NCAA Tournament 2025

[SierraFD3soccer]

I saw some that game. Just miserable conditions but such is the life in central NY this time of year. They played on football field and could barely see the football lines let alone the penalty box. Hats off to maintenance crew for trying to make the field reasonable to play.

I bet they have a leaf blower, hahahaha

[Hopkins92]

Hopkins lost to John Carrol in a snow storm in the not so distant past. That field was turf, as well, but there's a point where adapting to that is really fortitude and luck.

Not taking anything away from the Smurfs, but not a lot of kids outside of certain northern regions have any experience playing in snow. Rain, wind, super hot, humid... Yep.

Substance that makes the ball and your footing incredibly unnerving and unpredictable? Now we're playing a different game.

[kevdog]

You're right but I don't care where you come from, playing in the snow is just tough. I have played in it several times and I don't wish it on anybody. Hats off to all the teams that advance and to those that did not good luck to all the seniors in their future endeavors. The memories and friends that you have made these past 4 years will last a lifetime.

[SierraFD3soccer]

Hopkins lost to John Carrol in a snow storm in the not so distant past. That field was turf, as well, but there's a point where adapting to that is really fortitude and luck.

Not taking anything away from the Smurfs, but not a lot of kids outside of certain northern regions have any experience playing in snow. Rain, wind, super hot, humid... Yep.

Substance that makes the ball and your footing incredibly unnerving and unpredictable? Now we're playing a different game.

2021 I think. They needed ice skates in that game.

[Kuiper]

Dickinson's second goal at about minute 22 in the 2nd half is an absolute golazo. Go find it before the feed ends.

26-28 yard out shot, curling away from the goalie into the top right corner.

Wow.

If you didn't see it, Dickinson posted the video on X

That was a fantastic collection of the ball and shot off the bounce to the top corner!

As an aside, it also was an example of where a long goal kick can be terribly risky, especially in the middle of the field.  First, the goalkeeper is just trying to kick it far, rather than to a teammate.  Second, none of the Denison midfielders/forwards were tracking the ball or even attempting to contest what amounts to an "interception" by header in soccer - it was completely uncontested and there is a Denison player to the left of the Dickinson header who just stands flat-footed watching him head the ball.  Third, the center backs were set up too close when the goal kick was hit, especially against fast forwards,  which meant they were on their heels against Dickinson's head ball, instead of being in a position to receive it.  This headed ball went farther than some, but it also went higher, so they should have been able to handle it (and the Denison defender didn't even jump for it to contest the Dickinson player for the ball).  Fourth, since all the defenders were too far up and facing pacy forwards, they were running back to try to catch up to the forwards and the ball, which was why the Denison player's header went straight up - he was facing his own goal when he hit it.  Fifth, the defenders were also so worried about getting back to face the shooter that no one though of closing out the shooter.  Sixth, the Denison midfielders weren't exactly hustling to help out their defenders, which may be less of a mistake and more of a situation of being gassed.

Contributing to all of this was that Denison was down 1-0 and trying to get back into the game, but it was too early to panic on that front.  Plus, they had three defenders back, so it wasn't like they were actually positioned to help with the attack.  They were just in no man's land and susceptible to being pressured by speedy forwards.

[Bucket]

Today's likely winners

Tufts
Con
Cort
Wes
St. Olaf
Aus
Williams
CNU
Dickinson
Emory
Macalester
Chicago
Trinity
Mid

@Camosfan, congrats for Tufts advancing.

You omitted Bowdoin from your list.  Was that intentional? 

Given recent history, it is surprising to see Amherst and Midd out so early. 

Will be fun to watch Tufts/Messiah and Bowdoin/Conn.

Midd falls to Wheaton, 1-0. Panthers outshot Wheaton 28-10 and 10-5 on goal, and the match was a goalie's dream . . . "anything you can do, I can do better."

Midd's Joey Waterman saved not one, but two penalty kicks, plus a point-blank shot in the box; Wheaton's Nick Phinney was phenomenal, at least four of his saves looked like they'd be sure-fire goals. Plus, a couple of Midd set pieces resulted in headers or shots just wide of the mark.

Final score could have been 3-nil or 4-3 in either direction. Instead a 1-nil result for the home team. 

[Kuiper]

PREVIEW:  Texas Lutheran @ Trinity at 8 pm Central

Texas Lutheran (#97 NPI) comes in with a record of 13-4-3 after winning its first ever NCAA tournament game 3-2 over Whitman in a game where it jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a high press and an attacking mindset that I haven't seen from TLU much before.  Unfortunately, it lost that edge late in the game, allowing Whitman to comeback and score two goals late before TLU was able to close out the game.

Trinity (#12 NPI) comes in with a record of 16-1-1 after beating Hardin-Simmons 5-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.  Trinity was held in check by Hardin-Simmons early in the game before scoring two goals late in the first half.  That took the wind out of H-S' sails and Trinity scored three more in the second half to complete the route.

TLU and Trinity are just about 35 miles from each other and they have played each other often, especially when they were both members of the SCAC.  Trinity has a record of 37-7-1 against TLU and has won 4 of the last 5, 8 of the last 10, and 17 of the last 20 games between the two teams.  All of those three Trinity losses to TLU have come when Trinity was the away team.  This year, Trinity and TLU played in Seguin @ TLU and Trinity won 1-0 on an 87th minute goal by Zachary Anderson after Trinity outshot TLU 15-2 and TLU didn't register a single shot on goal.

