NESCAC

[Futbolguy]

Thanks SL, I get a kick out of your review, especially with respect to Midd.  Have not won anything in recent memory?  How about NESCAC reg season champs and undefeated in 2024, along with final four appearance?  But I do agree with the gritty comment and the youth.  Time will tell.  Big match against Amherst this weekend.  Hopefully they can get payback for a tough but controversial loss against AM in last years National final 4 match in Vegas.  Will be an intense 90 minutes. 

[Newenglander]

My Nescac Season Predictions

1. Tufts - Slow start but from watching them play they have the most quality & depth in the NESCAC. Sometimes a couple bad results in the beginning get the best teams going.
2. Amherst - Lost some big players but still think they are as effective as they have ever been
3. Williams - Have been impressed by their start and have good young talent. They are a frustrating team to  play.
4. Middlebury - Will be good this year but a step down from where they were last year. Have some young talent but won't be gritty enough. Haven't won anything in recent memory and this year certainly won't be their year to end that streak.
5. Conn. College - Good team but pretty soft to be honest
6. Wesleyan - They are due for a decent year and think they will end up mid-table
7. Bowdoin - Can never really put it together and do not think they will this year. Such a frustrating team to follow. I feel bad for Bowdoin fans.
8. Bates - Hard to beat and think they will clinch a NESCAC tourney spot this year
9. Hamilton - They will struggle to make the NESCAC tournament this year - do not see a lot of talent there.
10. Colby - Never great; won't be great this year either
11. Trinity - Trending up but still the bottom of the barrel

Tufts supporter I assume...........

[Soccerlover]

Thanks SL, I get a kick out of your review, especially with respect to Midd.  Have not won anything in recent memory?  How about NESCAC reg season champs and undefeated in 2024, along with final four appearance?  But I do agree with the gritty comment and the youth.  Time will tell.  Big match against Amherst this weekend.  Hopefully they can get payback for a tough but controversial loss against AM in last years National final 4 match in Vegas.  Will be an intense 90 minutes. 

Futbolguy sorry to break it to you but there is no trophy for NESCAC regular season champs, and Midd lost 2 games in 2024. Don't think making it to the Final 4 counts as winning anything either. Let's be honest with ourselves moving forward...

[Futbolguy]

Correct SL - allow me to clarify - undefeated in regular season, lost in NESCAC finals to Conn and Amherst in national semis.  Tufts made it to neither.  Regardless, focusing on something different, what do folks here make of the low scoring thus far?  three 0-0 draws last weekend and scoring seems to be down.  Early season and lack of much of a pre-season? 

[Camelparent]

Slightly Biased opinion, but I think defensive talent in the past couple years has been much higher than offensive talent. Also as my least favorite pundit Michael Owen said it's easier to knock down a house then create one.

The Camels are mirroring their start to last season getting a draw and a win this past week, which felt more like a collective relief rather than joy, given how the games went. Against Bowdoin, the lads clearly had a shower, as Tyler Huck broke free and got a shot off that was brilliantly saved by Krongard, but the rebound he could do nothing about. Both sides probably feel they should have scored more, each missing big opportunities before Elliot Spatz (Spatzinator) jumped over the Bowdoin goalkeeper, who tried to claim a corner, and scored.

A similar theme played out in the second match vs Salve Regina, where Conn finally broke free after Max Haberman scooped the ball over the defense, and it was Volleyed in by Max Weis. Next up is Colby, which won't be the prettiest game as they will probably sit deep as they did against tufts, but it's one the Camels must win.

 

The more interesting game this weekend will be the Panthers facing off against the Mammoths. After spending some time at both the roulette and blackjack tables with members of both teams in Vegas, I can confirm they really do hate each other. Amherst may have won the national championship that weekend, but Middlebury walked away with a ridiculous amount of cash in their pockets. For predictions, I'm probably leaning more towards Amherst in this match as they always seem to get one over on Middlebury.

[nescac1]

NESCAC teams are a collective 24-2-2 in out of conference play so far.  No team save for Wesleyan has lost an out-of-conference game, and everyone, again save for Wesleyan, is currently over .500 in terms of the overall record.  It's safe to say, if anything like that pace continues, we may once again see eight NESCAC teams in the NCAAs. I think six would be the low end in terms of what to expect at this point. 

