NESCAC

[Camelparent]

Can we please acknowledge, for the moment, what Conn just did to top-5 nationally ranked and defending national champion Tufts Jumbos? Of course, what ultimately matters is the numbers on the final scoreboard. Conn couldn't get it done. Finishing, or lack thereof, can be the great equalizer in soccer, and Conn has been inconsistent with it all year. Credit to Tufts because Tufts defended.

But Tufts defended with their lives. Forget the fact that Conn outshot Tufts 25-4. (25 to 4? WHAT!?). Conn - in a league that plays for the long throw, set pieces, and counters - with the ball at its feet suffocated and pinned back Tufts deep in its own half for much of the game, forcing it to react to Conn's will. This was not empty possession; this was entertaining, chess-like, break-you-down-with-the-ball-on-the-ground shot-creation. Extremely difficult to do at this level against that opponent in a high-stakes atmosphere. If Conn can find a finishing touch in the NCAA's - watch out, world.

Perugini deserves the player of the year award. It's just obvious. His performance against Tufts may have been his best yet. He has all the attacking tools, and he does it without being a superior athlete - even more impressive. He terrorized Tufts with his dribbling, quick turning, shielding, change of speed, beating players with the ball down the wing, shots, and slipping runners through to goal. Definitely the league's most watchable player. He's shown the best all-around attacking quality, enough team-W's, a high national ranking, and the stats: leads the league in shots on goal, points, and NESCAC goals with 9. He's 5 for 5 on PKs, including two audacious shots that got the goalie to dive before the shot, both in the same playoff game. Kid oozes confidence. The league hasn't seen an attacking center-mid like him since Pat Devlin.

That's a lot of "ink" spilled for a team that lost.

More impressive, to me, is Tufts emerging with the win, despite being outshot 25-4.

And if you want to acknowledge a season-defining moment, look no further than Amherst against Middlebury. (And it pains me to a great degree to write these words.)

Amherst went on the road, against the top-ranked team in the country, perhaps needing a win to extend their season, and they did just that. Far more impressive than anything Conn did last weekend.

And you can have Perugini. Will Sawin is my player of the year.

Sawin just doesn't pass the eye test.

While I haven't seen Will Sawin play, so I can't really comment on whether he passes the eye test. What I am curious about, though, is how much coaches weigh in-conference production versus overall season stats.

Perugini finished with 24 points in 16 games (9 goals, 6 assists), averaging 1.50 points per game, while Sawin had 23 points in 15 games (11 goals, 1 assist), averaging 1.53 points per game

Perugini posted 17 points in 10 NESCAC games (8 goals, 1 assist), averaging 1.70 points per game, while Sawin had 13 points in 10 conference games (6 goals, 1 assist), averaging 1.30 points per game.

My name gives away who I'm backing, but I'm sure Middlebury topping the conference will probably tilt the votes in Sawin's favor.

[MunnyTim]

I think I have made my allegiance well known on this board.  That being said, the discussion between Sawin and Perugini is one of those things where I just say "they are both tremendous players."  Any team would be glad to have either of them.  One plays forward up top, the other more of a midfield maestro (and the Devlin reference is so appropriate, as someone who saw Pet Devlin back in the day). 

If I were a voter, I would have a really tough time picking between the two of them.  Glad I am not in a position where that is asked of me.  Rather, I am just appreciative of the manner they both go about their play on the field and the gift of watching them.

One other note - the performance of the weekend has to go to Amherst.  To go TO Midd with a NCAA berth on the line and score three to take down the Panthers up north is quite a result.  It will be interesting to stream the rematch of the Williams - Amherst game from a few weeks ago.  A non-biased observer (say, me) thought that Amherst was the better team the first time they met in Williamstown.  Curious to see how this rematch goes.

Does the winner of the Tufts-Hamilton game have an advantage on Sunday after an emotional rematch on Saturday between the Ephs and Mammoths?