WVB: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

[WLCALUM83]

Joining #5 Lakeland/#4 Maranatha in progress:

           (match tied 1-1, Crusaders up early in the 3rd)

[WLCALUM83]

Final just in:
      Maranatha over Lakeland (3-1)

Other NAthCon finals:

Dominican over Marian
Benedictine over WLC
Edgewood over CUW    all (3-0)


Semi-s:

Maranatha at Edgewood
Dominican at Benedictine

[Just Bill]

Live video for Maranatha at Edgewood:

http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/edgewood.portal

Live video for Dominican at Benedictine:

http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/benu.portal

[WLCALUM83]

Final just in:
       Edgewood over Maranatha
             (25-22, 24-26, 25-19, 25-23)

            Edgewood:  Palmer 22 kills
            Marantha:  DeLozier 32 kills, 15 digs

[WLCALUM83]

Dominican/Benedictine going to 5!

[WLCALUM83]

Final:   IL Eagles pull it out:
                 (25-20, 25-21, 24-26, 24-26, 15-11)

             Benedictine--  Cuppini 24 kills
           
NAthCon final:   Benedictine at Edgewood
                           (WI squad took the earlier meeting at home in 5--)

[WLCALUM83]

All-Eagle final in 2nd set  (IL Eagles up 1-0 as I post).

[WLCALUM83]

Benedictine/Edgewood going to 5!

[WLCALUM83]

Welcome to the NCAA D3 Tourney, Benedictine

IL Eagles prevail  (25-23, 18-25, 17-25, 25-22, 15-12)
           Benedictine -- Cuppini  20 kills  5 players with 10 or more digs
           Edgewood -- Palmer  24 kills

[WLCALUM83]

Next question:   Last I heard, in terms of ranked and in-tournament contention teams, Benedictine split with ranked U of Chicago and beat NEWMAC Tourney finalist MIT.  Dominican actually had a better record against Top 25 teams and was regionally ranked, whereas, Benedictine wasn't-- what kind of draw will the IL Eagles get?   

[WLCALUM83]

Turns out Dominican still gets in.  And Benedictine gets U of Chicago for a third time. First time in the history of the NAthCon that 2 of the conference's VB teams make the NCAAs.

[WLCALUM83]

With MSOE hiring a new women's volleyball coach today, that makes 2/3 of the Milwaukee NACC schools. (Alverno landed  a new coach a month or 2 back).

The big 3 (Benedictine, Edgewood and Dominican) have proved hard to surpass the last couple of years.

[WLCALUM83]

NACC schedule vs. ARV teams 8/30-9/10/13:

8/30:   Edgewood vs. ARV New Paltz;

9/6:   Lakeland vs. Top 25 Colorado College. CUW vs. UW=Whitewater.

Other observations: 

1)  Edgewood, Dominican and Benedictine start off with matches against other ranked teams as well. (noted on Top 25 board)

2)  I know its' early, but it'll be interesting to find out who lands the playoff spot that Maranatha was getting on a yearly basis before the Crusaders' exit from the conference.

3)  WLC's had a penchant for getting off to slow starts in-conference the last couple of seasons--is this the year that pattern changes??

4)  A handful of NACC teams landed new coaches--which one will have the best showing in the end?

[Captain_Joe08]

Preseason Poll is out....

1. Benedictine (16) 380
2. Dominican (3) 255
3. Edgewood (5) 251
4. Lakeland 214
5. Wisconsin Lutheran 183
6. Marian 163
7. Concordia Wisconsin 134
8. Aurora 131
9. Concordia Chicago 99
10. MSOE 78
11. Rockford 52
12. Alverno 31

[WLCALUM83]

Edgewood vs. #5 ranked Christopher Newport just underway: