Go WEST young man (and NORTH)

[Kuiper]

After CMS was crushed by Caltech, kind of crazy that they remain in the Top 8, but that's probably a reflection of the overall dearth of strong teams in Region X

Region X - Poll 7 - October 27, 2026
Rank   School   Prev   W-L-T
1   Southwestern University   NR   13-1-1
2   Colorado College   NR   12-2-1
3   Whitman College   NR   11-2-3
4   University of Redlands   NR   9-3-5
5   Trinity University (Texas)   NR   8-2-5
6   Pacific Lutheran University   NR   10-2-4
7   Claremont-McKenna-Harvey Mudd-Scripps Colleges   NR   8-5-3
8   University of Mary Hardin-Baylor   NR   10-2-2

[Kuiper]

Olaf and Gustavus tied yesterday

Region IX - Poll 7 - October 27, 2026
Rank   School   Prev   W-L-T
1   St. Olaf College   NR   15-0-2
2   Saint John's University   NR   14-2-2
3   Luther College   NR   9-2-3
4   Gustavus Adolphus College   NR   11-3-2
5   University of Wisconsin-Platteville   NR   8-4-3
6   University of Wisconsin-Superior   NR   13-3-2
7   Wartburg College   NR   9-3-3
8   University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire   NR   7-3-5
Also receiving votes: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

[Kuiper]

Redlands and CMS both recovered from their upset losses this weekend.

Redlands 4 - Chapman 0

CMS 3 - Cal Lutheran 0

As a result, they are now first and second in the SCIAC standings.

Occidental, however, continues its late season collapse, tying Whittier 2-2 and falling to 7th in the standings.  If it can beat Caltech on Saturday (no easy task - just ask CMS!) then it could jump up as high as 4th and make the conference tournament, but that assumes Whittier doesn't beat CMS and Pomona-Pitzer doesn't beat Cal Lutheran.  If both happen, they would each jump Chapman for 4th and 5th and Chapman and Oxy's seasons would end.

[Kuiper]

Upstarts Schreiner and Howard Payne got their hats handed to them in the ASC tonight

Mary Hardin-Baylor 6 - Schreiner 1

UMHB follows up a bad tie to ETBU by demolishing Schreiner, which at one point looked like it might have a chance in the ASC.  UMHB goes to the last game of the regular season on a 10 game unbeaten streak

East Texas Baptist 5 - Howard Payne 1

ETBU looks like it is peaking at the right time.  When it played Howard Payne earlier in the season at their place, it was a 0-0 tie.

Halloween could be ugly in Texas.  Howard Payne plays @Mary Hardin-Baylor and Schreiner plays @East Texas Baptist in their last games of the regular season.

[BTXCru18]

UMHB locks up its 6th straight regular season title as well. Historically hasn't meant much as they've only won 1 tournament championship and AQ in that time... We'll see if they can get over that hump next weekend.

Upstarts Schreiner and Howard Payne got their hats handed to them in the ASC tonight

Mary Hardin-Baylor 6 - Schreiner 1

UMHB follows up a bad tie to ETBU by demolishing Schreiner, which at one point looked like it might have a chance in the ASC.  UMHB goes to the last game of the regular season on a 10 game unbeaten streak

East Texas Baptist 5 - Howard Payne 1

ETBU looks like it is peaking at the right time.  When it played Howard Payne earlier in the season at their place, it was a 0-0 tie.

Halloween could be ugly in Texas.  Howard Payne plays @Mary Hardin-Baylor and Schreiner plays @East Texas Baptist in their last games of the regular season.

[BTXCru18]

Looks like the only standings movement that can occur is ETBU and Schreiner trading places for 3rd and 4th. They also play each other this weekend. W/D for Schreiner and they retain 3rd.

UMHB locks up its 6th straight regular season title as well. Historically hasn't meant much as they've only won 1 tournament championship and AQ in that time... We'll see if they can get over that hump next weekend.

Upstarts Schreiner and Howard Payne got their hats handed to them in the ASC tonight

Mary Hardin-Baylor 6 - Schreiner 1

UMHB follows up a bad tie to ETBU by demolishing Schreiner, which at one point looked like it might have a chance in the ASC.  UMHB goes to the last game of the regular season on a 10 game unbeaten streak

East Texas Baptist 5 - Howard Payne 1

ETBU looks like it is peaking at the right time.  When it played Howard Payne earlier in the season at their place, it was a 0-0 tie.

