NCAA North Region

D3 Scout · October 13, 2014, 12:23:59 PM

Superior loses to St. Olaf 1-0

Oshkosh did not play this weekend

UWW beats St. Norbert 2-1

UC Santa Cruz loses to Claremont 2-1

dontshootthegoose · October 13, 2014, 12:37:05 PM

It's pretty safe to say this is a 3 way race between the 3 UW teams. UC has too low of a strength of schedule relative to the Wisconsin schools. UWS and UWW face this weekend with serious implications for everyone involved.

Durantula · October 13, 2014, 06:12:05 PM

Prediction for tomorrows regional rankings

1. Loras
2. Wartburg
3. Luther
4. Gustavus
5. St Olaf
6. St Scholastica
7. Oshkosh
8. St Thomas
9. Whitewater
10. Carleton

Cheesehead Henry · October 13, 2014, 11:58:52 PM

Quote from: Durantula on October 13, 2014, 06:12:05 PM
Prediction for tomorrows regional rankings

1. Loras
2. Wartburg
3. Luther
4. Gustavus
5. St Olaf
6. St Scholastica
7. Oshkosh
8. St Thomas
9. Whitewater
10. Carleton

Durantuala, I like that list. It matches up with mine pretty well!

D3 Scout · October 14, 2014, 01:50:45 PM

1. Loras
2. Wartburg
3. Luther
4. GAC
5. St. Olaf
6. St. Scholastica
7. UW Oshkosh
8. UW Whitewater
9. St. Thomas
10. UW Superior

IIAC rules the rankings again

gustiefan04 · October 15, 2014, 03:41:47 PM

Really like these Midweek Roundups...

http://www.d3soccer.com/columns/midwest-roundup/2014/midwest-roundup-wk7

However, they only cover the same conferences every week, and leave out several important areas of the "Midwest". What about the IIAC, MIAC, CCIW, etc? While in the North Region, these are definately Midwest schools/conferences.

Excited to see how the final few weeks of the season play out in the North Region. Loras isn't as much a clear-cut front runner this year. Hoping to see things get shaken up a bit...

Christan Shirk · October 15, 2014, 04:33:11 PM

Quote from: gustiefan04 on October 15, 2014, 03:41:47 PM
Really like these Midweek Roundups...

http://www.d3soccer.com/columns/midwest-roundup/2014/midwest-roundup-wk7

However, they only cover the same conferences every week, and leave out several important areas of the "Midwest". What about the IIAC, MIAC, CCIW, etc? While in the North Region, these are definately Midwest schools/conferences.

The "Midwest Roundup" and the other write-ups (Upstate Update, Women's Watch) are being written by volunteer contributors. D3soccer.com is a two-person operation for the most part and in many respects a spare-time hobby. So we are dependent on volunteer contributors for new content, and all the more so as work and family commitments have left both Jim Matson and me with less time for the website in recent years (thus the absence of my Flyby columns).

The "Midwest Roundup" came about when someone contacted D3soccer.com in the off-season expressing interest in doing a column covering the SLIAC, NCAC, OAC, HCAC, and SAA. We accepted the offer and for lack of a better name,"Midwest" was used despite clearly not covering the entire Midwest. After a couple weeks of the column we were contacted by people wondering why such-and-such conference wasn't covered, and the dialogue that ensued resulted in new contributors providing coverage of the MIAA and MWC. As you mention we are missing some high level, high interest conferences (namely IIAC, CCIW, and MIAC) that reside in the broad Midwest region.

Despite being at my limit time-wise to proof and format the contributions, we would still welcome additional volunteer contributors to cover these and other regions/conferences. There are people on this forum that I know could do a good job, but I also know that its nice to write and share with the freedom and flexibility and informality that a forum provides versus the commitment, deadlines, and formality of doing so for a website. If someone is seriously interested and committed to submitting a weekly update for a conference or region not yet covered, please contact me via the contact info on the website.

D3 Scout · October 16, 2014, 05:34:33 PM

Loras loses to UWP 1-0 in overtime. This gives Loras a 1-1-1 record against the WIAC this season. A blowout win against UWW, a comeback tie against UWO and now this loss against UWP.

With a win this weekend @Luther I still believe Loras would be worthy of the top spot in the regional rankings.

