Mid-Atlantic Region 2016

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

Scranton still underrated and Lycoming a bit overrated this season. Only benefit is that it's at home. I'm going Scranton 2-1. Lycoming defense is out of sorts this season and Scranton needs a big time win.

I was close...  Lycoming 3-1..
Lycoming had more riding on this game than Scranton..almost a must win for them..

Good action packed game. Would have preferred another result though.

Did you watch the game? What were your thoughts? I was unable to catch this one. Seemed like an even game from the box score?

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

MAF Mid-Atlantic Regional Rankings
1. F&M---------------5-0-2
2. Messiah-----------4-0-2
3. Fords--------------3-1-2
4. Lyco--------------3-2-2
5. Hopkins----------4-1-2
6. Etown------------4-1-0
7. Scranton---------5-1-0
8. Eastern----------4-1-1
9. Getty-------------3-1-1
10. Leb Val----------5-1-0

***I do not think the NSCAA will be anything close to this. These are just my power rankings at the moment***

[Shooter McGavin]

I would go with this...

1. F&M
2. Messiah
3. Fords
4. Etown
5. Scranton
6. Eastern
7. Lyco
8. Getty
9. JHU
10. LVC

[NEPAFAN]

Scranton still underrated and Lycoming a bit overrated this season. Only benefit is that it's at home. I'm going Scranton 2-1. Lycoming defense is out of sorts this season and Scranton needs a big time win.

I was close...  Lycoming 3-1..
Lycoming had more riding on this game than Scranton..almost a must win for them..

Good action packed game. Would have preferred another result though.

Did you watch the game? What were your thoughts? I was unable to catch this one. Seemed like an even game from the box score?

Yes even game; will respond more later but I believe Lyco's two goals were on the counter-attack...

[Go2Goal]

That is really Lycoming's style! They are not a team that is going to work the ball up through short passing combo's. they have speed up top and look to go direct or score on set pieces. It might be all they can do on the tiny field they play on (65 yards wide).

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

That is really Lycoming's style! They are not a team that is going to work the ball up through short passing combo's. they have speed up top and look to go direct or score on set pieces. It might be all they can do on the tiny field they play on (65 yards wide).

Not entirely disagreeing here but to say it's all they can do because of a small field is a bit of a stretch for me. They have been very good at home as discussed previously this season and in last year's thread...but they also only had 1 loss on the road last year which came at the hands of Amherst. So my point being is that they can play on a large field and succeed on a regular basis as well. Field size isn't as big a factor as it's made up to be in my opinion.

8-2-4 on the road for 2015 and currently through 2016. The 2 losses came to Amherst last season and F&M this season. Ties came to Eastern and Haverford this season and Rochester and Arcadia last season. I would bet that not all of the team's fields they beat or tied are the same size as Lycomings but hey I could be wrong. They have been successful home and away so as mentioned before I do not think it's as big a deal as some are making it out to be. 

[Gunners95]

I definitely agree with you on the fact that for the most part, home field advantage really is not as big as a deal as some usually believe. However I would argue when you look at a field like Lyco's which is 65 yards wide, there is definitely a HUGE advantage in being able to practice/play on that field day in and day out since most teams are not accustomed to fields that narrow. It also goes the same way for teams with massive fields, as they are able to spread the game to their liking (at least at first).

Lyco definitely has a huge advantage at home considering their direct, route-1 style of play, as teams who like to posses and spread the game out definitely struggle on their field. Not taking anything away from Lyco, as I think they performed relatively well in the games that I watched (F&M, Scranton, Haverford) but I would argue that they would have had a much better chance of winning vs F&M (who has a massive field) and Haverford if those games were played at home.

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

I don't disagree with any of that Gunners! 

[D3soccerwatcher]

Probably one of the greatest field contrasts in the Mid Atlantic is Lycoming vs Messiah. Small narrow turf field versus large wide natural grass field. Lycoming beat Messiah twice last year on their home turf field. It's going to be interesting to see how this match up plays out on Messiah's home field this year.

[Go2Goal]

I agree as well! When I said it MIGHT be all they can do...it's maybe more correct to say that may be the best option to build your team that way playing on the small field.

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

http://www.nscaa.com/web/Rankings/College_Rankings/NCAA_DIII_MEN/web/rankings/ncaa/diii_men.aspx

1. F&M (6)
2. Etown (16)
3. Fords (22)
4. Messiah (RV)
5. Scranton
6. Getty
7. Lyco
8. Eastern
9. Leb Val
10. Hopkins

[rudy]

Messiah survives 3-2 over York at home.  Messiah was caught snoozing after going up 3-1 and let in a quick goal to get it back to 1.   They will have to tighten that up.   Colby Thomas was dangerous all night and contributed a goal and an assist (maybe 2 assists?). York did tie F&M earlier this season so they are no pushover.. but have struggled to get a win lately coming to Grantham with a 3 L streak..but only losing by 1 goal each game.  They have some dangerous players for sure. 

