of the net for a goal. That broke the dam, so-to-speak, and Trinity got a second on a PK a minute later after Joey Perryman hustled in front of a H-S defender who was chasing down a long ball and drew the foul in the box. Alex Ramirez hit it in the top bin for the second score. Feisty half.
The following games are too early in the tournament: Was U v Chicago, Lynchburg V Chris Newport!
Quote from: Kuiper on November 15, 2025, 07:07:21 PMHALF: Trinity 2 - Hardin-Simmons 0
As expected, H-S conceded possession with a low block and held off Trinity for about 42 minutes of the half, but Trinity's Luke Mayfield got around to the endline and lofted a beautiful chipped cross to Luke Chandler, who hit a header that forced H-S GK Carson Null to make a full stretch one-handed save to his left that left the ball in front of the net and Hodge McDonald slammed it in the roof of the net for a goal. That broke the dam, so-to-speak, and Trinity got a second on a PK a minute later after Joey Perryman hustled in front of a H-S defender who was chasing down a long ball and drew the foul in the box. Alex Ramirez hit it in the top bin for the second score. Feisty half.
UPDATE: Trinity 3 - Hardin-Simmons 0
Trinity's Samuel Theiss scores on a PK after they passed the ball around the box and a H-S defender took down the Trinity attacker who was driving for the endline
UPDATE: Trinity 4 - Hardin-Simmons 0
Trinity scores another goal quickly after the third in bizarre fashion. Hardin-Simmons has two defenders go up on a Trinity corner and they pop the ball back up across the goal. Meanwhile, three more H-S defenders are near the GK and end up shielding him from getting to the ball, allowing a Trinity player to jump over the GK's reach and head the ball into the goal.
UPDATE: Trinity 5 - Hardin-Simmons 0
Joey Perryman scores on a beautiful shot to the far post after receiving a pass from the left side of the box
FINAL: Trinity 5 - Hardin-Simmons 0
Quote from: Maine Soccer Fan on November 15, 2025, 06:29:17 PMAmherst's last of 23 fouls happened in the box and that's the game.
Amherst's last of 23 fouls actually called (there were at least a dozen more, 2 or 3 of which should have been carded) happened in the box and that's the game.
An ironic and appropriate ending.
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 15, 2025, 06:50:58 PMQuote from: Maine Soccer Fan on November 15, 2025, 06:29:17 PMAmherst's last of 23 fouls happened in the box and that's the game.
Are you saying that they finally went too far?? Too soon?? Hahaha.
Saw the rain coming down, that was a lot. Lucky they played on turf with another game tomorrow.
2 of 4 final 4 from last year are out. Maybe a wide open tournament?
Proud Catholic alum here. Historic win for the program taking down a strong program in Amherst and defending national champion. It did not come easy, enduring the typical reckless physicality and direct play from the overly emotional Mammoth, not to mention the two weather delays.
I think ultimately the weather delays benefited Catholic, as it gave them some time to regroup, and interrupt the momentum that Amherst had going with long throw after long throw and corner after corner.
At the end of the day Amhersts chippy play cost them the match as Holden Woodings buried a clear penalty in the first overtime. With not much time to recover, the cards will have their hands full playing the host Cortland red dragons.
, but proud of this victory and happy there will not be a repeat champion this year.
I doubt I was the only one that noticed Nuhu from Amherst flailing and flopping around on the turf after getting barely touched seconds before the foul in the box. Very fitting end, and karmic in a way.
Texas Lutheran 1 - Whitman 0 (31st minute)
TLU hits a great free kick from the far right side of the field that was headed to the back post by a strong header.
HALF: Texas Lutheran 1 - Whitman 0
TLU has looked really strong, while Whitman did not have a single shot in the first half. That may be due to Whitman's inexperience or because TLU is basically playing in front of a home crowd with no travel and it is hyped up. Either way, it is definitely on the front foot. On the other hand, as often happens with Texas Lutheran, it lacks true goal scorers and it is still only up 1-0. Whitman has the skill to score a goal against the run of play, especially on a free kick.
UPDATE: Texas Lutheran 2 - Whitman 0
TLU starts where they left off on a play that Whitman may have hesitated because they thought TLU was offside on the initial pass, but they allowed the TLU shooter the time to trap the ball and shoot it the right corner of the goal.
UPDATE: Texas Lutheran 3 - Whitman 0 (80th minute)
TLU is playing at a different speed. Whitman thinks it's still playing Lewis & Clark and can come back whenever it wants. They basically let TLU waltz through the box and put in a rebound
UPDATE: Texas Lutheran 3 - Whitman 1 (81st minute)
Whitman gets one back on a great shot off a rebound from a corner
UPDATE: TLU 3 - Whitman 2 (83rd minute)
Maybe Whitman can come back?
FINAL: TLU 3 - Whitman 2
Comeback falls short. Wonder if TLU has the energy to work this hard tomorrow v Trinity
Day 1 basically went according to form (pending the TLU-Whitman game). Really high seeded teams beat pretty low seeded teams, but I think most of the At Large Teams (through #31 and through probably the 50s or 60s) would have looked good against some of those low seeded AQ teams. Penn State Harrisburg (#217), Lyon (#228), St. Joseph's (CT) (#117), Hardin-Simmons (#231), Transylvania (#88), Lehman (#143) etc didn't offer much resistance, at least not for more than a half.
The "upset" games were largely in the middle involving teams at or below, but in the vicinity of, the cut line. In that sense, they weren't really upsets. The NPI creates very sharp numerical distinctions based on very small differences, but basically the competitive quality of teams are probably better thought of as ranges and most of these teams were in the same range (with the possible exception of Lake Forest, which I thought was overrated all season). I tend to think you could have played any of these losing teams against the low seeded teams the high seeds played and these teams would have beaten them.
Edgewood (#30) over Gustavus Adolphus (#20)
Denison (#31) over Washington & Lee (#29)
Luther (#35) over Lake Forest (#14)
UMass Boston (#58) over Roger Williams (#49)
Babson (#63) over Oneonta (#42)
The one exception was really an anomaly. I think this is one where the NPI methodology underrated Messiah because it doesn't distinguish between early and late season form/losses or the tournament experience of the players and coaches. Even then, it went to OT, so it could have gone the other way.
Messiah (#107) over Hobart (#16)
Great stuff Kuiper, really agree. i think the benefit of being top 4 or top 8 shows up in these first-round matchups. After first round, nearly every game is a fight, nothing is easy. Getting a top 8 seed allows you to see one of those weaker opponents in the first round and is huge for saving legs and making the path forward easier. As you note well, once you get in that 15-40 range of NPI, it so close and the margins aren't large at all.
First time watching Wesleyan today. What an impressive back 3 and double pivot. If this group continues this form it will likely be a long bus ride home for the Profs tomorrow.
2nd round upsets, pick 3...
CNU over Lynchburg
Rowan over Wesleyan
Edgewood over Augsburg
and I don't think Wash U over chicago should count as an upset since they just beat them a week ago with only 10 men for 75 minutes of the match.
Quote from: kansas hokie on November 15, 2025, 10:36:27 PM2nd round upsets, pick 3...
CNU over Lynchburg
Rowan over Wesleyan
Edgewood over Augsburg
and I don't think Wash U over chicago should count as an upset since they just beat them a week ago with only 10 men for 75 minutes of the match.
CNU beating Lynchburg as an upset. Hmmm, pretty evenly matched teams, imo. Both have been playing really well.
The second round is full of fairly even matchups, but Lynchburg is top seed in this region and #4 in NPI, losing at home to CNU would have to be called an upset. Lynchburg is clear favorite, but yes, the gap isn't huge.
biggest 2nd round favorites? I'd say Trinity (TX Lutheran), Conn College (Babson), and Bowdoin (U-Mass Boston)
the rest are all narrow differences but I'd call Lynchburg one of the strongest favorites left.
Texas Lutheran won't be easy for Trinity, especially if they play like they did against Whitman. Trinity beat TLU back on 9/12, but it was only 1-0 on an 87th minute goal.
I am really interested in the Scranton team- been following them from a distance all year. My son got an offer from them earlier this year but decided to go elsewhere. Great defense and scoring some goals- excited to see how far they go.
Today's likely winners
Tufts
Con
Cort
Wes
St. Olaf
Aus
Williams
CNU
Dickinson
Emory
Macalester
Chicago
Trinity
Mid
Tufts vs. Brandeis now live, with the winner punching their ticket to the S16 vs. Messiah. Will we finally get the Tufts-Messiah match-up we've been waiting for?
Always make a point to tune in to Babson games during the NCAAs. Thoroughly enjoy the intensity and ugency with which they play.
And as I'm typing this, a wonderful, delightful chest-down, spin, and finish from Babson. 1-1 with Conn.
Like their coach, he tried to recruit my son who ended up at Tufts, and he was never bitter like some other coaches, always kept in touch.
Wow, Brandeis finally had a decent chance on the offensive side that was turned away and then quickly transitioned to tufts best chance that their forward somehow pushed left on an open goal. Brandeis feeling the pressure but have not broke yet.
Quote from: LetteroftheLaw on November 16, 2025, 02:46:15 PMWow, Brandeis finally had a decent chance on the offensive side that was turned away and then quickly transitioned to tufts best chance that their forward somehow pushed left on an open goal. Brandeis feeling the pressure but have not broke yet.
Bend don't break for the Judges! Couldn't believe Tufts player pulled that one wide. Around the keeper and an open net.
Rowan v. Wesleyan
Best announcer ever, truly. Despite the autumn sniffles. Minimalist with tone going up only during goals.
As to Rowans goals, Wes keeper having hardest day ever. Really tough. First was a head ball back to him where he just fumbled it in front of goal. Goal area looked a bit wet a little muddy. Second, the ball skidded out of hands.
Question, NCAAs,biggest platform, yeah windy, but does Wes own a leaf blower??? I think that definitely affected play.
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 16, 2025, 02:52:01 PMRowan v. Wesleyan
Best announcer ever, truly. Despite the autumn sniffles. Minimalist with tone going up only during goals.
As to Rowans goals, Wes keeper having hardest day ever. Really tough. First was a head ball back to him where he just fumbled it in front of goal. Goal area looked a bit wet a little muddy. Second, the ball skidded out of hands.
Question, NCAAs,biggest platform, yeah windy, but does Wes own a leaf blower??? I think that definitely affected play.
Strong performance by Rowan
Tufts win it over Brandeis in double OT
Quote from: Kuiper on November 16, 2025, 03:02:22 PMQuote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 16, 2025, 02:52:01 PMRowan v. Wesleyan
Best announcer ever, truly. Despite the autumn sniffles. Minimalist with tone going up only during goals.
As to Rowans goals, Wes keeper having hardest day ever. Really tough. First was a head ball back to him where he just fumbled it in front of goal. Goal area looked a bit wet a little muddy. Second, the ball skidded out of hands.
Question, NCAAs,biggest platform, yeah windy, but does Wes own a leaf blower??? I think that definitely affected play.
Strong performance by Rowan
Strongest of the season by far and what a time to do it. A lot of determination and great defending in the second half to hold the lead. Something that has haunted Rowan the past 2 years to be honest. Schlotterbeck had a game and hope he is OK after leaving on a hard tackle.
Fair play to Wesleyan on a good game and an exceptional season. The weather obviously affected the game, but both teams left it on the leaf covered field.
Do any prognosticators have ideas about sectional hosts next weekend? Wondering if Rowan might head south so maybe I can watch in person. Looking at you Hampden Sydney...Or maybe we find out tonight?
It is bright, sunny and quite windy on most of the mid-atlantic region today.
Looking at the feed out of Carlisle, you'd think there was an impending monsoon. Somebody hit a weird button and the filter makes it look gloomy. Hard to see, frankly.
Anyways, 1-0 Dickinson midway through the first half.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 16, 2025, 03:52:34 PMIt is bright, sunny and quite windy on most of the mid-atlantic region today.
Looking at the feed out of Carlisle, you'd think there was an impending monsoon. Somebody hit a weird button and the filter makes it look gloomy. Hard to see, frankly.
Anyways, 1-0 Dickinson midway through the first half.
Looks like some dystopian nightmare movie.... Book of Eli like.... although the brown grass isn't helping anyone....
SC.
They fixed it.
Steady snowfall in Cortland, conditions favoring the home team as Catholic controlled the first half and these awful conditions should neutralize the contest. Should be an interesting second half.
Quote from: Mr_November on November 16, 2025, 01:07:41 PMTufts vs. Brandeis now live, with the winner punching their ticket to the S16 vs. Messiah. Will we finally get the Tufts-Messiah match-up we've been waiting for?
Feels like yesterday when tufts beat messiah to win their first national championship. That was one of the best messiah teams I recall watching too..
Big weekend for the Camels with two hard-earned wins.
vs. St. Joseph's:
They gave everything they had, a hardworking side that frustrated Conn throughout the first half.Second got away from them a bit.
vs. Babson:
A very chippy team that likes to talk and goes to ground even more. This ultimately hurt them, giving away two needless penalties. The second came when their center back decided to slide into a player in the box who wasn't even going to reach the ball. The rain and some good good goalkeeping from babson made it a tight game but #7 Marco Perugini was the big separator between the two sides.
It hasn't been a great year for NESCAC teams in the playoffs, with likely only one—maybe two will be able to make a Final Four appearance. But the Messiah–Tufts–Conn–Bowdoin bracket will be a must watch.
Dickinson's second goal at about minute 22 in the 2nd half is an absolute golazo. Go find it before the feed ends.
26-28 yard out shot, curling away from the goalie into the top right corner.
Wow.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 16, 2025, 04:52:20 PMDickinson's second goal at about minute 22 in the 2nd half is an absolute golazo. Go find it before the feed ends.
26-28 yard out shot, curling away from the goalie into the top right corner.
Wow.
Very, very, very nice. They've had several quality goals this year like that.
Lynchburg v. CNU
Card fest to include a red for CNU's asst. couch. 5-4 in CNU's favor. Lynchburg is playing well with the 2-1 lead.
Cortland advances to the sweet 16. Catholic opened the scoring early in the second half and then Cortland immediately responded with a goal of their own. Catholic had the better of the play in the second half but despite that they had a horrible sequence and poor defending that ultimately did them in and Cortland capitalized. Tough way to go given how the game went but this time of year it's small lapses that will cost you. Congrats to the red dragons.
Quote from: Camelparent on November 16, 2025, 04:51:06 PMBig weekend for the Camels with two hard-earned wins.
vs. St. Joseph's:
They gave everything they had, a hardworking side that frustrated Conn throughout the first half.Second got away from them a bit.
vs. Babson:
A very chippy team that likes to talk and goes to ground even more. This ultimately hurt them, giving away two needless penalties. The second came when their center back decided to slide into a player in the box who wasn't even going to reach the ball. The rain and some good good goalkeeping from babson made it a tight game but #7 Marco Perugini was the big separator between the two sides.
It hasn't been a great year for NESCAC teams in the playoffs, with likely only one—maybe two will be able to make a Final Four appearance. But the Messiah–Tufts–Conn–Bowdoin bracket will be a must watch.
Well – 25% of the teams left are NASCAC teams so I would still say that's pretty good. As far as the number of teams in the final four,It seems a bit set up that way with Bowdoin Tufts and Conn Fightingfor one spot
Quote from: camosfan on November 16, 2025, 10:56:19 AMToday's likely winners
Tufts
Con
Cort
Wes
St. Olaf
Aus
Williams
CNU
Dickinson
Emory
Macalester
Chicago
Trinity
Mid
@Camosfan, congrats for Tufts advancing.
You omitted Bowdoin from your list. Was that intentional?
Given recent history, it is surprising to see Amherst and Midd out so early.
Will be fun to watch Tufts/Messiah and Bowdoin/Conn.
Quote from: LetteroftheLaw on November 16, 2025, 04:19:55 PMSteady snowfall in Cortland, conditions favoring the home team as Catholic controlled the first half and these awful conditions should neutralize the contest. Should be an interesting second half.
I saw some that game. Just miserable conditions but such is the life in central NY this time of year. They played on football field and could barely see the football lines let alone the penalty box. Hats off to maintenance crew for trying to make the field reasonable to play.
Quote from: Yankeesoccerdad on November 16, 2025, 05:50:00 PMQuote from: camosfan on November 16, 2025, 10:56:19 AMToday's likely winners
Tufts
Con
Cort
Wes
St. Olaf
Aus
Williams
CNU
Dickinson
Emory
Macalester
Chicago
Trinity
Mid
@Camosfan, congrats for Tufts advancing.
You omitted Bowdoin from your list. Was that intentional?
Given recent history, it is surprising to see Amherst and Midd out so early.
Will be fun to watch Tufts/Messiah and Bowdoin/Conn.
Sorry my friend, that was not intentional, congrats, nice team!
Quote from: kevdog on November 16, 2025, 05:57:17 PMI saw some that game. Just miserable conditions but such is the life in central NY this time of year. They played on football field and could barely see the football lines let alone the penalty box. Hats off to maintenance crew for trying to make the field reasonable to play.
I bet they have a leaf blower, hahahaha
Hopkins lost to John Carrol in a snow storm in the not so distant past. That field was turf, as well, but there's a point where adapting to that is really fortitude and luck.
Not taking anything away from the Smurfs, but not a lot of kids outside of certain northern regions have any experience playing in snow. Rain, wind, super hot, humid... Yep.
Substance that makes the ball and your footing incredibly unnerving and unpredictable? Now we're playing a different game.
You're right but I don't care where you come from, playing in the snow is just tough. I have played in it several times and I don't wish it on anybody. Hats off to all the teams that advance and to those that did not good luck to all the seniors in their future endeavors. The memories and friends that you have made these past 4 years will last a lifetime.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 16, 2025, 06:48:34 PMHopkins lost to John Carrol in a snow storm in the not so distant past. That field was turf, as well, but there's a point where adapting to that is really fortitude and luck.
Not taking anything away from the Smurfs, but not a lot of kids outside of certain northern regions have any experience playing in snow. Rain, wind, super hot, humid... Yep.
Substance that makes the ball and your footing incredibly unnerving and unpredictable? Now we're playing a different game.
2021 I think. They needed ice skates in that game.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 16, 2025, 04:52:20 PMDickinson's second goal at about minute 22 in the 2nd half is an absolute golazo. Go find it before the feed ends.
26-28 yard out shot, curling away from the goalie into the top right corner.
Wow.
If you didn't see it, Dickinson posted the video (https://x.com/DsonRedDevils/status/1990175421724496221?s=20)on X
That was a fantastic collection of the ball and shot off the bounce to the top corner!
As an aside, it also was an example of where a long goal kick can be terribly risky, especially in the middle of the field. First, the goalkeeper is just trying to kick it far, rather than to a teammate. Second, none of the Denison midfielders/forwards were tracking the ball or even attempting to contest what amounts to an "interception" by header in soccer - it was completely uncontested and there is a Denison player to the left of the Dickinson header who just stands flat-footed watching him head the ball. Third, the center backs were set up too close when the goal kick was hit, especially against fast forwards, which meant they were on their heels against Dickinson's head ball, instead of being in a position to receive it. This headed ball went farther than some, but it also went higher, so they should have been able to handle it (and the Denison defender didn't even jump for it to contest the Dickinson player for the ball). Fourth, since all the defenders were too far up and facing pacy forwards, they were running back to try to catch up to the forwards and the ball, which was why the Denison player's header went straight up - he was facing his own goal when he hit it. Fifth, the defenders were also so worried about getting back to face the shooter that no one though of closing out the shooter. Sixth, the Denison midfielders weren't exactly hustling to help out their defenders, which may be less of a mistake and more of a situation of being gassed.
Contributing to all of this was that Denison was down 1-0 and trying to get back into the game, but it was too early to panic on that front. Plus, they had three defenders back, so it wasn't like they were actually positioned to help with the attack. They were just in no man's land and susceptible to being pressured by speedy forwards.
Quote from: Yankeesoccerdad on November 16, 2025, 05:50:00 PMQuote from: camosfan on November 16, 2025, 10:56:19 AMToday's likely winners
Tufts
Con
Cort
Wes
St. Olaf
Aus
Williams
CNU
Dickinson
Emory
Macalester
Chicago
Trinity
Mid
@Camosfan, congrats for Tufts advancing.
You omitted Bowdoin from your list. Was that intentional?
Given recent history, it is surprising to see Amherst and Midd out so early.
Will be fun to watch Tufts/Messiah and Bowdoin/Conn.
Midd falls to Wheaton, 1-0. Panthers outshot Wheaton 28-10 and 10-5 on goal, and the match was a goalie's dream . . . "anything you can do, I can do better."
Midd's Joey Waterman saved not one, but two penalty kicks, plus a point-blank shot in the box; Wheaton's Nick Phinney was phenomenal, at least four of his saves looked like they'd be sure-fire goals. Plus, a couple of Midd set pieces resulted in headers or shots just wide of the mark.
Final score could have been 3-nil or 4-3 in either direction. Instead a 1-nil result for the home team.
PREVIEW: Texas Lutheran @ Trinity at 8 pm Central
Texas Lutheran (#97 NPI) comes in with a record of 13-4-3 after winning its first ever NCAA tournament game 3-2 over Whitman in a game where it jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a high press and an attacking mindset that I haven't seen from TLU much before. Unfortunately, it lost that edge late in the game, allowing Whitman to comeback and score two goals late before TLU was able to close out the game.
Trinity (#12 NPI) comes in with a record of 16-1-1 after beating Hardin-Simmons 5-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Trinity was held in check by Hardin-Simmons early in the game before scoring two goals late in the first half. That took the wind out of H-S' sails and Trinity scored three more in the second half to complete the route.
TLU and Trinity are just about 35 miles from each other and they have played each other often, especially when they were both members of the SCAC. Trinity has a record of 37-7-1 against TLU and has won 4 of the last 5, 8 of the last 10, and 17 of the last 20 games between the two teams. All of those three Trinity losses to TLU have come when Trinity was the away team. This year, Trinity and TLU played in Seguin @ TLU and Trinity won 1-0 on an 87th minute goal by Zachary Anderson after Trinity outshot TLU 15-2 and TLU didn't register a single shot on goal.
That's been the typical pattern for TLU. It has played a low block and it tries to frustrate Trinity and spring the counter. Doesn't score often but doesn't concede often either. We'll see if TLU's tactical shift against Whitman, a team that plays a somewhat similar possession style as Trinity, will be used against Trinity. I'm not sure if Texas Lutheran's players will have the energy for that two days in a row, but TLU did a pretty good job of rotating its midfielders and forwards last night, so it's possible. If so, though, they'll have to maintain it for 90 against a Trinity team that has more weapons than Whitman and more speed and physicality than Whitman brought to the game. Trinity also should be well-rested for this game after the beating of Hardin-Simmons. No Trinity player went more than 73 minutes and it played 13 players at least 17 minutes each off the bench.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 16, 2025, 08:17:55 PMPREVIEW: Texas Lutheran @ Trinity at 8 pm Central
Texas Lutheran (#97 NPI) comes in with a record of 13-4-3 after winning its first ever NCAA tournament game 3-2 over Whitman in a game where it jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a high press and an attacking mindset that I haven't seen from TLU much before. Unfortunately, it lost that edge late in the game, allowing Whitman to comeback and score two goals late before TLU was able to close out the game.
Trinity (#12 NPI) comes in with a record of 16-1-1 after beating Hardin-Simmons 5-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Trinity was held in check by Hardin-Simmons early in the game before scoring two goals late in the first half. That took the wind out of H-S' sails and Trinity scored three more in the second half to complete the route.
TLU and Trinity are just about 35 miles from each other and they have played each other often, especially when they were both members of the SCAC. Trinity has a record of 37-7-1 against TLU and has won 4 of the last 5, 8 of the last 10, and 17 of the last 20 games between the two teams. All of those three Trinity losses to TLU have come when Trinity was the away team. This year, Trinity and TLU played in Seguin @ TLU and Trinity won 1-0 on an 87th minute goal by Zachary Anderson after Trinity outshot TLU 15-2 and TLU didn't register a single shot on goal.
That's been the typical pattern for TLU. It has played a low block and it tries to frustrate Trinity and spring the counter. Doesn't score often but doesn't concede often either. We'll see if TLU's tactical shift against Whitman, a team that plays a somewhat similar possession style as Trinity, will be used against Trinity. I'm not sure if Texas Lutheran's players will have the energy for that two days in a row, but TLU did a pretty good job of rotating its midfielders and forwards last night, so it's possible. If so, though, they'll have to maintain it for 90 against a Trinity team that has more weapons than Whitman and more speed and physicality than Whitman brought to the game. Trinity also should be well-rested for this game after the beating of Hardin-Simmons. No Trinity player went more than 73 minutes and it played 13 players at least 17 minutes each off the bench.
I hope it is as entertaining as the Trinity TLU game I saw last year. In any event I will enjoy watching Knudsen.
UPDATE: Trinity 1 - Texas Lutheran 0 (25th minute)
Trinity passes beautifully in the box and Trinity's Julian Lopez takes advantage of the TLU keeper's aggressive play to come out for through balls and draws the PK. Luke Mayfield scores it. Incidentally, I admire Lopez for actually playing for the contact since TLU's keeper is listed at 6'2" and 260 lbs.
HALF: Trinity 1 - Texas Lutheran 0
Game is getting a little testy, including among the fans. Trinity leading in shots 10-5 and TLU hasn't registered a shot on goal, but Trinity has tightened up defensively since the PK.
UPDATE: Trinity 2 - Texas Lutheran 0
Samuel Theiss dances around the endline and kicks it over the sliding goalkeeper, who is playing for the square ball, with the outside of his foot and into the net. A bit against the run of play as TLU almost scored a few minutes earlier
FINAL: Trinity 2 - Texas Lutheran 0
Trinity just is too good at passing in and around TLU in tight spaces and killed off the game after the second goal. The Tigers advance to the third round for the second year in a row.
TLU is going to be tough in the coming years. Their GK Avila, who played pretty well, is a freshman, and their big striker Robert Palmer is a sophomore.
Good news for the 8 teams who will be going to Minnesota for sectionals. It's actually going to be relatively nice weather up there next weekend. Should be in the 50s in Boston and getting up to 60 in Lynchburg next weekend. I have a feeling Salem's gonna feel cold for the four teams that get there.
Just FYI Augsburg is not hosting the next 2 rounds. Believe there is a large wrestling tournament on campus next weekend, and they don't have the space to do that plus host the regional. Likely Wash U hosting
Quote from: mngopher on November 16, 2025, 11:10:21 PMJust FYI Augsburg is not hosting the next 2 rounds. Believe there is a large wrestling tournament on campus next weekend, and they don't have the space to do that plus host the regional. Likely Wash U hosting
What?
Quote from: mngopher on November 16, 2025, 11:10:21 PMJust FYI Augsburg is not hosting the next 2 rounds. Believe there is a large wrestling tournament on campus next weekend, and they don't have the space to do that plus host the regional. Likely Wash U hosting
Do Wash U's women have priority? They also advanced to the Sweet 16 (and they are ranked #1 in the country)
Quote from: Kuiper on November 16, 2025, 11:15:40 PMQuote from: mngopher on November 16, 2025, 11:10:21 PMJust FYI Augsburg is not hosting the next 2 rounds. Believe there is a large wrestling tournament on campus next weekend, and they don't have the space to do that plus host the regional. Likely Wash U hosting
Do Wash U's women have priority? They also advanced to the Sweet 16 (and they are ranked #1 in the country)
Men have priority in the second weekend in odd years.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 16, 2025, 11:15:40 PMQuote from: mngopher on November 16, 2025, 11:10:21 PMJust FYI Augsburg is not hosting the next 2 rounds. Believe there is a large wrestling tournament on campus next weekend, and they don't have the space to do that plus host the regional. Likely Wash U hosting
Do Wash U's women have priority? They also advanced to the Sweet 16 (and they are ranked #1 in the country)
Not sure about that. Looks like Trinity women lost so maybe that is an option? Wash U could also probably pull off hosting both men/women like Trinity just did.
Was told by an Augsburg alum that after the game today the coach told them Augsburg is not hosting the next round. I wasn't there, but I was told he seemed to think they were headed to St. Louis. Didn't sound like that was 100% except that it would not be at Augsburg.
WashUBears.com shows the Men hosting Trinity and the Women traveling to Messiah.
Quote from: WUPHF on November 16, 2025, 11:52:20 PMWashUBears.com shows the Men hosting Trinity and the Women traveling to Messiah.
Messiah's website (Women's schedule) showing the same thing.
Sweet 16 NPI recap. Top 7 NPI seeds all make it, but it breaks down after that. Only actual outliers, though, are Rowan and Messiah, neither of which would have made it if conference AQs did not exist.
Tufts (#1) v. Messiah (#107)
Conn College (#7) v. Bowdoin (#9)
Augsburg (#2) v. Cortland (#18)
Wash U (#10) v. Trinity (#12)
St. Olaf (#3) v. Williams (#17)
Macalester (#6) v. Wheaton (MA) (#21)
Lynchburg (#4) v. Dickinson (#22)
Emory (#5) v. Rowan (#32)
Quote from: WUPHF on November 16, 2025, 11:52:20 PMWashUBears.com shows the Men hosting Trinity and the Women traveling to Messiah.
That's a pretty big difference compared to 2024, when Trinity traveled to Middlebury, or 2023, when Occidental traveled to Amherst. There's no time difference, the flight is shorter, and the weather is milder.
Somewhat rougher for Cortland, though, which would be the team in the pod that would be traveling the farthest and have the time difference (the milder weather presumably wouldn't hurt it).
Let's go MESSIAH!
Quote from: Kuiper on November 17, 2025, 12:08:38 AMSweet 16 NPI recap. Top 7 NPI seeds all make it, but it breaks down after that. Only actual outliers, though, are Rowan and Messiah, neither of which would have made it if conference AQs did not exist.
Tufts (#1) v. Messiah (#107)
Conn College (#7) v. Bowdoin (#9)
Augsburg (#2) v. Cortland (#18)
Wash U (#10) v. Trinity (#12)
St. Olaf (#3) v. Williams (#17)
Macalester (#6) v. Wheaton (MA) (#21)
Lynchburg (#4) v. Dickinson (#22)
Emory (#5) v. Rowan (#32)
Not really the case as if AQs didn't exist Profs still would have been most likely a two seed in a region similar to what played out as the #32 of 64 teams. Great effort by the Profs yesterday in difficult conditions.
Pretty pleased with my bracket thus far.
Tufts (#1) v. Messiah (#107)
Conn College (#7) v. Bowdoin (#9)
Augsburg (#2) v. Cortland (#18)
Wash U (#10) v. Trinity (#12)
St. Olaf (#3) v. Williams (#17)
Macalester (#6) v. Wheaton (MA) (#21)
Lynchburg (#4) v. Dickinson (#22)
Emory (#5) v. Rowan (#32)
Quote from: Ejay on November 17, 2025, 08:28:09 AMPretty pleased with my bracket thus far.
Tufts (#1) v. Messiah (#107)
Conn College (#7) v. Bowdoin (#9)
Augsburg (#2) v. Cortland (#18)
Wash U (#10) v. Trinity (#12)
St. Olaf (#3) v. Williams (#17)
Macalester (#6) v. Wheaton (MA) (#21)
Lynchburg (#4) v. Dickinson (#22)
Emory (#5) v. Rowan (#32)
This is impressive.
St. Louis weather this weekend - highs in the mid-50s to near 60, lows in the low-mid 40s. Right now, rain earlier in the week is forecast to clear up by Saturday. WashU has turf so should not have to worry about field conditions.
Quick question - can you rewatch any of these games? pay on demand? don't see much info (or I'm missing it) on the NCAA site....
11 a.m. | Tufts vs. Messiah
12 p.m. | St. Olaf vs. Williams
12 p.m. | Augsburg vs. Cortland
1 p.m. | Lynchburg vs. Dickinson
1:30 p.m. | Connecticut Col. vs. Bowdoin
2:30 p.m. | Macalester vs. Wheaton (MA)
2:30 p.m. | WashU vs. Trinity (TX)
3:30 p.m. | Emory vs. Rowan
Host sites - Olaf, Tufts, Wash U, Lynchburg.
Two flights into Olaf - Williams and Wheaton
3 flights (all teams) into Wash U - Trinity, Augsburg, Cortland
No flights to Tufts or Lynchburg.
Welcome to the second weekend!
Quote from: Newenglander on November 17, 2025, 10:39:13 AMQuick question - can you rewatch any of these games? pay on demand? don't see much info (or I'm missing it) on the NCAA site....
I copied the URL for one of the games and immediately after the game ended not only did it disappear from the open page but upon reloading there was no video to be seen. Don't think it can be re-viewed (and would be happy to be proven wrong).
Here's some interesting background on the Messiah team this year as they travel to Tufts for the Sweet 16:
- Lost their first 5 games (gave up 17 goals in this stretch!)
- Then went 3-2-2 mid-season (11 GF, 8 GA in this stretch but 5 GA in a single game against Lynchburg)
- Since the 10/8/25 loss to Lynchburg, they're 10-0-0 with 23 GF and 1 GA!
However it must also be noted that, prior to the NCAA tournament, Messiah's best
win was over #138 Stevenson. Messiah lost every game it played against top-100 opponents
before the NCAA tourney:
- Sept Loss #24 Scranton 0-2
- Sept Loss #240 Claremont Mudd Scrip 3-4
- Sept Loss #32 Rowan 3-4
- Sept Loss #22 Dickinson 0-3
- Sept Loss #65 Salisbury
- Sept Loss #61 Univ Mary Washington 0-2
- Oct Loss #4 Lynchburg 1-5
Just looking at the stats from Messiah's Round of 64 and 32:
Fairly even stats vs Hobart for the 1-0 win early in 1st OT.
Outshot Calvin 21:9 in a 3-0 win however Calvin did manage 8 corners vs Messiah's 0.
Google Maps says it's nearly 7 hours to drive from Messiah to Tufts.
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on November 17, 2025, 11:49:10 AMHere's some interesting background on the Messiah team this year as they travel to Tufts for the Sweet 16:
- Lost their first 5 games (gave up 17 goals in this stretch!)
- Then went 3-2-2 mid-season (11 GF, 8 GA in this stretch but 5 GA in a single game against Lynchburg)
- Since the 10/8/25 loss to Lynchburg, they're 10-0-0 with 23 GF and 1 GA!