4 Big Games this Weekend Include (Prediction):

Loras @ Luther (Loras 3-2)
GAC @ Macalester (GAC 2-0)
UWW @ UWS (UWW 2-1)
Dubuque @ Wartburg (Wartburg 2-0)

casualfan · October 17, 2014, 04:14:55 PM

This year has been the most unpredictable season that I can remember in the North Region. Teams are dropping games to below average opponents and then coming back to upset a higher ranked team more than a few times. There isn't a clear cut front-runner from the region so NCAA tourney time is sure to be exciting.

Early Predictions for NCAA Qualifiers

IIAC-Loras (AQ), Wartburg, Luther......all 3 get in, hard to bet against Loras still
MIAC-St. Olaf (AQ), GAC........a toss up between the two for the AQ, both should get in
MWC-Knox.....seems like they may be the best of a bad conference
UMAC-St. Scholastica (AQ)...........far above the rest
WIAC-UW-Whitewater......it'll be a tough test for any WIAC team to go unscathed through regular season & conference tourney

Other thoughts?

Durantula · October 17, 2014, 05:07:20 PM

I have looked into this casual fan, and I might be wrong because I am still new to this, but I think you may be being a little optimistic. In the past 5 years:

1/5 years the North Region got 3 at large bids

2/5 years the North Region got 2 at large bids

2/5 years the North Region got 1 at large bids

Last year was the year that we got three at larges, and I think that can be explained by Luther beating Trinity in a non region game. Loras beating everyone in non region games, and Carthage getting beat by Wartburg and a MIAC team I think? We have not done nearly as well this year (Trinity beat St Scholastica, Carthage beat St Thomas and Wartburg). Also last year the central region got NO at large bids which I don't see happening again with the quality of teams they have this year. After next weeks top 25 polls, the North region might not even have anyone in the top ten because of the Loras loss!

I guess I would say that there is a small chance that we get three again this year which would mean no at large bid for the MIAC.

lastguyoffthebench · October 17, 2014, 05:38:10 PM

2013
Loras (AQ)
Lake Forest (AQ)
Luther
GAC
CSS (AQ)
Carleton (AQ)
Wartburg
UWO (Pool B)

Luther SOS at 235.... only have one more game vs a team over .500 (LORAS). Jamestown is NAIA so that will not count towards their regional ranking. Could their bubble burst if some of the big teams fail to win the AQ?

casualfan · October 19, 2014, 07:14:37 PM

Good point, Durantula. I had only looked closely at last year's NCAA participants so that's why I went with 3 At-Large Pool C bids.

Take out the MIAC at-large for my predictions then.

D3 Scout · October 20, 2014, 12:02:14 PM

Had the pleasure of watching UWW vs. UWS and boy it was a good one. UWW went ahead 2-0 in the second half only to surrender the go ahead pk with a minute and thirty seconds left. After it seemed as though UWS had won it with an amazing comeback UWW scores with thirty seconds left to stun the home crowd. The match ended in a 3-3 tie and the result was deserving for both sides.

UWW improves to 9-3-3 after this weekend and UWS goes to 9-5-1. UWS ends conference play with a 2-1-1 record. UWW has conference record of 1-0-1. A win for UWW against UWP will setup a fight for the #1 seed with Oshkosh on Nov. 2 @WW.

casualfan · October 20, 2014, 12:22:24 PM

I think both UWW & UWS really needed the win, with UWS a bit more desperate. It sounds like UWS might be outta the race for the NCAA with 6 blemishes (5 losses). UWW continues a decent unbeaten streak but a win would've been huge.

Games Remaining for UWO & UWW

UWO 9-5-1: @St. Norbert, Finlandia, UWP, @UWW

UWW 9-3-3: Chicago, Marian, UWP, UWO

UWO should beat St. Norbert & Finlandia. UWP has been up & down so who knows. 3-0 going into the matchup withe UWW is most likely.

UWW has a tough test with Chicago and then a should be win with Marian. Same above with UWP. The Warhawks have all 4 at home so could that be the x-factor to finish the season to get the Pool B bid?

Then the rivalry game, UWO @ UWW, is sure to be a barn burner after the 4-0 win for Oshkosh last year. I'm sure the Warhawks haven't forgotten that match. With the game being played on grass at Fiskum Field, I'll go with UWW by a goal.

dontshootthegoose · October 20, 2014, 09:20:27 PM

What do you think would occur if it comes down to UWW and UWO in the final game of the year and they tie? Let us just say for the sake of argument that UWO wins out and finishes 12-5-1 with a SOS of 115. And say UWW finishes either 11-4-3, 11-3-4, or 12-3-3 (because they still have Chicago who is always a tough game) with a SOS of 57. Is this when the conference tournament actually has a purpose?