Liberty League

stlawus · May 05, 2025, 06:33:24 PM

Quote from: kevdog on May 05, 2025, 05:11:09 PM
Quote from: Saint of Old on May 05, 2025, 04:00:55 PM
Quote from: Kuiper on May 02, 2025, 02:49:54 PM
Quote from: stlawus on May 02, 2025, 02:35:09 PMSLU's Henry Brown has transferred to Tufts for next season.

Wow. Big pickup for Tufts and loss for the Saints.
Y would a Saint who has top scored (basically) his first seasons leave the team for a D3 program?
Not blaming the young man, but imo things cannot be going right for this to happen.
Disrespecting history eventually impacts the present and future.

Tufts has a reputation of being a very good academic school throughout the nation and their soccer program is top notch. One of the best in the nation and plays in the best league in the nation, NESAC. SLU use to play in the best league in the nation back in the early 90's. Maybe he just wantedmore of a challenge both academically and athletically. Can't blame him for that but he will be missed.

I've always been more optimistic than everyone else, but Saint might have a point. SLU used to get transfers from programs like that. Durocher's last team had a transfer from UR as an example. It is a much different landscape now of course, but hard not to wonder.

kevdog · May 05, 2025, 09:51:52 PM

Yeah Durocher had some transfers and it started with a UMass transfer in 1990 and then 1992 got another transfer from St.Francis in Chris Rose. Saint of Old and I have talked about this. Durocher built up some very good pipelines for recruiting and transferring players. I know things have change but sometimes transfers can help both on the field and off

stlawus · May 05, 2025, 10:17:38 PM

You're of course right, I was just referring to transfers from high academic programs comparable to Tufts like Rochester, not just in general. But yes, Durocher's last team had transfers from UR, Syracuse and American.

Kuiper · June 16, 2025, 01:02:07 PM

[Cross-posting from the 2025 Schedules Thread because of the Liberty League crossover]

Middlebury

Middlebury had a pretty strong non-conference schedule (for a NESCAC school) last season. This one might not have a highly ranked opponent, but the schedule may be more exciting with two highlight matchups against Liberty League powers. They drop Norwich, Keene State, Endicott, and Babson and add St. Lawrence, Thomas, and Vassar. Vassar is a particularly interesting opponent after losing to Middlebury 2-1 at Middlebury in the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament last season. St. Lawrence is another really interesting matchup. I think the last time the two schools played each other was in 2006, when the Saints beat Middlebury at Middlebury 2-1 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. I'm sure there are some SLU alums who remember that one. I don't know when the two teams last played each other in the regular season, though. It would be pretty cool if this became a regular thing.

stlawus · June 16, 2025, 05:29:27 PM

Quote from: Kuiper on June 16, 2025, 01:02:07 PM[Cross-posting from the 2025 Schedules Thread because of the Liberty League crossover]

Middlebury

Middlebury had a pretty strong non-conference schedule (for a NESCAC school) last season. This one might not have a highly ranked opponent, but the schedule may be more exciting with two highlight matchups against Liberty League powers. They drop Norwich, Keene State, Endicott, and Babson and add St. Lawrence, Thomas, and Vassar. Vassar is a particularly interesting opponent after losing to Middlebury 2-1 at Middlebury in the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament last season. St. Lawrence is another really interesting matchup. I think the last time the two schools played each other was in 2006, when the Saints beat Middlebury at Middlebury 2-1 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. I'm sure there are some SLU alums who remember that one. I don't know when the two teams last played each other in the regular season, though. It would be pretty cool if this became a regular thing.

There was talk of Middlebury trying to schedule SLU but didn't sound like much had come of it. I'm glad to see it did. At the very least happy to see SLU mix it up in the non-con, they've had the same schedule for what seems like 6 years. The last time they played was indeed that 2006 NCAA tournament matchup. They've only played each other 13 times , I'm actually surprised they haven't played more.

Vassar wasn't really outplayed by Middlebury last year, in fact I'd say Vassar might have been in control more than they weren't. Had some good chances at the end to tie it up.

stlawus · August 25, 2025, 11:28:18 PM

I guess I'll start things with the season about to get underway. I guess I just don't know. Vassar probably picked to finish 1st, they bring back the league's best player and still have most of their midfielders. Have to replace a few defenders, but Vassar's strength was never their defense, they just impose their will offensively.

SLU is eh, I don't really know either. Back line should be solid and will have lots of size, no one below 6'2" across all 4, but there are a lot of ifs with the midfield. Ogango back healthy will give them a definite boost there. Couldn't keep their top scorer from transferring so they're going to need goals from Campbell. Not sure how much they'll get out of their freshmen group, 1 or 2 players look like they'll get extended minutes, but at the moment there isn't anyone like a Tobolski that I foresee jumping onto the scene right away. SLU has started out very poorly the last couple seasons, so if that happens again Cortland could put them in a big hole right off the bat.