However it must also be noted that, prior to the NCAA tournament, Messiah's best win was over #138 Stevenson. Messiah lost every game it played against top-100 opponents before the NCAA tourney:
- Sept Loss #24 Scranton 0-2
- Sept Loss #240 Claremont Mudd Scrip 3-4
- Sept Loss #32 Rowan 3-4
- Sept Loss #22 Dickinson 0-3
- Sept Loss #65 Salisbury
- Sept Loss #61 Univ Mary Washington 0-2
- Oct Loss #4 Lynchburg 1-5
Just looking at the stats from Messiah's Round of 64 and 32:
Fairly even stats vs Hobart for the 1-0 win early in 1st OT.
Outshot Calvin 21:9 in a 3-0 win however Calvin did manage 8 corners vs Messiah's 0.
Google Maps says it's nearly 7 hours to drive from Messiah to Tufts.
With respect to the bolded part, it's 409 miles. Under the NCAA <500 mile rule, that means it's a drive (or at least the NCAA won't pay for a flight).
https://www.ncaa.com/champs-pass
Scroll down for completed games.
May have posted this earlier. But seems like yesterday when tufts beat messiah on the round to their first natty championship ... the "giant killer" goal if I recall correctly
Quote from: SKUD on November 17, 2025, 12:04:28 PMhttps://www.ncaa.com/champs-pass
Scroll down for completed games.
I am rooting for Lynchburg. They are a strong team, and they don't get a lot of attention on the forum. (I know probably because of the Flo Sports paywall) (which, by the way, I took great pleasure in canceling yesterday)
Quote from: Kuiper on November 16, 2025, 09:32:21 PMUPDATE: Trinity 1 - Texas Lutheran 0 (25th minute)
Trinity passes beautifully in the box and Trinity's Julian Lopez takes advantage of the TLU keeper's aggressive play to come out for through balls and draws the PK. Luke Mayfield scores it. Incidentally, I admire Lopez for actually playing for the contact since TLU's keeper is listed at 6'2" and 260 lbs.
HALF: Trinity 1 - Texas Lutheran 0
Game is getting a little testy, including among the fans. Trinity leading in shots 10-5 and TLU hasn't registered a shot on goal, but Trinity has tightened up defensively since the PK.
UPDATE: Trinity 2 - Texas Lutheran 0
Samuel Theiss dances around the endline and kicks it over the sliding goalkeeper, who is playing for the square ball, with the outside of his foot and into the net. A bit against the run of play as TLU almost scored a few minutes earlier
FINAL: Trinity 2 - Texas Lutheran 0
Trinity just is too good at passing in and around TLU in tight spaces and killed off the game after the second goal. The Tigers advance to the third round for the second year in a row.
TLU is going to be tough in the coming years. Their GK Avila, who played pretty well, is a freshman, and their big striker Robert Palmer is a sophomore.
Living in the area it's great to see both teams in the tournament. I recognize most of the players from high school and club soccer and can attest- playing club in South Texas is not remotely the same as it is in Austin or Dallas. Plenty of talent, but it's a tough environment. Quality club coaches are hard to come by, and there's little if any guidance on the college pathway- definitely not D3.
Hopefully, there's a trickle down effect. Each round a S.TX college advances, local players are watching guys they know. They're seeing colleges they've probably never heard of and the legitimacy of the D3 soccer. It's not just D1 or bust!
Quote from: Another Mom on November 17, 2025, 01:24:07 PMI am rooting for Lynchburg. They are a strong team, and they don't get a lot of attention on the forum. (I know probably because of the Flo Sports paywall) (which, by the way, I took great pleasure in canceling yesterday)
Agreed. I'm rooting for Lynchburg too.
Quote from: Hillcountryview on November 17, 2025, 01:31:08 PMQuote from: Another Mom on November 17, 2025, 01:24:07 PMI am rooting for Lynchburg. They are a strong team, and they don't get a lot of attention on the forum. (I know probably because of the Flo Sports paywall) (which, by the way, I took great pleasure in canceling yesterday)
Agreed. I'm rooting for Lynchburg too.
Lynchburg's center backs are quality. Built like tanks but also highly intelligent and composed on the ball. Strike me as championship level center backs. Will be very interesting to see how Dickinson's elite attackers do against the Hornets.
Quote from: Mr_November on November 17, 2025, 01:39:07 PMQuote from: Hillcountryview on November 17, 2025, 01:31:08 PMQuote from: Another Mom on November 17, 2025, 01:24:07 PMI am rooting for Lynchburg. They are a strong team, and they don't get a lot of attention on the forum. (I know probably because of the Flo Sports paywall) (which, by the way, I took great pleasure in canceling yesterday)
Agreed. I'm rooting for Lynchburg too.
Lynchburg's center backs are quality. Built like tanks but also highly intelligent and composed on the ball. Strike me as championship level center backs. Will be very interesting to see how Dickinson's elite attackers do against the Hornets.
Dickinson has 7 ties and they are mostly 1-1 or 0-0 ties. Their forwards were by no means unstoppable during the regular season (although usually by teams that sacrificed offense to secure their defensive flanks). Since conference tournament has started, however, they have taken it to another level. 3-0, 4-0, 5-0, and 2-0.
Quote from: SKUD on November 17, 2025, 12:04:28 PMhttps://www.ncaa.com/champs-pass
Scroll down for completed games.
Thanks but only see completed games from last year (unless I'm still missing something)....
Quote from: Hillcountryview on November 17, 2025, 01:31:08 PMQuote from: Another Mom on November 17, 2025, 01:24:07 PMI am rooting for Lynchburg. They are a strong team, and they don't get a lot of attention on the forum. (I know probably because of the Flo Sports paywall) (which, by the way, I took great pleasure in canceling yesterday)
Agreed. I'm rooting for Lynchburg too.
Dickinson is a tough out and they are playing probably as well as they've played all year. They ran my boys off the field to win the CC and took both of its pod games in relative ease.
Should be a great game. Always have to respect an ODAC opponent this time of year.
With my Panthers (employer and primary team) and Generals (alma mater) out, I'm all in on Dickinson (where I send a tuition check twice a year).
Up the Red Devils!
Something I noticed unsurprisingly is the level of keeper play as a determinant for post season success. Some obvious examples are Silvester and Landa in the battle of Vegas last year. Others are Will Joseph for the Generals and the cinderella run of Washington College with Anthony Pinto 2 years ago to get to the final four.
I think at this level consistent fundamentals such as positioning and ball distribution are just a given. What seems to set apart the shot stoppers above is the ability to make some saves destined for a goal, and not just PKs. A challenging save at a critical time can change the momentum and ultimately the outcome of the game.
At Wesleyan yesterday in a game featuring rain, hail and leaves senior GK Travis Holiday for Rowan came up with this:
If that ball goes in Wesleyan is up 1-0 in the 21st minute of the game, and the outcome could have been very different.
Facing the 11th ranked team in scoring offense at 3 goals per game in Emory the Profs may need a few of these saves Saturday.
Quote from: Newenglander on November 17, 2025, 02:09:31 PMQuote from: SKUD on November 17, 2025, 12:04:28 PMhttps://www.ncaa.com/champs-pass
Scroll down for completed games.
Thanks but only see completed games from last year (unless I'm still missing something)....
Don't click "Watch DIII (on-demand)" which are last year's games. Click "DIII Men's Soccer" and all the games are available under "Recent".
Thank you SKUD!
Quote from: Freddyfud on November 17, 2025, 04:55:53 PMSomething I noticed unsurprisingly is the level of keeper play as a determinant for post season success. Some obvious examples are Silvester and Landa in the battle of Vegas last year. Others are Will Joseph for the Generals and the cinderella run of Washington College with Anthony Pinto 2 years ago to get to the final four.
I think at this level consistent fundamentals such as positioning and ball distribution are just a given. What seems to set apart the shot stoppers above is the ability to make some saves destined for a goal, and not just PKs. A challenging save at a critical time can change the momentum and ultimately the outcome of the game.
At Wesleyan yesterday in a game featuring rain, hail and leaves senior GK Travis Holiday for Rowan came up with this:
If that ball goes in Wesleyan is up 1-0 in the 21st minute of the game, and the outcome could have been very different.
Facing the 11th ranked team in scoring offense at 3 goals per game in Emory the Profs may need a few of these saves Saturday.
Absolutely agree. Great save by Rowan.
You also can clearly say that Wes could have hung in there for quite awhile, but for the two clear keeper flubs which sunk its chances. One mistake Wes may have been able to overcome, but the second in first min of the 2nd half not so much. Definitely goes both ways.
Son was a keeper through his college years and he was not perfect, but knew that one mistake his team could manage. 2 not so much.
Also, I think the Wes field played a part. The keeper area after three games in wet weather seemed to be compromised (not like back in our days though where it often was a mud pit). Once again the advantage of playing on turf. I am not sure what the cost of turf v. grass. However, if you have grass you really, really have to invest in keeping it up. Otherwise, grass just becomes another factor in game teams have to deal with that they don't have to on turf. Only maybe a 6-10 places across D3 have grass that is in great shape like W&L, Dickinson, McDaniel and probably a few others. FYI, W&L and Dickinson is only recent as they used to have horrible grass fields.
Bringing lacrosse into the conversation which the grass does not always make a huge difference except around the goal area. High level lacrosse has greatly improved on turf from my days in the 80's. Much more about talent and speed than lucky/unlucky bounces. Most, if not all play on turf, and the games are much better especially around the goal mouth.
I know some will say "both teams had to play on the grass" argument. That is a cop out imo. In many cases on fields not kept up or weather compromised the fields, luck plays a big part. Not so much on turf. I much rather have skill and talent make the difference. In the Wes/Rowan game, I definitely think the keeper area played a big part in the first goal. 2nd not so much.
Quote from: Freddyfud on November 17, 2025, 04:55:53 PMSomething I noticed unsurprisingly is the level of keeper play as a determinant for post season success. Some obvious examples are Silvester and Landa in the battle of Vegas last year. Others are Will Joseph for the Generals and the cinderella run of Washington College with Anthony Pinto 2 years ago to get to the final four.
I think at this level consistent fundamentals such as positioning and ball distribution are just a given. What seems to set apart the shot stoppers above is the ability to make some saves destined for a goal, and not just PKs. A challenging save at a critical time can change the momentum and ultimately the outcome of the game.
At Wesleyan yesterday in a game featuring rain, hail and leaves senior GK Travis Holiday for Rowan came up with this:
If that ball goes in Wesleyan is up 1-0 in the 21st minute of the game, and the outcome could have been very different.
Facing the 11th ranked team in scoring offense at 3 goals per game in Emory the Profs may need a few of these saves Saturday.
Nick Phinney was all that and more for Wheaton against Midd. 10 saves, with at least 4-5 of that spectacular variety you describe.
Great weekend of games!
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 17, 2025, 05:47:26 PMQuote from: Freddyfud on November 17, 2025, 04:55:53 PMSomething I noticed unsurprisingly is the level of keeper play as a determinant for post season success. Some obvious examples are Silvester and Landa in the battle of Vegas last year. Others are Will Joseph for the Generals and the cinderella run of Washington College with Anthony Pinto 2 years ago to get to the final four.
I think at this level consistent fundamentals such as positioning and ball distribution are just a given. What seems to set apart the shot stoppers above is the ability to make some saves destined for a goal, and not just PKs. A challenging save at a critical time can change the momentum and ultimately the outcome of the game.
At Wesleyan yesterday in a game featuring rain, hail and leaves senior GK Travis Holiday for Rowan came up with this:
If that ball goes in Wesleyan is up 1-0 in the 21st minute of the game, and the outcome could have been very different.
Facing the 11th ranked team in scoring offense at 3 goals per game in Emory the Profs may need a few of these saves Saturday.
Absolutely agree. Great save by Rowan.
You also can clearly say that Wes could have hung in there for quite awhile, but for the two clear keeper flubs which sunk its chances. One mistake Wes may have been able to overcome, but the second in first min of the 2nd half not so much. Definitely goes both ways.
Son was a keeper through his college years and he was not perfect, but knew that one mistake his team could manage. 2 not so much.
Also, I think the Wes field played a part. The keeper area after three games in wet weather seemed to be compromised (not like back in our days though where it often was a mud pit). Once again the advantage of playing on turf. I am not sure what the cost of turf v. grass. However, if you have grass you really, really have to invest in keeping it up. Otherwise, grass just becomes another factor in game teams have to deal with that they don't have to on turf. Only maybe a 6-10 places across D3 have grass that is in great shape like W&L, Dickinson, McDaniel and probably a few others. FYI, W&L and Dickinson is only recent as they used to have horrible grass fields.
Bringing lacrosse into the conversation which the grass does not always make a huge difference except around the goal area. High level lacrosse has greatly improved on turf from my days in the 80's. Much more about talent and speed than lucky/unlucky bounces. Most, if not all play on turf, and the games are much better especially around the goal mouth.
I know some will say "both teams had to play on the grass" argument. That is a cop out imo. In many cases on fields not kept up or weather compromised the fields, luck plays a big part. Not so much on turf. I much rather have skill and talent make the difference. In the Wes/Rowan game, I definitely think the keeper area played a big part in the first goal. 2nd not so much.
The weather and field conditions definitely played a part. I genuinely felt bad for the unlucky Wesleyan keeper. But my point was that shot so early in the game could have been a turning point for Wesleyan in a game that otherwise was fairly equal. Will never know of course.
Quote from: Bucket on November 17, 2025, 07:08:53 PMQuote from: Freddyfud on November 17, 2025, 04:55:53 PMSomething I noticed unsurprisingly is the level of keeper play as a determinant for post season success. Some obvious examples are Silvester and Landa in the battle of Vegas last year. Others are Will Joseph for the Generals and the cinderella run of Washington College with Anthony Pinto 2 years ago to get to the final four.
I think at this level consistent fundamentals such as positioning and ball distribution are just a given. What seems to set apart the shot stoppers above is the ability to make some saves destined for a goal, and not just PKs. A challenging save at a critical time can change the momentum and ultimately the outcome of the game.
At Wesleyan yesterday in a game featuring rain, hail and leaves senior GK Travis Holiday for Rowan came up with this:
If that ball goes in Wesleyan is up 1-0 in the 21st minute of the game, and the outcome could have been very different.
Facing the 11th ranked team in scoring offense at 3 goals per game in Emory the Profs may need a few of these saves Saturday.
Nick Phinney was all that and more for Wheaton against Midd. 10 saves, with at least 4-5 of that spectacular variety you describe.
Thanks for the info, tuning in to watch the replay now.
Quote from: Newenglander on November 17, 2025, 02:09:31 PMQuote from: SKUD on November 17, 2025, 12:04:28 PMhttps://www.ncaa.com/champs-pass
Scroll down for completed games.
Thanks but only see completed games from last year (unless I'm still missing something)....
https://www.ncaa.com/champs-pass
Scroll down to division three soccer 2025 and all the games should be there in recent
Quote from: SKUD on November 18, 2025, 08:13:10 AMQuote from: Newenglander on November 17, 2025, 02:09:31 PMQuote from: SKUD on November 17, 2025, 12:04:28 PMhttps://www.ncaa.com/champs-pass
Scroll down for completed games.
Thanks but only see completed games from last year (unless I'm still missing something)....
https://www.ncaa.com/champs-pass
Scroll down to division three soccer 2025 and all the games should be there in recent
yessir - Thanks!
Of the 16 teams remaining, only 3 have made it to the Final 4 since Covid (aka since 2021): Conn, St. Olaf and Williams.
Go back to the final year before Covid (2019) and only 4 of the remaining 16 have been to the Final 4: Tufts along with the 3 mentioned earlier.
The right-half of the 2025 bracket features 8 teams that have never been to the Final 4 since at least 2019. In other words, whichever 2 teams on the right-half make it to the final 4 will be their first time in many years and none of the players will have had prior experience.
While Tufts went to the Final 4 in 2019, that was under coach Josh Shapiro and clearly none of those athletes remain in 2025. Whereas this year's Tufts squad is the first time 100% of the players were recruited by Kyle Dezotell.
In the 4 seasons since Covid, 10/16 of the teams that made it to the Final 4 needed to survive PK's to get there and, in fact, 5/16 of the teams survived 2 games that went to either OT or PKs prior to the Final 4. My stats might undercount the # of games that went to OT or PKs because the 2021 bracket has very few games identified as PK/OT. I'm not sure if that is an error in the NCAA results or if it was an abnormal year.
Of the 16 teams remaining this year, only 1 needed PKs in the opening weekend (WashU 1st round) and 3 required OT (Tufts 2nd round, Messiah 1st round, Cortland 1st round).
By way of a prognostication I offer the following. Note, I have never played on a soccer team and I have but one year experience as head coach of a U8 team:
- National Champ will come from Top-Left quadrant: Tufts or Conn
- Runner-up will come from Top-Right quadrant- I would venture Augsburg or Trinity but not very sure in this quadrant.
- St Olaf or Macalester will fall in the semifinals in a tough match against Tufts or Conn
- The "Right-Half Semifinal" will be Rowan or Lynchburg losing to a "Top-Right Team."
Hey Sierra, one of the best natural grass soccer fields for decades in America is at Williams College, also in a beautiful mountain setting. Adjacent natural grass field reserved for the women's team is also a gem. In extreme weather soccer games can be moved to the artificial surface of the lighted football field on rare occasions. You would enjoy the experience should you ever have the opportunity.
Quote from: jumpshot on November 18, 2025, 02:27:54 PMHey Sierra, one of the best natural grass soccer fields for decades in America is at Williams College, also in a beautiful mountain setting. Adjacent natural grass field reserved for the women's team is also a gem. In extreme weather soccer games can be moved to the artificial surface of the lighted football field on rare occasions. You would enjoy the experience should you ever have the opportunity.
If we are taking a list - Trinity's (CT) dedicated grass is some of the best around and players on it have all agreed.......
While we find ways to pass the days waiting for the Round of 16 to start, here are a few facts about Trinity and Wash U. (who play each other on Saturday at 1:30 pm central) that are probably only of interest to me:
1. These two teams have played before (although you find different information from each school):
Wash U. states (https://washubears.com/sports/mens-soccer/opponent-history/trinity-university-texas-/35)that it has an 0-3 all-time record against Trinity, losing twice in San Antonio and once at home, scoring 1 goal in the three games and conceding 4
Trinity, on the other hand, states (https://trinitytigers.com/sports/mens-soccer/opponent-history/washington-university-in-st-louis/205)it it has a 7-1-1 all-time record against Wash U., and is on a 6 game winning streak against the Bears.
The difference? Wash U's online records don't go back as far as Trinity's, which identifies their first match as a 2OT tie back in 1994. I guess when your coach, Paul McGinlay, is in his 35th season, he's effectively the program historian and inputted his pre-Live Stats records into the system at some point.
They both agree that the last time the two teams played was on 8/31/14, when Trinity won 1-0 in San Antonio.
2. Wash U. has 3 players from Houston (and 5 total from Texas), while Trinity has only 1 player from Houston (and he was a transfer student from Kenyon). None of Wash. U's Texans, however, are from places like "Dripping Springs, Texas" (like Adam Knutsen), "Flower Mound, Texas" (like Joey Perryman), or "Round Rock, Texas" (like Daniel Urquidi). To be fair, Wash. U might list them as coming from Austin or Dallas/Fort Worth.
3. Wash U. and Trinity have at least 1 set of former HS Soccer teammates on their teams (and possibly 2).
Trinity's Zach Anderson and Wash. U's Quentin Wallace were teammates on the high school varsity soccer team at Davis Senior High School in Davis, CA in 2021-22. The team was 14-3 and lost in the semifinals of the State DI championships.
Also, Wash U's James Whitehurst and Trinity's Jack Madsen both went to Highland Park High School in Dallas, but I think they missed each other on Varsity by a year.
4. Both teams have elite defenses
Wash U. has only allowed 13 goals all season for a Teams Goals Against Average of 0.72
Trinity has only allowed 12 goals all season for a Team Goals Against Average of 0.63
Wash U., however, has allowed 143 shots (7.9/game), compared with Trinity allowing 120 shots (6.3/game). Plus, Wash U. has allowed a much higher opponent shots on goal percentage (.483) than Trinity (.325). As a result, Wash. U. goalkeepers have had to make 56 saves, compared with 27 for Trinity's keepers.
5. Trinity has scored more than Wash U by a decent margin
Trinity has scored 51 goals (2.68/game), while Wash U. has scored 38 goals (2.11/game).
Why? Two data points that offer possible explanations
a. Trinity has taken a lot more shots (340 total and 17.9/game) than Wash. U (254 and 14.1/game)
Wash U. actually has a slightly higher shots on goal percentage (.461 to .453), but has hit only 117 shots on goal, compared to 154 for Trinity
b. Trinity got into more dangerous spots offensively
Trinity had 12 PKs and scored on 11 of them, while Wash U. only had 1 PK all season (likely reflecting the fact that Trinity engages in a lot more intricate passing and movement within the box than most teams)
Trinity also took 149 corners compared to 125 for Wash U., which is probably a byproduct of taking more shots.
6. Wash U. and Trinity have one common opponent in 2025 - Rhodes
Although they both beat Rhodes, neither did it easily. Despite Rhodes finishing 3-8-3, Wash. U only beat Rhodes 2-1 and Trinity only beat Rhodes 1-0.
At least in the case of Trinity, the small margin of difference may be explained by the fact that Trinity's Jeremy Siau received a second yellow card in the 28th minute when Trinity was already up 1-0 and they had to play a man down for the remaining 62 minutes.
Wash. U also had some difficulty with Rhodes, going down 1-0 in the third minute. It didn't score until the 52nd minute and found the game winner a few minutes later.
Quote from: jumpshot on November 18, 2025, 02:27:54 PMHey Sierra, one of the best natural grass soccer fields for decades in America is at Williams College, also in a beautiful mountain setting. Adjacent natural grass field reserved for the women's team is also a gem. In extreme weather soccer games can be moved to the artificial surface of the lighted football field on rare occasions. You would enjoy the experience should you ever have the opportunity.
Not
I'm hoping it's a hot day at Trinity for the game and the Trinity coach sends his boys on the bus for air-conditioning and comes back late for the second half again
Quote from: SKUD on November 18, 2025, 05:54:12 PMI'm hoping it's a hot day at Trinity for the game and the Trinity coach sends his boys on the bus for air-conditioning and comes back late for the second half again
This snark is uncalled for, not to mention being done to death - let it go already. And the game's at WashU.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 18, 2025, 03:05:09 PMWhile we find ways to pass the days waiting for the Round of 16 to start, here are a few facts about Trinity and Wash U. (who play each other on Saturday at 1:30 pm central) that are probably only of interest to me:
1. These two teams have played before (although you find different information from each school):
Wash U. states (https://washubears.com/sports/mens-soccer/opponent-history/trinity-university-texas-/35)that it has an 0-3 all-time record against Trinity, losing twice in San Antonio and once at home, scoring 1 goal in the three games and conceding 4
Trinity, on the other hand, states (https://trinitytigers.com/sports/mens-soccer/opponent-history/washington-university-in-st-louis/205)it it has a 7-1-1 all-time record against Wash U., and is on a 6 game winning streak against the Bears.
The difference? Wash U's online records don't go back as far as Trinity's, which identifies their first match as a 2OT tie back in 1994. I guess when your coach, Paul McGinlay, is in his 35th season, he's effectively the program historian and inputted his pre-Live Stats records into the system at some point.
They both agree that the last time the two teams played was on 8/31/14, when Trinity won 1-0 in San Antonio.
2. Wash U. has 3 players from Houston (and 5 total from Texas), while Trinity has only 1 player from Houston (and he was a transfer student from Kenyon). None of Wash. U's Texans, however, are from places like "Dripping Springs, Texas" (like Adam Knutsen), "Flower Mound, Texas" (like Joey Perryman), or "Round Rock, Texas" (like Daniel Urquidi). To be fair, Wash. U might list them as coming from Austin or Dallas/Fort Worth.
3. Wash U. and Trinity have at least 1 set of former HS Soccer teammates on their teams (and possibly 2).
Trinity's Zach Anderson and Wash. U's Quentin Wallace were teammates on the high school varsity soccer team at Davis Senior High School in Davis, CA in 2021-22. The team was 14-3 and lost in the semifinals of the State DI championships.
Also, Wash U's James Whitehurst and Trinity's Jack Madsen both went to Highland Park High School in Dallas, but I think they missed each other on Varsity by a year.
4. Both teams have elite defenses
Wash U. has only allowed 13 goals all season for a Teams Goals Against Average of 0.72
Trinity has only allowed 12 goals all season for a Team Goals Against Average of 0.63
Wash U., however, has allowed 143 shots (7.9/game), compared with Trinity allowing 120 shots (6.3/game). Plus, Wash U. has allowed a much higher opponent shots on goal percentage (.483) than Trinity (.325). As a result, Wash. U. goalkeepers have had to make 56 saves, compared with 27 for Trinity's keepers.
5. Trinity has scored more than Wash U by a decent margin
Trinity has scored 51 goals (2.68/game), while Wash U. has scored 38 goals (2.11/game).
Why? Two data points that offer possible explanations
a. Trinity has taken a lot more shots (340 total and 17.9/game) than Wash. U (254 and 14.1/game)
Wash U. actually has a slightly higher shots on goal percentage (.461 to .453), but has hit only 117 shots on goal, compared to 154 for Trinity
b. Trinity got into more dangerous spots offensively
Trinity had 12 PKs and scored on 11 of them, while Wash U. only had 1 PK all season (likely reflecting the fact that Trinity engages in a lot more intricate passing and movement within the box than most teams)
Trinity also took 149 corners compared to 125 for Wash U., which is probably a byproduct of taking more shots.
6. Wash U. and Trinity have one common opponent in 2025 - Rhodes
Although they both beat Rhodes, neither did it easily. Despite Rhodes finishing 3-8-3, Wash. U only beat Rhodes 2-1 and Trinity only beat Rhodes 1-0.
At least in the case of Trinity, the small margin of difference may be explained by the fact that Trinity's Jeremy Siau received a second yellow card in the 28th minute when Trinity was already up 1-0 and they had to play a man down for the remaining 62 minutes.
Wash. U also had some difficulty with Rhodes, going down 1-0 in the third minute. It didn't score until the 52nd minute and found the game winner a few minutes later.
Best post ever! Thanks for the terrific analysis!
Quote from: SKUD on November 18, 2025, 05:54:12 PMI'm hoping it's a hot day at Trinity for the game and the Trinity coach sends his boys on the bus for air-conditioning and comes back late for the second half again
As we say in the Navy - hope is not a strategy.
Quote from: Freddyfud on November 17, 2025, 09:29:26 PMQuote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 17, 2025, 05:47:26 PMQuote from: Freddyfud on November 17, 2025, 04:55:53 PMSomething I noticed unsurprisingly is the level of keeper play as a determinant for post season success. Some obvious examples are Silvester and Landa in the battle of Vegas last year. Others are Will Joseph for the Generals and the cinderella run of Washington College with Anthony Pinto 2 years ago to get to the final four.
I think at this level consistent fundamentals such as positioning and ball distribution are just a given. What seems to set apart the shot stoppers above is the ability to make some saves destined for a goal, and not just PKs. A challenging save at a critical time can change the momentum and ultimately the outcome of the game.
At Wesleyan yesterday in a game featuring rain, hail and leaves senior GK Travis Holiday for Rowan came up with this:
If that ball goes in Wesleyan is up 1-0 in the 21st minute of the game, and the outcome could have been very different.
Facing the 11th ranked team in scoring offense at 3 goals per game in Emory the Profs may need a few of these saves Saturday.
Absolutely agree. Great save by Rowan.
You also can clearly say that Wes could have hung in there for quite awhile, but for the two clear keeper flubs which sunk its chances. One mistake Wes may have been able to overcome, but the second in first min of the 2nd half not so much. Definitely goes both ways.
Son was a keeper through his college years and he was not perfect, but knew that one mistake his team could manage. 2 not so much.
Also, I think the Wes field played a part. The keeper area after three games in wet weather seemed to be compromised (not like back in our days though where it often was a mud pit). Once again the advantage of playing on turf. I am not sure what the cost of turf v. grass. However, if you have grass you really, really have to invest in keeping it up. Otherwise, grass just becomes another factor in game teams have to deal with that they don't have to on turf. Only maybe a 6-10 places across D3 have grass that is in great shape like W&L, Dickinson, McDaniel and probably a few others. FYI, W&L and Dickinson is only recent as they used to have horrible grass fields.
Bringing lacrosse into the conversation which the grass does not always make a huge difference except around the goal area. High level lacrosse has greatly improved on turf from my days in the 80's. Much more about talent and speed than lucky/unlucky bounces. Most, if not all play on turf, and the games are much better especially around the goal mouth.
I know some will say "both teams had to play on the grass" argument. That is a cop out imo. In many cases on fields not kept up or weather compromised the fields, luck plays a big part. Not so much on turf. I much rather have skill and talent make the difference. In the Wes/Rowan game, I definitely think the keeper area played a big part in the first goal. 2nd not so much.
The weather and field conditions definitely played a part. I genuinely felt bad for the unlucky Wesleyan keeper. But my point was that shot so early in the game could have been a turning point for Wesleyan in a game that otherwise was fairly equal. Will never know of course.
And yet Wes keeper got second team NESCAC? He was average all year. saw the 2 goals - weak at best
Quote from: SKUD on November 18, 2025, 05:54:12 PMI'm hoping it's a hot day at Trinity for the game and the Trinity coach sends his boys on the bus for air-conditioning and comes back late for the second half again
LOL.
In another preview as we await the weekend, here are a few facts about Dickinson and Lynchburg (which play each other on 11/22 at 1 pm EST) that may only be of interest to me:
1. It's well known that both teams have elite offenses, but Lynchburg is a little more prolific than Dickinson
Dickinson scored 52 goals (2.36/game) and Lynchburg scored 66 goals (3/game)
Dickinson took 335 shots (15/2/game), but Lynchburg took an astounding 401 shots (18.2/game)
Part of the difference for Lynchburg were some outlier games, including 9-0 victories over Regent (a provisional DIII member) and Averett and a 6-0 win over Eastern Mennonite and 5-1 victory over Messiah(!). Even so, Lynchburg was held to fewer than two goals only 6 times all season.
Dickinson had only a couple of outlier games (a 5-1 win over Alvernia and a 6-1 win over Lebanon Valley) and it was held to fewer than two goals 9 times this season. The 7 ties suggest that teams have found a way to slow Dickinson down, although that hasn't happened in the conference or NCAA tournament.
2. It's less well known that both teams have elite defenses, but Dickinson is a bit stingier than Lynchburg
Dickinson has only conceded 8 goals all season and has the 2nd best Team Goals Against Average in the country this year at .364, while Lynchburg has only conceded 11 goals all season and has the 7th best Team Goals Against Average in the country this year at .500. Dickinson has had 14 shutouts in the regular and postseason, while Lynchburg has had 13 shutouts.
An interesting defensive stat is that Dickinson's opponents have only had 4 assists all season, while Lynchburg's have only had 5 assists. I'm not exactly sure how to interpret this, but I tend to think it suggests something positive about their defensive effort (although it could be stingy official scorers or interceptions from poor plays out of the back). It may be that they are active enough in pressing that they simply don't give up a lot of easy combination plays that end up with a pass to a man in front of goal for a tap-in. By comparison with a couple of other Sweet 16 teams, St. Olaf has conceded 20 goals and 20 assists and Augsburg has conceded 15 goals and 17 assists. Other strong defensive teams like SUNY Cortland and Tufts, which each have only conceded 9 goals all season, have conceded 8 assists apiece.
Another interesting defensive note is that while Dickinson has committed 3 fouls in the box that resulted in penalty kicks, their GK has only allowed one of those to score.
3. For two teams that are over 4 hours apart and in different conferences and different regions, they had quite a few common opponents this season:
Virginia Wesleyan: Lynchburg won 1-0; Dickinson tied 1-1
Christopher Newport: Lynchburg won 2-1; Dickinson tied 0-0
Messiah: Lynchburg won 5-1; Dickinson won 3-0
Shenandoah: Lynchburg won 2-0; Dickinson won 1-0
Franklin & Marshall: Lynchburg won 4-1; Dickinson won 4-0
Although they played them at very different points in the season and under different circumstances (pre-season v. post-season, home v. away, conference v. non-conference), there are enough results to allow you to cut through the underbrush of different schedules and outlier opponents and see two teams that are pretty evenly matched. Even the scores of all games are similar. And the only two games where the results were different were the Va. Wesleyan and CNU games, which Dickinson played on the road on opening weekend, while Lynchburg played at home at the end of the season in the last conference game and in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
4. Dickinson and Lynchburg are the only two teams in the entire Sweet 16 that have the players wearing button down shirts and ties in their roster photos
I would have predicted at least one of the NESCAC teams or Emory would have been in this group, but I guess not. For what it's worth, Dickinson has them in dark blazers too.
Have to say, however, the tie thing was not a very good look. I don't think I've ever seen so many loose or askew knots and barely a dimple among them. It's even worse when the coaches are wearing t-shirts and the players are dressed to go to formal. Now if they showed up to the game and played that way, that would be must-see TV!
Quote from: Kuiper on November 18, 2025, 03:05:09 PMWash U. states (https://washubears.com/sports/mens-soccer/opponent-history/trinity-university-texas-/35)that it has an 0-3 all-time record against Trinity, losing twice in San Antonio and once at home, scoring 1 goal in the three games and conceding 4
Trinity, on the other hand, states (https://trinitytigers.com/sports/mens-soccer/opponent-history/washington-university-in-st-louis/205)it it has a 7-1-1 all-time record against Wash U., and is on a 6 game winning streak against the Bears.
Unfortunately, the Washington University athletics website lost a lot of history when they transitioned to Sidearm 3-5 years ago, but they have a record book that does profile every season and series record.
The two teams have met twice in the NCAA tournament. Bears won the 1997 match 4-3 in overtime while Trinity won the 2007 quarterfinal match 2-1. Both games were played at Francis Field.
Washington University has played a somewhat significantly better strength of schedule (Massey No. 40) vs. Trinity (Massey No. 108)
Trinity games against Massey Top 50-60 or so: 2-1 win over Southwestern, 3-1 win over UMHB, 2-1 win over UC-Santa Cruz, 2-3 loss to Christopher Newport. Wins over Sewanee and Texas Lutheran.
Washington games against Massey Top 50-60 or so: 2-1 win over North Park, 4-2 win over Wheaton, 4-0 win over Brandeis, 2-3 loss against Rochester, 1-0 win over Emory, 1-0 win over Chicago, 0-0 tie against Whitewater, 1-0 win over Chicago. Loss to NYU of course.