Of course, it could be even better - NESCAC women are an insane 28-0-0 in out of conference play. 

[Newenglander]

Slightly Biased opinion, but I think defensive talent in the past couple years has been much higher than offensive talent. Also as my least favorite pundit Michael Owen said it's easier to knock down a house then create one.

The Camels are mirroring their start to last season getting a draw and a win this past week, which felt more like a collective relief rather than joy, given how the games went. Against Bowdoin, the lads clearly had a shower, as Tyler Huck broke free and got a shot off that was brilliantly saved by Krongard, but the rebound he could do nothing about. Both sides probably feel they should have scored more, each missing big opportunities before Elliot Spatz (Spatzinator) jumped over the Bowdoin goalkeeper, who tried to claim a corner, and scored.

A similar theme played out in the second match vs Salve Regina, where Conn finally broke free after Max Haberman scooped the ball over the defense, and it was Volleyed in by Max Weis. Next up is Colby, which won't be the prettiest game as they will probably sit deep as they did against tufts, but it's one the Camels must win.

 

The more interesting game this weekend will be the Panthers facing off against the Mammoths. After spending some time at both the roulette and blackjack tables with members of both teams in Vegas, I can confirm they really do hate each other. Amherst may have won the national championship that weekend, but Middlebury walked away with a ridiculous amount of cash in their pockets. For predictions, I'm probably leaning more towards Amherst in this match as they always seem to get one over on Middlebury.

yes - don't think the lack of goals is new for Conn for example - they scored 2 goals through their first 5 NESCAC games last year before starting to find their footing in the back of the net.....

[Soccerlover]

Correct SL - allow me to clarify - undefeated in regular season, lost in NESCAC finals to Conn and Amherst in national semis.  Tufts made it to neither.  Regardless, focusing on something different, what do folks here make of the low scoring thus far?  three 0-0 draws last weekend and scoring seems to be down.  Early season and lack of much of a pre-season? 

... Tufts was the regular season champs (since you like that stat) and was actually undefeated 

[Camelparent]

Correct SL - allow me to clarify - undefeated in regular season, lost in NESCAC finals to Conn and Amherst in national semis.  Tufts made it to neither.  Regardless, focusing on something different, what do folks here make of the low scoring thus far?  three 0-0 draws last weekend and scoring seems to be down.  Early season and lack of much of a pre-season? 

... Tufts was the regular season champs (since you like that stat) and was actually undefeated 

Slightly Biased opinion, but I think defensive talent in the past couple years has been much higher than offensive talent. Also as my least favorite pundit Michael Owen said it's easier to knock down a house then create one.

The Camels are mirroring their start to last season getting a draw and a win this past week, which felt more like a collective relief rather than joy, given how the games went. Against Bowdoin, the lads clearly had a shower, as Tyler Huck broke free and got a shot off that was brilliantly saved by Krongard, but the rebound he could do nothing about. Both sides probably feel they should have scored more, each missing big opportunities before Elliot Spatz (Spatzinator) jumped over the Bowdoin goalkeeper, who tried to claim a corner, and scored.

A similar theme played out in the second match vs Salve Regina, where Conn finally broke free after Max Haberman scooped the ball over the defense, and it was Volleyed in by Max Weis. Next up is Colby, which won't be the prettiest game as they will probably sit deep as they did against tufts, but it's one the Camels must win.

 

The more interesting game this weekend will be the Panthers facing off against the Mammoths. After spending some time at both the roulette and blackjack tables with members of both teams in Vegas, I can confirm they really do hate each other. Amherst may have won the national championship that weekend, but Middlebury walked away with a ridiculous amount of cash in their pockets. For predictions, I'm probably leaning more towards Amherst in this match as they always seem to get one over on Middlebury.

yes - don't think the lack of goals is new for Conn for example - they scored 2 goals through their first 5 NESCAC games last year before starting to find their footing in the back of the net.....

As you noted, football is all about timing. Would hate to score a bunch of goals during the regular season and go undefeated just to exit early in the playoffs...