After that, I really don't know about the rest of the league. Hobart I suppose could make noise, they had a nice run the 2nd half of the year. Ithaca had a coaching change, Union lost another one of their best players to the NESCAC and RPI has been in dire straights. Would like to see Clarkson finally get over the hump and into the playoffs with the return of Carter Lincoln. Clarkson is the sleeping giant of the Liberty League across several sports. If they had any semblance of an effort to upgrade facilities besides Cheel they could easily be one of the top Liberty League athletic departments.

deutschfan · August 26, 2025, 10:53:31 PM

So it's that time of year again. Here is my two cents on the Brown transfer. Other than the fact that there are very few inter-school transfers in general, this decision makes all the sense in the world. Brown spent two years at SLU and never made the dance. He would be looking at an uphill battle as the LL has typically been a one team invite. Tufts plays in the best league in the nation and has won multiple national championships in the last decade. It is almost always in the dance. Its acceptance rate is around 10 percent compared to an over 50 percent acceptance rate at SLU. Tufts has Boston, while SLU borders on a neighboring nation that our current administration is trashing. Brown also probably saw the experience of Marco Perugini, the Union midfielder who imho should have been the 2023 ROY. He goes to Connecticut College, leads the team in assists, and is a shootout away from a national championship. Does Tobolski follow in Perugini and Brown's footsteps? If he duplicates last season I think he's gone. Vassar's last 2 ROYs before him were Mrliks, who had family ties to Vassar that likely kept them there. Tobolski's academics had to be top notch to get into Vassar and he would be an attractive target for an Ivy or NESCAC program.

stlawus · August 29, 2025, 09:36:20 PM

League's about where I thought it'd be for this season. It's Vassar and everyone else. Lots of very mid soccer today. Their game isn't over yet but Vassar so far has been the only convincing team today as it pertains to their quality of competition. RPI blows a lead late, Union melts down late, RIT and Clarkson both fail to score with RIT losing. SLU gets the honors of the day's biggest lemon. Can't remember a SLU team ever looking that bad. Very sad state of affairs, but it's been a few years in the making. Cortland just destroyed Rochester, Sunday could be quite ugly if they don't rally.

Saint_Dad · August 29, 2025, 09:42:03 PM

Yes, Can't blame Brown for transfering. After watching the first game of the season it looks like they are certainly missing George in goal, Will Baker and Owen Lillis on defense, The Dutchman Pijpers, their best player Mogul, and their best scorer Brown. I don't see any of the goals scoring with the defense from last year. I think both the offense and defense will improve as its not an experienced team with 6 starters gone. Jeremy is needed in midfield and will hopefully be back from his injury soon.

kevdog · August 31, 2025, 05:34:22 PM

Could not agree with more. SLU played very well in the first half and took it to Cortland. It is very obvious that goals are going to come vey difficult but I hope on I am wrong. SLU needs a poacher upfront. As far as Friday's game I don't even know what you would call that becacuse that was ugly. As far as the losing back to back home games in 92 you have to remember that schedule backthenwas different than it is now. Back then you played on Friday and Saturday and you did not get 24 hours rest between games. Friday game was at 4 and Saturday game was at 11 or 1.

stlawus · September 06, 2025, 09:15:47 PM

I didn't anticipate Vassar losing to Cortland, even on the road. Vassar's occasional problem of conceding too easily bit them. They usually just outscore the opponent and I thought they'd win by 3 goals. Almost tied it at the end though. Cortland is just finding ways to win. I still think their actual quality is well below what it has been but that doesn't matter if they get results.

I'm pulling my donation to SLU soccer when the annual athletic department fundraiser kicks off in a couple weeks. It's not like I donate much, but we've reached a line of demarcation. This isn't on the players, even despite the scorelines. The coach is just unserious right now, so I'll shift my money to SLU basketball or lax. There were several very worrying signs the past 3 years in interviews the coach did, and it looks like they've all finally manifested.

StatesSoccerFan · September 07, 2025, 09:53:29 AM

Hobart with a 3-0 start. Looks like Vassar and Hobart are looking like the LL faves as we inch closer to league play.

LibbyMoore · September 07, 2025, 03:32:27 PM

SLU having a tough start for sure, and heading to Middlebury this week is probably not going to help matters.

I was surprised at Vassar's loss to Cortland, esp after they started with a big goal party vs. West Conn.

Cortland is always very strong, but Vassar has been as well-- the season is always full of surprises, esp. this early.

stlawus · September 07, 2025, 04:07:11 PM

I'm not declaring anyone besides Vassar as league favorites right now. Been many a season a team's non-conference performance had 0 bearing on the regular season. Right now they're the team that passes the eye test.

deutschfan · September 07, 2025, 07:56:12 PM

I am glad the SLU posters have gotten through the 7 stages of grief and are back. It is always darkest before the dawn and it can't get any darker for SLU than this Saturday's 5-2 drubbing. Vassar has tremendous skill in the mid and forward positions but as St Law has noted their defense has much to be desired. Using the transitive property of comparative scores, an approach that is almost never dispositive, Ithaca is in the best stead at this juncture. SLU and Vassar had the same result against common opponent Cortland making them relative equals (not). Geneseo beat SLU by 3 and lost to Ithaca. Ergo, Ithaca and its new coach can claim bragging rights at this point. Normally I would say Ithaca should be no match for Vassar but Ithaca has been a thorn in Vassar's side since joining the league. We will know soon enough as Ithaca's first league game is against Vassar.