Quote from: WUPHF on November 19, 2025, 09:46:58 AMQuote from: Kuiper on November 18, 2025, 03:05:09 PMWash U. states (https://washubears.com/sports/mens-soccer/opponent-history/trinity-university-texas-/35)that it has an 0-3 all-time record against Trinity, losing twice in San Antonio and once at home, scoring 1 goal in the three games and conceding 4
Trinity, on the other hand, states (https://trinitytigers.com/sports/mens-soccer/opponent-history/washington-university-in-st-louis/205)it it has a 7-1-1 all-time record against Wash U., and is on a 6 game winning streak against the Bears.
Unfortunately, the Washington University athletics website lost a lot of history when they transitioned to Sidearm 3-5 years ago, but they have a record book that does profile every season and series record.
The two teams have met twice in the NCAA tournament. Bears won the 1997 match 4-3 in overtime while Trinity won the 2007 quarterfinal match 2-1. Both games were played at Francis Field.
Washington University has played a somewhat significantly better strength of schedule (Massey No. 40) vs. Trinity (Massey No. 108)
Trinity games against Massey Top 50-60 or so: 2-1 win over Southwestern, 3-1 win over UMHB, 2-1 win over UC-Santa Cruz, 2-3 loss to Christopher Newport. Wins over Sewanee and Texas Lutheran.
Washington games against Massey Top 50-60 or so: 2-1 win over North Park, 4-2 win over Wheaton, 4-0 win over Brandeis, 2-3 loss against Rochester, 1-0 win over Emory, 1-0 win over Chicago, 0-0 tie against Whitewater, 1-0 win over Chicago. Loss to NYU of course.
Thanks for the background on the Wash U records. I figured that Trinity must have manually entered the pre-2007 records.
As for the strength-of-schedule, I thought about trying to dig into that, but I decided that since the NPI rankings already reflect that and the teams are pretty close, I wouldn't try to reinvent the wheel. Massey's SoS is different enough from NPI's (which is based on the NPI ranking of your opponents), that it's another exercise entirely to discuss which is more "accurate." When I did the Dickinson-Lynchburg preview posted last night, I mentioned some outliers to put the goals scored in context, but didn't try to do anything more than that. I tend to think when you played teams is also pretty important in considering the difficulty of your opponents (and your own quality), and it's also harder to play teams twice with a conference tournament, rather than only once in conferences without tournaments, but it's hard to quantify all of that other than noting it.
Suffice to say that Wash U and Trinity are both really strong teams with different styles of play and somewhat different strengths. One thing I thought about mentioning afterward is that Wash U's GK, Cal L'Hommedieu, has played all of its games this year and looks really solid. By contrast, Trinity has spent the year trying to identify its starting keeper and I think Jayden Schell, who appears to have won that contest, is still not quite as strong as L'Hommedieu. If it comes down to the GKs, that's an area where Wash U may have the edge.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 19, 2025, 10:10:04 AMAs for the strength-of-schedule, I thought about trying to dig into that, but I decided that since the NPI rankings already reflect that and the teams are pretty close, I wouldn't try to reinvent the wheel. Massey's SoS is different enough from NPI's (which is based on the NPI ranking of your opponents), that it's another exercise entirely to discuss which is more "accurate."
Agreed, yeah, lot's of ways to think about the match-up and to imagine who is favored, I was just adding one more to the mix.
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 19, 2025, 12:58:45 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 19, 2025, 01:48:57 AMIn another preview as we await the weekend, here are a few facts about Dickinson and Lynchburg (which play each other on 11/22 at 1 pm EST) that may only be of interest to me:
1. It's well known that both teams have elite offenses, but Lynchburg is a little more prolific than Dickinson
Dickinson scored 52 goals (2.36/game) and Lynchburg scored 66 goals (3/game)
Dickinson took 335 shots (15/2/game), but Lynchburg took an astounding 401 shots (18.2/game)
Part of the difference for Lynchburg were some outlier games, including 9-0 victories over Regent (a provisional DIII member) and Averett and a 6-0 win over Eastern Mennonite and 5-1 victory over Messiah(!). Even so, Lynchburg was held to fewer than two goals only 6 times all season.
Dickinson had only a couple of outlier games (a 5-1 win over Alvernia and a 6-1 win over Lebanon Valley) and it was held to fewer than two goals 9 times this season. The 7 ties suggest that teams have found a way to slow Dickinson down, although that hasn't happened in the conference or NCAA tournament.
2. It's less well known that both teams have elite defenses, but Dickinson is a bit stingier than Lynchburg
Dickinson has only conceded 8 goals all season and has the 2nd best Team Goals Against Average in the country this year at .364, while Lynchburg has only conceded 11 goals all season and has the 7th best Team Goals Against Average in the country this year at .500. Dickinson has had 14 shutouts in the regular and postseason, while Lynchburg has had 13 shutouts.
An interesting defensive stat is that Dickinson's opponents have only had 4 assists all season, while Lynchburg's have only had 5 assists. I'm not exactly sure how to interpret this, but I tend to think it suggests something positive about their defensive effort (although it could be stingy official scorers or interceptions from poor plays out of the back). It may be that they are active enough in pressing that they simply don't give up a lot of easy combination plays that end up with a pass to a man in front of goal for a tap-in. By comparison with a couple of other Sweet 16 teams, St. Olaf has conceded 20 goals and 20 assists and Augsburg has conceded 15 goals and 17 assists. Other strong defensive teams like SUNY Cortland and Tufts, which each have only conceded 9 goals all season, have conceded 8 assists apiece.
Another interesting defensive note is that while Dickinson has committed 3 fouls in the box that resulted in penalty kicks, their GK has only allowed one of those to score.
3. For two teams that are over 4 hours apart and in different conferences and different regions, they had quite a few common opponents this season:
Virginia Wesleyan: Lynchburg won 1-0; Dickinson tied 1-1
Christopher Newport: Lynchburg won 2-1; Dickinson tied 0-0
Messiah: Lynchburg won 5-1; Dickinson won 3-0
Shenandoah: Lynchburg won 2-0; Dickinson won 1-0
Franklin & Marshall: Lynchburg won 4-1; Dickinson won 4-0
Although they played them at very different points in the season and under different circumstances (pre-season v. post-season, home v. away, conference v. non-conference), there are enough results to allow you to cut through the underbrush of different schedules and outlier opponents and see two teams that are pretty evenly matched. Even the scores of all games are similar. And the only two games where the results were different were the Va. Wesleyan and CNU games, which Dickinson played on the road on opening weekend, while Lynchburg played at home at the end of the season in the last conference game and in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
4. Dickinson and Lynchburg are the only two teams in the entire Sweet 16 that have the players wearing button down shirts and ties in their roster photos
I would have predicted at least one of the NESCAC teams or Emory would have been in this group, but I guess not. For what it's worth, Dickinson has them in dark blazers too.
Have to say, however, the tie thing was not a very good look. I don't think I've ever seen so many loose or askew knots and barely a dimple among them. It's even worse when the coaches are wearing t-shirts and the players are dressed to go to formal. Now if they showed up to the game and played that way, that would be must-see TV!
5.? Dickinson is playing at home on grass which is much, much better than previous years. Lynchburg plays on turf at home and I think it only had one game on grass (W&L) which it won 2-0? Dickinson is 11-0-3 at home with a 5 game win streak (4 or more of 2-0 or better and a 4-0 against Hop in CC final). Also did not give up a goal in the last 5 games. Over the season, gave up only 4 goals at home.
Lynchburg has played 10 games away (5-1 away and 2-0-2 neutral). They are 7-1-2 with the lose against Hampden Sydney and ties against Salisbury and Berry. In the non home games they gave up 7 goals of the 11 all season.
Will this be a big difference? Probably not. However, I would not want to give up a goal first to Dickinson especially in the first half. Dickinson has been able to score many team goals and ones with really, really good individual play.
Just to clarify, the game is at Lynchburg, not Dickinson (unless something has changed).
As to neckties and coaches not so much. I like the ties if tied correctly especially for future employment. Shows professionalism. Coaches seem to recycle pictures especially if it was during a thin period and many may not own ties, hahahaha.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 19, 2025, 01:10:01 PMQuote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 19, 2025, 12:58:45 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 19, 2025, 01:48:57 AMMy bad, still stuck in 2024, hah!
Just to clarify, the game is at Lynchburg, not Dickinson (unless something has changed).
Which quadrant is the group of death?
Quote from: flyingdutchman on November 19, 2025, 01:32:05 PMWhich quadrant is the group of death?
Top Left. You have the three best NESCAC teams and the 11-time national champ Messiah
Quote from: flyingdutchman on November 19, 2025, 01:32:05 PMWhich quadrant is the group of death?
The Sweet 16 match-ups by NPI rankings
Tufts
1-107
7-9
St. Olaf
3-17
6-21
WashU
2-18
10-12
Lynchburg
4-22
5-32
I would say top left. I think the 11 time national champs get some bonus points the NPI does not calculate. Plus, as other posters have indicated, the NPI does not include an recency bias and it is clear that Messiah is playing way above #107. They outplayed undefeated NPI #16 on their own field and then defeated NPI #37 in round two.
I certainly have a bias, but after watching Messiah against Hobart, they are not playing like an NPI #107 kind of team.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 19, 2025, 01:48:57 AMI would have predicted at least one of the NESCAC teams or Emory would have been in this group, but I guess not. For what it's worth, Dickinson has them in dark blazers too.
I think Rowan would have worn tank tops and gold chains if the staff let them.
Another preview to while away the days before Saturday. In this one, I discuss a few facts about Rowan v. Emory (on Saturday 11/22 at 3:30 pm EST) that may only be of interest to me:
1. These two schools probably have less geographical recruiting overlap than most other Sweet 16 matchups
Emory has players from all over the country, but it doesn't have a single player on the roster from New Jersey. That kind of surprised me. Rowan, of course, has plenty of players from New Jersey. In fact, they have so many New Jersey players that I'm sure the preseason ice-breaker is asking each player "What exit?" They do have one player from Holly Springs, North Carolina. That kind of surprised me. Maybe he got off at the wrong exit?
2. Both teams can score goals, but Emory has relied upon some unlikely sources, while Rowan has ridden the same horse the last three years
Emory has scored 56 goals (2.95/game), which is a pretty dramatic increase from last season when the team only scored 27 goals (1.59/game). You wouldn't have predicted that increase, especially with Princeton grad transfer Ryan Winkler, who led the team with 10 goals last season, departing. No matter. The team brought in grad student Igancio Cubbedu, who leads the team with 12 goals and 6 assists. What makes this particularly unlikely, aside from the fact that Cubbedu started his career at Amherst in 2019 and missed 2022 and all but 21 minutes in 2024,is that Cubbedu was never known as a scorer for the Mammoths. Despite winning All Region awards in 2021 and 2023, he only scored 8 goals and had 11 assists in 46 games at Amherst. At Emory, however, has bettered that total in a mere 18 games. The whole team has improved in the goal scoring department, with 10 players scoring at least 3 goals, compared with only 3 last season. Adeyemi Oni, in particular, has seen a dramatic increase in his production, from 0 goals and 0 assists last season to 6 goals and 4 assists in 2025.
Rowan has been pretty prolific itself, scoring 46 goals (1.92/game), which is in the range of the number of goals it scored in 2024 (40), 2023 (48), and 2022 (41). The common denominator in all four seasons? Johnny Troiano. There are a lot of scorers in DIII, but not many have been consistent as he has been despite being the obvious target for defenses in the tough NJAC his whole college career. He only scored 5 his freshman year (although that was 2nd best on the team), but he scored 15 as a sophomore, 16 as a junior, and 19 this year as a senior. And he has had at least 4 assists all four years and at least 5 the past three years when he moved into a starting role.
3. Emory has the better defensive stats over the season, but Rowan is coming into this game on a heater defensively
Emory has only allowed 13 goals (0.68/game) all season, compared with 25 (1.04/game) for Rowan. In part, that's because Emory has only allowed teams 6.5 shots per game, compared to 10.4 for Rowan. The corner kick differential is even more stark. Emory has only conceded 36 corners all season, compared with 110 for Rowan.
On the other hand, Rowan is on a five game shutout streak, not allowing a goal in the three games in the NJAC tournament and the two games in the NCAA tournament. Four 1-0 wins in a row and a 2-0 defeat of Wesleyan. Those who watched the latter game and saw some of the earlier games witnessed how dramatic their change has been. They've always passed the ball well and had nice technique, but they've been fighting tooth and nail down the stretch, winning the 50/50 balls, deflecting chances, and basically out-hustling their opponents.
4. The health of Evan Schlotterbeck may be the key for Rowan
Schlotterbeck was an All Region and All Conference center back for Muhlenberg before coming to Rowan as a grad student after missing his sophomore year with an injury. He has played more minutes than any other player on the Rowan roster in 2025, but went out in the last three minutes against Wesleyan with some kind of a knock. That was only the fourth time all season that he didn't play a full 90 and the other three were during Rowan blowout games. Rowan's ability to hold off Emory's high-powered attack may hinge on Schlotterbeck being available and at full strength.
My 2 cents on Lynchburg based on their game vs UMW in September
-seems like the whole team is 5'10" to 6'
-very physical
-dangerous off of set pieces (only goal scored in contest was off a corner)
-defend very well
-midfield players are good a closing down and challenging for every 50/50
-were not very clinical, had many chances being up a man for 55 minutes but could not put quality shots on frame
-noticed that their leading scorer comes off the bench and only plays around 30 minutes per contest. He did not play in the UMW game
Quote from: Kuiper on November 20, 2025, 02:03:15 AMRowan, of course, has plenty of players from New Jersey. In fact, they have so many New Jersey players that I'm sure the preseason ice-breaker is asking each player "What exit?"
Indeed it seems there are ongoing playful turf battles between north and south Jersey. And leave it to Kuiper to pick up on a critical point of the Rowan program and the rest of NJAC in my view. If there is a talent focus within the Garden State the victor might enjoy the NJAC crown. But based simply on numbers expanding the scope from one state to 50 should yield better results on the national stage. Could be a separate topic I suppose.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 20, 2025, 02:03:15 AMThey do have one player from Holly Springs, North Carolina. That kind of surprised me. Maybe he got off at the wrong exit?
Actually his preferred exit number is 408 on NC I40 East heading to Surf City, NC for surfing and fishing. When he made his decision to head north we had "the talk." With one parent from PA and the other from MD and both grads of Lehigh U., we needed to explain New Jersey to him. Don't get me wrong, I love visiting New Jersey. It is just...different.
And in a stroke of luck he will be a 3 hour drive away in Lynchburg, VA this weekend heading into a holiday week. No matter the results this weekend I will be a winner as I am heading there Saturday for the games and bringing him home early for the holiday.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 20, 2025, 02:03:15 AM3. Emory has the better defensive stats over the season, but Rowan is coming into this game on a heater defensively
Emory has only allowed 13 goals (0.68/game) all season, compared with 25 (1.04/game) for Rowan. In part, that's because Emory has only allowed teams 6.5 shots per game, compared to 10.4 for Rowan. The corner kick differential is even more stark. Emory has only conceded 36 corners all season, compared with 110 for Rowan.
On the other hand, Rowan is on a five game shutout streak, not allowing a goal in the three games in the NJAC tournament and the two games in the NCAA tournament. Four 1-0 wins in a row and a 2-0 defeat of Wesleyan. Those who watched the latter game and saw some of the earlier games witnessed how dramatic their change has been. They've always passed the ball well and had nice technique, but they've been fighting tooth and nail down the stretch, winning the 50/50 balls, deflecting chances, and basically out-hustling their opponents.
The turning point for Rowan seemed to be after its 4-3 loss at Camden leaving them 1-2 in the NJAC. In a starting rotation otherwise largely unchanged the GK was changed after that game. Since that game the Profs were undefeated including the conference tournament and last weekend. In those 12 games they have conceded only 6 goals and 7 clean sheets.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 20, 2025, 02:03:15 AM4. The health of Evan Schlotterbeck may be the key for Rowan
Schlotterbeck was an All Region and All Conference center back for Muhlenberg before coming to Rowan as a grad student after missing his sophomore year with an injury. He has played more minutes than any other player on the Rowan roster in 2025, but went out in the last three minutes against Wesleyan with some kind of a knock. That was only the fourth time all season that he didn't play a full 90 and the other three were during Rowan blowout games. Rowan's ability to hold off Emory's high-powered attack may hinge on Schlotterbeck being available and at full strength.
Agreed.
The Sweet 16 contains a lot of fun matchups we don't see very often (other than the intra-conference tilt), but Messiah @ Tufts (Saturday 11/22 at 11 am EST) is more fun than most. Here a few things of note that may only be of interest to me:
1. Any 14'ers heading up to Medford for a little reunion?
Almost 11 years ago to the day, on Nov. 23, 2014, #20 Tufts waltzed into Allentown, PA (cue the Billy Joel song) to take on #1 undefeated Messiah in the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. 53 seconds after kickoff, a Tufts free kick was knocked away by the Messiah defense and Tufts' Jason Kayne blasted through a follow-up shot to the left corner of the net that Messiah goalkeeper Brandon West couldn't get enough of a touch on to keep it out of the back of the net. Tufts held on to that 1-0 lead to hand Messiah its only loss of the season and end Messiah's quest to win a third national championship in a row. Tufts went on to beat Ohio Wesleyan 3-0 in the semifinals and Wheaton (IL) 4-2 in the Finals to win its first of what became four national championships.
That was the last time these two storied programs faced each other . . . until now.
And now Tufts (NPI #1 and 16-1-3) is the heavy favorite and Messiah (NPI # 107 and 13-7-2) is the underdog looking to shock the world.
2. Form matters
Messiah had a brutal start to the season, losing 5 in a row and losing 6 and tying 1 out of the first 10. In retrospect, that record wasn't quite as bad as it looked considering that of those 7 non-wins, 4 were to NCAA tournament teams (Scranton, Rowan, Dickinson, and Penn State Harrisburg). Still, it was historically bad for Messiah. Nevertheless, since those first 10 games, Messiah has gone 10-1-1, including winning its last 10 games. Its last loss was to Lynchburg away, another NCAA tournament team. It also demolished Calvin in the second half of its second round game and handed Hobart its first loss of the season, on Hobart's home field, in the first game of the tournament. In effect, Messiah's NPI ranking of #107 may not be an accurate reflection of their current rich vein of form.
Messiah's form goes beyond wins and losses. Although it has given up 26 goals this season for a team goals against average of 1.18, only 1 of those goals has come during its 10 game win streak and that was in a 7-1 win over Hood. It has had 4 straight shutouts and 9 shutouts in the last 10 games.
There are caveats to the "Messiah Turnaround." The vast majority of the 10 game winning streak came against teams from the MAC Commonwealth, which hasn't exactly been know as the pinnacle of competitiveness in DIII. Moreover, although its victory over Calvin was impressive, all three of its goals came after a two hour weather delay that stopped the game in the 39th minute, which makes it a tough match to use as a measuring stick.
The biggest caveat to Messiah being hot is that Tufts is even hotter. They are on a 18 game unbeaten streak. Their last loss was to Williams in the second game of the season. They rolled through the NESCAC and won the conference tournament. If there's any indication of a slight wobble in their step, it's that they've fallen into a pattern of waiting for late game heroics to pull out wins. Other than the Penn State Harrisburg game, which was a gimme, they beat Brandeis in the 102nd minute, they beat Conn on a blocked clearance from the GK into the net in the 82nd minute, they beat Middlebury on a goal in the 97th minute to complete a 3 goal comeback after being down 2-0, and they beat Bates with a PK off a handball in the 76th minute. Sometimes a team can be so confident that they will pull it out in the end that they can become too comfortable and too patient, and that can bite them against a team that is urgent from the outset.
3. These two schools don't appear to recruit in the same pools
It's no surprise that you don't see a ton of overlap between these two rosters in terms of geography, schools, or club teams.
There is at least one pair of high school teammates in the bunch, though, as Henry Perkins of Tufts and Harrison Keator of Messiah appeared to overlap at Northfield Mt Hermon School.
I do have to express my amusement at the bio for Tufts player Will Nicholas, which states that he "surfed for Santa Monica Surf." Although that is one of the few locations where the "Surf" moniker actually makes sense, Santa Monica Surf was the name of his club soccer team. I think I mentioned this last season too, but no one seems to have made any effort to fix it. I would say that it makes him sound cool to the New Englanders, but I don't think many people are going to mistake him for a surfer dude.
4. Something has to give
Tufts has only allowed 9 goals (0.45/game) all season, but, perhaps even more impressively, they've only allowed 176 shots (8.8/game).
Messiah, by contrast, has taken 401 shots (18.3/game). Some of that is because they were behind a lot earlier in the season, but it fits their recent pattern
v. Calvin 21
v. Hobart 14
v. Stevenson 19
v. hood 18
The question is whether Messiah can keep that up against Tufts - and maintain its shots on goal percentage of .400 (which is about the same as Tufts') - while also garnering its impressive number of corners (152 on the season). That would put Tufts under more pressure than its used to. Brandeis only managed 7 shots (2 on goal) and 2 corners against Tufts.
Quote from: Freddyfud on November 20, 2025, 01:36:18 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 20, 2025, 02:03:15 AMRowan, of course, has plenty of players from New Jersey. In fact, they have so many New Jersey players that I'm sure the preseason ice-breaker is asking each player "What exit?"
Indeed it seems there are ongoing playful turf battles between north and south Jersey. And leave it to Kuiper to pick up on a critical point of the Rowan program and the rest of NJAC in my view. If there is a talent focus within the Garden State the victor might enjoy the NJAC crown. But based simply on numbers expanding the scope from one state to 50 should yield better results on the national stage. Could be a separate topic I suppose.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 20, 2025, 02:03:15 AMThey do have one player from Holly Springs, North Carolina. That kind of surprised me. Maybe he got off at the wrong exit?
Actually his preferred exit number is 408 on NC I40 East heading to Surf City, NC for surfing and fishing. When he made his decision to head north we had "the talk." With one parent from PA and the other from MD and both grads of Lehigh U., we needed to explain New Jersey to him. Don't get me wrong, I love visiting New Jersey. It is just...different.
And in a stroke of luck he will be a 3 hour drive away in Lynchburg, VA this weekend heading into a holiday week. No matter the results this weekend I will be a winner as I am heading there Saturday for the games and bringing him home early for the holiday.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 20, 2025, 02:03:15 AM3. Emory has the better defensive stats over the season, but Rowan is coming into this game on a heater defensively
Emory has only allowed 13 goals (0.68/game) all season, compared with 25 (1.04/game) for Rowan. In part, that's because Emory has only allowed teams 6.5 shots per game, compared to 10.4 for Rowan. The corner kick differential is even more stark. Emory has only conceded 36 corners all season, compared with 110 for Rowan.
On the other hand, Rowan is on a five game shutout streak, not allowing a goal in the three games in the NJAC tournament and the two games in the NCAA tournament. Four 1-0 wins in a row and a 2-0 defeat of Wesleyan. Those who watched the latter game and saw some of the earlier games witnessed how dramatic their change has been. They've always passed the ball well and had nice technique, but they've been fighting tooth and nail down the stretch, winning the 50/50 balls, deflecting chances, and basically out-hustling their opponents.
The turning point for Rowan seemed to be after its 4-3 loss at Camden leaving them 1-2 in the NJAC. In a starting rotation otherwise largely unchanged the GK was changed after that game. Since that game the Profs were undefeated including the conference tournament and last weekend. In those 12 games they have conceded only 6 goals and 7 clean sheets.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 20, 2025, 02:03:15 AM4. The health of Evan Schlotterbeck may be the key for Rowan
Schlotterbeck was an All Region and All Conference center back for Muhlenberg before coming to Rowan as a grad student after missing his sophomore year with an injury. He has played more minutes than any other player on the Rowan roster in 2025, but went out in the last three minutes against Wesleyan with some kind of a knock. That was only the fourth time all season that he didn't play a full 90 and the other three were during Rowan blowout games. Rowan's ability to hold off Emory's high-powered attack may hinge on Schlotterbeck being available and at full strength.
Agreed.
I didn't realize I was inadvertently discussing your son! Congrats to him and his team for their successful season thus far! Enjoy the game(s) this weekend.
It's raining and "cold" (well, 50s) in SoCal, so my thoughts naturally turn to Augsburg and Cortland (which play on Saturday @ 11 am Central in St. Louis). Here are a few things about this matchup that may be of interest only to me:
1. This will be the first postseason away games for both teams
Not only did Augsburg and Cortland each host 1st and 2nd round games in their pod, but they also both hosted all the games they played in their conference tournaments. Augsburg hasn't had an away game in three weeks and Cortland hasn't played an away game in a month. And flying to an away game is a whole different experience. I can't find any evidence that Cortland has done it in the last decade. Augsburg's last road trip that I assume involved air travel was in 2023 when it flew to Oregon to play Linfield and George Fox. So, at the very least it's been awhile for most players. Moreover, the time change will be a body clock adjustment for the Cortland players. It's easier to go east to west than the reverse, and going from eastern to central time zones is the easiest transition, but it's not nothing.
Not saying this will be a deciding factor, but both teams may have been aided in getting this far by playing at home and they lose that advantage in the third round. We'll see who adapts the best.
2. The teams are a study in contrasting strengths/styles
Cortland has an elite defense, only conceding 9 goals all season and 0.45/game and shutting out opponents 13 times. Augsburg also has a pretty good defense, only conceding 15 goals, or 0.68/game and shutting out opponents 14 times. On balance, however, Cortland has been a little stingier in allowing goals.
Augsburg has scored 58 goals this season, for an average of 2.64/game, although it was helped by three outlier games (9-0 over Linfield, 7-0 over Northwestern-St. Paul, and 6-0 over Concordia-Moorhead). It's not that Cortland is not good at offense, but it has scored more than 20 fewer goals than Augsburg, although that may be because it played fewer outlier opponents or emptied their bench more in those games. The most noticeable difference in the offensive stats is that Augsburg has taken about 50 more shots than Cortland and it's shots on goals percentage is .487, compared to .435 for Cortland.
3. If it comes down to PKs, Augsburg might have the edge
Augsburg is 4-4 on PKs this season, while Cortland is 1-3. Considering teams usually have their best kicker take the individual PKs during the season, it's not great if your best kicker is only making 1/3 of their PKs, although the sample size is too small to draw any hard conclusions.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 20, 2025, 07:14:34 PMThe Sweet 16 contains a lot of fun matchups we don't see very often (other than the intra-conference tilt), but Messiah @ Tufts (Saturday 11/22 at 11 am EST) is more fun than most. Here a few things of note that may only be of interest to me:
1. Any 14'ers heading up to Medford for a little reunion?
Almost 11 years ago to the day, on Nov. 23, 2014, #20 Tufts waltzed into Allentown, PA (cue the Billy Joel song) to take on #1 undefeated Messiah in the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. 53 seconds after kickoff, a Tufts free kick was knocked away by the Messiah defense and Tufts' Jason Kayne blasted through a follow-up shot to the left corner of the net that Messiah goalkeeper Brandon West couldn't get enough of a touch on to keep it out of the back of the net. Tufts held on to that 1-0 lead to hand Messiah its only loss of the season and end Messiah's quest to win a third national championship in a row. Tufts went on to beat Ohio Wesleyan 3-0 in the semifinals and Wheaton (IL) 4-2 in the Finals to win its first of what became four national championships.
That was the last time these two storied programs faced each other . . . until now.
And now Tufts (NPI #1 and 16-1-3) is the heavy favorite and Messiah (NPI # 107 and 13-7-2) is the underdog looking to shock the world.
2. Form matters
Messiah had a brutal start to the season, losing 5 in a row and losing 6 and tying 1 out of the first 10. In retrospect, that record wasn't quite as bad as it looked considering that of those 7 non-wins, 4 were to NCAA tournament teams (Scranton, Rowan, Dickinson, and Penn State Harrisburg). Still, it was historically bad for Messiah. Nevertheless, since those first 10 games, Messiah has gone 10-1-1, including winning its last 10 games. Its last loss was to Lynchburg away, another NCAA tournament team. It also demolished Calvin in the second half of its second round game and handed Hobart its first loss of the season, on Hobart's home field, in the first game of the tournament. In effect, Messiah's NPI ranking of #107 may not be an accurate reflection of their current rich vein of form.
Messiah's form goes beyond wins and losses. Although it has given up 26 goals this season for a team goals against average of 1.18, only 1 of those goals has come during its 10 game win streak and that was in a 7-1 win over Hood. It has had 4 straight shutouts and 9 shutouts in the last 10 games.
There are caveats to the "Messiah Turnaround." The vast majority of the 10 game winning streak came against teams from the MAC Commonwealth, which hasn't exactly been know as the pinnacle of competitiveness in DIII. Moreover, although its victory over Calvin was impressive, all three of its goals came after a two hour weather delay that stopped the game in the 39th minute, which makes it a tough match to use as a measuring stick.
The biggest caveat to Messiah being hot is that Tufts is even hotter. They are on a 18 game unbeaten streak. Their last loss was to Williams in the second game of the season. They rolled through the NESCAC and won the conference tournament. If there's any indication of a slight wobble in their step, it's that they've fallen into a pattern of waiting for late game heroics to pull out wins. Other than the Penn State Harrisburg game, which was a gimme, they beat Brandeis in the 102nd minute, they beat Conn on a blocked clearance from the GK into the net in the 82nd minute, they beat Middlebury on a goal in the 97th minute to complete a 3 goal comeback after being down 2-0, and they beat Bates with a PK off a handball in the 76th minute. Sometimes a team can be so confident that they will pull it out in the end that they can become too comfortable and too patient, and that can bite them against a team that is urgent from the outset.
3. These two schools don't appear to recruit in the same pools
It's no surprise that you don't see a ton of overlap between these two rosters in terms of geography, schools, or club teams.
There is at least one pair of high school teammates in the bunch, though, as Henry Perkins of Tufts and Harrison Keator of Messiah appeared to overlap at Northfield Mt Hermon School.
I do have to express my amusement at the bio for Tufts player Will Nicholas, which states that he "surfed for Santa Monica Surf." Although that is one of the few locations where the "Surf" moniker actually makes sense, Santa Monica Surf was the name of his club soccer team. I think I mentioned this last season too, but no one seems to have made any effort to fix it. I would say that it makes him sound cool to the New Englanders, but I don't think many people are going to mistake him for a surfer dude.
4. Something has to give
Tufts has only allowed 9 goals (0.45/game) all season, but, perhaps even more impressively, they've only allowed 176 shots (8.8/game).
Messiah, by contrast, has taken 401 shots (18.3/game). Some of that is because they were behind a lot earlier in the season, but it fits their recent pattern
v. Calvin 21
v. Hobart 14
v. Stevenson 19
v. hood 18
The question is whether Messiah can keep that up against Tufts - and maintain its shots on goal percentage of .400 (which is about the same as Tufts') - while also garnering its impressive number of corners (152 on the season). That would put Tufts under more pressure than its used to. Brandeis only managed 7 shots (2 on goal) and 2 corners against Tufts.
Wait, hold up...
*pauses...shivers*
Was a gust of cold wind just passing through? Oh wait, nevermind. It was this post. This post gave me chills.
like your presentation!
Only one more day until the Sweet 16, but three more games to preview. Here are some aspects of the Williams @ St. Olaf game (Saturday 11/22 at 11 am central) that may only be of interest to me:
1. Did two teams that headed into the NCAA tournament on mini-tailspins turn it around?
If you were picking a NESCAC team to flame out in the NCAA tournament, you wouldn't have been blamed for going with Williams. They only won 1 game in their last 5 games of the regular season, beating Keene State (5-1), tying Western Connecticut (3-3), and losing to Wesleyan (0-1), Conn College (0-1), and Middlebury (0-3). Then, the Ephs were sent packing in the first round of the NESCAC tournament by Conn again (2-1).
St. Olaf's late season performance didn't dip as much as Williams, but there were signs of problems. It conceded two goals to Augsburg in its last conference game of the regular season and it looked like it was heading for its first conference loss before scoring goals in the 87th and 89th minutes to salvage a tie. Although it managed to win the semifinals of the conference tournament against Saint Johns fairly comfortably, it unraveled spectacularly in the MIAC championship to Macalester, losing 4-1 on its home field. Perhaps as evidence that things were growing tense in Northfield, Head Coach Justin Oliver went on a tirade (https://x.com/justin_oliver11/status/1987929210199867637?s=20)on X about the pod and his first round opponent (Wisconsin-Superior (NPI #75), which had beaten St. Olaf 3-2 for its only regular season loss)
Both teams obviously won the first two games in the NCAA tournament to earn a spot in the Sweet 16, including St. Olaf dispatching Superior 3-0 and beat Luther 1-0, and Williams taking care of business against overmatched La Roche and beating Scranton while scoring only the 2nd goal against them all season and the only time Scranton has conceded two goals this year. Still, with St. Olaf having trouble with the two teams ranked near them in the NPI (Ausburg and Macalester) and Williams faltering against three teams ranked above them in the NPI (Conn, Wesleyan, and Middlebury), this may be a better test of whether they have truly turned it around than the games against lower ranked opponents in the first two rounds.
2. Can they get over the hump?
This match-up is interesting in the sense that while both schools have gotten to the championship game in recent years (St. Olaf winning in 2023 and Williams losing in the finals in 2022), those have thus far been one-offs. The best they have done in recent years, both before and after those peak years, was get to the Sweet 16 before losing. Williams lost in the Sweet 16 to W&L last season and didn't even qualify in 2023, while St. Olaf lost in the Sweet 16 to North Park in 2021, lost in the Sweet 16 to Gustavus Adolphus in 2022, and lost in the second round to Wisconsin-Superior in 2024 (hence Coach Oliver's tirade). The Sweet 16 seems to be the gatekeeper that filters out the teams that can beat schools ranked below them and those that can go toe-to-toe with anyone.
3. Contrasts
There are a number of contrasts in their stats
St. Olaf has scored 66 goals (2.87/game) with 68 assist, while Williams has scored 38 (2.11/game) with 31 assists.
St. Olaf had 174 corner kicks this season, while Williams had 76.
Williams has limited opponents to a shots on goal percentage of 0.387, while St. Olaf has allowed a shots on goal percentage of 0.425.
Williams has committed 250 fouls and been shown 28 yellow cards, while St. Olaf has committed 183 fouls and received 17 yellow cards.
On Sweet 16 eve, the time for previews is running short. Since the Conn College v. Bowdoin game (@ Tufts on Saturday 11/22 at 1:30 pm EST) is a pretty familiar matchup for most fans, I'll keep it short. Here are a few things about it, though, the may be of interest only to me.
1. A game between teams from the same conference in the Sweet 16 is by no means unprecedented.
It's not even unprecedented between NESCAC teams. The other way to look at it is that NESCAC is the only conference guaranteed to have a team in the Elite 8, just like the UAA was the only conference to be guaranteed to have a representative in the Sweet 16 because of the Wash. U. - Chicago 2nd round game.