Halloween could be ugly in Texas.  Howard Payne plays @Mary Hardin-Baylor and Schreiner plays @East Texas Baptist in their last games of the regular season.

[Kuiper]

Looks like the only standings movement that can occur is ETBU and Schreiner trading places for 3rd and 4th. They also play each other this weekend. W/D for Schreiner and they retain 3rd.

UMHB locks up its 6th straight regular season title as well. Historically hasn't meant much as they've only won 1 tournament championship and AQ in that time... We'll see if they can get over that hump next weekend.

Upstarts Schreiner and Howard Payne got their hats handed to them in the ASC tonight

Mary Hardin-Baylor 6 - Schreiner 1

UMHB follows up a bad tie to ETBU by demolishing Schreiner, which at one point looked like it might have a chance in the ASC.  UMHB goes to the last game of the regular season on a 10 game unbeaten streak

East Texas Baptist 5 - Howard Payne 1

ETBU looks like it is peaking at the right time.  When it played Howard Payne earlier in the season at their place, it was a 0-0 tie.

Halloween could be ugly in Texas.  Howard Payne plays @Mary Hardin-Baylor and Schreiner plays @East Texas Baptist in their last games of the regular season.

The thing about a conference like the ASC is that because all six of the teams qualify for the tournament, a team like Mary Hardin-Baylor that plows through the conference schedule could face a GK who is standing on his head and a lucky bounce or a bad call could leave UMHB at home and a team with a losing record headed to the tournament.  UMHB will get home field advantage, but otherwise dominance in the regular season is not really rewarded and poor performances aren't punished.  Heck, UMHB only beat McMurry 1-0 last time they played.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity's match against Rhodes has been postponed to 1:30 tomorrow and moved to a parochial school, St. Mary's Hall.  We've had 2+" in the last 36 hours and the pitch would be destroyed if the two matches scheduled tonight were played

[Kuiper]

Trinity's match against Rhodes has been postponed to 1:30 tomorrow and moved to a parochial school, St. Mary's Hall.  We've had 2+" in the last 36 hours and the pitch would be destroyed if the two matches scheduled tonight were played

I thought they had an artificial field or is that only used for practices and intramurals?

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity's match against Rhodes has been postponed to 1:30 tomorrow and moved to a parochial school, St. Mary's Hall.  We've had 2+" in the last 36 hours and the pitch would be destroyed if the two matches scheduled tonight were played

I thought they had an artificial field or is that only used for practices and intramurals?

Oh, no.  Paul McGinlay (whose next win will be his 600th) would never allow anything other than a natural grass field to have his name on it.  It is his pride and joy and the school does its best to maintain it in as pristine a condition as possible, conditions allowing.  The intramural field is turf but I'm not sure it's regulation - seems kind of narrow and might not have room for the team bench areas.   

I don't know Saint Mary's Hall but from looking at their website it appears that they'll be playing on the (turf) football field there.

[Kuiper]

Southwestern and Colorado College take care of business in their respective conferences, but it wasn't easy.

Colorado College 2 - Concordia 1

CC clinched the SCAC regular season championship with the victory, scoring the winning goal in the 76th minute against a Previously unbeaten Concordia side.

Southwestern 2 - Millsaps 1

Southwestern continues its habit of doing just enough to win. At least this time the scoring came all from Grey Richards, rather than relying upon the defenders.

[SimpleCoach]

Southwestern and Colorado College take care of business in their respective conferences, but it wasn't easy.

Southwestern 2 - Millsaps 1

Southwestern continues its habit of doing just enough to win. At least time the scoring came all from Grey Richards, rather than relying upon the defenders.

The Pirates of the Lone Star state are good.  I think they are very solid.  And to your point, they are doing the minimum to get by.  And if I am going to be critical of Southwestern, is just that.  They should dispense with an 8-6-3 team more convincingly.  At tournament time, teams that are still in the game will hurt you.

SC.