Ruiz is back in the lineup after being out injured.  Two other freshman started this game...Brit (striker) and Cooper (center back).  Atu (another freshman) starting to get meaningful minutes as well...I think he could be a difference maker once he gets a goal or two and his confidence goes up.   

Any other regional games tonight?   Probably most are tomorrow.

[NEPAFAN]

Messiah survives 3-2 over York at home.  Messiah was caught snoozing after going up 3-1 and let in a quick goal to get it back to 1.   They will have to tighten that up.   Colby Thomas was dangerous all night and contributed a goal and an assist (maybe 2 assists?). York did tie F&M earlier this season so they are no pushover.. but have struggled to get a win lately coming to Grantham with a 3 L streak..but only losing by 1 goal each game.  They have some dangerous players for sure. 

Ruiz is back in the lineup after being out injured.  Two other freshman started this game...Brit (striker) and Cooper (center back).  Atu (another freshman) starting to get meaningful minutes as well...I think he could be a difference maker once he gets a goal or two and his confidence goes up.   

Any other regional games tonight?   Probably most are tomorrow.

Misercordia had a good win over previously undefeated Rutgers-Camden...

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

Messiah survives 3-2 over York at home.  Messiah was caught snoozing after going up 3-1 and let in a quick goal to get it back to 1.   They will have to tighten that up.   Colby Thomas was dangerous all night and contributed a goal and an assist (maybe 2 assists?). York did tie F&M earlier this season so they are no pushover.. but have struggled to get a win lately coming to Grantham with a 3 L streak..but only losing by 1 goal each game.  They have some dangerous players for sure. 

Ruiz is back in the lineup after being out injured.  Two other freshman started this game...Brit (striker) and Cooper (center back).  Atu (another freshman) starting to get meaningful minutes as well...I think he could be a difference maker once he gets a goal or two and his confidence goes up.   

Any other regional games tonight?   Probably most are tomorrow.

Misercordia had a good win over previously undefeated Rutgers-Camden...

Big games from last night...

Misericordia beat RUC 1-0
Lycoming beat Frostburg 2-1
Eastern beat Salisbury 1-0
Messiah beat York 3-2

Big games tonight...

Rowan@F&M
Alvernia@Etown
Fords@Stockton
Mary Washington@Dickinson
St. Mary's(Md)@Swat

[Falconer]

I agree with the point that Lycoming has a significant home-field advantage against teams that have much larger, natural grass fields.  This is especially relevant when they play Messiah.  And, please--this is not any kind of excuse.  It's a fact that certain venues favor certain styles of play and disfavor others.  If a team is to be consistently successful, they have to find ways of handling that fact.  As has been pointed out, Lycoming has done this very well recently, winning on the road on large fields often. 

As for the Falcons in the Brandt and McCarty years, two factors have loomed large in affecting their efforts to play the kind of soccer that got them championships--precise, one-touch passing, leading to the development of multiple lines of attack while keeping the ball out of their own end.  (Obviously that's a great formula, if you have the players to do it, but it's not the only way to win consistently.)  IMO the most important factor is a tightly called game.  When officials let a lot of things go, the uncalled fouls tend to slow down the Falcons, who rely on being able to find open passing lanes leading to open shots.  Most teams do not have the combination of speed and ball skills to play the Falcons on even terms (that was not true last year and is somewhat less true this year), but many teams have size and strength that can be used to their advantage if minor fouls are not being called.  A classic example of this factor was the first national championship, in 2000 vs Rowan.  Rowan played very physically from the start, but Messiah took over after several fouls were called and a couple of cards were shown.  They were forced to back off a bit, and the quicker Falcons took advantage of it.

The second factor is field size and type.  The Falcons play their best soccer, in general, when they have a large grass field that can be used to showcase their game.  Confine them a little or a lot, or make them play on a fast artificial surface (which can throw off their passing game), and they usually don't play as well.  The fields at Etown, Lycoming, and Stevens (to name just three places) bring this factor into play.  Because the Falcons put such a premium on playing "beautiful" soccer (which is probably one reason they draw such large crowds), the field factor probably has a larger effect on their game than it does on some other top teams who aren't usually as "pretty" to watch.

Obviously styles of play can be changed, but you tend to develop players who can do certain things well, within a particular system, and you have to live with the consequences.  This is no less true in a sport like baseball, but that would be a very long digression that I will forego.