I tend to think this will happen more in the future because of the growth in the strength and number of programs in the Midwest and upper Midwest and in the Southeast. Unless someone decides to fund flights even more than they do now, strong geographic regions are going to end up with these kinds of matchups in the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the tournament.
Here are a few examples from the recent past:
Wisconsin Eau-Claire v. Wisconsin-Platteville (2024)
St. Olaf v. Gustavus Adolphus (2022)
Tufts v. Amherst (2018)
Ramapo v. Montclair State (2018)
Kenyon v. Ohio Wesleyan (2014)
2. If NPI rankings mean anything (and they mean everything according to the NCAA selection criteria), Bowdoin and Conn had easy routes to get here
Conn beat Babson, a strong program that had a subpar year, on two PKs. Babson was ranked #63 in the NPI and that seemed pretty accurate for a team that only won one of its last five regular season games and was beaten by a pretty weak Emerson team during that stretch. It won the NEWMAC AQ by beating Coast Guard and WPI, two teams that only barely finished above .500 and were 126 and 127, respectively in the NPI.
Bowdoin beat UMass Boston, which had a good year, but it only won 3-2 after letting UMass Boston score in the 86th minute to make the last few minutes nervy. UMass Boston was only ranked #58 in the NPI, in large part because of the weak competition in the Little East. It did well in beating Roger Williams in the first round, but that was another strong team from an even weaker conference.
None of that takes anything away from Conn or Bowdoin, but other than Hardin-Simmons, those were the two lowest ranked opponents of the teams that won to reach the Sweet 16.
Last but not least in the previews of the Sweet 16 is Wheaton (MA) v. Macalester @ St. Olaf (Saturday 11/22 at 1:30 PM Central). Here are a few facts that may only be of interest to me:
1. Macalester should feel right at home.
Northfield is about 43 miles from Macalester's campus in Minneapolis, so it should be easy for friends and classmates to attend. Moreover, not only did Macalester just crush St. Olaf 4-1 in the MIAC championship game on this field, but this is the third time it has played on St. Olaf's field this season and the fifth time in the last three years.
Wheaton has to fly to Minnesota and I can't find any evidence that it has played a game far enough to fly to in at least the last 6 years. In most years, it doesn't even travel to play a team outside of Massachusetts or an adjacent state. I think its longest road trip this year was a 3 hour bus ride to Schenectady to play Union. So, this will be different for them. That can be exciting or it can be tiring and a challenge.
2. Unstoppable force v. immoveable object or stoppable force v. moveable object?
In its last 10 games, Macalester has scored 33 goals and has scored at least 2 goals every game. They haven't just been feasting on the weaklings either. They thrashed #3 St. Olaf 4-1 in the MIAC championship game and beat #11 Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament 2-1.
On the other hand, Macalester has had trouble keeping teams off the board, only shutting out one team in the last 10 games and allowing 10 goals during this period.
Wheaton has had 7 shutouts in the last 10 games, only conceding 3 goals during that stretch. That includes shutting out Babson and Middlebury.
Wheaton has done better offensively than Macalester has defensively, but it has been held to 1 or fewer goals five times over the last 10 games, including a 1-0 loss to WPI in the NEWMAC championship game. It also has had weirdly high 9 PK goals (in 12 tries) in its overall goal tally, but only 1 of those came in the last 10 games.
The key to this game might be which team can step up the weaker side of its game.
3. If there are goals, there's a good chance they will be assisted
There are only 32 players in the country that have 10 or more assists and 3 of those players will be playing in this game. Macalester's Kasdan Blattman has 12 assists, which is tied for 4th in the country, and Ondieki Maina has 10 assists. Wheaton's Aidan Doyle has 10 assists as well. Only 2 other players on teams in the Sweet 16 are members of this exclusive double-digit club (Ryan Bechtel of St. Olaf with 12 and Josh Grand of Emory with 10).
Hey @kuiper, great work all season. If you get bored in the postseason, an interesting epilogue could be how in the heck did the Upper Midwest in general and the MIAC in particular become so good at Division III soccer.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 01:44:33 AMWheaton has to fly to Minnesota and I can't find any evidence that it has played a game far enough to fly to in at least the last 6 years. In most years, it doesn't even travel to play a team outside of Massachusetts or an adjacent state. I think its longest road trip this year was a 3 hour bus ride to Schenectady to play Union. So, this will be different for them. That can be exciting or it can be tiring and a challenge.
I'll put my money on exciting.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 01:44:33 AMWheaton has had 7 shutouts in the last 10 games, only conceding 3 goals during that stretch. That includes shutting out Babson and Middlebury.
Other interesting detail re Wheaton is that in the Neumann game their starting GK was in a tough collision and won't be cleared until next weekend at the earliest. Backup seemed to have a nice game at Midd, so will be interesting to see if he can do it again against Macalester
HALF: Tufts 2 - Messiah 1
Messiah scores early in the 5th minute, but Tufts storms back with goals in the 21st and 40th minutes to take a lead into half. It's kind of a typical game for a possession-based team like Messiah. They've controlled the ball for long stretches between the boxes, but that hasn't amounted to much, while Tufts has made its chances count.
I'm sure St. Lawrence fans were wincing as they watched Henry Brown scored the equalizing goal for Tufts. He was the Liberty League Rookie of the Year in 2023 and scored 12 goals in 2024, but only had 5 goals coming into the NCAA tournament. Brown has now scored goals in consecutive games against Brandeis and Messiah in the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the tournament. Big time player rising to the occasion.
UPDATE: Tufts 3 - Messiah 1
Tufts scores a third 53 seconds into the second half on a long throw and a scramble in the box. I don't want to say the game is over with so much time in the clock, but that's a tall order considering the last time a team scored three goals in a row against Tufts was Williams in the second game of the season and the last time it conceded 2 in a row was by Middlebury in the semifinals of the NESCAC tournament (a game Tufts won).
UPDATE: Tufts 4 - Messiah 1
It's all but done and dusted in Medford as Tufts added another in the 52nd minute
UPDATE: If anyone had any hopes for a Messiah Miracle, they are being outshot 20-2 by Tufts in the 77th minute. You can't score if you don't shoot and it doesn't appear that Messiah can adjust its tactics to get some shots off.
FINAL: Tufts 4 - Messiah 1
That scoreline looks like #1 against #107, although I guess Messiah looked more talented than a #107 team. Still a great turnaround by Messiah, while Tufts stretches its unbeaten streak to 19
St. Olaf 1 - Williams 0 (9th minute)
St. Olaf scores early on a great cross that was cleared by a Williams defender right to a St. Olaf attacker who was standing just behind the 6-yars spot and hammered it into the net in the 6th minute
UPDATE: St. Olaf 2 - Williams 0
St. Olaf scores a beautiful team goal full of passing and moving and a the right pass to Ryan Bechtel who slots it into the back of the net in the 18th minute.
Williams had a beautiful chance a few minutes earlier involving a cut back pass to an open Alex Bethencourt in the box. He had the GK sliding the wrong way but his shot was blocked by a defender who threw his leg out before the ball could reach the open side of the net.
UPDATE: Williams' GK is keeping them in the game. Just saved a PK and several additional chances with about 7 minutes left in the half.
HALF: St. Olaf 2 - Williams 0
FINAL: St. Olaf 2 - Williams 1
In a perfect world, we would have Shay Daly vs. Jadyn Hsieh-Bailey, but it was not meant to be.
HALF: Augsburg 0 - Cortland 0
Augsburg is pressuring and out-shooting Cortland 7-1, but Cortland is not breaking yet. Ott, Cortland's GK, has three saves in the first half.
UPDATE: Cortland 1 - Augsburg 0
Cortland scores on a breakaway down the left wing that is crossed in on the ground and shut one time with the left foot by Josh Carroll for the goal about 4 minutes into the second half.
Dickinson 1 - Lynchburg 0 (15th minute)
Dickinson scores on a shot by Saul Iwowo on a scramble in the box after a corner kick. The corner kick was caused by a last minute deflection of another shot that was heading to goal as Dickinson starts to grow into the game.
Tufts reminds us once again that Messiah wasn't ever at a national contender level. Soft opening weekend draw - regardless what one might think or argue based on opponents records. They should have seen a nescac caliber team opening weekend with that record. Opened with a touch of luck - then got drug.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 01:06:28 PMHALF: Augsburg 0 - Cortland 0
Augsburg is pressuring and out-shooting Cortland 7-1, but Cortland is not breaking yet. Ott, Cortland's GK, has three saves in the first half.
UPDATE: Cortland 1 - Augsburg 0
Cortland scores on a breakaway down the left wing that is crossed in on the ground and shut one time with the left foot by Josh Carroll for the goal about 4 minutes into the second half.
Augsburg scored and then scored again to take the lead. 2-1 in St. Louis thanks to to Carver Tierney goals.
Quote from: WUPHF on November 22, 2025, 01:56:37 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 01:06:28 PMHALF: Augsburg 0 - Cortland 0
Augsburg is pressuring and out-shooting Cortland 7-1, but Cortland is not breaking yet. Ott, Cortland's GK, has three saves in the first half.
UPDATE: Cortland 1 - Augsburg 0
Cortland scores on a breakaway down the left wing that is crossed in on the ground and shut one time with the left foot by Josh Carroll for the goal about 4 minutes into the second half.
Augsburg scored and then scored again to take the lead. 2-1 in St. Louis thanks to to Carver Tierney goals.
2-2 now on another Carroll goal in the 82nd minute
Quote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 02:05:02 PMQuote from: WUPHF on November 22, 2025, 01:56:37 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 01:06:28 PMHALF: Augsburg 0 - Cortland 0
Augsburg is pressuring and out-shooting Cortland 7-1, but Cortland is not breaking yet. Ott, Cortland's GK, has three saves in the first half.
UPDATE: Cortland 1 - Augsburg 0
Cortland scores on a breakaway down the left wing that is crossed in on the ground and shut one time with the left foot by Josh Carroll for the goal about 4 minutes into the second half.
Augsburg scored and then scored again to take the lead. 2-1 in St. Louis thanks to to Carver Tierney goals.
2-2 now on another Carroll goal in the 82nd minute
Cortland can thank the Augsburg keeper for the PK. Dumbest thing Keepers do.... leads to a dumb decision...
SC.
Quote from: SimpleCoach on November 22, 2025, 02:10:58 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 02:05:02 PMQuote from: WUPHF on November 22, 2025, 01:56:37 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 01:06:28 PMHALF: Augsburg 0 - Cortland 0
Augsburg is pressuring and out-shooting Cortland 7-1, but Cortland is not breaking yet. Ott, Cortland's GK, has three saves in the first half.
UPDATE: Cortland 1 - Augsburg 0
Cortland scores on a breakaway down the left wing that is crossed in on the ground and shut one time with the left foot by Josh Carroll for the goal about 4 minutes into the second half.
Augsburg scored and then scored again to take the lead. 2-1 in St. Louis thanks to to Carver Tierney goals.
2-2 now on another Carroll goal in the 82nd minute
Cortland can thank the Augsburg keeper for the PK. Dumbest thing Keepers do.... leads to a dumb decision...
SC.
For those who didn't see it, Augsburg was nursing a 2-1 lead and the GK decided to push a ball to the corner rather than controlling it. Then a Cortland player hustled over and got his hip in front of it before the GK picked it up and then the GK compounded the error by pushing him down for the foul and a PK
Quote from: SimpleCoach on November 22, 2025, 02:10:58 PMCortland can thank the Augsburg keeper for the PK. Dumbest thing Keepers do.... leads to a dumb decision...
I missed it, but decided to go back and watch after your post.
That was seriously dumb.
Is that something that others keepers do, because I have never seen that before?
Anyone following the Bowdoin-Conn game?
The handful of minutes I've seen has been advantage to Bowdoin.
Rooting for Cortland in PKs now.
Quote from: WUPHF on November 22, 2025, 02:30:39 PMQuote from: SimpleCoach on November 22, 2025, 02:10:58 PMCortland can thank the Augsburg keeper for the PK. Dumbest thing Keepers do.... leads to a dumb decision...
I missed it, but decided to go back and watch after your post.
That was seriously dumb.
Is that something that others keepers do, because I have never seen that before?
Time wasting is one of the GK dark arts that they learn not from their youth coaches, but from watching professional games. They will often milk a few seconds off a game by not picking up the ball until challenged, which theoretically helps preserve the lead and also delays the clock for holding the ball before distribution from starting. A Colorado College GK did the same thing as the Augsburg player did during the regular season except he put his mitts on the ball before the attacker came over. Problem is that he ran diagonally the other side of the box to get ready for the punt and he was called for the delay (indirect free kick) and Concordia TX scored to tie the game in the final seconds.
FINAL: Augsburg 2 - Cortland 2 (Augsburg wins in PKs)
Augsburg's keeper makes up for his gaffe to allow the tying goal to score by saving the final PK to advance.
FINAL: Dickinson 1 - Lynchburg 0
Tight game, but Dickinson defense proves that they are underrated and may be the strength of the team
Reasonably decent game, Lynchburg v. Dickinson. Dickinson was able to make a goal scored in the 1st half stand up. The rest of the game both teams could not finish. Tough way to go for Lynchburg and probably their best team in a long time. 19-2-2.
Dickinson rolls on at 16-0-7.
Tangentially related it is awesome to see the schools that have video from an elevated POV that follows the play. The opening weekend games at Brandeis were hard to watch.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 03:01:53 PMFINAL: Dickinson 1 - Lynchburg 0
Tight game, but Dickinson defense proves that they are underrated and may be the strength of the team
Definitely, just checked - Dickinson has not allowed a goal in 6 games. That includes 3 NCAA games and 2 CC tournament games. They tied McDaniel 1-1 back on Oct. 25. Lynchburg until this game had scored 66 goals (3 per game).
UPDATE: Trinity 1 - Wash. U 0
Trinity's Alex Ramirez scores on a Samuel Theiss cross in the 31st minute that Wash U's keeper tips into the path of Ramirez for the shot.
Jayden Schell has been coming up big in the game thus far, making several good saves on dangerous Wash U sequences.
HALF: Trinity 1 - Wash U. 0
Trinity controlled a lot of possession, but stats are fairly even
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 22, 2025, 03:16:56 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 03:01:53 PMFINAL: Dickinson 1 - Lynchburg 0
Tight game, but Dickinson defense proves that they are underrated and may be the strength of the team
Definitely, just checked - Dickinson has not allowed a goal in 6 games. That includes 3 NCAA games and 2 CC tournament games. They tied McDaniel 1-1 back on Oct. 25. Lynchburg until this game had scored 66 goals (3 per game).
Seeing them in person a few weeks ago... They are a very difficult team to deal with on both ends of the field. I think they struggle when you take away their #11 (striker), but they have other guys that can score.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 02:56:45 PMFINAL: Augsburg 2 - Cortland 2 (Augsburg wins in PKs)
Augsburg's keeper makes up for his gaffe to allow the tying goal to score by saving the final PK to advance.
I ask. Does the Cortland keeper step off his line resulting in the retake of a penalty he saved, or is it too close to call?
SC.
Bowdoin goalie with 3 saves out of 5 PKs to advance to Elite 8 @ Tufts.
Corltand-Augsburg PKs had a lot of theatrics but Bowdoin-Conn was straight to the point.
Augsburg flubbed their opening PK but managed to come back. Several odd-timed run-ups and off pace shots. Cortland goalie even made a huge kick-save but was called by refs as off his line and the PK was retaken and Augsburg scored. The #6 or perhaps 7 shooter for Augsburg had a well disguised "run up" which looked like he was walking to reposition the ball. Augsburg goalie looks kind of heavyset.
Bowdoin-Conn avoided the foreplay and they just shot. But the Bowdoin goalie saved 3 and advance to Elite 8 without needing their 5th attempt.
Quote from: SimpleCoach on November 22, 2025, 02:10:58 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 02:05:02 PMQuote from: WUPHF on November 22, 2025, 01:56:37 PMQuote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 01:06:28 PMHALF: Augsburg 0 - Cortland 0
Augsburg is pressuring and out-shooting Cortland 7-1, but Cortland is not breaking yet. Ott, Cortland's GK, has three saves in the first half.
UPDATE: Cortland 1 - Augsburg 0
Cortland scores on a breakaway down the left wing that is crossed in on the ground and shut one time with the left foot by Josh Carroll for the goal about 4 minutes into the second half.
Augsburg scored and then scored again to take the lead. 2-1 in St. Louis thanks to to Carver Tierney goals.
2-2 now on another Carroll goal in the 82nd minute
Cortland can thank the Augsburg keeper for the PK. Dumbest thing Keepers do.... leads to a dumb decision...
SC.
I have know idea what the Augsburg keeper was thinking on that PK. It looked like he was trying to stall for time but forgot that he was running out of room. As a coach once asked a teammate of mind What were you thinking? Never mind because if you were thinking you would not have done it.
UPDATE: Trinity 2 - Wash U 0
Trinity's Samuel Theiss adds a goal in the 65th to double the lead
UPDATE: Trinity 3 - Wash U 0
Jason Sukow puts the nail in the coffin with a third goal in the 82nd
FINAL: Trinity 3 - Wash U 0
First Region X team to get the Elite 8 in awhile
Quote from: Kuiper on November 22, 2025, 05:10:55 PMUPDATE: Trinity 2 - Wash U 0
Trinity's Samuel Theiss adds a goal in the 65th to double the lead
UPDATE: Trinity 3 - Wash U 0
Jason Sukow puts the nail in the coffin with a third goal in the 82nd
FINAL: Trinity 3 - Wash U 0
First Region X team to get the Elite 8 in awhile
Dominating performance by the Tigers. Smothered Wash U.
Just got home from a nice day trip to Lynchburg. Disappointed to see Rowan lose but only one team can win. It was a fun match to watch except for some frustration on Rowan's part at the end. In the second half it seemed Emory was too much for the Profs. Good luck to the Eagles tomorrow as they play a quality Dickinson side.
Earlier in the afternoon I caught the second half of the Dickinson Lynchburg game. More quality soccer despite neither team really threatening to score. Dickinson's defense held strong despite a fired up Lynchburg home crowd.
As a bonus I got to meet Kansas Hokie in person, and he invited me to their tailgate. Thanks again Kansas Hokie!
But the icing on the cake was bringing my son home early for the week! Now we can spend some time together.
(And as I type this he is out the door to catch up with some friends. I hope I get to see him...)
Good luck to all of the teams tomorrow. It looks like the rest of this tournament will be exciting.
Right back at you Freddyfud, your son was an impressive young man, congratulations! Great to meet you and connect in real life. All four teams played well, not sure any of them played their best game though, the stress of the tourney seemed to affect them all at some point. Tomorrow will be a great match, hope you can catch some of it and maybe root for the good guys! Enjoy time at home with your son, special times for sure. Good luck next season to Rowan, it's a quality program that left it all on the field today.
Three things about the Elite 8 that may only be of interest to me:
1. The two teams that played their starters the longest play the two teams that were able to rest their starters the most
In its game against Conn College, which went to PKs, Bowdoin played 7 starters the full 110 minutes and 2 more starters 96 and 105 minutes. It only used 2 substitutes for meaningful minutes. And it plays Tufts, which beat Messiah 4-1 and was able to limit most starters to a little more than a half
In its game against Cortland, which also went to PKs, Augsburg played 7 starters more than 90 minutes and two more just a few minutes under 90. It also played one player off the bench for 80 minutes. And it plays Trinity, which beat Wash U 3-0 and was able to limit most starters to 65 minutes or fewer. It emptied the bench, giving meaningful minutes to 9 players.
For years, D3 coaches have lobbied for a day off between tournament games. They know how much it takes out of a player's body to play high minutes in a high intensity game two days in a row. Doing it when your opponent is relatively fresh does not sound like a recipe for success.
2. This will be the 7th year in a row that a NESCAC team will be in the Final Four
With Tufts playing Bowdoin in one of the Quarterfinal games, the NESCAC is assured of having a team in the Final Four. This will be the 7th straight tournament in which a NESCAC team makes the Final Four. The last Final Four without a NESCAC team was 2017 when North Park, Chicago, Messiah, and Brandeis were in the Final Four.
Notwithstanding the fact that NESCAC teams routinely make it to the Final Four, if Bowdoin beats Tufts, I think it will be the school's first time ever making the Final Four. [EDIT - I'm told they made it in 2010, so it wouldn't be a first, but it's been awhile]
3. First Elite Eight appearance for a Region X team in a decade
Trinity last made it to the Elite Eight in 2015 when it beat another UAA team, Brandeis, in the third round, before losing 1-0 to Amherst. Since then, it's been third round and out.
Bowdoin did make the Final Four in 2010.
My uneducated and highly biased predictions
Tufts
St Olaf
Augsburg
Dickinson
Quote from: nescac1 on November 23, 2025, 07:44:14 AMBowdoin did make the Final Four in 2010.
Thanks for the correction!
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on November 23, 2025, 09:59:52 AMMy uneducated and highly biased predictions
Tufts
St Olaf
Augsburg
Dickinson
Seems like the NPI did alright except for Dickinson (22) and Wheaton (21). Don't know much about Wheaton, but I would think most do not think that the Red Devils played above their heads its way here. Though having not seen Emory (5), I think it is a pretty even match today at least on paper.
Interesting enough, Dickinson has played three more games than Emory (2 due to the CC tournament). Dickinson has allowed 8 goals with not allowing one in 6 games. Emory has only allowed 13 goals which is really good as well.
So could be a defensive battle.
UPDATE: Tufts 1 - Bowdoin 0 (16th minute)
Tufts scores on a rebound from a save after a corner kick, picking right where it left off. Bowdoin had a chance of its own early after a nice build-up, but the shot was weak and off target.
UDPATE: Tufts 1 - Bowdoin 1 (43rd minute)
Bowdoin ties it up after passing up the left side and then crossing a negative ball to an onrushing teammate for a shot into the top of the goal.
UPDATE: Tufts 2 - Bowdoin 1 (73rd minute)
Tufts finally gets the go-ahead goal. Bowdoin has proved to be resilient despite only playing three subs meaningful minutes after most starters went the full 110 yesterday, but climbing back may require more energy than they have left.
FINAL: Tufts 2 - Bowdoin 1
UPDATE: Trinity 1 - Augsburg 0 (16th minute)
Trinity has been controlling possession. Adam Knutsen was fouled in the center of the field as he was pushing the ball forward. Julian Lopez's free kick was blocked, but Knutsen got a hold of the rebound and shot it past the Augsburg goal for the 1-0 lead.
UPDATE: Trinity 2 - Augsburg (38th minute)
Just as Augsburg was starting to grow into the game, Trinity started a counter-attack leading to a cross from the right side that was cut off by an Augsburg for an own goal. If he hadn't intervened though, there was a Trinity attacker on the far post who would have put it in anyway.
HALF: Trinity 2 - Augsburg 0
HALF: St. Olaf 1 - Wheaton (MA) 0
St. Olaf scored in the 4th minute on its only shot on goal and has held Wheaton to only 1 shot of its own.
Congrats Bowdoin on a great game, season and they even held their chins high after the final whistle. Looked like both teams respected one another. Even saw opponents help each other up after both going to the ground in the first half.
Congrats Tufts and Coach Dezotell for his first trip to the Final 4. Pretty cool that this is the first team fully recruited by Dezotell.
UPDATE: Trinity 3 - Augsburg 0
After a nice sequence to get the ball to striker in the box and walling off his defender, he finds Alex Baltov rushing up and he places the ball on the ground into the far post to put the game farther out of reach.
UPDATE: Trinity 4 - Augsburg 0
Perryman scores on a counter and pass by Clayton Holmes in the 87th minute after Trinity emptied the bench. Augsburg never was able to get a hold of this game in any respect. Thorough and proper dismantling.
UPDATE: Trinity 5 - Augsburg 0
Perryman gets a brace in quick order in the 88th on another counter attack and another assist from senior Holmes. Holmes got 6 minutes in this game and two assists. Pretty impressive for an Alamo Heights kid who only had 124 minutes and 1 assist coming into this game
FINAL: Trinity 5 - Augsburg 0
Trinity returns to the Final Four for the first time since 2007 I think.
I guess Trinity got out of the bus on time this weekend.
The sun behind the Dickinson goal makes it almost impossible to see the action. Beautiful day across the region.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 23, 2025, 02:56:35 PMHALF: St. Olaf 1 - Wheaton (MA) 0
St. Olaf scored in the 4th minute on its only shot on goal and has held Wheaton to only 1 shot of its own.
FINAL: St. Olaf 2 - Wheaton (MA) 0
This will be a very geographically diverse Final Four with Tufts, Trinity (TX), St. Olaf, and either Dickinson or Emory
Dickinson seems the more dangerous of the two at the moment.
Headed to OT down in Lynchburg.
Field feels pretty tilted in the Red Devils direction, but you can also see the quality Emory possesses.
50/50 battles going to Dickinson... There's something about their mentality... Very scrappy but they also go forward in a flash.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 23, 2025, 05:12:36 PMHeaded to OT down in Lynchburg.
Field feels pretty tilted in the Red Devils direction, but you can also see the quality Emory possesses.
50/50 battles going to Dickinson... There's something about their mentality... Very scrappy but they also go forward in a flash.
The question is whether Emory bunkers or keeps pressing, because at this point of the game, with Emory using few subs, I'm not sure they can handle many counters.
Quote from: Kuiper on November 23, 2025, 02:21:48 PMUPDATE: Trinity 1 - Augsburg 0 (16th minute)
Trinity has been controlling possession. Adam Knutsen was fouled in the center of the field as he was pushing the ball forward. Julian Lopez's free kick was blocked, but Knutsen got a hold of the rebound and shot it past the Augsburg goal for the 1-0 lead.
UPDATE: Trinity 2 - Augsburg (38th minute)
Just as Augsburg was starting to grow into the game, Trinity started a counter-attack leading to a cross from the right side that was cut off by an Augsburg for an own goal. If he hadn't intervened though, there was a Trinity attacker on the far post who would have put it in anyway.
HALF: Trinity 2 - Augsburg 0
The first Trinity goal was a play for Knutson that worked perfectly. Watch for about 30 seconds before the kick as Knutson sizes up the goalie and then the Augsburg line. Knutson lines up facing the goal with the kicker directly behind him. Ball kicked into the line goes off two Auggie players and Knutson pounces and strikes the goal.
Next level stuff!
The board was pretty wonky and I couldn't post for a bit.
Emory stole that game in PKs. They were exhausted and Dickinson just couldn't seal the deal. Even in Pks, they made the first save and looked like they had momentum.
I don't want to go all NESCAC-level drama here, but the final PK winner from Emory went right over to the Dickinson bench to do the CR cellie... Extremely disrespectful and unnecessary and almost turned into a brawl. Just... why?
He was interviewed after the game and said, straight up, Dickinson was the better team on the day. Take your W and Final Four berth and move on.
I will say, Dickinson's bench is VERY vocal. When my boys were getting walked off the field in the CC finals, I am old enough to find the humor in the taunting, but... I can see why their yapping might lead to what Emory did at the end.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 23, 2025, 07:07:17 PMThe board was pretty wonky and I couldn't post for a bit.
Emory stole that game in PKs. They were exhausted and Dickinson just couldn't seal the deal. Even in Pks, they made the first save and looked like they had momentum.
I don't want to go all NESCAC-level drama here, but the final PK winner from Emory went right over to the Dickinson bench to do the CR cellie... Extremely disrespectful and unnecessary and almost turned into a brawl. Just... why?
He was interviewed after the game and said, straight up, Dickinson was the better team on the day. Take your W and Final Four berth and move on.
I will say, Dickinson's bench is VERY vocal. When my boys were getting walked off the field in the CC finals, I am old enough to find the humor in the taunting, but... I can see why their yapping might lead to what Emory did at the end.
And where did he play prior taking a graduate year at Emory?
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 23, 2025, 07:07:17 PMThe board was pretty wonky and I couldn't post for a bit.
Emory stole that game in PKs. They were exhausted and Dickinson just couldn't seal the deal. Even in Pks, they made the first save and looked like they had momentum.
I don't want to go all NESCAC-level drama here, but the final PK winner from Emory went right over to the Dickinson bench to do the CR cellie... Extremely disrespectful and unnecessary and almost turned into a brawl. Just... why?
He was interviewed after the game and said, straight up, Dickinson was the better team on the day. Take your W and Final Four berth and move on.
I will say, Dickinson's bench is VERY vocal. When my boys were getting walked off the field in the CC finals, I am old enough to find the humor in the taunting, but... I can see why their yapping might lead to what Emory did at the end.
I saw what the final pk taker did after he score and I just couldn't believe it so rewind it. Sure enough he did right in front of the Dickinson's bench. He is very lucky he didn't get hit. Very unsportsmanlike in my opinion.
Amherst I believe. Plus a 6 year career. Really made it weird though when gave Dickinson so much credit in the interview after the game. Just weird.
It is what it is. Dickinson just couldn't figure it out. So it goes. Finished undefeated though.
It's interesting that in some sports, like women's volleyball, the NCAA continues to update NPI during the tournament and then reseeds when it gets to the final weekend (in which there are three rounds and eight teams rather than two and four). It can make a difference in how teams are paired. We have Tufts (1st in NPI at the end of the regular season), St. Olaf (3), Emory (5), Trinity (12); repairing could have given us Tufts v. Trinity and St. Olaf v. Emory rather than facing off Tufts/St. Olaf and Emory/Trinity as we will see this week.
Quote from: Footy on November 22, 2025, 01:48:33 PMTufts reminds us once again that Messiah wasn't ever at a national contender level. Soft opening weekend draw - regardless what one might think or argue based on opponents records. They should have seen a nescac caliber team opening weekend with that record. Opened with a touch of luck - then got drug.
*checks user's 17 posts on the boards*
*notes all post denote a negative slant toward Messiah except for 1 post*
*lifts eyebrows*
Disgruntled Messiah fan/alum, or just a program downer?
Can someone provide more insight as to how the Augsburg-Trinity match ended up at 5-0? I saw some of the commentary but still curious as to how it ended up as 5-0...
Quote from: Mr_November on November 24, 2025, 08:22:25 AMQuote from: Footy on November 22, 2025, 01:48:33 PMTufts reminds us once again that Messiah wasn't ever at a national contender level. Soft opening weekend draw - regardless what one might think or argue based on opponents records. They should have seen a nescac caliber team opening weekend with that record. Opened with a touch of luck - then got drug.
*checks user's 17 posts on the boards*
*notes all post denote a negative slant toward Messiah except for 1 post*
*lifts eyebrows*
Disgruntled Messiah fan/alum, or just a program downer?
Hah! Probably just an oddity with an askew personal vendetta. Besides the point--Tufts is a quality side, but Trinity even more so?--anyone with any insight into that game. Unbelievable result from the tigers
Quote from: Mr_November on November 24, 2025, 08:23:39 AMCan someone provide more insight as to how the Augsburg-Trinity match ended up at 5-0? I saw some of the commentary but still curious as to how it ended up as 5-0...
Trinity was up 2-0 at half on a free kick near the outside of the box that went into the wall and rebounded to Adam Knutsen that he shot into the net. One poster suggested that this was a designed play, although I'm not so sure since it's tough to ensure where it is going when you do that. I do believe Knutsen was set up for that possibility though.
Second goal Knutsen brought to the ball up the right side and hit a great cross on the ground that evaded the GK and would have gone to a Trinity player on the back post, but an Augsburg defender intervened with a sliding block that put it into the goal.
The game stayed 2-0 for awhile until Alex Baltov scored in the 66th minute off a shot from the left side outside the box that went to the far right corner. Trinity, by this point, was passing around Augsburg defenders and picking their spots, with a Trinity attacker receiving the ball in the box and effectively shielding the ball and distributing it back towards Baltov and other teammates.
The fourth and fifth goals came very late in the game (87th and 89th minutes) on counters after Trinity had brought in a lot of subs and Augsburg was pushing forward to try to get at least one goal back. In both goals, Clayton Holmes received the ball in the midfield and found Joey Perryman who took it to the right side of the box and shot it past the GK on the left side. The second Perryman goal was against the backup Augsburg GK. In both goals, it was really just the two Trinity players moving forward and they were able to score on their own.
Basically, it should have been a 3-0 win, but Augsburg's 110 minute + PK game the previous day had taken a lot out of the team and it wasn't really able to keep up, even against Trinity non-starters (although Perryman is a sometimes starter).
Having said that, Trinity's whole game plan is to wear you down by making your players look like the middle players in a rondo and then passing long and countering if you start pressing forward. They have a lot of players who can execute the transition game well and defenders can get physically and mentally drained if they have to chase Trinity's possession game for long stretches of the game. So, while Augsburg's game the day before contributed to the extra 2-3 goals for Trinity, the goals were the types of goals Trinity scores and the types of weariness that defenders can feel even if they come in rested.
I'd composed a lengthy reply only to have the site eat it. And then Kuiper posted almost everything I was going to, but I will add this:
Trinity controlled run of play (no!) and their back line, as it normally does, made getting shots off difficult. Augsburg didn't get a shot on goal until after halftime, and they only managed three all game (seven shots total). Trinity's opponents average 6.3 shots a game, about a third of which are on target. Of the three SOG, the best chance was the final one with 2' left that was just nudged over the crossbar (by Brandon Gongora, who had been inserted in goal a few minutes earlier). The other two SOG were routinely saved. The very best shot taken by Augsburg, early in the second, hit the top of the crossbar and bounced over.
I figured it must have had to do with Augsburg pushing for goals and Trinity punishing them in transition. Despite the score line, what a season it was for the Auggies. I was very impressed by the two games I tuned in for during the 1st and 2nd round of the NCAAs. They can keep their head held high after a fantastic season.
As for Trinity, I will be absolutely fascinated to watch them battle it out with Emory in the Final Four. Should be a blockbuster game. Any early predictions??
Can't help but feel sorry for Dickinson, who end the season undefeated and bow out at the Elite 8. Iwowo and Jarden bow out after phenomenal collegiate careers for the Red Devils. Been a joy and a pleasure to watch them work their magic in Carlisle, PA.
Iwowo's Career Stats across 4 seasons...
86 GS, 82 GP - 53 Goals, 21 Assists. Astounding numbers...
Quote from: Mr_November on November 24, 2025, 10:50:32 AMCan't help but feel sorry for Dickinson, who end the season undefeated and bow out at the Elite 8. Iwowo and Jarden bow out after phenomenal collegiate careers for the Red Devils. Been a joy and a pleasure to watch them work their magic in Carlisle, PA.
Iwowo's Career Stats across 4 seasons...