[Ron Boerger]

Trinity(TX) 2 Rhodes 0

The Tigers (9-2-5, 5-0-2) deal the visiting Lynx (8-2-5, 4-1-2) only their second defeat of the season in a result that should considerably help their NPI as long as they get past Millsaps tomorrow.  Luke Mayfield scored first, an easy goal, only his second of the season, on a cross from Joey Perryman that fell at his feet just outside the box midway through the opening period.  Eduardo Parra scored his tenth of the season midway through the second when he and Milo Williams caught Rhodes keeper Henri Kettner in a two on one; Williams' pass evaded the defender and Parra headed it in against the defenseless keeper.  Parra has now scored in five straight matches. 

Trinity outshot Rhodes 10-3 with a 6-1 advantage in shots on goal. 

[Kuiper]

Trinity(TX) 2 Rhodes 0

The Tigers (9-2-5, 5-0-2) deal the visiting Lynx (8-2-5, 4-1-2) only their second defeat of the season in a result that should considerably help their NPI as long as they get past Millsaps tomorrow.  Luke Mayfield scored first, an easy goal, only his second of the season, on a cross from Joey Perryman that fell at his feet just outside the box midway through the opening period.  Eduardo Parra scored his tenth of the season midway through the second when he and Milo Williams caught Rhodes keeper Henri Kettner in a two on one; Williams' pass evaded the defender and Parra headed it in against the defenseless keeper.  Parra has now scored in five straight matches. 

Trinity outshot Rhodes 10-3 with a 6-1 advantage in shots on goal. 

If Trinity can beat Millsaps and Southwestern trips up against Rhodes tomorrow, Trinity will take the SAA regular season crown.  So, still a lot to play for on Sunday.

[Kuiper]

A few scores that caught my eye in Region X today:

Redlands 1 - La Verne 0

Zach Darmanyan scores in the 18th minute for this 12th of the season and Redlands ends the regular season with an 8-1-3 record in the SCIAC and the regular season championship under first year coach Alex Ortega.  La Verne might have passed up CMS for 2nd if it had won, but it instead will have to settle for third

Pomona-Pitzer 1 - Cal Lutheran 0

With this win, P-P assures itself either a 4th or 5th place finish in the SCIAC depending upon whether Whittier cane beat CMS tonight (it's 0-0 in the 36th minute as I write this). 

Occidental 0 - Caltech 0

In past years, this would feel like a disgrace for Oxy.  This year, it looks about right.

Azusa Pacific 4 - UC Santa Cruz 1

This has no playoff implications in the SCIAC since this is Azusa Pacific's first year transitioning from D2 to D3.  Nevertheless, it's worth noting that Azusa Pacific is a team/program to watch.  Unlike other teams that have moved down a division and were roughed up in their first year or two (e.g., Hartford and Saint Francis), Azusa Pacific has been arguably one of the stronger teams in the SCIAC after an initial adjustment period.  They have an 11-4-2 overall record, an 8-3-2 record against D3 teams, and a 6-3-2 against SCIAC opponents, including ties against Redlands and Occidental, and victories over CMS, Whittier, and Chapman. That would place them 2nd or 3rd in the SCIAC standings.  They also close the season with a 7 game winning streak. 

There are caveats to all of this.  Some of the non-conference games were against weaker NAIA teams.  Azusa Pacific also retained a few D2 roster players as grad students who were among the strongest in the conference and perhaps all of D3 this season.  Forward Leke Adamola from England, for example, had 20 goals and 4 assists, scored in 12 of the 15 games he played, and had 6 multi-goal games.  Midfielder Mario Shuteriqi from Germany scored 6 goals and had 7 assists.  Nevertheless, a lot of the returning players barely played in D2 and didn't play a central role with the D3 team this year.  Rather, they recruited some promising freshman and some Juco transfers. 

I think Azusa Pacific could be a legit competitor in the SCIAC and possibly beyond more quickly than other transitioning programs for several reasons:  (1) they had a group of grad student multi-year members of the program who were able to help set the expectations and maintain the culture this year for the re-start; (2) They have a great coach who knows D3 from his days at Wheaton (IL); (3) They are well-positioned to pick up strong Juco and int'l players because the head coach has those connections and Azusa's academic and financial aid profile makes them accessible for both groups; and (4) they have a pretty strong evangelical Christian affiliation, which allows them to recruit well in parts of Socal and some areas of the West without any D3 schools that might not normally consider D3.  For example, they recruited Freshman from Montana and South Dakota who both made contributions.