86 GS, 82 GP - 53 Goals, 21 Assists. Astounding numbers...
Truly so. FYI, Dickinson was pretty much a punchline in the Cent. Conf. before they showed up plus don't forget Jorge Chapoy, who really got them moving! By his third year, he really made many of us look at Dickinson as a rising power. Also Potter who was their keeper played great all year. Most of us did not give them much credit till their run in the NCAAs last year.
33-4-11 over the last two years.
Obviously, question will be if they can continue with these guys who graduate.
Little bit of a preview for Tufts - St. Olaf:
Since October 1:- Tufts 12-0-1 (0-0 tie @ Bowdoin final game of regular season)
- St Olaf 11-1-1 (1-4 loss to Macalaster; 2-2 tie Augsburg late October)
- Tufts 9 shutouts
- St Olaf 7 shutouts
- Tufts scoring 31-5
- St Olaf scoring 30-10
- St Olaf 4 games with only 1 goal (no games with 0 goals)
- Tufts 3 games with only 1 goal and 1 game with 0 goals
- Tufts 1 multi-GA game (3-2 come from behind win over Middlebury)
- St Olaf 2 multi-GA games (1-4 loss Macalester; 2-2 tie Augsburg)
- Not counting NCAA-tourney games: Tufts 5 games vs NCAA Tourney Teams (4-0-1)
- 2-0 Amherst
- 2-0 Middlebury
- 0-0 Bowdoin
- 3-2 Middlebury
- 1-0 Conn
- Not counting NCAA-tourney games: St Olaf 2 games vs NCAA Tourney Teams (0-1-1)
Full Season:- Tufts 2 multi-GA games (1-1-0; the loss to Williams was a 1-3 score)
- St Olaf 4 multi-GA games (1-2-1)
- Tufts 10 games against NCAA tourney teams (7-1-2)
- Tufts 15 GF, 7 GA in those 10 games
- St Olaf 7 games against NCAA tourney teams (2-2-3)
- St Olaf 14 GF, 12 GA in those 7 games
One thing that stood out to me is St. Olaf potentially having some trouble in the more physical games when there are a lot of fouls and/or cards for the opponents. Macalester, Augsburg, Carleton (St Olaf won 4-3), Wisc-Superior (loss) appeared to be physical games based on stat sheets. Tufts has 237 fouls in 22 games (10.8/gm) and they are accustomed to some very physical play in the NESCAC vs St Olaf with 197 fouls in 25 games (7.9/gm).
The other edge for Tufts would be all their PKs during the season. St Olaf was 1-2 for PKs whereas Tufts is 10-11.
Other stats are fairly similar:
GF per game: 2.8 (St Olaf) to 2.4 Tufts, however...
Margin per game: 1.96 (St Olaf) to 1.91 Tufts
GA per game: 0.50 (Tufts) to 0.84 St. Olaf
Opponents shots/gm: 8.8 (Tufts) to 11.2 (St. Olaf)
Shots per Game: 17.4 (St Olaf) to 17.3 Tufts
SOG% 0.454 (St Olaf) to 0.449 Tufts.
Corners per game: 7.3 (St Olaf) to 6.6 Tufts
Total cards: 21 apiece.
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 24, 2025, 11:27:31 AMQuote from: Mr_November on November 24, 2025, 10:50:32 AMCan't help but feel sorry for Dickinson, who end the season undefeated and bow out at the Elite 8. Iwowo and Jarden bow out after phenomenal collegiate careers for the Red Devils. Been a joy and a pleasure to watch them work their magic in Carlisle, PA.
Iwowo's Career Stats across 4 seasons...
86 GS, 82 GP - 53 Goals, 21 Assists. Astounding numbers...
Truly so. FYI, Dickinson was pretty much a punchline in the Cent. Conf. before they showed up plus don't forget Jorge Chapoy, who really got them moving! By his third year, he really made many of us look at Dickinson as a rising power. Also Potter who was their keeper played great all year. Most of us did not give them much credit till their run in the NCAAs last year.
33-4-11 over the last two years.
Obviously, question will be if they can continue with these guys who graduate.
They are just a fun team to watch. But, yeah, replacing that guy is going to be very difficult.
(I almost went to Dickinson and a guy that was in my wedding party wound up there and loved his college experience.)
Quote from: Ron Boerger on November 24, 2025, 10:15:33 AMI'd composed a lengthy reply only to have the site eat it. And then Kuiper posted almost everything I was going to, but I will add this:
Trinity controlled run of play (no!) and their back line, as it normally does, made getting shots off difficult. Augsburg didn't get a shot on goal until after halftime, and they only managed three all game (seven shots total). Trinity's opponents average 6.3 shots a game, about a third of which are on target. Of the three SOG, the best chance was the final one with 2' left that was just nudged over the crossbar (by Brandon Gongora, who had been inserted in goal a few minutes earlier). The other two SOG were routinely saved. The very best shot taken by Augsburg, early in the second, hit the top of the crossbar and bounced over.
On the defensive side for Trinity, I'll add that one key was completely neutralizing Augsburg's Carver Tierney, who had 8 shots and 2 goals in 106 minutes against Cortland the day before and scored 20 goals and had 6 assists this season. He was limited to 1 shot in 69 minutes against Trinity, which didn't come until the 80th minute. At one point, the announcer commented that Tierney had hadn't had more than two touches all game. He was likely gassed after the Cortland game, but Trinity's high press meant that the ball was in Augsburg's half for long stretches and Tierney was starved for service.
Once again, the argument to give these lads a days rest rears its head. I think I'd be less annoyed with this set up if programs spent a couple of weekends in late September or October running a few Sat/Sun weekends to understand what it actually looks like in practice.
As it stands, some of the most important games of the year take place with at least one of the sides exhausted, usually both. I don't like attrition playing such an outsized role.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 24, 2025, 01:32:47 PMOnce again, the argument to give these lads a days rest rears its head. I think I'd be less annoyed with this set up if programs spent a couple of weekends in late September or October running a few Sat/Sun weekends to understand what it actually looks like in practice.
As it stands, some of the most important games of the year take place with at least one of the sides exhausted, usually both. I don't like attrition playing such an outsized role.
I am left wondering what sort of impact did having to play OT the day before and going to PKS had on Augsburg.... all because of a keeper error.....
SC.
It all comes down to squad management, every team enters the tournament with 24 players, you have to prepare for all possibilities The substitution rule is very generous!
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 24, 2025, 01:32:47 PMOnce again, the argument to give these lads a days rest rears its head. I think I'd be less annoyed with this set up if programs spent a couple of weekends in late September or October running a few Sat/Sun weekends to understand what it actually looks like in practice.
As it stands, some of the most important games of the year take place with at least one of the sides exhausted, usually both. I don't like attrition playing such an outsized role.
This is why the NESCAC has teams in the championship game every year. Each team has at least 3 of those weekends every year(plus another if they make it to the NESCAC final), so they are plenty used to it.
Quote from: rdanie03 on November 24, 2025, 06:01:02 PMQuote from: Hopkins92 on November 24, 2025, 01:32:47 PMOnce again, the argument to give these lads a days rest rears its head. I think I'd be less annoyed with this set up if programs spent a couple of weekends in late September or October running a few Sat/Sun weekends to understand what it actually looks like in practice.
As it stands, some of the most important games of the year take place with at least one of the sides exhausted, usually both. I don't like attrition playing such an outsized role.
Great point. I know there's a whole thing about their truncated schedule, but this is BIG deal come November dancing time.
This is why the NESCAC has teams in the championship game every year. Each team has at least 3 of those weekends every year(plus another if they make it to the NESCAC final), so they are plenty used to it.
Quote from: camosfan on November 24, 2025, 02:47:00 PMIt all comes down to squad management, every team enters the tournament with 24 players, you have to prepare for all possibilities The substitution rule is very generous!
Agreed. Some of it was due to different circumstances and some of its was choice. I did flag the issue before the Elite 8 - Tufts and Trinity had bigger leads and were able to rotate players in their Sweet 16 games, while Bowdoin and Augsburg played to double OT and didn't rotate their players as much.
For Bowdoin, I have less sympathy. They only played two players off the bench for meaningful minutes and only three players total against Conn College and only played three players off the bench for meaningful minutes against Tufts and five total. I get that there are injuries, illnesses etc, but a quick look at their stats for the year and its seems like they relied on a small number of players (relative to the size of the roster) for the bulk of the starts/minutes all season. It got them to the Elite Eight, so maybe that was all worth it, but that indicates the problem was that they didn't have enough talent, or didn't develop the talent they had, rather than being the fault of the NCAA for not financing a day in-between games.
Augsburg, by contrast, played more of their bench all of their games. I think those players were mostly rotating through the same positions, though, while at other positions they were riding the same players for full games down the stretch. You kind of need to have multiple scorers, playmaking midfielders, outside backs and center back options, plus a second goalkeeper who has played meaningful games/minutes, to make a deep run in the tournament.
I'm not convinced that having a few Saturday/Sunday games during the season prepares you better for it during the post-season. Tufts only had three weekends involving double games. The first was Colby + Husson, and the latter game was a 6-0 win, so that was more like a squad rotation game. The Hamilton-Conn College game was obviously a tougher combo, but Tufts still used 6-7 subs in each game and didn't play more than 3-4 players the full 90. Same with all the games in the NESCAC tournament. Tufts is just deeper and the coach rotates more. I don't think it's like they are better conditioned for the double game weekends, especially since they played two in a row in mid-September and then didn't play any more games in a row for a month-and-a-half. If anything, NESCAC teams might benefit from reporting for preseason a little later since I think the accumulated wear and tear on the body is part of the issue by the end of the season.
Kuiper - I'm gonna find a few choice quotes of your posts to sign your praises over the last few week. Your analysis and content have been really incredible all season, but have really been spectacular during the tournament.
You guys are correct. Given the existing schedule, coaches need to be more circumspect.
But other than the NESCAC, who has a weirdly truncated schedule, not many other teams in D3 have a Sat/Sun schedule as a regular feature.
I'm not suggesting NESCAC has an unfair advantage, but, really... When you get this deep into November, I just don't think it's fair to ask teams to play this many minutes inside of 48 hours.
Again, not a NESCAC hater. On any level. I just think the last 4 weeks of D3 soccer are not representative of the overall landscape.
24 hours between games is reasonable at this level, when you have almost limitless substitution. These teams will be coming off two weeks rest.
Quote from: Ejay on November 17, 2025, 08:28:09 AMPretty pleased with my bracket thus far.
Tufts (#1) v. Messiah (#107)
Conn College (#7) v. Bowdoin (#9)
Augsburg (#2) v. Cortland (#18)
Wash U (#10) v. Trinity (#12)
St. Olaf (#3) v. Williams (#17)
Macalester (#6) v. Wheaton (MA) (#21)
Lynchburg (#4) v. Dickinson (#22)
Emory (#5) v. Rowan (#32)
Still pretty pleased with my bracket. If only it had some kind of value...
Tufts (#1) vs. St. Olaf (#3)
Trinity (#12) vs. Emory (#5)
Quote from: camosfan on November 24, 2025, 07:38:39 PM24 hours between games is reasonable at this level, when you have almost limitless substitution. These teams will be coming off two weeks rest.
But, it's not limitless. Saying "almost" isn't an accurate qualifier. I coached youth soccer... That's limitless.
If you were able to start a guy, pull him after 20 and then put him back in at 35-- and do the same thing in the second... That's "almost" limitless.
Not being able to bring a person back in after subbing them out during a half is limited subbing.
And we'll just agree to disagree about 24 hours being adequate time to recover.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 25, 2025, 09:44:22 AMQuote from: camosfan on November 24, 2025, 07:38:39 PM24 hours between games is reasonable at this level, when you have almost limitless substitution. These teams will be coming off two weeks rest.
But, it's not limitless. Saying "almost" isn't an accurate qualifier. I coached youth soccer... That's limitless.
If you were able to start a guy, pull him after 20 and then put him back in at 35-- and do the same thing in the second... That's "almost" limitless.
Not being able to bring a person back in after subbing them out during a half is limited subbing.
And we'll just agree to disagree about 24 hours being adequate time to recover.
As I remember from my time playing NCAA tournament games back-to-back, I can recall that 24 hours was enough time for those to recover who had somehow came out unscathed. But for most players (those who played significant minutes on Saturday) you're bound to have tight hamstrings/calves, little knicks that slow you down a half-second, and even an emotional hangover from the day before.
I'm not necessarily taking a stance either way with my comment, I'm just saying it does significantly hamper players from playing at their top level the next day. With the NCAAs being the biggest stage, you'd want players to be able to compete at their highest level through physical recovery and mental preparation, and back to back games does not typically allow for that.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 25, 2025, 09:44:22 AMQuote from: camosfan on November 24, 2025, 07:38:39 PM24 hours between games is reasonable at this level, when you have almost limitless substitution. These teams will be coming off two weeks rest.
But, it's not limitless. Saying "almost" isn't an accurate qualifier. I coached youth soccer... That's limitless.
If you were able to start a guy, pull him after 20 and then put him back in at 35-- and do the same thing in the second... That's "almost" limitless.
Not being able to bring a person back in after subbing them out during a half is limited subbing.
And we'll just agree to disagree about 24 hours being adequate time to recover.
Yeah, just funny how during the season they can't play an extra possible 20 min for "safety" reasons to give teams a chance to resolve ties using a golden goal. Yet during playoffs they play extra 20 min and another game 24 or less hours later.
If they were so concerned then they should go directly to PKs after 90 in NCAAs.
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 25, 2025, 10:58:30 AMQuote from: Hopkins92 on November 25, 2025, 09:44:22 AMQuote from: camosfan on November 24, 2025, 07:38:39 PM24 hours between games is reasonable at this level, when you have almost limitless substitution. These teams will be coming off two weeks rest.
But, it's not limitless. Saying "almost" isn't an accurate qualifier. I coached youth soccer... That's limitless.
If you were able to start a guy, pull him after 20 and then put him back in at 35-- and do the same thing in the second... That's "almost" limitless.
Not being able to bring a person back in after subbing them out during a half is limited subbing.
And we'll just agree to disagree about 24 hours being adequate time to recover.
Yeah, just funny how during the season they can't play an extra possible 20 min for "safety" reasons to give teams a chance to resolve ties using a golden goal. Yet during playoffs they play extra 20 min and another game 24 or less hours later.
If they were so concerned then they should go directly to PKs after 90 in NCAAs.
#BringBackOTandGoldenGoal
Who are everyone's surprise teams of the tournament? You can take the word "surprise" however you'd like. For me, I'm thinking about teams I had only seen on paper, but was surprised at how good they were when I actually tuned in to their games. In 2024, that team for me was Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
This year, my surprise team was Catholic- and particularly when I watched them against Amherst. Not only did they play a direct, punchy style--but mentally they were very strong and up for everything. My other surprise team was Babson. Even though they lost to Conn, they were a joy to watch. Super aggressive and press extremely well. I watched them score a wonder goal where they lobbed it to JR #9, who took it down on his chest, spun, and volleyed home a magnificant goal.
From the studies I recall, soccer games should be scheduled no less than 6 days apart. Some say at least 72 hours is the minimum. All substantially more than 24 hours.
Definitely - #BringBackOTandGoldenGoal
Huge mistake
Not to add gasoline onto fires but with respect to post season travel this year at least the teams completed walkthroughs at the sites on Friday as scheduled and allowed by the NCAA. Many teams traveled and checked into hotels on Thursday anyway. Seems like an opportunity to schedule Friday/Sunday games if the walkthroughs are not as important as recovery.
As for Messiah some Rowan players felt they were one of the most, if not the most, difficult opponents this season. A team that plays through its midfield rather than by bypassing it altogether seems to be more of an exception. If anything I would expect this to actually be favorable on the recruiting circuit after observing youth programs the past 5 or 6 years.
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 25, 2025, 10:58:30 AMQuote from: Hopkins92 on November 25, 2025, 09:44:22 AMQuote from: camosfan on November 24, 2025, 07:38:39 PM24 hours between games is reasonable at this level, when you have almost limitless substitution. These teams will be coming off two weeks rest.
But, it's not limitless. Saying "almost" isn't an accurate qualifier. I coached youth soccer... That's limitless.
If you were able to start a guy, pull him after 20 and then put him back in at 35-- and do the same thing in the second... That's "almost" limitless.
Not being able to bring a person back in after subbing them out during a half is limited subbing.
And we'll just agree to disagree about 24 hours being adequate time to recover.
Yeah, just funny how during the season they can't play an extra possible 20 min for "safety" reasons to give teams a chance to resolve ties using a golden goal. Yet during playoffs they play extra 20 min and another game 24 or less hours later.
If they were so concerned then they should go directly to PKs after 90 in NCAAs.
Coaches are all for safety as long as it doesn't interfere with winning. So, they will play their best players until their legs fall off rather than risk a loss by playing non-first choice players in high leverage games, situations, and positions.
On the golden goal issue, the coaches made noise about safety, but that was more for public consumption than because it was the primary driver since they could always play more of their bench players and mitigate the issue on their own. The rationale for eliminating OT that was more persuasive to coaches, ADs and Presidents was that it affected how late they got home (a legit issue when you need to catch a flight - which was frequently the case in Region X and there were missed flights and connections - or when you had a long bus drive home after an evening game with school the next morning). Coaches are also much more comfortable with ties than losses because they are risk averse. Ties look better on a coach's record record than losses. You can't do that in the NCAA or conference tournament, though, so that's why OT and PKs remain. They could go straight to PKs and avoid the extra strain on the body from two OT periods, but the stakes are higher and in those games a technical tie (via a PK) is not better than a loss on your record since everyone thinks of it as a loss in the tournament.
So a team like Haverford ended up 10-0-9 (lost last game on PK to the Muhls in the CC tournament) did not have a chance to win (or lose) almost half of their season and on top do not qual for the NCAA tourn. Spent the whole season unblemished, but end up 81st on the NPI.
FYI, field hockey (that is truly a dangerous sport, really), volleyball (best of 5 with extra points when tied at the end of each set), basketball, lacrosse (to the death), hockey!!!!, wrestling, football!!!!!!!!! etc, etc all go extra time/points in their games/matches to determine winners. Oh, yeah, baseball and softball play extra innings. Don't many of them have buses, planes, trains, boats, scooters, alpacas to catch??? Are soccer players just too dainty???
As to out west, they come a day early and they can have the game at 1 or 2 in the afternoon which most likely will leave enough time make an 8pm flight.
Some will say that these sports don't tie enough in reg. time. Oh, no, no, no, basketball, football and lacrosse maybe not, but goals are HUGE in fh and hockey.
Hockey and football CTE alert, but not enough injuries, future death, to not figure out a way to settle things. I would also argue that football, lacrosse, hockey, and, maybe, field hockey have equal or more injuries when compared to soccer.
Yeah, I know it is the int'l way. Hah, we only play in the US.
If you are not bringing back extra time, make wins 4 pts and ramp up NPI for wins. Or maybe make ties .5 and continue wins 3 points. That'll make risk adverse coaches and players work harder in the 90 min. imo.
In baseball, they start with a man on second. Maybe in soccer have overtime with 10 v 10 in the first overtime and then 8 v 8 in the second?? That will cut down on over a bit??
A regular season game does not have to have a winner in a 16-game season, there are tie breakers, you are advocating bringing other sports rule into a unique game that predates all the sports you mentioned, and happens to be the most watched game in the world!
Counterpoint, camo, is that COLLEGE soccer is different than what is watched all over the world in a few fundamental ways.
We've talked about the subbing.
And there is the weird way the clock is managed in college soccer.
I don't think tweaking the NPI formula (again, not a thing anywhere else in the world) would be such a radical move, for example.
I don't think taking players off is a great idea, because at 10v10 I think the difference is marginal and at 8v8, now you are asking guys to cover a TON more turf and we come back to player safety/attrition.
I will acknowledge that the college game is a bit different at the moment, but they are slowly changing the rules to conform to international standards, I will say 5 years from now the timekeeping will change for example, the number of subs will be the hardest rule to change.
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on November 25, 2025, 01:26:18 PMSo a team like Haverford ended up 10-0-9 (lost last game on PK to the Muhls in the CC tournament) did not have a chance to win (or lose) almost half of their season and on top do not qual for the NCAA tourn. Spent the whole season unblemished, but end up 81st on the NPI.
FYI, field hockey (that is truly a dangerous sport, really), volleyball (best of 5 with extra points when tied at the end of each set), basketball, lacrosse (to the death), hockey!!!!, wrestling, football!!!!!!!!! etc, etc all go extra time/points in their games/matches to determine winners. Oh, yeah, baseball and softball play extra innings. Don't many of them have buses, planes, trains, boats, scooters, alpacas to catch??? Are soccer players just too dainty???
As to out west, they come a day early and they can have the game at 1 or 2 in the afternoon which most likely will leave enough time make an 8pm flight.
Some will say that these sports don't tie enough in reg. time. Oh, no, no, no, basketball, football and lacrosse maybe not, but goals are HUGE in fh and hockey.
Hockey and football CTE alert, but not enough injuries, future death, to not figure out a way to settle things. I would also argue that football, lacrosse, hockey, and, maybe, field hockey have equal or more injuries when compared to soccer.
Yeah, I know it is the int'l way. Hah, we only play in the US.
If you are not bringing back extra time, make wins 4 pts and ramp up NPI for wins. Or maybe make ties .5 and continue wins 3 points. That'll make risk adverse coaches and players work harder in the 90 min. imo.
In baseball, they start with a man on second. Maybe in soccer have overtime with 10 v 10 in the first overtime and then 8 v 8 in the second?? That will cut down on over a bit??
After finishing 2-11-5 in 2024, I'm guessing Haverford's coach was overjoyed to go without a loss in 2025 and just make it to the Centennial conference tournament. Weak teams and middling teams trying to stay above water end up playing for ties. And once teams start playing for a tie, it kind of spreads through the conference since a point keeps you in the race. That's probably why Dickinson finished with 7 ties. Conference teams that knew they couldn't hang with Dickinson's forwards played conservatively to avoid conceding and Dickinson had trouble beating a low block. Muhlenberg, which seemed to stop scoring halfway through the season, also finished 8-3-9 in the Centennial, Swarthmore finished 5-6-6, and Washington College was 6-7-5. Same issue in the NCAC, where Kenyon went 7-4-7, Ohio Wesleyan went 7-5-6, and Wittenberg went 7-4-7. Similar story in the NEWMAC. Coast Guard ended up 7-6-7, WPI was 8-7-5, Emerson was 6-8-5, and Salve Regina was 6-4-6
As to why coaches in soccer decided to eliminate it because of travel issues and in other sports they did not, you would have to ask the coaches. I don't know much about college field hockey (completely non-existent out west) and hockey (non-existent out here beyond the mountain time zone other than Alaska and Arizona State), but I think they are 60 rather than 90 minute run times, although I could be wrong.
Regardless, my guess is something will be done at some point to increase the advantage of a win, whether adjusting the NPI formula or points. Having said that, Williams was 10-2-11 in 2022, pre-NPI but post-repeal of OT, and no one made a move to limit ties even though Williams rode those ties all the way to the NCAA finals. So, maybe it's here to stay.
I don't know much about college field hockey (completely non-existent out west) and hockey (non-existent out here beyond the mountain time zone other than Alaska and Arizona State), but I think they are 60 rather than 90 minute run times, although I could be wrong.
Yes 60 min (lacrosse and football too), but a lot of stopping and starting so most likely close to or over 90 min.
Quote from: Mr_November on November 25, 2025, 11:10:51 AMWho are everyone's surprise teams of the tournament? You can take the word "surprise" however you'd like. For me, I'm thinking about teams I had only seen on paper, but was surprised at how good they were when I actually tuned in to their games. In 2024, that team for me was Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
This year, my surprise team was Catholic- and particularly when I watched them against Amherst. Not only did they play a direct, punchy style--but mentally they were very strong and up for everything. My other surprise team was Babson. Even though they lost to Conn, they were a joy to watch. Super aggressive and press extremely well. I watched them score a wonder goal where they lobbed it to JR #9, who took it down on his chest, spun, and volleyed home a magnificant goal.
Texas Lutheran was a surprise for me, although they were a team I have watched quite a bit this year and in past years. The surprise was how they broke out a different style - more pressing, more aggressive, more attack-minded - against Whitman to build up a 3-0 lead in the opening round before letting them back into the game after they went to their bench. Even against Trinity, they put up more of a fight than Wash U or Augsburg did.
Unlike some teams making the tournament for the first time (or the first time in a long time), this wasn't a senior-laden lineup that did it either. Against Trinity and Whitman, Texas Lutheran had 5 freshman, 1 sophomore, and 2 juniors in the starting lineup, plus two freshman and 4 sophomores played significant minutes off the bench. A freshman had a brace against Whitman and a junior scored the other goal. They graduate 11 players, but most of the significant contributors down the stretch were the younger players. They could be a problem for a lot of teams next year if they continue to play the way they did in the tournament.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 25, 2025, 01:57:32 PMCounterpoint, camo, is that COLLEGE soccer is different than what is watched all over the world in a few fundamental ways.
We've talked about the subbing.
And there is the weird way the clock is managed in college soccer.
I don't think tweaking the NPI formula (again, not a thing anywhere else in the world) would be such a radical move, for example.
I don't think taking players off is a great idea, because at 10v10 I think the difference is marginal and at 8v8, now you are asking guys to cover a TON more turf and we come back to player safety/attrition.
Time keeping in the NCAA is just crazy the way they do it. My x feed just pointed out that TCU women's score a tying goal against UNC with less than 9 seconds left. However, that should never had happened.
At about the 2 min level, the time keeper froze the clock for over 13 seconds. TCU would win in PKs and go to the quarters. Extreme example? Maybe, but just something that should never happen especially in the NCAA tournament. Those seniors are never getting that game back or that opportunity.
I think the NCAAs is the only place where the center ref does not keep the time. I did 18U games and below and had not problem keeping time.
Happy Thanksgiving! Some Odds and Ends about the Final Four that may only be of interest to me:
1. This is the first time since 2019 that there is no team in the Final Four with "Washington" in its name
2024 - Washington & Lee
2023 - Washington College (MD) and Washington & Lee
2022 - Mary Washington
2021 - Washington & Lee
It was right there for Wash U to extend the streak, but t'was not to be. In terms of Washington schools to watch in the future, Washington & Jefferson this season had its first winning record and first PAC Tournament qualification since 2019.
2. We're not in Vegas anymore
Vegas weather last year High 68/Low 48
Salem's current forecast for the Men's game days
Friday Dec. 5th High 42/Low 35
Sunday Dec. 7th High 44/Low 34
3. It could be worse
Here's a peek ahead at what the weather might be like the next two years based on this year's forecast:
Columbus (2026) High 36/Low 27 w/ snow showers
Pittsburgh (2027) High 34/Low 27 w/ snow showers
4. Final Four Histories of the 4 schools (Bold = winner, Underline = runners up)
Tufts 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019
Trinity 2003, 2007, 2002
St. Olaf 2023
Emory None
5. Experience playing in the Final Four at Roanoke College in Salem, VA
Tufts - won the 2016 championship in Salem
St. Olaf - won the 2023 championship in Salem
6. Current head coaches of Final Four teams who have experience winning a national championship
Justin Oliver - St. Olaf 2023
Paul McGinlay - Trinity 2003 (Yes, McGinlay, who began coaching at Trinity in 1991, has coached Trinity in all three of their Final Four appearances)
McGinlay's 590 wins trails only D2 Rockhurst's Tony Tocco's 751 in number of wins by an active NCAA coach. If Tocco can hang on for a couple more years, he could overtake Ohio Wesleyan's Jan Martin, who retired at the end of 2024 with 774 wins to lead all NCAA coaches.
- Martin got his 774 in a 47 year OWU career. He continues at OWU as their Director of Sport Performance.
- Tocco is in his 55th year, all at Rockhurst, where he started coaching in 1970. As a 1967 graduate of St. Louis University, he's closing in on the big 8-0. Most of Tocco's wins, 437, came while Rockhurst was an NAIA school but the NCAA credits those in his total. Besides heading the soccer team, he's a full-time professor and head of the accounting department at Rockhurst.
- McGinlay is the rookie of these three, now in his 35th season at Trinity.
I admire people who can spend decades doing the same thing at the same location!
I thought people might be interested in this mid-season profile (https://www.emorywheel.com/article/2025/10/after-injury-and-transfer-cubeddu-soars-to-new-heights-at-emory)of Emory star player (and former Amherst star) Ignacio Cubeddu from the Emery school newspaper
QuoteComing off back-to-back University Athletic Association championships, the Emory University men's soccer team has shown no signs of slowing down this season. The team currently has a remarkable 11–0-2 record, earning them a third-place national ranking amongst Division III schools. A huge key to the team's success has been the addition of graduate forward Ignacio Cubeddu.
As an undergraduate, Cubeddu played at Amherst College (Mass.). He played in 46 total matches, scoring eight goals and tallying 11 assists. Cubeddu also was a part of Amherst's four separate national title game appearances. Amherst lost the first three, but finally took the trophy home in 2024.
QuoteComing into a new program with a different style than he was used to at Amherst, Cubeddu did not want to take over and try to change the system. Instead, he said he has worked hard to fit in with the ethos of the team and be a leader by example.
"If I were to come in and try to change things, I think that would create some frictions," Cubeddu said. "For me, it was just embracing the culture that they have, being a good teammate and talking on the field, and now that's going to lead to better things."
Cubeddu has certainly succeeded at his leadership role, as the players on the team take notice of his work ethic and determination. Cubeddu follows a strict diet, which helps him stay focused and recover. He also does extra work after practice and visualizes before every match. Grand said he and his teammates take note of Cubeddu's actions and use it to motivate themselves to be better.
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone with the diet, the determination and the focus during my time at Emory as he has," Grand said. "It definitely gets everyone else in check when...you see him eating his sardines from a can and just doing wind sprints after practice."
Quote"The talent is there, the mindset's there, the guys are hungry this year and the coach gives us the freedom to to play our game," Cubeddu said. "We're having fun, we're doing well."
For Cubeddu, it is especially important to enjoy his last college season. He said staying focused on his primary goal has helped to keep him motivated in his final season.
"I want to win, I need to win," Cubeddu said. "It's a national championship or nothing for me. That's the mentality I really want to have."
Another student newspaper story about a Final Four team that might be of interest, in part because it's an oft-discussed topic on this Board - the growth of D3 rosters. In this story (https://trinitonian.com/2025/10/10/are-soccer-cuts-helping-team-morale-seems-like-it/), the writer suggests that the reduction in the size of the Trinity roster before this year helped team culture and the competitiveness of practice. Given the team's success, it's hard to argue with the results.
QuoteOver the past year and a half, the Trinity men's soccer team has lost two games total between the regular season and playoffs, making it all the way to the final 16 teams of the NCAA Division III playoffs last year. Meanwhile, this year's seniors were a part of the first team under Head Coach Paul McGinlay to fail to make the national tournament since 2001, not including the shortened 2020 season.
There are a lot of reasons why Trinity has seen such a transition over the past four seasons, one of those being significant roster cuts, according to McGinlay.
"It was out of necessity," McGinlay said. "It's hard to run a program with that many players. We'd be on away trips, with 24 players and 18 left at home. It doesn't bring a group of players together."
QuoteUntil last season, men's soccer kept a substantial number of players on their roster. At points, the program was basically split into two teams, according to Aguilar.
"There was 'September Squad,' a squad for people who didn't make the first team but wanted to be on the team," Aguilar said. "Mentally, it was hard to be there. You came to training to play and to get minutes, and we were not even considered."
This situation, according to Aguilar, was a less-than-ideal playing environment, and McGinlay knew it.
"Everyone wants to be on the squad [by] Labor Day weekend," McGinlay said. "But when it comes to that third weekend in October, and they haven't played and haven't traveled, there's no way of keeping that enthusiasm and competitive edge. It becomes a drag to practice, and it shows."
The challenges of leading such a large squad go further than managing the time and involvement of all the players. Team culture takes a hit as well, Aguilar said.
"There was segregation between [first-year] classes and senior classes because there were so many of us," Aguilar said. "There were so many players that there was always competition, and sometimes it turned toxic."
For the 2024 season, McGinlay and his staff decided to give players the option to redshirt, where a student athlete delays a year of participation to preserve one of their four years of eligibility. The coaching staff encouraged players to take that option, and some did, while others didn't. Players who weren't even presented with that idea also decided that a year off would be better for them, according to junior defender Luke Mayfield.
QuoteDuring the year McGinlay adopted redshirting, the Tigers went undefeated through the entire season until the third round of the NCAA Division III playoffs, winning the SCAC for the first time since 2018 along the way. McGinlay said he wasn't satisfied, though. During spring exit meetings with players, McGinley pitched the idea to release players to reach a specific roster size.
"There wasn't one person who went through a spring individual meeting and didn't agree that smaller was going to be better," McGinlay said.
Under the smaller system, Trinity has won nine of 10 games to begin the year. However, Trinity's record wasn't the only thing that improved. Mayfield said the team culture improved, too.
"It's fewer people who need to hop on board with the team mentality," Mayfield said. "If everybody's on the same page in the locker room, then we're going to be on the same page on the field."
A few reactions:
1. Not sure the issue at Trinity was roster size per se.
To put this story in perspective, the 2025 Trinity roster is 36, which is still pretty large. The 2024 roster was 40 (when they apparently "red-shirted" some players). The 2023 roster was 31. The 2022 roster was 41. It seems like the big dip was from '22 to '23, which would make sense since 2022 was the last season Trinity missed out on the NCAA tournament Perhaps there was the backsliding because of transfers and big recruiting classes and they're still fighting it. I suspect the author of the article - Scott Lebo, who is the play-by-play commentator on Trinity's broadcasts and is very insightful and good at the job on the Trinity broadcasts - is recalling a bit of his own circumstances since he left the Trinity soccer team after the 2022 season (because of what he later wrote (https://trinitonian.com/2025/09/26/protect-your-brain-its-the-only-one-you-have/)was post-concussive syndrome).
My guess is the real story is "deadweight" (players who weren't likely to play much, if at all). I think that's different than roster size per se. A large roster where the freshman aren't playing much, but are spending the year developing and competing for time in the future, is very different than one where there are juniors and seniors who know they aren't ever going to play much. The question is whether those upperclassmen are providing leadership and accountability or are just burned out and going through the motions, missing practices etc. The latter is a killer for team culture for sure.
2. Travel and communication is an important aspect of roster size
It's one thing to have players on a 28 person roster who don't play much but get to go to all games, feel like a part of the team, and are never explicitly or implicitly given a signal that there is no chance they will play. They still have hope, even if it's only through injuries or a blowout. It's another thing when every week you have to check to see if you made the travel roster and then it's very publicly made known that you didn't make the cut. That was probably made harder this year for Trinity because they had more air travel due to joining the SAA (although Trinity actually got a lot of home SAA games this year).
3. Trinity is a team where the whole is better than the sum of its parts, making team culture very important
There are teams with more talented and more athletic players than Trinity in the Final Four. Trinity's strength is playing as a team, passing and moving very effectively, anticipating each other's movement, having great technical ability in tight spaces, and having players two deep at almost every position who can do all of the above so that the team can continue seamlessly when subs come in. That requires a very high level of competition during practice and great team culture. In that sense, Trinity's move to make decisions that benefit team culture makes a lot of sense.
Quote from: Kuiper on December 01, 2025, 05:16:18 PMAnother student newspaper story about a Final Four team that might be of interest, in part because it's an oft-discussed topic on this Board - the growth of D3 rosters. In this story (https://trinitonian.com/2025/10/10/are-soccer-cuts-helping-team-morale-seems-like-it/), the writer suggests that the reduction in the size of the Trinity roster before this year helped team culture and the competitiveness of practice. Given the team's success, it's hard to argue with the results.
QuoteOver the past year and a half, the Trinity men's soccer team has lost two games total between the regular season and playoffs, making it all the way to the final 16 teams of the NCAA Division III playoffs last year. Meanwhile, this year's seniors were a part of the first team under Head Coach Paul McGinlay to fail to make the national tournament since 2001, not including the shortened 2020 season.
There are a lot of reasons why Trinity has seen such a transition over the past four seasons, one of those being significant roster cuts, according to McGinlay.
"It was out of necessity," McGinlay said. "It's hard to run a program with that many players. We'd be on away trips, with 24 players and 18 left at home. It doesn't bring a group of players together."
QuoteUntil last season, men's soccer kept a substantial number of players on their roster. At points, the program was basically split into two teams, according to Aguilar.
"There was 'September Squad,' a squad for people who didn't make the first team but wanted to be on the team," Aguilar said. "Mentally, it was hard to be there. You came to training to play and to get minutes, and we were not even considered."
This situation, according to Aguilar, was a less-than-ideal playing environment, and McGinlay knew it.
"Everyone wants to be on the squad [by] Labor Day weekend," McGinlay said. "But when it comes to that third weekend in October, and they haven't played and haven't traveled, there's no way of keeping that enthusiasm and competitive edge. It becomes a drag to practice, and it shows."
The challenges of leading such a large squad go further than managing the time and involvement of all the players. Team culture takes a hit as well, Aguilar said.
"There was segregation between [first-year] classes and senior classes because there were so many of us," Aguilar said. "There were so many players that there was always competition, and sometimes it turned toxic."
For the 2024 season, McGinlay and his staff decided to give players the option to redshirt, where a student athlete delays a year of participation to preserve one of their four years of eligibility. The coaching staff encouraged players to take that option, and some did, while others didn't. Players who weren't even presented with that idea also decided that a year off would be better for them, according to junior defender Luke Mayfield.
QuoteDuring the year McGinlay adopted redshirting, the Tigers went undefeated through the entire season until the third round of the NCAA Division III playoffs, winning the SCAC for the first time since 2018 along the way. McGinlay said he wasn't satisfied, though. During spring exit meetings with players, McGinley pitched the idea to release players to reach a specific roster size.
"There wasn't one person who went through a spring individual meeting and didn't agree that smaller was going to be better," McGinlay said.
Under the smaller system, Trinity has won nine of 10 games to begin the year. However, Trinity's record wasn't the only thing that improved. Mayfield said the team culture improved, too.
"It's fewer people who need to hop on board with the team mentality," Mayfield said. "If everybody's on the same page in the locker room, then we're going to be on the same page on the field."
A few reactions:
1. Not sure the issue at Trinity was roster size per se.
To put this story in perspective, the 2025 Trinity roster is 36, which is still pretty large. The 2024 roster was 40 (when they apparently "red-shirted" some players). The 2023 roster was 31. The 2022 roster was 41. It seems like the big dip was from '22 to '23, which would make sense since 2022 was the last season Trinity missed out on the NCAA tournament Perhaps there was the backsliding because of transfers and big recruiting classes and they're still fighting it. I suspect the author of the article - Scott Lebo, who is the play-by-play commentator on Trinity's broadcasts and is very insightful and good at the job on the Trinity broadcasts - is recalling a bit of his own circumstances since he left the Trinity soccer team after the 2022 season (because of what he later wrote (https://trinitonian.com/2025/09/26/protect-your-brain-its-the-only-one-you-have/)was post-concussive syndrome).
My guess is the real story is "deadweight" (players who weren't likely to play much, if at all). I think that's different than roster size per se. A large roster where the freshman aren't playing much, but are spending the year developing and competing for time in the future, is very different than one where there are juniors and seniors who know they aren't ever going to play much. The question is whether those upperclassmen are providing leadership and accountability or are just burned out and going through the motions, missing practices etc. The latter is a killer for team culture for sure.
2. Travel and communication is an important aspect of roster size
It's one thing to have players on a 28 person roster who don't play much but get to go to all games, feel like a part of the team, and are never explicitly or implicitly given a signal that there is no chance they will play. They still have hope, even if it's only through injuries or a blowout. It's another thing when every week you have to check to see if you made the travel roster and then it's very publicly made known that you didn't make the cut. That was probably made harder this year for Trinity because they had more air travel due to joining the SAA (although Trinity actually got a lot of home SAA games this year).
3. Trinity is a team where the whole is better than the sum of its parts, making team culture very important
There are teams with more talented and more athletic players than Trinity in the Final Four. Trinity's strength is playing as a team, passing and moving very effectively, anticipating each other's movement, having great technical ability in tight spaces, and having players two deep at almost every position who can do all of the above so that the team can continue seamlessly when subs come in. That requires a very high level of competition during practice and great team culture. In that sense, Trinity's move to make decisions that benefit team culture makes a lot of sense.
I'm sure someone has mentioned it but I didn't find out until very recently they have a player that's the son of a member of Radiohead.
Quote from: stlawus on December 01, 2025, 06:26:10 PMI'm sure someone has mentioned it but I didn't find out until very recently they have a player that's the son of a member of Radiohead.
I know I've mentioned it here, but it's been years since Ed O'Brien's son joined the squad. McGinlay was the person who not only recruited his son, but got Ed to give a talk at Trinity (https://trinitonian.com/2022/11/03/radiohead-guitarist-ed-obrien-visits-trinity/) in 2022.
I'm sure someone has mentioned it but I didn't find out until very recently they have a player that's the son of a member of Radiohead.
[/quote]
Ironically, he's one of those players who hasn't gotten a lot of minutes the past three years, although it's pretty handy to have a 6'4" CB on the bench when you need one (his father is listed at 6'5", which makes band photos kind of comical unless they have him standing in a hole or the others on stools).
I thought I would take a look at Massey Ratings' view of the Final Four semifinals. Unlike the NPI, Massey is still spitting out new numbers after each game played in the tournament, so it's more up-to-date than the NPI.
Here are how they stack up in a few of the categories
Overall
1. Tufts
2. Trinity TX
3. St. Olaf
5. Emory
Massey still has Dickinson ahead of Emory
Offensive Power
1. Trinity TX
2. St. Olaf
3. Tufts
4. Emory
Defensive Power
This is where being in the Final Four isn't necessarily indicative of ranking
1. Tufts
9. Emory
15. St. Olaf
16. Trinity TX
If defense was what got you to the Final Four, it would be Tufts, Conn, Dickinson, and Middlebury
Strength of Schedule
Given that none of the Final Four teams are close to the top 4 in SoS, and yet they each beat top teams to get here, I would say SoS isn't necessarily the end-all-be-all (especially when geography, conference membership, and travel budget often dictate SoS)
12. Tufts (tops among Final Four teams, but weakest SoS in the NESCAC, which partially reflects lower ranked tourney opponents)
34. St. Olaf
47. Emory
70. Trinity TX
Massey Predictions:
59% Tufts/41% St. Olaf. Predicted score 2-1
54% Trinity TX/46% Emory. Predicted score 2-1
Quote from: Kuiper on December 02, 2025, 01:23:28 AMStrength of Schedule
Given that none of the Final Four teams are close to the top 4 in SoS, and yet they each beat top teams to get here, I would say SoS isn't necessarily the end-all-be-all (especially when geography, conference membership, and travel budget often dictate SoS)
12. Tufts (tops among Final Four teams, but weakest SoS in the NESCAC, which partially reflects lower ranked tourney opponents)
34. St. Olaf
47. Emory
70. Trinity TX
The SOS rankings are odd and Tufts is being 'punished' for winning lots of games against very good opponents.
Tufts this season has faced Midd, Conn and Bowdoin twice apiece with a 5-0-1 record.
They also defeated UMass-Boston (Massey rank 57) and Babson (rank 38) during regular season non-conference games.
Then Brandeis (Massey rank 29), Messiah (39) and Bowdoin (9) in the NCAA tournament.
So while Tufts' SOS is last in the NESCAC, it's basically impossible to come up with a tougher schedule than what they've faced this year unless they play against D1 opponents. Or, I suppose, if they had lost games to Conn/Midd/Bowdoin then their SOS would be higher!
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 02, 2025, 09:32:46 AMQuote from: Kuiper on December 02, 2025, 01:23:28 AMStrength of Schedule
Given that none of the Final Four teams are close to the top 4 in SoS, and yet they each beat top teams to get here, I would say SoS isn't necessarily the end-all-be-all (especially when geography, conference membership, and travel budget often dictate SoS)
12. Tufts (tops among Final Four teams, but weakest SoS in the NESCAC, which partially reflects lower ranked tourney opponents)
34. St. Olaf
47. Emory
70. Trinity TX
The SOS rankings are odd and Tufts is being 'punished' for winning lots of games against very good opponents.
Tufts this season has faced Midd, Conn and Bowdoin twice apiece with a 5-0-1 record.
They also defeated UMass-Boston (Massey rank 57) and Babson (rank 38) during regular season non-conference games.
Then Brandeis (Massey rank 29), Messiah (39) and Bowdoin (9) in the NCAA tournament.
So while Tufts' SOS is last in the NESCAC, it's basically impossible to come up with a tougher schedule than what they've faced this year unless they play against D1 opponents. Or, I suppose, if they had lost games to Conn/Midd/Bowdoin then their SOS would be higher!
As I mentioned, part of this is because Massey continues to update all of these stats for games played. Other NESCAC teams' schedules are frozen in time, while Tufts has continued to play teams with lower SoS. Tufts' first round opponent Penn State Harrisburg - a team that was on Amherst's regular season schedule but then was dropped for some reason in the middle of the season - had the lowest SoS of any NCAA tournament opponent of a Final Four team. That alone might have been enough to drag down Tufts' SoS a few spots. Keep in mind also that other NESCAC teams had Tufts - the #1 team - on their schedules, but Tufts never played the #1 team (since it held that spot!). In that sense, highly ranked teams are always going to play opponents with SoS that lowers theirs.
Tufts still has higher SoS than any other Final Four team by a wide margin because it plays in a conference where most other teams have high SoS, while the other Final Four teams played in conferences where they have to play more low ranked teams. Conferences create an echo chamber for SoS.
Massey is not for soccer! He has no clue what to do with ties and particularly post season ties. He is stuck in the past.
NCAA Semifinal Preview Game #1
Tufts (18-1-3) (NPI #1) v. St. Olaf (20-2-3) (NPI #3) on Friday, 12/5 at 3 pm EST @ Roanoke College, Salem, VA
Path to the Final Four
Tufts:
Penn State Harrisburg 5-0 @ Brandeis
Brandeis 1-0 2OT @ Brandeis
Messiah 4-1 @ Tufts
Bowdoin 2-1 @ Tufts
St. Olaf:
Wisconsin-Superior 3-0 @ St. Olaf
Luther 1-0 @ St. Olaf
Williams 2-1 @ St. Olaf
Wheaton (MA) 2-0 @ St. Olaf
A few things about this matchup that may only be of interest to me:
1. Neither team is exactly well-traveled
I don't know if this is rare, but I was somewhat surprised to see that both teams have played every single one of their games in both the conference and NCAA tournaments either at home or at a nearby school. St. Olaf hosted all three of its games in the MIAC tournament and has hosted all four games in the NCAA tournament. Tufts hosted all three of its games in the NESCAC tournament and played the first two games of the NCAA tournament at Brandeis, which is a short bus ride from Tufts' campus, while hosting the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games.
In fact, it's been over a month since Tufts played a game outside the Boston area (10/28 @ Bowdoin - the last time it didn't win a game) or St. Olaf played an away game (10/25 @ Augsburg) and St. Olaf hasn't played a game outside of Minnesota since 9/12 when it played @ Wisconsin-Superior. In fact, it's only played three games outside Minnesota all season.
2. St. Olaf is undefeated against NESCAC teams.
Tufts and St. Olaf have never played each other and Tufts has never played a MIAC team. St. Olaf, however, has played NESCAC teams twice before and won both games. St. Olaf beat Amherst 2-1 in this same field at Roanoke College in Salem, VA in the 2023 NCAA Championship game and it beat Williams 2-1 in the 3rd round of the 2025 NCAA tournament.
3. Common opponents
The only common opponent this season is Williams. Tufts lost to Williams 3-1 in the second game of the season at home, while St. Olaf beat Williams 2-1 in the Sweet 16 at home. Hard to draw too many conclusions from games played that far apart.
4. St. Olaf has scored more goals
Tufts has scored 53 goals this year (2.41/game), while St. Olaf has scored 70 (2.80/game)
Tufts' scoring average doesn't really reflect its play in NESCAC, where it didn't score more than 2 goals at all until a 3-2 OT win against Middlebury in the NESCAC semis. Its overall scoring numbers were pumped up in non-conference play, where it beat MIT 8-1, Husson 6-0, and Emerson 6-0, in addition to its tournament wins over PSU-Harrisburg and Messiah. It was only shut out twice, but it was held to fewer than 2 goals nine times.
St. Olaf's scoring was a little more evenly distributed across the games and level of teams. It beat Pacific Lutheran 4-1, Carroll 5-0, Central 5-0, Nebraska Wesleyan 6-0, Carleton 4-3, Gustavus Adolphus 6-1, Bethel 4-1, and Concordia 5-0. It was only shut out once (v. UChicago) and it was only held to fewer than 2 goals five times.
5. Tufts has conceded fewer goals
Tufts has conceded 11 goals (.50/game) and has 14 shutouts. It only allows 8.8 shots per game and has only allowed 56 shots on goal all season (.290).
St. Olaf has conceded 21 goals (.84/game) and has 12 shutouts. It allows 11.2 shots per game and has allowed 114 shots per game (.409).
5. Players to watch
St. Olaf
Ryan Bechtel has 11 goals and 13 assists and Jack Soares has 14 goals. Neither has been dominant during the NCAA tournament (Bechtel has 1 goal and 1 assist and Soares has 2 goals in the Wheaton game), but both have stepped up in key moments. Soares hasn't been as consistent, but he scored 2 goals on 4 shots against Wheaton (MA). Most teams will try to shut Bechtel down because it means you've shut down a big part of St. Olaf's offense, but they have 7 other players in addition to those two who have scored at least 4 goals and 4 players with 7+ assists. They can come at you in waves and it's not like only a few players have scored against the top teams. Other players to watch include midfielder Robi Buzakovic (4 g/8 a), who along with Bechtel was voted first team All Region IX, and Casper Olseth, a big 6'3" defender who was named 2nd team All Region IX.
Tufts
Goalkeeper Nikola Antic has been a stud between the pipes all season, with a .51 goals against average and a .804 saves percentage, which garnered him 1st team All Region 1 honors, but he only was called on to make 56 saves all season. Players like fellow 1st team All Region defender Bijan Akhtarzandi and big midfielder Ben Brown (6'5"), who has been an offensive threat in the tournament, also help keep him clean. Up top, forward Xavier Canfin, the third Tufts 1st team All Region player and co-leader in goals and assists, is dangerous. If there are PKs, whether in the run of play or at the game's end, watch out for Daniel Yanez, who is Tufts' regular PK taker. Tufts has had an amazing 11 PKs, scoring 10, and I think Yanez has scored half of them. I also like the movement from Henry Brown and Henry Perkins, both of whom have notched goals during the tournament.
Overview
Tufts is the favorite and the higher ranked team. They've been consistently tough all year. St. Olaf has been almost Tufts' equal, but their bad 4-1 stumble against Macalester in the MIAC championship game stands out. Perhaps it woke them up, though, as they avenged their only other loss against Wisconsin-Superior (2-3 early in the season), by crushing them 3-0 in the first round of the tournament. St. Olaf also has very recent national championship experience. They don't have Victor Gaulmin or Hakeem Morgan (let alone Shane Bechtel), but they do have 4 starters and 2 significant bench players from that game v. Amherst who are all starters on the current squad (Ryan Bechtel, Hillis, Buzakovic, Olseth, and defender Ben Beckman and midfielder Sean Elster). That's worth something, especially playing on the exact same field. By contrast, Tufts doesn't have a player who has gotten past the Sweet 16 and only has the memories of NCAA disappointments. Maybe Tufts will be hungrier and St. Olaf will be complacent. Or maybe Tufts will have doubts and be pressing while St. Olaf will play freer and more confidently. Time will tell.
Quote from: Kuiper on December 03, 2025, 02:08:14 AMBy contrast, Tufts doesn't have a player who has gotten past the Sweet 16
Their 2025 squad is 1-0-0 in the Elite 8! 8-)
Thanks for the write up and thoughts.
Anyone going to start making predictions?!
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 03, 2025, 09:53:19 AMQuote from: Kuiper on December 03, 2025, 02:08:14 AMBy contrast, Tufts doesn't have a player who has gotten past the Sweet 16
Their 2025 squad is 1-0-0 in the Elite 8! 8-)
Thanks for the write up and thoughts.
Anyone going to start making predictions?!
I knew I should have added "Before this season," ;)
One additional fact that may only be of interest to me is that St. Olaf's Justin Oliver has won a national championship, while Tufts' Kyle Dezotell has never been this far before as a head coach. Does it matter? Not sure. Oliver, after all, won the championship in his first season. On the other hand, Dezotell may be feeling the pressure of taking over from a 4-time national championship coach (Josh Shapiro) and, in the eyes of demanding Jumbos alums, having squads that have fallen short from that lofty standard.
Quote from: Kuiper on December 03, 2025, 10:18:21 AMOne additional fact that may only be of interest to me is that St. Olaf's Justin Oliver has won a national championship, while Tufts' Kyle Dezotell has never been this far before as a head coach. Does it matter? Not sure. Oliver, after all, won the championship in his first season. On the other hand, Dezotell may be feeling the pressure of taking over from a 4-time national championship coach (Josh Shapiro) and, in the eyes of demanding Jumbos alums, having squads that have fallen short from that lofty standard.
Re: Dezotell / pressure / "big shoes to fill" - FWIW - he has the best win % of any NESCAC coach for the period 2021-2025 (his entire tenure at Tufts) and Tufts is one of only 3 NESCAC teams that have made it to the NCAA tourney each of the last 5 years (along w Middlebury and Amherst). Notably, Tufts has not lost in the NCAA 1st round in the last 5 years whereas Middlebury has (2022) and now Amherst has (2025). So in spite of the "lack of NCAA tournament success" relative to his predecessor, the Jumbos have enjoyed many great seasons with Dezotell at the helm. It is also fun to note that the 2025 Tufts team is the first that was entirely recruited by Dezotell.
Over the last 5 seasons:
Tufts............... 78.5% (75.6% prior to this season)
Amherst....... 76.9% (80.9% prior to this season)
Middlebury 72.3% (74.7% prior to this season)
Conn............. 71.3% (71.3% prior to this season)
Bowdoin...... 67.0%
Williams...... 62.2%
Wesleyan.... 60.0%
One other fun fact: With just 1 exception (NESCAC-NESCAC match between Middlebury-Amherst in 2024 semifinals) NESCAC teams have not lost an NCAA semifinal match since 2013! (perhaps the streak goes back farther but I'm unable to find the 2013 bracket online)
Couple other fun facts since I don't know how to edit my previous post:
NESCAC has been present in the finals 9 out of the last 10 years (not in 2017).
Of the last 9 times NESCAC has been in the finals, they've only lost 2x to a non-NESCAC opponent.
One of those non-NESCAC opponents that defeated NESCAC: St Olaf over Amherst in the 2023 finals!
Although the weather Friday doesn't seem to give any team an edge, it would slightly favor Tufts or St. Olaf over Trinity (in particular) or Emory. While recent weather in Atlanta has been down in the 30's and 40's, I assume Emory mostly plays in temps > 50* in Oct/Nov and Trinity would be used to even warmer temps.
According to Trinity men's soccer Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRxR7LEjrkq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==), their team left for Salem, VA (via Charlotte) yesterday. Apparently, the NCAA couldn't get them on a flight on Wednesday and they had to leave a day early. They have up on their story some video of what they have been doing. I guess they get an extra day to acclimate to the colder weather.
Speaking of the weather, the current forecast for Friday is high 20s and low 30s, with some snow showers earlier in the day. Much warmer for Sunday, when highs will be in the 40s.
Here's a link to Emory men's soccer Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRzzVbDiVOv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) where the important bit of info (as they are interviewed about their movie choices for the trip) is that it sounds like they are the only school that will be traveling to the Final Four by bus to Salem, VA. That checks out since it is a 419 mile trip between Emory and Roanoke, but an approximately 6.5 hour bus ride (plus stops) doesn't sound like a ton of fun. Sounds like they'll need more movies (or maybe some books too with finals coming up!)
my guess is that the other 3 teams spent around the same time traveling as Emory did driving - probably connecting through ATL or CLT
I wish we had buses for our trips when I played. We had two 12-person vans for our 4 hour drives. Lots of card playing, which was awesome, but man it would have been nice to have a "comfy" seat and sleep.
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 03, 2025, 09:53:19 AMQuote from: Kuiper on December 03, 2025, 02:08:14 AMBy contrast, Tufts doesn't have a player who has gotten past the Sweet 16
Their 2025 squad is 1-0-0 in the Elite 8! 8-)
Thanks for the write up and thoughts.
Anyone going to start making predictions?!
I won't make predictions but would love to see St O vs Emory in the final.
"St. Olaf has been almost Tufts' equal, but their bad 4-1 stumble against Macalester in the MIAC championship game stands out. Perhaps it woke them up,..."
Interesting that Trinity also had a "stumble" in their conference championship game. It seems clear that it was a motivating factor as they've plowed through to the semis.
Emory is very used to the bus trip as they have had to make that same drive twice already in the NCAA tournament. Unlike all the others, Emory never played at home. Bus rides to Farmville, VA (Hampden-Sydney) and Lynchburg, VA (Lynchburg) for the first two weekends. Roanoke will be easier after all of that. Could be an advantage to be in a similar travel rhythm.
Quote from: Kuiper on December 03, 2025, 01:20:40 PMHere's a link to Emory men's soccer Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRzzVbDiVOv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) where the important bit of info (as they are interviewed about their movie choices for the trip) is that it sounds like they are the only school that will be traveling to the Final Four by bus to Salem, VA. That checks out since it is a 419 mile trip between Emory and Roanoke, but an approximately 6.5 hour bus ride (plus stops) doesn't sound like a ton of fun. Sounds like they'll need more movies (or maybe some books too with finals coming up!)
NCAA Semifinal Preview Game #2
Emory (16-1-4)(NPI #5) v. Trinity (19-1-1)(NPI #12) on Friday, 12/5 at 6:30 PM EST @ Roanoke College/Salem, VA
Path to the Final Four
Emory:
Maryville 3-1 @ Hampden-Sydney
Hampden-Sydney 3-0 @ Hampden-Sydney
Rowan 2-0 @ Lynchburg
Dickinson 0-0 (4-5 in PKs) @ Lynchburg
Trinity:
Hardin-Simmons 5-0 @ Trinity
Texas Lutheran 2-0 @ Trinity
Wash. U. 3-0 @ Wash. U.
Augsburg 5-0 @ Wash. U.
A few things about this matchup that may only be of interest to me:
1. Both teams are road warriors
Emory is the only team in the Final Four to get here entirely on the road, including beating Hampden-Sydney on its home field. Maybe that's because Emory played a lot more games away from home than at home. The last time Emory played a home game was October 26th. In fact, Emory only played 6 home games all season, although it also played two teams at nearby Oglethorpe in neutral-site matches. Emory was 7-0-2 in away games and 5-0-1 in neutral site games. Of course, Emory is also used to long travel as part of being in the UAA, as this year it traveled to Waltham, MA, Pittsburgh, PA, Cleveland, OH, and Rochester, NY. The trip to Salem, VA is comparatively a breeze. Emory is the closest school to Roanoke College and, because it is under 500 miles, the only one that got here by bus. No changing planes in Charlotte or Atlanta for the Emory players!
Trinity played its first two games at home in the NCAA tournament, but unlike Emory, Tufts, and St. Olaf, it had to take a flight to its Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games. It played considerably more home games than Emory, but it still went 6-0 in away games and 1-1-1 in neutral-site games. Like Emory, it also beat Wash. U. on its home field in the Sweet 16.
2. Emory might as well be the home team in Virginia.
It is the only team to play all of its NCAA tournament games in the state of Virginia - first two rounds at Hampden-Sydney, second two rounds at Lynchburg, and Final Four at Roanoke. Plus, it's a Region VI school (so is Trinity supposedly because of its membership in the SAA, but United Soccer Coaches begs to differ).
3. The South will rise again . . . maybe
The last time a team from the South won the D3 Men's Soccer Championship was . . . Trinity in 2003.
If you insist that Texas is not the "real" South despite being classified as the West South Central Division of the South by the U.S. Census Bureau, the last time a team from the South won the championship was 1994 when Bethany (W. Va.) won it. And if you're not buying that even though West Virginia is classified as part of the South Atlantic Division of the South by the U.S. Census Bureau, then the last time was 1987 and UNC Greensboro. Regardless of your personal definition, it's been a long time. And if you agree that both Texas and Georgia are part of the South, then we are guaranteed to have a school from the South in the NCAA championship game for the first time since 2010 when Lynchburg lost to Messiah
4. Statistical Twins
These two teams are very closely matched on several offensive and defensive stats
Goals scored (per game)/conceded (per game):
Trinity (59/2.81)/(12/0.57)
Emory (58/2.76)/(13/0.62)
Assists/opponent assists
Trinity 50/7
Emory 46/9
Corners taken/conceded
Trinity 160/42
Emory 154/38
5. Common opponents
Berry
Trinity won 4-1 (10/5) and tied 1-1 (Berry 5-3 on PKs) (11/7 in SAA Championship Game)
Emory won 3-1 (9/13)
Wash. U.
Trinity won 3-0 (11/22 in Sweet 16 @ Wash. U.)
Emory lost 0-1 (10/26 @ Emory)
6. Players to watch
Emory
First team All Region VI forward/midfielder Ignacio Cubeddu (12g/6a) and 2nd team All Region VI midfielder Josh Grand (6g/10a) were the offensive leaders of the team this season, but Grand hasn't played since October 5th (making his stats all the more impressive). Adeyemi Oni (7g/4a) often plays a lone striker and can beat defenders 1 v. 1, although he's been quiet in the playoffs. 1st team All Region defender Logan Sternen holds down the defense (although he has moved up to midfield in Grand's absence and also contributed six goals this year, including 2 in the tournament). Goalkeeper Geoffrey Halpern has been tested in the tournament and has come up big.
Trinity
On offense, 1st Team All Region X forward Samuel Theiss is the big scorer this season, with 15 goals, but felow 1st Team All Region X forward Adam Knutsen (8g/5a) is the fulcrum for a lot of the team's passing and movement in and around the box and on the wings. They have a ton of crafty players. Max Salinas, Julian Lopez, and Alex Ramirez are great ball carriers who can dribble through crowds in the middle of the field (especially Salinas), Zach Anderson is a great passer and playmaker, Alex Baltov can bring it up the wings. On defense, 1st team All Region X defenders Luke Chandler and Daniel Urquidi are very solid and Cade Dougan is outstanding in front of them or joining them along with Luke Mayfield. As with Emory's keeper, Jayden Schell has picked things up in the tournament run.
Overview
Big issue for Emory might be the team's depth, or lack thereof. They had 7 players play the full 110 against Dickinson, 2 more play 100, and one play 90. They only used 4 subs, and really only relied upon 2 bench players with a third chipping in with 20 minutes and the fourth with 6. That might have been because the coaching staff knew they had plenty of time to recover whether they won or lost, but they also only used 4 players (2 for less than 15 minutes) in its 2-0 win over Rowan. In close games, they just don't seem to trust a lot of players (or they don't have a lot of healthy players).
By contrast, Trinity's biggest strength might be its depth. They can do line changes and not miss a beat and they have both young and experienced players to choose from. They often wear teams down mentally and physically with their possession game.
The question is whether Trinity can stick with some of the most talented and physical players on counter attacks. Trinity is really good at transition play off of a press, but that can leave them exposed in the back. It will be interesting to see if both offenses come out flying or one or both teams start conservatively.
Has Trinity fixed their inability to defend set pieces? Also, very similar weather forecast on Friday (to last year in Vermont) when they packed the bus at halftime and left the field.
Only 5 loses among the final 4. That is impressive! No Cinderella this year.
Quote from: SKUD on December 04, 2025, 07:35:24 AMHas Trinity fixed their inability to defend set pieces? Also, very similar weather forecast on Friday (to last year in Vermont) when they packed the bus at halftime and left the field.
Trinity hasn't conceded a goal in the four tournament games, the only Final Four team to accomplish that feat, while only allowing 6 corners over the 4 games. So, at least in that form of set piece, they both haven't conceded goals, but they also haven't conceded many opportunities to the opponent either. The last goal they conceded was a PK to Berry in the SAA championship game. The last goal they conceded off of a free kick might have been in its one loss against Christopher Newport back on Sept. 19th, although I'm not sure about that. Three of their four most recent goals against have been PKs, but I would characterize the weakness there in being overagressive in the box (or refs quick to whistle Pks) since PK "defense" isn't really a thing. It's tough to draw strong conclusions when the team has given up so few goals.
More broadly, the reality is that none of the Final Four teams are really "weak" at much of anything. As SierraFD3soccer points out, there are no teams that just got hot at the right time this year and over-performed. They all were consistently strong. St. Olaf has given up the most goals, but it's also scored the most goals, so they just seem to play a more consistently attacking style of play while also being part of a conference where there are tons of strong offensive players and styles.
As for the weather, that is certainly an area where Trinity, coming from the warmest climate of the teams and having failed to overcome it last year in the tournament, will have to prove itself. Not sure it's a massive disadvantage against Emory, though, as compared with against St. Olaf and Tufts. Whichever team survives in this second semifinal game will then play the two northern teams in somewhat better weather on Sunday.
Has NCAA announced host sites for the Final 4 in any upcoming years? I thought I had read them somewhere but I cannot find anything.
Go Tufts!
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 04, 2025, 11:21:47 AMHas NCAA announced host sites for the Final 4 in any upcoming years? I thought I had read them somewhere but I cannot find anything.
Go Tufts!
Columbus, OH in 2026
Pittsburgh, PA in 2027
As I said in an earlier post, Salem, VA may end up looking like a warm weather spot compared to those two host sites.
I guess I don't understand the venue selection thinking process.
Vegas was weird, but at least not a Frost Bowl. Pittsburgh and Columbus??
Probably a question for the UAA thread... Is Carnegie Mellon's field still so dark and gloomy? I have to imagine the swapped out of that location I played in many moons ago. Their lights were substandard... It was weird.
All the holiday spots. Also I'm guessing, Salem is cheap.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on December 04, 2025, 02:26:41 PMI guess I don't understand the venue selection thinking process.
Vegas was weird, but at least not a Frost Bowl. Pittsburgh and Columbus??
Probably a question for the UAA thread... Is Carnegie Mellon's field still so dark and gloomy? I have to imagine the swapped out of that location I played in many moons ago. Their lights were substandard... It was weird.
In 2024, they put up for bid 240 championship events simultaneously (https://www.ncaa.org/news/2024/10/2/media-center-ncaa-announces-more-than-240-host-site-selections.aspx), presumably in an attempt to use economies of scale to leverage higher bids. At the same time, they moved to a two year, rather than four year, bid cycle. The sport specific committees made the initial decisions, but there are committees above them that made the final call.
In this process, there has been a shift from schools to cities who have been bidding for a lot of these events, especially as cities/counties etc have facilities sitting empty and hotel rooms to spare and they have government dollars to throw at the events. Las Vegas was definitely a city bid in the previous cycle. They used UNLV, but they don't even have a DIII school in Nevada. That was primarily to attract more business to the area. DIII soccer (which includes both men's and women's finals) isn't exactly the DI basketball final four, but it is an attractive event for mid-size cities given the size of the rosters, the number of families and friends who attend, and the relative lack of tourism in early December. They might get between 500-1000 people for a single weekend between the Men's and Women's Final Fours, which isn't nothing, plus many more who see the city on screen watching the games. Plus, cities may see lower-level sports championships as gateways to getting more well-attended events. If they do a good job with soccer, they can move up, not just in bigger sports, but to D1 events.
Columbus 2026 is technically being hosted by Capital, but the game will be at Historic Crew Stadium and will be co-hosted by the Greater Columbus Sports Commission (an organization charged with trying to attract these events for the city). It's too big for this event, but it's definitely a cool soccer-specific former MLS venue (https://historiccrewstadium.com/about/). It's also a venue where they are trying to find events to fill the stadium now that the Crew have moved downtown. It's currently used by Columbus Crew 2 in MLS Next Pro and its the home of the MLS teams' training facility and Performance Center, which means the teams will probably get to experience first class locker rooms, practice facilities etc.
Pittsburgh 2027 is technically being hosted by the Presidents' Athletics Conference, but it's being co-hosted by SportsPITTSBURGH, which is their version of the Greater Columbus Sports Commission. The game will be played at Highmark stadium, a beautiful facility (https://highmarkstadium.com/) located on the banks of the Monongahela River and with kind of spectacular city views (https://highmarkstadium.com/venue/).
It's the home of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, a USL Championship club, and the Pittsburgh Riveters, a USL-W Club. It also should provide good locker room space and professional-level amenities.
I think this is the future of DIII. It needs to find ways to finance the championships without relying on the NCAA basketball tournament revenue, because that could go away. This is one way to do so.
Tufts will not sweep the womans and mens as the women lost in the semis. Either way that is pretty impressive they even had a chance.
So is Tufts now the D1 version of Connecticut basketball (2014 and 2004)?
It's not the Super Bowl media day, but the players are already pros at spouting cliches. No bulletin board material here
St. OlafSt. Olaf Men's Soccer Prepares for Final Four (https://olafmessenger.com/36152/sports/st-olaf-mens-soccer-prepares-for-final-four/)
We're not nervous
QuoteAs the only team in the 2025 Final Four to have previously reached this stage of the tournament since 2022, the Oles have an advantage in experience. Six players on the current roster played in the 2023 National Championship game, including the entire centerback trio of Hillis, Caspar Olseth '26, and Ben Beckman '26. The team's leaders have also gotten to this stage before, and are using that experience to define their mentality.
"You don't really get nervous for those big games anymore," Hillis said. "The biggest game of your life you've already played, so every game after that is another gift."
It doesn't make a difference where we play the game
QuotePlaying at Roanoke College is a special bonus for the group. Having already lifted a national championship on this exact field, active members of the 2023 National Championship team return to the place where they made history. For the newer members on the team, it's a chance to add their own victorious chapter to the story. Hillis insists playing in Virginia isn't important to the team's mentality, but is certainly welcome.
"It doesn't make a difference, but we are excited to go back to Roanoke," Hillis said. "We like Virginia a lot. Cool little place — great facilities, great field."
TuftsMen's Soccer Advances to NCAA Final Four (https://www.tuftsdaily.com/article/2025/11/mens-soccer-advances-to-ncaa-tournament-final-four)
We gave it our all
QuoteNeeding to close out the win, the Jumbos parked the bus. Though the Polar Bears picked up three corner kicks and forced Antic to make another save, the Jumbos were able to weather the storm, closing out the 2–1 win and punching their tickets to the Final Four.
"Everyone was incredibly motivated to keep our season going. ... That was the overarching mentality - to empty the tanks and give everything we had," Yanez said.
Our opponent is very good
QuoteTufts will travel to Salem, Va. to take on No. 4 ranked St. Olaf College in the semifinals on Dec. 5. Until then, the Jumbos will give thanks for their incredible season during the holiday and then resume training.
"St Olaf will be a challenging opponent, and we expect it to be a great game. We are incredibly excited for the opportunity!" Yanez wrote.
EmoryMen's and Women's Soccer Teams Advance to the Final Four (https://www.emorywheel.com/article/2025/12/mens-and-womens-soccer-teams-advance-to-final-four)
We had full confidence in all our teammates
QuoteThe Eagles defeated Dickinson College (Pa.) in penalty kicks after an exciting but scoreless 110 minutes of play. Men's soccer head coach Cory Greiner entrusted sophomore defender Josh Ali with the first penalty. Ali kept his cool, converting the penalty and getting the Eagles on the board. Ali admitted the moment was not one he had pictured leading up to the season.
"If you had told me at the beginning of the season in August that I'd be doing that, I definitely wouldn't believe you," Ali said. "Going into the tournament, we knew that at least one game was going to be a tight one ... so, we were prepared when the moment came. We had full confidence in each and every one of the guys."
We're still hungry
QuoteIn addition to working toward high-pressure moments like the penalty kick, Cubeddu said he is pursuing a championship even in the face of adversity in his own soccer career.
"The standard for me has always been trying to win a national championship," Cubeddu said. "Coming here to a new team, there's always a lot of doubt, like, 'Oh, can you do it again? ... Can you do it with all the doubt and with everything on the line?'"
Despite the thrilling victory, Cubeddu and the Eagles are not satisfied yet. The team has their eyes set on something bigger: a national title.
TrinityNo player quotes in the story about the team qualifying for the Final Four, but they do have this classic cliche in the story (https://trinitonian.com/2025/11/20/mens-soccer-advances-womens-season-ends/)after the first round win that I'm sure the player would have repeated if he had been asked after the Augsburg win to qualify for the Final Four:
Quote"We're just doing our job at the end of the day," Theiss said. "We have an end goal. It's far from over for us."
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on December 04, 2025, 10:40:02 PMTufts will not sweep the womans and mens as the women lost in the semis. Either way that is pretty impressive they even had a chance.
So is Tufts now the D1 version of Connecticut basketball (2014 and 2004)?
No, but Emory still can.
Quote from: VASoccerDad on December 05, 2025, 05:59:32 AMQuote from: SierraFD3soccer on December 04, 2025, 10:40:02 PMTufts will not sweep the womans and mens as the women lost in the semis. Either way that is pretty impressive they even had a chance.
So is Tufts now the D1 version of Connecticut basketball (2014 and 2004)?
Tufts also won field hockey. One evil empire takes the touch from another.
2"-6" of snow expected in VA this morning.
True as to Emory! Did not see that coming.
Freezing weather today in Salem especially as the sun sets so early. I think the snow will have come and gone by game time. Might be in the corners etc. Great its on turf. Melting snow for the finals is not great. https://weather.com/weather/today/l/cd3a86e5f64893bbb4e801f8f7f0f3d31adfd79b22f2c734c378aebb52aca333
Says snow showers so accumulation may not be as much.
Congrats to Emory defender Michael Constant for winning Elite Scholar Award for DIII Men's Soccer (https://emoryathletics.com/news/2025/12/4/michael-constant-wins-elite-scholar-athlete-award-for-ncaa-division-iii-mens-soccer.aspx)
QuoteMichael Constant, a junior at Emory University, has been named the recipient of the Elite Scholar-Athlete award for the 2025 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship.
Constant is the third student-athlete in Emory University history to win the award, joining previous winners Kyle Monk (Baseball, 2016) and Clio Hancock (Women's Swimming & Diving, 2022). He is currently pursuing a major in Applied Mathematics while carrying a 4.00 GPA. Constant was presented with the award during the men's soccer banquet on Thursday, December 4th in Salem, VA.
The Elite Scholar-Athlete award recognizes the true essence of student-athletes by honoring the individuals who have reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in their sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among their peers. The Elite Scholar-Athlete award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships.
Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above academically who have participated in a sport for at least two years with their school. All ties are broken based on the number of credits completed.
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on December 05, 2025, 08:09:45 AMTrue as to Emory! Did not see that coming.
Freezing weather today in Salem especially as the sun sets so early. I think the snow will have come and gone by game time. Might be in the corners etc. Great its on turf. Melting snow for the finals is not great. https://weather.com/weather/today/l/cd3a86e5f64893bbb4e801f8f7f0f3d31adfd79b22f2c734c378aebb52aca333
Says snow showers so accumulation may not be as much.
Trinity posted some snow pics this morning on their Insta, looks like 2-3" but not sure where they were taken. Forecast doesn't show much in the way of measurable precip the rest of the day.
Quote from: Ron Boerger on December 05, 2025, 10:35:54 AMTrinity posted some snow pics this morning on their Insta, looks like 2-3" but not sure where they were taken. Forecast doesn't show much in the way of measurable precip the rest of the day.
Best of luck this weekend @RonBoerger. As much as I would like to replay that game again in St. Louis, Trinity looked crazy good in the two games I watched. Better than any other opponent the Bears played in my opinion.
Quote from: SierraFD3soccer on December 04, 2025, 10:40:02 PMTufts will not sweep the womans and mens as the women lost in the semis. Either way that is pretty impressive they even had a chance.
So is Tufts now the D1 version of Connecticut basketball (2014 and 2004)?
Or the Middlebury hockey version of 2004, 2005 and 2006?
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 03, 2025, 09:53:19 AMQuote from: Kuiper on December 03, 2025, 02:08:14 AMBy contrast, Tufts doesn't have a player who has gotten past the Sweet 16
Their 2025 squad is 1-0-0 in the Elite 8! 8-)
Thanks for the write up and thoughts.
Anyone going to start making predictions?!
I'm the resident Ole here, but I think Tufts advances. I'll say 3-1 Tufts over the Oles. First half ends 1-1 after the Oles get another early one, but this time they can't hold in the 2nd half. Tufts gets a winner early in the 2nd and tacks on another with the Oles pressing late.
2-1 Trinity over Emory.
2-0 Tufts over Trinity in the final.
I said it earlier, but will add here: the Oles are the favorites in 2026. I'm slightly surprised they made the final 4 this year, but expect them to be there next year.
Quote from: mngopher on December 05, 2025, 11:31:04 AMQuote from: Sandon Mibut on December 03, 2025, 09:53:19 AMQuote from: Kuiper on December 03, 2025, 02:08:14 AMBy contrast, Tufts doesn't have a player who has gotten past the Sweet 16
Their 2025 squad is 1-0-0 in the Elite 8! 8-)
Thanks for the write up and thoughts.
Anyone going to start making predictions?!
I'm the resident Ole here, but I think Tufts advances. I'll say 3-1 Tufts over the Oles. First half ends 1-1 after the Oles get another early one, but this time they can't hold in the 2nd half. Tufts gets a winner early in the 2nd and tacks on another with the Oles pressing late.
2-1 Trinity over Emory.
2-0 Tufts over Trinity in the final.
I said it earlier, but will add here: the Oles are the favorites in 2026. I'm slightly surprised they made the final 4 this year, but expect them to be there next year.
On the question of St. Olaf in 2026, I was surprised when I did my review of this matchup to see how many of the major offensive contributors can come back next season. Bechtel and Soares - the two leading scorers - are a junior and sophomore respectively and third leading scorer - Chitulangoma- is a sophomore. Pillar and Tustin - who had 8 and 9 assists - are a sophomore and freshman. The big question will be how to replace Buzakovic and their backline/goalkeeper. They have a bunch of returning midfielders who got lots of time this year and I would expect University of Denver transfer Riker Doolittle will assume a bigger role. Defense is a little tougher though. Their three starting centerbacks - Hillis, Olseth, and Beckman - are all seniors. They also lose starting GK Hobday, although backup Beckett is a big boy (6'4") and looked pretty good getting experience in 7 starts.
On the question of returning players, the jumbos also will return a significant amount, as they will return all but 1 of their starting back line, 2 of their 3 attackers and a good portion of their midfield(especially if they can convince the 3 seniors who took redshirt years to come back). Their only major question is in net, with Antic graduating.
Quote from: mngopher on December 05, 2025, 11:31:04 AMI'm the resident Ole here, but I think Tufts advances. I'll say 3-1 Tufts over the Oles. First half ends 1-1 after the Oles get another early one, but this time they can't hold in the 2nd half. Tufts gets a winner early in the 2nd and tacks on another with the Oles pressing late.
I'm not falling for the reverse psychology trick!
My gut says Trinity over Emory today, but the eventual winner I think will come from the Tufts-St. Olaf match.
Looking at NESCAC teams, I think Conn and Wesleyan (in particular) and Tufts all have a several of their studs back again next year. I thought I had read/heard that Antic would take another year but IDK.
Bates had 2 freshmen and a Sophomore earn All-Conference honors. They could be a team to watch in the next year or two. Not sure what will happen in 2026 with Amherst, Midd or Williams.
Quote from: Ron Boerger on December 05, 2025, 10:35:54 AMQuote from: SierraFD3soccer on December 05, 2025, 08:09:45 AMTrue as to Emory! Did not see that coming.
Freezing weather today in Salem especially as the sun sets so early. I think the snow will have come and gone by game time. Might be in the corners etc. Great its on turf. Melting snow for the finals is not great. https://weather.com/weather/today/l/cd3a86e5f64893bbb4e801f8f7f0f3d31adfd79b22f2c734c378aebb52aca333
Says snow showers so accumulation may not be as much.
Trinity posted some snow pics this morning on their Insta, looks like 2-3" but not sure where they were taken. Forecast doesn't show much in the way of measurable precip the rest of the day.
Yeah, Lexington, just up the road from Salem, got around 3-4 inches.
Quote from: Bucket on December 05, 2025, 01:02:37 PMQuote from: Ron Boerger on December 05, 2025, 10:35:54 AMQuote from: SierraFD3soccer on December 05, 2025, 08:09:45 AMTrue as to Emory! Did not see that coming.
Freezing weather today in Salem especially as the sun sets so early. I think the snow will have come and gone by game time. Might be in the corners etc. Great its on turf. Melting snow for the finals is not great. https://weather.com/weather/today/l/cd3a86e5f64893bbb4e801f8f7f0f3d31adfd79b22f2c734c378aebb52aca333
Says snow showers so accumulation may not be as much.
Trinity posted some snow pics this morning on their Insta, looks like 2-3" but not sure where they were taken. Forecast doesn't show much in the way of measurable precip the rest of the day.
Yeah, Lexington, just up the road from Salem, got around 3-4 inches.
I wonder if the NCAA even has orange balls on hand just in case of significant snowfall during the game. That would be kind of awesome (he says from SoCal where it's currently sunny and in the mid-60s).
Quote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 12:20:23 PMQuote from: mngopher on December 05, 2025, 11:31:04 AMQuote from: Sandon Mibut on December 03, 2025, 09:53:19 AMQuote from: Kuiper on December 03, 2025, 02:08:14 AMBy contrast, Tufts doesn't have a player who has gotten past the Sweet 16
Their 2025 squad is 1-0-0 in the Elite 8! 8-)
Thanks for the write up and thoughts.
Anyone going to start making predictions?!
I'm the resident Ole here, but I think Tufts advances. I'll say 3-1 Tufts over the Oles. First half ends 1-1 after the Oles get another early one, but this time they can't hold in the 2nd half. Tufts gets a winner early in the 2nd and tacks on another with the Oles pressing late.
2-1 Trinity over Emory.
2-0 Tufts over Trinity in the final.
I said it earlier, but will add here: the Oles are the favorites in 2026. I'm slightly surprised they made the final 4 this year, but expect them to be there next year.
On the question of St. Olaf in 2026, I was surprised when I did my review of this matchup to see how many of the major offensive contributors can come back next season. Bechtel and Soares - the two leading scorers - are a junior and sophomore respectively and third leading scorer - Chitulangoma- is a sophomore. Pillar and Tustin - who had 8 and 9 assists - are a sophomore and freshman. The big question will be how to replace Buzakovic and their backline/goalkeeper. They have a bunch of returning midfielders who got lots of time this year and I would expect University of Denver transfer Riker Doolittle will assume a bigger role. Defense is a little tougher though. Their three starting centerbacks - Hillis, Olseth, and Beckman - are all seniors. They also lose starting GK Hobday, although backup Beckett is a big boy (6'4") and looked pretty good getting experience in 7 starts.
They'll bring back a ton of production assuming no transfers/etc. Doolittle was injured halfway through the season so hasn't been 100% for the playoff run, and Soares/Pillar have improved a ton as they've taken on bigger roles. The biggest loss will be Olseth as he is the rock of the defense and really the only size on the roster which is their Achilles heel. But just in terms of identity the Oles are about attacking and Bechtel/Todd are the engine so having both back is the most importany part. They can figure things out on defense and at GK as they only need serviceable replacements there.
That 2023 National championship team identity was basically "we don't care if you score because we can score when we want to" and that's still how the Oles operate. I don't think we'll have the horses to get the win over Tufts today, but with the attacking firepower coming back in 2026 I expect to be back in the small mix of teams to with a real chance to win it all.
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 12:45:23 PMQuote from: mngopher on December 05, 2025, 11:31:04 AMI'm the resident Ole here, but I think Tufts advances. I'll say 3-1 Tufts over the Oles. First half ends 1-1 after the Oles get another early one, but this time they can't hold in the 2nd half. Tufts gets a winner early in the 2nd and tacks on another with the Oles pressing late.
I'm not falling for the reverse psychology trick!
My gut says Trinity over Emory today, but the eventual winner I think will come from the Tufts-St. Olaf match.
Looking at NESCAC teams, I think Conn and Wesleyan (in particular) and Tufts all have a several of their studs back again next year. I thought I had read/heard that Antic would take another year but IDK.
Bates had 2 freshmen and a Sophomore earn All-Conference honors. They could be a team to watch in the next year or two. Not sure what will happen in 2026 with Amherst, Midd or Williams.
Haha. I'm trying! Agree - I think the Tufts-St. Olaf game is the de facto national championship. No disrespect meant to Emory or Trinity who earned their way to get here.
St. Olaf 1 - Tufts 0 in the 29th minute
Tufts was overagressive collapsing on the ball carrier Jack Soares in the box, leaving Ryan Wilson open for the top bin score from close range
St. Olaf 1 - Tufts 1 34th minute
An innocent, lofted ball to the six yard box bounces around and is put in by a scramble. That's one where the St. Olaf GK really needed to take command and simply didn't do it. Not sure if Tufts' size bothered him.
EDIT: James Gunn credited with the goal. It was a real scramble in front of the box.
HALF: St. Olaf 1 - Tufts 1
St. Olaf is having problem with Tufts' size in the box on set pieces, but Tufts had some problems of its own on that last play of the first half allowing a ball to bounce around near the six yard box before being cleared.
Tufts out-shooting St. Olaf 12-6 (4-1 SOG) and has 4 corners to 2 for St. Olaf. The Ole's will want to limit that corner number in the second half. Tufts has 7 fouls to 3 for St. Olaf and two Tufts players are carrying yellows into the second half.
Quote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 04:00:18 PMHALF: St. Olaf 1 - Tufts 1
St. Olaf is having problem with Tufts' size in the box on set pieces, but Tufts had some problems of its own on that last play of the first half allowing a ball to bounce around near the six yard box before being cleared.
Tufts out-shooting St. Olaf 12-6 (4-1 SOG) and has 4 corners to 2 for St. Olaf. The Ole's will want to limit that corner number in the second half. Tufts has 7 fouls to 3 for St. Olaf and two Tufts players are carrying yellows into the second half.
St Olaf goalie made 2 great saves to keep them in it. Tufts has had quite a lot of good looks but it's even.
I disagree with both Tufts cards. And couple times I've thought ref is calling St Olaf foul but it's opposite.
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 04:05:45 PMQuote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 04:00:18 PMHALF: St. Olaf 1 - Tufts 1
St. Olaf is having problem with Tufts' size in the box on set pieces, but Tufts had some problems of its own on that last play of the first half allowing a ball to bounce around near the six yard box before being cleared.
Tufts out-shooting St. Olaf 12-6 (4-1 SOG) and has 4 corners to 2 for St. Olaf. The Ole's will want to limit that corner number in the second half. Tufts has 7 fouls to 3 for St. Olaf and two Tufts players are carrying yellows into the second half.
St Olaf goalie made 2 great saves to keep them in it. Tufts has had quite a lot of good looks but it's even.
I disagree with both Tufts cards. And couple times I've thought ref is calling St Olaf foul but it's opposite.
Agree on Hobday. He kept St. Olaf in the game early on. He was just shaky on the goal and one other play in the air where he came out for a ball and missed entirely.
I should have added that Bechtel was carded as well. Something after the St. Olaf goal, but I couldn't tell what happened.
Our first VAR review for possible penalty in the box against St. Olaf, but ref rules no penalty. Their feet were tangled and both players down.
Ref very heavy-handed against Tufts
Lights are too bright for this ref. Needs to get a grip.
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 04:29:47 PMRef very heavy-handed against Tufts
Dezotell gets a yellow along with a player, presumably for complaining. Tufts' card count up to 6
Tufts 2 - St. Olaf 1 in the 77th minute
The corner offense strikes again. Taylor Feinberg didn't have a size advantage, but he had sealed off the defender and directed the ball to the opposite corner.
This announcer is shambolic
I kind of wondered if St. Olaf would switch goalkeepers. Hobday is a shot stopper, but not great in the air. Carlson has 3-4 inches over him at 6'4" and probably is stronger in the air and in commanding his box. We'll see. There's height and then there's confidence to use it.
Oh, and another yellow card issued, although this one for St. Olaf and Charlie Pillar it looks like.
Fantastic save by Antic, making up for a really poor punch of the ball
Interesting that the St. Olaf keeper is coming up for every corner.
Tufts looking to lock this down, classic NESCAC soccer. Excellent on set pieces and play low scoring games all season
FINAL: Tufts 2 - St. Olaf 1
Quote from: paclassic89 on December 05, 2025, 04:57:32 PMQuote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 04:29:47 PMRef very heavy-handed against Tufts
Ref has been fine.
I didn't watch the entire game, so I can't reasonably comment on overall quality, but this astounds me:
7 cards on Tufts? They had 21 all season.
St Olaf's had 3 cards, so it's not like the official was card happy with all. Seems like Tufts partisans have a point.
Quote from: Bucket on December 05, 2025, 05:38:01 PMQuote from: paclassic89 on December 05, 2025, 04:57:32 PMQuote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 04:29:47 PMRef very heavy-handed against Tufts
Ref has been fine.
I didn't watch the entire game, so I can't reasonably comment on overall quality, but this astounds me:
7 cards on Tufts? They had 21 all season.
St Olaf's had 3 cards, so it's not like the official was card happy with all. Seems like Tufts partisans have a point.
As a Tufts partisan here's what I'll say. 5-6 of the cards were merited with one blatantly bad call. I think the bigger problem the jumbos had with the referee was a lack of consistency in what constituted a card. If both teams were held to the same standard, it probably would have finished with 5-6 cards each.
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 12:45:23 PMQuote from: mngopher on December 05, 2025, 11:31:04 AMI'm the resident Ole here, but I think Tufts advances. I'll say 3-1 Tufts over the Oles. First half ends 1-1 after the Oles get another early one, but this time they can't hold in the 2nd half. Tufts gets a winner early in the 2nd and tacks on another with the Oles pressing late.
I'm not falling for the reverse psychology trick!
My gut says Trinity over Emory today, but the eventual winner I think will come from the Tufts-St. Olaf match.
Looking at NESCAC teams, I think Conn and Wesleyan (in particular) and Tufts all have a several of their studs back again next year. I thought I had read/heard that Antic would take another year but IDK.
Bates had 2 freshmen and a Sophomore earn All-Conference honors. They could be a team to watch in the next year or two. Not sure what will happen in 2026 with Amherst, Midd or Williams.
I know that Antic has another year of eligibility, but I would imagine that if they win Sunday, he'll walk off a champion. With a loss, idk what he would do.
Quote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 05:07:42 PMFantastic save by Antic, making up for a really poor punch of the ball
Interesting that the St. Olaf keeper is coming up for every corner.
*pulls out soap box, climbs up*
Once again, the trend in goalkeeping coaching away from correctly punching the ball rears its head. BACK IN MY DAY, that is a very clear, two-handed punch out to the sideline that is well clear of the 30-yard line. He came out without conviction and with not a ton of traffic (he wasn't getting bumped when he hit the ball, goalies are used to that level of traffic) and limp-wristedly flapped at the ball.
It was a nice recovery, but that almost put this game into OT.
I think Emory wins. I wouldn't say they got lucky against Dickinson, but... As I posted, they kind of stole that game.
Don't get me wrong, very good team. It just looks like Trinity is a notch above.
And I think the cold weather is wash. Atlanta isn't exactly Pittsburgh (or Columbus).
Quote from: Bucket on December 05, 2025, 05:38:01 PMQuote from: paclassic89 on December 05, 2025, 04:57:32 PMQuote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 04:29:47 PMRef very heavy-handed against Tufts
Ref has been fine.
I didn't watch the entire game, so I can't reasonably comment on overall quality, but this astounds me:
7 cards on Tufts? They had 21 all season.
St Olaf's had 3 cards, so it's not like the official was card happy with all. Seems like Tufts partisans have a point.
To be fair, two of Tufts' cards were for dissent. I don't know whether they were warranted, but I don't think we could call them "bad" or "harsh" calls based on watching the livestream since we don't know what was said. So, I would look at it as more like 5-3 yellow cards, which isn't quite as slanted.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on December 05, 2025, 05:54:44 PMQuote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 05:07:42 PMFantastic save by Antic, making up for a really poor punch of the ball
Interesting that the St. Olaf keeper is coming up for every corner.
*pulls out soap box, climbs up*
Once again, the trend in goalkeeping coaching away from correctly punching the ball rears its head. BACK IN MY DAY, that is a very clear, two-handed punch out to the sideline that is well clear of the 30-yard line. He came out without conviction and with not a ton of traffic (he wasn't getting bumped when he hit the ball, goalies are used to that level of traffic) and limp-wristedly flapped at the ball.
It was a nice recovery, but that almost put this game into OT.
I've been live streaming.... and ranted on this. Keepers too passive. They should get off the line and clear the ball out.....
SC.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on December 05, 2025, 05:54:44 PMQuote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 05:07:42 PMFantastic save by Antic, making up for a really poor punch of the ball
Interesting that the St. Olaf keeper is coming up for every corner.
*pulls out soap box, climbs up*
Once again, the trend in goalkeeping coaching away from correctly punching the ball rears its head. BACK IN MY DAY, that is a very clear, two-handed punch out to the sideline that is well clear of the 30-yard line. He came out without conviction and with not a ton of traffic (he wasn't getting bumped when he hit the ball, goalies are used to that level of traffic) and limp-wristedly flapped at the ball.
It was a nice recovery, but that almost put this game into OT.
100% agree. Goalkeepers are being taught to one-hand punch the ball these days because you can theoretically direct it better and it's more flexible since you can pull out easier if traffic changes and you're about to punch a player in the head. The problem is that goalkeepers didn't grow up doing much boxing training and a one-handed punch when your feet aren't on the ground and legs stabilized is not that easy to manage. It's also difficult to get the proper power since you need some hip rotation to properly punch if you aren't rushing out and throwing your body at the ball like a missile (in which case you might as well two-handed punch to increase your surface area for making contact). It's also one more decision to make when you're going 100 mph and decision making is a much more difficult part of being a goalkeeper than shot-stopping, which is generally positioning and muscle memory reaction.
Quote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 06:08:47 PMQuote from: Hopkins92 on December 05, 2025, 05:54:44 PMQuote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 05:07:42 PMFantastic save by Antic, making up for a really poor punch of the ball
Interesting that the St. Olaf keeper is coming up for every corner.
*pulls out soap box, climbs up*
Once again, the trend in goalkeeping coaching away from correctly punching the ball rears its head. BACK IN MY DAY, that is a very clear, two-handed punch out to the sideline that is well clear of the 30-yard line. He came out without conviction and with not a ton of traffic (he wasn't getting bumped when he hit the ball, goalies are used to that level of traffic) and limp-wristedly flapped at the ball.
It was a nice recovery, but that almost put this game into OT.
100% agree. Goalkeepers are being taught to one-hand punch the ball these days because you can theoretically direct it better and it's more flexible since you can pull out easier if traffic changes and you're about to punch a player in the head. The problem is that goalkeepers didn't grow up doing much boxing training and a one-handed punch when your feet aren't on the ground and legs stabilized is not that easy to manage. It's also difficult to get the proper power since you need some hip rotation to properly punch if you aren't rushing out and throwing your body at the ball like a missile (in which case you might as well two-handed punch to increase your surface area for making contact). It's also one more decision to make when you're going 100 mph and decision making is a much more difficult part of being a goalkeeper than shot-stopping, which is generally positioning and muscle memory reaction.
I think the day when they started treating goalkeepers as field players, in general, we lost the plot.
Notice how keepers are reactive about everything... coming out to block a shot.... parrying every shot.... I was brought up to shut up and get the ball. Now its... don't be scored on.
I don't like it. Maybe need to do a video on this....
SC/.
Max Salinas going out early with an injury is rough for Trinity. He's a big part of their possession game. With Perryman substituting for him, someone else will have to play midfield. If it's Knutsen, that changes their attack.
Quote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 05:59:40 PMQuote from: Bucket on December 05, 2025, 05:38:01 PMQuote from: paclassic89 on December 05, 2025, 04:57:32 PMQuote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 04:29:47 PMRef very heavy-handed against Tufts
Ref has been fine.
I didn't watch the entire game, so I can't reasonably comment on overall quality, but this astounds me:
7 cards on Tufts? They had 21 all season.
St Olaf's had 3 cards, so it's not like the official was card happy with all. Seems like Tufts partisans have a point.
To be fair, two of Tufts' cards were for dissent. I don't know whether they were warranted, but I don't think we could call them "bad" or "harsh" calls based on watching the livestream since we don't know what was said. So, I would look at it as more like 5-3 yellow cards, which isn't quite as slanted.
Fair point. Thank you.
HALF: Emory 0 - Trinity 0
Emory did a great job of pressuring and disrupting Trinity's possession game both in midfield and out of the back. If Cubeddu had his shooting boots on, Emory would have the lead at half.
Emory led in shots 8-1 (2-0 SOG)
Emory had 3 corners to 0 for Trinity
The question is if Emory, a team that doesn't rely on subs much, can keep up the pressure in the second half.
Halpern's save was elite there. You can see why he was a DI player at Villanova before transferring. Trinity scores that goal all season long on a delivery from Theiss.
Quote from: SimpleCoach on December 05, 2025, 06:16:24 PMQuote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 06:08:47 PMQuote from: Hopkins92 on December 05, 2025, 05:54:44 PMQuote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 05:07:42 PMFantastic save by Antic, making up for a really poor punch of the ball
Interesting that the St. Olaf keeper is coming up for every corner.
*pulls out soap box, climbs up*
Once again, the trend in goalkeeping coaching away from correctly punching the ball rears its head. BACK IN MY DAY, that is a very clear, two-handed punch out to the sideline that is well clear of the 30-yard line. He came out without conviction and with not a ton of traffic (he wasn't getting bumped when he hit the ball, goalies are used to that level of traffic) and limp-wristedly flapped at the ball.
It was a nice recovery, but that almost put this game into OT.
100% agree. Goalkeepers are being taught to one-hand punch the ball these days because you can theoretically direct it better and it's more flexible since you can pull out easier if traffic changes and you're about to punch a player in the head. The problem is that goalkeepers didn't grow up doing much boxing training and a one-handed punch when your feet aren't on the ground and legs stabilized is not that easy to manage. It's also difficult to get the proper power since you need some hip rotation to properly punch if you aren't rushing out and throwing your body at the ball like a missile (in which case you might as well two-handed punch to increase your surface area for making contact). It's also one more decision to make when you're going 100 mph and decision making is a much more difficult part of being a goalkeeper than shot-stopping, which is generally positioning and muscle memory reaction.
I think the day when they started treating goalkeepers as field players, in general, we lost the plot.
Notice how keepers are reactive about everything... coming out to block a shot.... parrying every shot.... I was brought up to shut up and get the ball. Now its... don't be scored on.
I don't like it. Maybe need to do a video on this....
SC/.
I'm ready, coach!
Speaking of punches, Trinity's Schell just delivered a nice punch on that cross, although I'm not sure whether it was one or two hands.
PK for Trinity! Urquidi was so smooth and deceptive in the box on that play.
VAR overturned! Corner instead. A game-changing call for sure
Quote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 08:28:04 PMPK for Trinity! Urquidi was so smooth and deceptive in the box on that play.
VAR overturned! Corner instead. A game-changing call for sure
50/50 on pen or not, but definitely not a clear enough error to overturn the on field decision
Another Emory shot in a 1 v.1 that sailed over the goal. They've given Trinity life several times.
On to OT!
Theiss scores the golden goal! Trinity wins 1-0
Emory deserves a lot of credit. They were outstanding and Halpern was phenomenal despite conceding the goal from what seems like an impossible angle.
Ultimately, Emory's lack of quality in front of the net and its lack of depth/subs to allow them to continue pressing as effectively as in the first half allowed Trinity to stay in the game and creep into control. The pass from Ramirez to Mayfield and from Mayfield to Theiss to spring that goal was class and the finish was what you expect from a kid who scored as often as he did this year.
Quote from: rdanie03 on December 05, 2025, 05:50:45 PMQuote from: Bucket on December 05, 2025, 05:38:01 PMQuote from: paclassic89 on December 05, 2025, 04:57:32 PMQuote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 04:29:47 PMRef very heavy-handed against Tufts
Ref has been fine.
I didn't watch the entire game, so I can't reasonably comment on overall quality, but this astounds me:
7 cards on Tufts? They had 21 all season.
St Olaf's had 3 cards, so it's not like the official was card happy with all. Seems like Tufts partisans have a point.
As a Tufts partisan here's what I'll say. 5-6 of the cards were merited with one blatantly bad call. I think the bigger problem the jumbos had with the referee was a lack of consistency in what constituted a card. If both teams were held to the same standard, it probably would have finished with 5-6 cards each.
Inconsistency was the problem which I'm sure is why Dezotell got carded.
Call em or don't; just keep it even.
Congrats to St Olaf. Sounds like they'll have a lot of players returning next year.
Let's go Tufts
Golden goal was brutal way to end the game. Especially rough on the keeper. Obv. he should have done better. Feet definitely should have been set better.
Crazy tough position and one mistake gets magnified despite Emory's lack of success in front of goal. That'll everyone will remember. Keeper is a junior and only allowed .66 goals per game with only allowing 13 goals all season. Like I said, brutal way to end their season
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 09:33:48 PMQuote from: rdanie03 on December 05, 2025, 05:50:45 PMQuote from: Bucket on December 05, 2025, 05:38:01 PMQuote from: paclassic89 on December 05, 2025, 04:57:32 PMQuote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 04:29:47 PMRef very heavy-handed against Tufts
Ref has been fine.
I didn't watch the entire game, so I can't reasonably comment on overall quality, but this astounds me:
7 cards on Tufts? They had 21 all season.
St Olaf's had 3 cards, so it's not like the official was card happy with all. Seems like Tufts partisans have a point.
As a Tufts partisan here's what I'll say. 5-6 of the cards were merited with one blatantly bad call. I think the bigger problem the jumbos had with the referee was a lack of consistency in what constituted a card. If both teams were held to the same standard, it probably would have finished with 5-6 cards each.
Inconsistency was the problem which I'm sure is why Dezotell got carded.
No. Dezotell did that as a matter of principle. He can't tell the team they haven't given their all if he isn't booked
Quote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 09:00:28 PMEmory deserves a lot of credit. They were outstanding and Halpern was phenomenal despite conceding the goal from what seems like an impossible angle.
Ultimately, Emory's lack of quality in front of the net and its lack of depth/subs to allow them to continue pressing as effectively as in the first half allowed Trinity to stay in the game and creep into control. The pass from Ramirez to Mayfield and from Mayfield to Theiss to spring that goal was class and the finish was what you expect from a kid who scored as often as he did this year.
Just watched the goal. Great build up and beautiful passing and off the ball movement. And Kudos to Theiss for the celebration. He didn't make it about himself and he didn't show up the other team. Granted it's only one moment, but I he seems like a class act, unlike many of the other players who have scored big goals recently.
Some statistics and thoughts related to Tufts-Trinity:
I know others have said all the Final 4 teams are really good and have been consistent but I do think Trinity has been playing better in the tournament than what they had been prior. From late-September til the NCAA tourney they had a stretch of 11 games in which they were 9-1-1 but 5 of those wins were decided by 1 goal, they gave up 11 goals in those 11 games and only had 2 shutouts. Tufts, on the other hand, has played consistently well ever since mid-September with lots of tough opponents. They've managed to win or tie several games even when they were under significant pressure against top-20 teams such as Conn, Bowdoin, Wesleyan and St. Olaf.
It seems to me Trinity was able to win a good number of games because their offense had a lot of success. But since the tourney started their defense has been shutting down their opponents (until Emory who they managed to hold off despite offensive pressure from Emory).
Prior to the Emory game, I don't think the Trinity defense has faced any great offensive units (seems like some of their good opponents performed less good against Trinity).
I had to really dig deeper into the stats to find much of an edge one way or another. The cold weather would favor Tufts and I thought I would be writing that Tufts may have an edge if it comes down to PKs but lo and behold: both teams have over 10 PK goals this season! Trinity is 11/12 and Tufts is 10/11.
Both teams have made it to the NCAA finals without needing to go to PKs and each team has 4 wins in regulation and 1 win in OT (double-OT for Tufts).
Since October 1st:- Tufts 13-0-1; Trinity 13-0-1
- Trinity 39 GF 7 GA; Tufts 33 GF 6 GA
- Tufts 9 shutouts; Trinity 7 shutouts
Season:- (preface to point out dramatically different SOS. Tufts only faced 4 teams outside the top-63 NPI prior to the tournament while Trinity only face 5 teams inside the top-74 NPI before the tourney {3-1-1})
- Tufts 14 shutouts; Trinity 12 shutouts
- Trinity 60 GF 12 GA; Tufts 55 GF 12 GA
- Trinity has never been shutout; Tufts has been twice (both 0-0 ties)
- Trinity 4 games with 1 goal (3-0-1); Tufts 7 games w 1 goal (5-1-1)
- Vs Top 100 Teams: Tufts 10-1-3 (19 GF 7 GA); Trinity 5-1-1 (15 GF 8 GA)
- Trinity 1 Multi-GA games; Tufts 2 Multi-GA games
- Tufts 7-1-2 against teams that made NCAA (16 GF 7 GA); Trinity 3-1-1 (10 GF 5 GA)
- Trinity 8 games won by 1 goal; Tufts 9 games won by 1 goal
Stats seem to indicate Trinity has no problem playing against physical teams in games with a lot of fouls so that appears to be a wash with Tufts being used to playing lots of games in the generally physical NESCAC.
Size-wise the teams appear similar.
The edge I see, again, is Tufts experience against strong offensive opponents. Their D/GK have been tested repeatedly.
Can Trinity's defense keep up with the Tufts offense? For whatever reason, Trinity's opponents rarely get more than 2-3 corner kicks per game (only once in last 14 games have they conceded > 3 corners - to Emory (6) in the semi). Whereas Tufts routinely has 5-8 corners in 10 of the last 14 games. Similarly, Trinity has only conceded > 3 SOG in only 2 of their last 14 games. While Tufts has managed 7+ SOG in 10 of their last 14 games.
Trinity corners to opponents' 162-48
Tufts corners to opponents' 152-78
Trinity margin 2.2 (2.73 - 0.55)
Tufts margin 1.9 (2.39 - 0.52)
Assists Trinity 51; Tufts 48
Shots/shots faced
Trinity 367-146
Tufts 397-205
Saves Tufts 48; Trinity 35
Fouls committed/opponents:
Trinity 246-289
Tufts 247-277
Cards/ opponents
Trinity 38-54
Tufts 28-38
As I mentioned earlier I had to dig deep in the stats to find differences.
I'm sure it will be a great game but my gut says it will be over in regulation.
Quote from: Ejay on December 06, 2025, 10:16:58 AMQuote from: Kuiper on December 05, 2025, 09:00:28 PMEmory deserves a lot of credit. They were outstanding and Halpern was phenomenal despite conceding the goal from what seems like an impossible angle.
Ultimately, Emory's lack of quality in front of the net and its lack of depth/subs to allow them to continue pressing as effectively as in the first half allowed Trinity to stay in the game and creep into control. The pass from Ramirez to Mayfield and from Mayfield to Theiss to spring that goal was class and the finish was what you expect from a kid who scored as often as he did this year.
Just watched the goal. Great build up and beautiful passing and off the ball movement. And Kudos to Theiss for the celebration. He didn't make it about himself and he didn't show up the other team. Granted it's only one moment, but I he seems like a class act, unlike many of the other players who have scored big goals recently.
Here's a link to an Instagram post with the video (https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR56oYEDTzz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) of the Trinity goal
Ooof. That goal reminds me of my worst let up... Happened in high school against our rival in the Regionals. (winner goes to the F4.)
Feel bad for the kid.
Following up on Sandon Milbut's preview of the Tufts-Trinity matchup, here are some thoughts that may only be of interest to me:
1. Shutout streak
Trinity has pitched a shutout in 5 games in a row in the NCAA tournament after beating Emory 1-0. Perhaps the closest it has come to conceding was when Emory's Jake Breitegan hit the post in the second half.
2. Slow starts
By contrast, after beating St. Olaf 2-1, Tufts has now conceded a goal in three straight matches in the tournament. To put that in context, that is 30% of the matches where it has conceded any goal all season and the first time it has conceded a goal in more than two games in a row all season. Is that because it has been facing stronger offenses or more offensive-minded teams in the NCAA tournament? Maybe, but it faced Bowdoin in the regular season and they tied 0-0. Plus, it has only conceded 1 goal in each of the last 3 games and it won all three, so it's not like the Tufts defense has been playing poorly.
The common denominator is that all three NCAA tournament goals were conceded in the first half and in 2 out of the 3 games (Messiah and St. Olaf) Tufts conceded the first goal. In fact, when you go back to the games where they conceded any goal this season, they have now conceded the first goal in more than half of them, including their one loss (1-3 to Williams in the second game of the season, which jumped out to a goal in the 25th minute and then scored two more), their one scare against a weaker opponent (a 2-1 win over Trinity (CT) in the middle of conference season, where they conceded in the 35th minute and rallied for the win with goals in the 77th and 81st minutes), and their OT win over Middlebury in the NESCAC semifinals (where Middlebury jumped out to a 2-0 lead and Tufts rallied for goals in the 72nd and 79th minutes to force OT where it got the winning goal).
The positive is that Tufts has proven resilient and capable of rallying for wins and it is good at making the necessary defensive adjustments at half to seal up their defense. The negative is that it becomes increasingly harder to do so against better defensive teams and against teams that are also capable of generating offensive attacks while Tufts is pressing forward for an equalizer. Does it mean anything that conceding first, which only happened three times before the tournament in games separated by a month each, has now happened three games in a row? Probably not, but I don't think Tufts wants to press its luck by allowing it to happen again in the finals.
3. Set plays
Tufts is strong on set plays and has generated quite a bit of its offense through corners, free kicks, and lobs into the box that are effectively set plays. It's not just that they often have a size advantage with 6'5" Ben Brown, but they are very physical and crafty on those plays, probably from the experience they get with them on the offensive and defensive end in the NESCAC. In the semifinals, that was St. Olaf's undoing. Tufts also beat Middlebury in the NESCAC semifinals off a free kick.
Can Trinity handle those better than St. Olaf? They do have a bit more size on the defensive line (although more in height than in muscle mass) and if Brown became too much to handle, they could always bring on 6'7" center back Ethan Cowdrey as a counter. The big difference between St. Olaf and Trinity might be at goalkeeper. Jayden Schell is listed at 6'3" and he's pretty aggressive coming off his line and commanding the box. He'll have to be better than St. Olaf's keeper to keep Tufts off the board because they have proven that they can punish a team if they are given a chance in the box.
On the other hand, Trinity has scored its fair share of goals of its own on corners and set pieces. Antic is a fantastic shot-stopper, but in the game against St. Olaf, he had his own problems with coming off his line to deal with balls in the air and bouncing around in the box. As a shorter keeper, I can understand why he has a different style of game, but he'll have to be a bit more decisive on these types of balls against Trinity.
4. Familiar faces
There is barely any overlap between the Tufts and Trinity rosters, but the schools do share a couple of kids from Highland Park in Dallas. Tufts' D William Cornog was a senior at Highland Park HS when Tufts GK Jack Madsen was a sophomore. I'm not sure either of them is on their respective travel rosters for this tournament, but if they are they should make sure to take a photo together for the Highland Park HS boys soccer Instagram page.
5. Injuries
Trinity's Max Salinas went down with an injury after going down in the 8th minute on a breakaway. If he's out for this game, that would be a big loss for the Tigers. He was the SAA Rookie of the Year this season. His 3 goals and 3 assists understates his contribution to the team as a player who routinely can dribble through tight spaces and unlock and unbalance the most organized of defenses. Perhaps the day off between the semifinals and final and the warmer predicted temperatures on Sunday may help him recover in time to contribute. If not, they have the depth to cover for his spot (Salinas was never a full 90 type of player), but I'm not sure they have anyone who offers quite the same skill set as he does.
On the Tufts' side, the St. Olaf game was the first time defender Tyler Feinberg started and went the full 90 since Sept. 10th against UMass Boston. He played 21 minutes the next game against Colby on 9/13 and then didn't play at all until 10/18 against Middlebury when he went 34 minutes. He's been on limited minutes ever since and only went more than a half against Conn College (78 minutes) in the NESCAC finals. The question will be how much he can go after going the full 90 in the cold weather yesterday in Salem. His goal against St. Olaf was an obvious contribution, but he was very strong as a defender as well and his leadership as a three year co-captain was likely important on the field when the team went down a goal. Tufts can adapt if he can't go as many minutes since they've been doing it much of the season anyway, but I'm sure they would rather have him out there than on the bench.
6. Records
If Tufts wins, they can make the claim to having the most successful season in program history. While they've won 4 national championships, finishing with a 20-1-3 record would best the 2019 record of 20-2-2 and, at least on wins, the 2018 record of 18-0-3. Plus, Tufts won the NESCAC conference tournament this season and lost on PKs in the quarters in 2018.
If Trinity wins, it will still fall short of its magical 2003 national championship run. A 21-1-1 record would be mighty impressive, but not as impressive as the 24-0-0 record of the 2003 squad.
Quote from: Kuiper on December 06, 2025, 04:50:43 PMIf Trinity wins, it will still fall short of its magical 2003 national championship run. A 21-1-1 record would be mighty impressive, but not as impressive as the 24-0-0 record of the 2003 squad.
I was at that 2003 championship game in which Trinity held on for dear life to claim the title over Drew (20-2-3). If I remember correctly, Trinity was up 2-1 but Drew was peppering them in the final 15 minutes and even hit the crossbar.
I've mentioned this before, but that Drew team was unreal. They only gave up 6 goals all season and went 17 games in a row without giving up a goal. The semi-final victory vs. Wheaton was perhaps the greatest D3 game I've ever seen considering the circumstances. IMHO, Drew deserved a Natty that year plain and simple, but that's why you play the game.
Some pre-game additions to my Tufts - Trinity preview
1. Weather
The forecast says it will be in the low 40s at kickoff and throughout the game. That's only at most a ten degree difference, but it should still feel more comfortable, especially if there's sun
2. Transfers
Both teams have benefitted from transfers, something that I expect will continue from the DI level with roster limits, and from other levels because of the growing popularity of the transfer portal
Here are two key transfer contributors from each team:
Tufts
Nikola Antic - spent his freshman year at DI Northeastern, where he did not get any minutes, before transferring to neighboring Tufts
Henry Brown - transferred from St. Lawrence, where he played his first two season and was Liberty League Rookie of the Year and first team All Liberty League
Trinity
Samuel Theiss - spent his first two years at DI University of San Diego, where he didn't see any minutes, before returning to his native South Texas to play the last two seasons at Trinity
Jayden Schell - started his career at D3 Birmingham Southern and transferred to D2 Spring Hill before coming back to Texas to play GK for Trinity
Hodge McDonald steps in for injured Max Salinas in midfield in the starting lineup for Trinity according to their Instagram lineup post (https://www.instagram.com/p/DR-Bx3WDhBI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==).
He played in the second half when Trinity turned things around against Emory
The rest of the lineup remains the same
Trying to find it on championships pass, and only see the semis there?
Quote from: LibbyMoore on December 07, 2025, 12:10:41 PMTrying to find it on championships pass, and only see the semis there?
https://www.ncaa.com/game/6529812 (https://www.ncaa.com/game/6529812)
Trinity 1 - Tufts 0 (27th minute)
Luke Chandler scores off a rebound in the box after Antic makes a good save on a Theiss cross and Urquidi shot, but leaves the ball in a dangerous spot.
Tufts concedes another first goal
Quite different styles from these two teams. First time watching Trinity this year and they look fantastic.
Henry Brown shown a yellow card that was coming for a long time. Possibly a persistent infringement situation since he set the tone early with some deliberate fouls.
Quote from: LibbyMoore on December 07, 2025, 12:10:41 PMTrying to find it on championships pass, and only see the semis there?
https://www.ncaa.com/game/6529812
VAR for possible handball on Trinity in the box on a free kick. Not called on the field.
UPDATE: No penalty
Tufts should try stringing more than a couple of passes together in the second half.
HALF: Trinity 1 - Tufts 0
Trinity out-shooting Tufts 8-2 (3-0 in SOG)
Trinity with 3 corners to 1 for Tufts
Henry Brown with the only yellow
Both teams using a decent amount of subs. That's not inconsistent with their normal approach, but both teams probably have players with heavy legs after their semifinal matches.
Not really sure how this Tufts team is in the final, the level of play couldn't be farther apart
Quote from: CarefreeTX on December 07, 2025, 01:06:52 PMNot really sure how this Tufts team is in the final, the level of play couldn't be farther apart
Probably should be careful rather than carefree with your remarks. Tufts has been down 1-0 in the past and rallied for wins in several games this NCAA tournament. Schell has been aggressive off his line and in free kicks, but he's been playing with fire on those. That's how Tufts can beat you.
Quote from: CarefreeTX on December 07, 2025, 01:06:52 PMNot really sure how this Tufts team is in the final, the level of play couldn't be farther apart
That physical, more direct style has reaped rewards year after year in D-3, as evidenced by the NESCAC's dominance. Personally, I prefer the more technical style of Trinity, but you simply can't argue with that style's success.
Quote from: NEsoccerfan on December 07, 2025, 01:15:57 PMQuote from: CarefreeTX on December 07, 2025, 01:06:52 PMNot really sure how this Tufts team is in the final, the level of play couldn't be farther apart
That physical, more direct style has reaped rewards year after year in D-3, as evidenced by the NESCAC's dominance. Personally, I prefer the more technical style of Trinity, but you simply can't argue with that style's success.
Having said that, I certainly agree with you on the level of quality in the first half.
Flurry of chances in the second half for both teams. Tufts pressing hard.
Getting testy. Gunn pushes Knutson and Lopez steps in to defend his teammate. Both get yellows
Really hard foul against Lopez. Gets Tufts a yellow and Lopez was down for awhile. Thought there might even be a concussion check
Not that I've seen much of either team but tuned in expecting a match of stout back line defending launching direct counters vs midfield progression leading to attacking combinations in the box. Only half right--haven't seen combination play and not much action in the middle of the field. Wondering if this was the game plan for the Tigers or maybe credit to the Jumbos for dictating play.
Quote from: Freddyfud on December 07, 2025, 01:45:47 PMNot that I've seen much of either team but tuned in expecting a match of stout back line defending launching direct counters vs midfield progression leading to attacking combinations in the box. Only half right--haven't seen combination play and not much action in the middle of the field. Wondering if this was the game plan for the Tigers or maybe credit to the Jumbos for dictating play.
Tufts has done a good job disrupting Trinity in the second half, but Trinity is still trying to play possession.
Dezotell with another yellow this tournament
Normally quite pleased with NESCAC reffing. But this absolutely ridiculous. Unbelievable one sidedness in both games in the final four now for Tufts. Surely all the NESCAC hater in to tell me the reffing is fine, but just absolute absurdity.
Wow! Tufts scores with 4 seconds to go to tie the game
Wow
Oof. Tigers were 4 seconds away from the title and a nice shot in the upper corner to tie it for Tufts.
On to OT. Tufts has huge momentum and Trinity has to regroup
Tufts 2 - Trinity 1 in OT
Golden goal on a breakaway
Heartbreaker for Trinity. Another example of resilience and ability to rally by Tufts
Big credit to Schell. Absolutely stood on his head to keep Trinity in it.
Good way to end the season with an entertaining game by two quality teams.
Quote from: CarefreeTX on December 07, 2025, 01:06:52 PMNot really sure how this Tufts team is in the final, the level of play couldn't be farther apart
This did not age well
Quote from: CarefreeTX on December 07, 2025, 01:06:52 PMNot really sure how this Tufts team is in the final, the level of play couldn't be farther apart
Turns out they play a 2nd half as well!
Quote from: Kuiper on December 07, 2025, 01:10:12 PMTufts has been down 1-0 in the past and rallied for wins in several games this NCAA tournament. Schell has been aggressive off his line and in free kicks, but he's been playing with fire on those. That's how Tufts can beat you.
+1
Quote from: Kuiper on December 07, 2025, 01:35:33 PMGetting testy. Gunn pushes Knutson and Lopez steps in to defend his teammate. Both get yellows
Shew that wagging finger from #6!
Quote from: Kuiper on December 07, 2025, 01:52:34 PMDezotell with another yellow this tournament
I think right at the 86 minute mark Jett was knocked down directly in front of the Tufts bench - no call - and felt like a momentum change.
Quote from: D3Reporter on December 07, 2025, 02:34:42 PMBig credit to Schell. Absolutely stood on his head to keep Trinity in it.
4-seconds from MVP. He was like Tyson out there throwing punches at anything and everything. One of the Trinity defensemen also made an epic save with his thigh but I'd say mostly it was the GK.
Quote from: rdanie03 on December 07, 2025, 02:46:37 PMQuote from: CarefreeTX on December 07, 2025, 01:06:52 PMNot really sure how this Tufts team is in the final, the level of play couldn't be farther apart
This did not age well
The entire 2nd half felt like a goal was coming for Tufts.
....
Epic game. Trinity sort of dominated the first half. Was painful to watch as a Tufts fan. But what a turnaround at half time. Within a few seconds of the 2nd half kickoff the Jumbos had an opportunity better than probably anything in the first 45 minutes. Then built and built so much pressure. Couple short comebacks from Trinity but I need to see the stat-sheet breakdown by half. Holy smokes it must've been 15 Tufts shots in the 2nd half.
I noticed in the final play of regulation even GK Antic got his head on the ball shortly before the crazy goal to tie it up.
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 06, 2025, 10:59:36 AMCan Trinity's defense keep up with the Tufts offense? For whatever reason, Trinity's opponents rarely get more than 2-3 corner kicks per game (only once in last 14 games have they conceded > 3 corners - to Emory (6) in the semi). Whereas Tufts routinely has 5-8 corners in 10 of the last 14 games. Similarly, Trinity has only conceded > 3 SOG in only 2 of their last 14 games. While Tufts has managed 7+ SOG in 10 of their last 14 games.
Quote from: Sandon Mibut on December 05, 2025, 12:45:23 PMMy gut says Trinity over Emory today, but the eventual winner I think will come from the Tufts-St. Olaf match.
Please do yourself a favor and watch this incredibly special interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDwF57K2N04
I promise you won't regret it, no matter your affiliations.
Quote from: D3Reporter on December 07, 2025, 07:04:46 PMPlease do yourself a favor and watch this incredibly special interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDwF57K2N04
I promise you won't regret it, no matter your affiliations.
As someone who knows this team very well, it actually shows things that almost no one knows
Quote from: NEsoccerfan on December 07, 2025, 01:15:57 PMQuote from: CarefreeTX on December 07, 2025, 01:06:52 PMNot really sure how this Tufts team is in the final, the level of play couldn't be farther apart
That physical, more direct style has reaped rewards year after year in D-3, as evidenced by the NESCAC's dominance. Personally, I prefer the more technical style of Trinity, but you simply can't argue with that style's success.
NESCAC soccer isn't pretty, but they have won 8 of the last 11 tournaments and have had a team in 10 of 11 semis. Last possession oriented team to win was Messiah.
Just got back to NJ from Salem, what a weekend!
Quote from: Coach.myers on December 07, 2025, 09:03:25 PMNESCAC soccer isn't pretty, but they have won 8 of the last 11 tournaments and have had a team in 10 of 11 semis. Last possession oriented team to win was Messiah.
May be biased but Conn plays a possession oriented style.....
Has Tufts just completed the greatest season in program history?
2014:
- 16-2-4
- National champs
- NESCAC regular season champs (1 seed)
2016:
- 15-5-2
- National champs
- 2nd place NESCAC regular season finish
2018:
- 18-0-3
- National champs
- NESCAC regular season champs (1 seed)
2019:
- 20-2-2
- National champs
- NESCAC champs
- 2nd place NESCAC regular season finish
2025:
- 20-1-3
- National champs
- NESCAC champs
- NESCAC regular season champs (1 seed)
Think it has to be the greatest season in program history. Which is hard to do at a historic program like Tufts. That Tufts team won every single achievement they could have possibly won.
NESCAC Regular Season Champs
Moe-Zeidan trophy (the cup given to the winner of Amherst Tufts regular season game)
NESCAC tournament Champs
#1 team in the country (in every ranking)
National Champions
As a supporter of the program, happy to see Bargagna score what might go down as one of the most historic goals in D3 soccer history. What a strike from a player who is arguably the most talented player on that Tufts team. It's crazy that he never won any NESCAC awards or national recognition as I'm sure any of the coaches or players would argue he's the best outside back in the country.
Don't post on here a lot but I was at the game yesterday and that was quite possibly one of the best sporting events I've ever seen in person. Both teams controlling the game at time, punch counter punch, drama, passion, the atmosphere was unlike anything I've seen before.
To have that composure with the announcer counting down and knowing your career is seconds from being over and to connect on a shot like that to beat a keeper who had been so good. One of the best sporting moments in my lifetime.
On my drive home, I did really start to feel for Coach Paul and his kids. They were far clear of Tufts in the first 45 minutes. Trinity did about as much as you can do to win it, and to have it taken like that. I can't imagine what the five minute intermission was like going into OT. How do you refocus after that?
Just drama to a degree I've never seen before.
Bargagna should have been all NESCAC from last year, was really glad for him yesterday, saw him after the St. Olaf game and he was in good mood, was named to all-tournament team!
As possibly the only Trinity(TX) supporter that ever posts here, I can't imagine how those kids felt when that shot went in. This was a team virtually nobody gave a chance to even make the final four and for 89:55 a championship was right there. Kudos to Tufts for pushing to the end and literally pulling it out in the final seconds, but kudos as well to McGinlay and everyone on that team for making it there.
And yes, my wife did ask me if everything was OK after I screamed in frustration and despair myself.
You guys have a great team congratulations, I have nothing but respect for the way they played!
Quote from: Coach.myers on December 07, 2025, 09:03:25 PMNESCAC soccer isn't pretty, but they have won 8 of the last 11 tournaments and have had a team in 10 of 11 semis. Last possession oriented team to win was Messiah.
If memory serves me correct, I think Tufts played a possession style with some of those championship teams before.
Quote from: Coach.myers on December 07, 2025, 09:03:25 PMNESCAC soccer isn't pretty, but they have won 8 of the last 11 tournaments and have had a team in 10 of 11 semis. Last possession oriented team to win was Messiah.
Apparently you don't watch enough soccer. University of Chicago put together one of the greatest seasons in D3 history in 2022 en route to an undefeated title where they beat a NESCAC team in the final 2-0. UChicago has been possession oriented and technical since Mike Babst arrived in 2013 and brought the program to new heights.
Quote from: blue_jays on December 08, 2025, 09:54:29 AMQuote from: Coach.myers on December 07, 2025, 09:03:25 PMNESCAC soccer isn't pretty, but they have won 8 of the last 11 tournaments and have had a team in 10 of 11 semis. Last possession oriented team to win was Messiah.
Apparently you don't watch enough soccer. University of Chicago put together one of the greatest seasons in D3 history in 2022 en route to an undefeated title where they beat a NESCAC team in the final 2-0. UChicago has been possession oriented and technical since Mike Babst arrived in 2013 and brought the program to new heights.
I would also add St. Olaf to that list in 2023 ...
SC.
Quote from: SimpleCoach on December 08, 2025, 10:23:02 AMQuote from: blue_jays on December 08, 2025, 09:54:29 AMQuote from: Coach.myers on December 07, 2025, 09:03:25 PMNESCAC soccer isn't pretty, but they have won 8 of the last 11 tournaments and have had a team in 10 of 11 semis. Last possession oriented team to win was Messiah.
Apparently you don't watch enough soccer. University of Chicago put together one of the greatest seasons in D3 history in 2022 en route to an undefeated title where they beat a NESCAC team in the final 2-0. UChicago has been possession oriented and technical since Mike Babst arrived in 2013 and brought the program to new heights.
I would also add St. Olaf to that list in 2023 ...
SC.
This correct. They played a possession style on route to their championship over Amherst more direct style. Whatever style one team plays it is up to them. If it makes them successful than go with it. As one person said, you don't get style points for looking pretty. You get points for winning. Personally I prefer the possession style but with a purpose.
I like St. Olaf, nice game style and the players are quite friendly, speaking to a few of them after the Tufts game and they had nothing but admiration for the Tufts program.
Quote from: Ron Boerger on December 08, 2025, 08:59:59 AMAs possibly the only Trinity(TX) supporter that ever posts here, I can't imagine how those kids felt when that shot went in. This was a team virtually nobody gave a chance to even make the final four and for 89:55 a championship was right there. Kudos to Tufts for pushing to the end and literally pulling it out in the final seconds, but kudos as well to McGinlay and everyone on that team for making it there.
And yes, my wife did ask me if everything was OK after I screamed in frustration and despair myself.
With you, Ron.
Quote from: d3_fanatic on December 08, 2025, 07:06:10 AMHas Tufts just completed the greatest season in program history?
2014:
- 16-2-4
- National champs
- NESCAC regular season champs (1 seed)
2016:
- 15-5-2
- National champs
- 2nd place NESCAC regular season finish
2018:
- 18-0-3
- National champs
- NESCAC regular season champs (1 seed)
2019:
- 20-2-2
- National champs
- NESCAC champs
- 2nd place NESCAC regular season finish
2025:
- 20-1-3
- National champs
- NESCAC champs
- NESCAC regular season champs (1 seed)
Not only that, but the most dominant two year stretch. Their only loss in two years was their NESCAC opener against Williams where they were dominant until the game got stopped for two hours for lightning.
Tufts 2024 + 2025 Seasons:
31-1-9 for an 86.9% win rate
Knocked out of NCAAs in 2024 in 2nd round by Buffalo State in a game that was 1-1 (Buffalo advanced 4-3 on PKs) but Tufts had outshot Buffalo 31-8!!
They simply could not find the goal when it mattered most in 2024. GF 1.89 and GA 0.50 (increased to 2.38 and 0.54 in 2025).
If you cherry pick Josh Shapiro's amazing streak 2014-2019 the team was 95-16-18 for a win rate of 80.6% and he was 73.3% over his full 10 years at Tufts.
Dezotell in his first 5 seasons is 69-10-23 for a win rate of 78.9% which is the best in the NESCAC over the same period.
Looking ahead to Tufts 2026:
It will be a different team but not inferior when you look at the potential starting lineup. Perhaps less depth but there's an incoming freshman class that I know nothing about, at least 1 key player that missed most of 2025 on injury, and evidence of off-the-bench players that could step up. If Lauta returns they could be better next year!
(* means they were generally a starter)
*Xavier Canfin F (2025 jr)
*Bijan AktarzandiDas D (jr)
*Henry Brown F (jr)
*Ben Brown D (jr)
*Ethan Jett M (jr)
*Alex Johnson D (fr) got add'l playing time due to Feinberg's injury
Ellis Denby M (so) (started 9 games; over 1300 minutes)
Will Nicholas M (so) (over 600 minutes off bench)
Ben Ortman F (fr) 6'4" played a great shift in 2nd half of the championship game; over 500 min from bench
Gianluca Fallone M (fr) (~20 min/gm average)
William Cornog D (listed as soph) injured early in September & missed rest of season; started 2 games and played 50 min/gm prior to injury. Transferred from D1 University of Portland. Says he redshirted 2023 and played 1 minute for Portland in 2024 so perhaps a junior but with 2 more years of potential eligibility. Comes from a family of great athletes.
Losing (unless they're eligible and opt for a graduate year):
*Mateo Bargagna D (sr)
*Nikola Antic GK (sr) - eligible for another year but IDK if there's any plan
*Daniel Yanez M (sr) - his younger brother played in 6-7 games off bench as a sophomore in 2025)
*Ben Pensky M (sr)
Henry Perkins F (sr)
*Taylor Feinberg D (grad) missed ~5 weeks due to injury
Mason Shultz F (sr)
James Gunn M (sr)
James Flagg D (sr)
Antic and Pensky could return!
Also Gunn and Flagg have a redshirt year due to injury, so the champs are only guaranteed to lose Feinberg, Yanez, Perkins and Shultz
If you thought the fortunes of the Trinity men's soccer team could not have turned any worse when they conceded a goal with 4 seconds left in regulation in the finals against Tufts . . . :o
Franklin County Firefighters Help Trinity U Soccer Team After Bus Slid off Roadway (https://www.wfxrtv.com/franklin-county/franklin-county-firefighters-help-trinity-u-soccer-team-after-bus-slid-off-roadway/)
QuoteMembers of the Snow Creek Volunteer Fire Department assisted soccer players from Trinity University after their team bus slid off the roadway on Monday, December 8.
The men's team had just finished runner-up on Sunday to Tufts University in the NCAA Division III National Championship held at Donald J Kerr Stadium in Salem.
Firefighters transported the team and staff to the station in Pinhook "in order to get the tour bus off the mountain and back down to safety," according to the Facebook post.
Fortunately, the photos in the story suggest no one was hurt.
Quote from: Kuiper on December 09, 2025, 04:52:50 PMIf you thought the fortunes of the Trinity men's soccer team could not have turned any worse when they conceded a goal with 4 seconds left in regulation in the finals against Tufts . . . :o
Franklin County Firefighters Help Trinity U Soccer Team After Bus Slid off Roadway (https://www.wfxrtv.com/franklin-county/franklin-county-firefighters-help-trinity-u-soccer-team-after-bus-slid-off-roadway/)
QuoteMembers of the Snow Creek Volunteer Fire Department assisted soccer players from Trinity University after their team bus slid off the roadway on Monday, December 8.
The men's team had just finished runner-up on Sunday to Tufts University in the NCAA Division III National Championship held at Donald J Kerr Stadium in Salem.
Firefighters transported the team and staff to the station in Pinhook "in order to get the tour bus off the mountain and back down to safety," according to the Facebook post.
Fortunately, the photos in the story suggest no one was hurt.
I hear you, but I think that just made that experience even more special. True adventure.
I guessing they were taking a bus down to NC for a plane. NCAA probably wouldn't spring for the plane ride from Roanoke-Blacksburg.
The pics from the news article linked from the facebook post showed them in good spirits, all things considered. And the team reposted the article on their IG.
There were issues getting flights at all (which as Kuiper previously posted, resulted in them arriving a day early) so this may have simply been the best the NCAA could do on short notice.
Quote from: Kuiper on December 09, 2025, 04:52:50 PMIf you thought the fortunes of the Trinity men's soccer team could not have turned any worse when they conceded a goal with 4 seconds left in regulation in the finals against Tufts . . . :o
Franklin County Firefighters Help Trinity U Soccer Team After Bus Slid off Roadway (https://www.wfxrtv.com/franklin-county/franklin-county-firefighters-help-trinity-u-soccer-team-after-bus-slid-off-roadway/)
QuoteMembers of the Snow Creek Volunteer Fire Department assisted soccer players from Trinity University after their team bus slid off the roadway on Monday, December 8.
The men's team had just finished runner-up on Sunday to Tufts University in the NCAA Division III National Championship held at Donald J Kerr Stadium in Salem.
Firefighters transported the team and staff to the station in Pinhook "in order to get the tour bus off the mountain and back down to safety," according to the Facebook post.
Fortunately, the photos in the story suggest no one was hurt.
If the team was low after the loss, I bet this helped keep things in perspective. They are a fine bunch.
QuoteOnce the bus was at the fire station, the team loaded up to continue its journey to San Antonio, Texas.
That's a helluva bus ride. Google spit out 20.5 hours on the road.
Quote from: Hopkins92 on December 10, 2025, 10:26:02 AMQuoteOnce the bus was at the fire station, the team loaded up to continue its journey to San Antonio, Texas.
That's a helluva bus ride. Google spit out 20.5 hours on the road.
They flew via Greensboro (GSO) and were on their way there.
Quote from: Ron Boerger on December 10, 2025, 10:27:33 AMQuote from: Hopkins92 on December 10, 2025, 10:26:02 AMQuoteOnce the bus was at the fire station, the team loaded up to continue its journey to San Antonio, Texas.
That's a helluva bus ride. Google spit out 20.5 hours on the road.
They flew via Greensboro (GSO) and were on their way there.
I figured as much... Local reporting can be a little spotty. ;-)
I think Tufts said they flew into and out of Charlotte, was thinking all teams did that?
Quote from: camosfan on December 10, 2025, 10:51:24 AMI think Tufts said they flew into and out of Charlotte, was thinking all teams did that?
You fly where the NCAA can get flights. From San Antonio, GSO was the option.
Quote from: Ron Boerger on December 10, 2025, 10:58:13 AMQuote from: camosfan on December 10, 2025, 10:51:24 AMI think Tufts said they flew into and out of Charlotte, was thinking all teams did that?
You fly where the NCAA can get flights. From San Antonio, GSO was the option.
Easier airport access was probably one of the selling points for Columbus or Pittsburgh, the next two Final Four sites.
I hear Dallas might have an airport or two.
(And I know you've laid out the business case for Pitt and CLB... I just have a hard time with the NCAA putting outdoor Final Four games in obvious snow country.)
A championship proposal in Dallas would likely have to be submitted by the SCAC, co-hosted by UDallas/Austin, neither of which have been terribly successful at the sport on either men's or women's side. Then again, the ASC was a co-sponsor of a couple (rather poorly attended) football championships in the Houston area, so they could submit as well I guess.
But even in Dallas it can get cold. Women had their championships in San Antonio back in the teens for a couple of years - the one year I went, temps were in the 30s (but no snow). Dallas does see snow on occasion, but more often it's ice. In either case, from personal experience, you don't want to be travelling there when either occur.