That's been the typical pattern for TLU.  It has played a low block and it tries to frustrate Trinity and spring the counter.  Doesn't score often but doesn't concede often either.  We'll see if TLU's tactical shift against Whitman, a team that plays a somewhat similar possession style as Trinity, will be used against Trinity.  I'm not sure if Texas Lutheran's players will have the energy for that two days in a row, but TLU did a pretty good job of rotating its midfielders and forwards last night, so it's possible. If so, though, they'll have to maintain it for 90 against a Trinity team that has more weapons than Whitman and more speed and physicality than Whitman brought to the game.  Trinity also should be well-rested for this game after the beating of Hardin-Simmons.  No Trinity player went more than 73 minutes and it played 13 players at least 17 minutes each off the bench.

[Freddyfud]

PREVIEW:  Texas Lutheran @ Trinity at 8 pm Central

Texas Lutheran (#97 NPI) comes in with a record of 13-4-3 after winning its first ever NCAA tournament game 3-2 over Whitman in a game where it jumped out to a 3-0 lead with a high press and an attacking mindset that I haven't seen from TLU much before.  Unfortunately, it lost that edge late in the game, allowing Whitman to comeback and score two goals late before TLU was able to close out the game.

Trinity (#12 NPI) comes in with a record of 16-1-1 after beating Hardin-Simmons 5-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.  Trinity was held in check by Hardin-Simmons early in the game before scoring two goals late in the first half.  That took the wind out of H-S' sails and Trinity scored three more in the second half to complete the route.

TLU and Trinity are just about 35 miles from each other and they have played each other often, especially when they were both members of the SCAC.  Trinity has a record of 37-7-1 against TLU and has won 4 of the last 5, 8 of the last 10, and 17 of the last 20 games between the two teams.  All of those three Trinity losses to TLU have come when Trinity was the away team.  This year, Trinity and TLU played in Seguin @ TLU and Trinity won 1-0 on an 87th minute goal by Zachary Anderson after Trinity outshot TLU 15-2 and TLU didn't register a single shot on goal.

That's been the typical pattern for TLU.  It has played a low block and it tries to frustrate Trinity and spring the counter.  Doesn't score often but doesn't concede often either.  We'll see if TLU's tactical shift against Whitman, a team that plays a somewhat similar possession style as Trinity, will be used against Trinity.  I'm not sure if Texas Lutheran's players will have the energy for that two days in a row, but TLU did a pretty good job of rotating its midfielders and forwards last night, so it's possible. If so, though, they'll have to maintain it for 90 against a Trinity team that has more weapons than Whitman and more speed and physicality than Whitman brought to the game.  Trinity also should be well-rested for this game after the beating of Hardin-Simmons.  No Trinity player went more than 73 minutes and it played 13 players at least 17 minutes each off the bench.

I hope it is as entertaining as the Trinity TLU game I saw last year.  In any event I will enjoy watching Knudsen.

[Kuiper]

UPDATE:  Trinity 1 - Texas Lutheran 0 (25th minute)

Trinity passes beautifully in the box and Trinity's Julian Lopez takes advantage of the TLU keeper's aggressive play to come out for through balls and draws the PK.  Luke Mayfield scores it.  Incidentally, I admire Lopez for actually playing for the contact since TLU's keeper is listed at 6'2" and 260 lbs.

HALF:  Trinity 1 - Texas Lutheran 0

Game is getting a little testy, including among the fans.  Trinity leading in shots 10-5 and TLU hasn't registered a shot on goal, but Trinity has tightened up defensively since the PK.

UPDATE:  Trinity 2 - Texas Lutheran 0

Samuel Theiss dances around the endline and kicks it over the sliding goalkeeper, who is playing for the square ball, with the outside of his foot and into the net.  A bit against the run of play as TLU almost scored a few minutes earlier

FINAL:  Trinity 2 - Texas Lutheran 0

Trinity just is too good at passing in and around TLU in tight spaces and killed off the game after the second goal.  The Tigers advance to the third round for the second year in a row.

TLU is going to be tough in the coming years.  Their GK Avila, who played pretty well, is a freshman, and their big striker Robert Palmer is a sophomore.

[rdanie03]

Good news for the 8 teams who will be going to Minnesota for sectionals. It's actually going to be relatively nice weather up there next weekend. Should be in the 50s in Boston and getting up to 60 in Lynchburg next weekend. I have a feeling Salem's gonna feel cold for the four teams that get there.

[mngopher]

Just FYI Augsburg is not hosting the next 2 rounds. Believe there is a large wrestling tournament on campus next weekend, and they don't have the space to do that plus host the regional. Likely Wash U hosting

[WUPHF]

Just FYI Augsburg is not hosting the next 2 rounds. Believe there is a large wrestling tournament on campus next weekend, and they don't have the space to do that plus host the regional. Likely Wash U hosting

What?

[Kuiper]

Just FYI Augsburg is not hosting the next 2 rounds. Believe there is a large wrestling tournament on campus next weekend, and they don't have the space to do that plus host the regional. Likely Wash U hosting

Do Wash U's women have priority? They also advanced to the Sweet 16 (and they are ranked #1 in the country)

[WUPHF]

Just FYI Augsburg is not hosting the next 2 rounds. Believe there is a large wrestling tournament on campus next weekend, and they don't have the space to do that plus host the regional. Likely Wash U hosting

Do Wash U's women have priority? They also advanced to the Sweet 16 (and they are ranked #1 in the country)

Men have priority in the second weekend in odd years.

[mngopher]

Just FYI Augsburg is not hosting the next 2 rounds. Believe there is a large wrestling tournament on campus next weekend, and they don't have the space to do that plus host the regional. Likely Wash U hosting

Do Wash U's women have priority? They also advanced to the Sweet 16 (and they are ranked #1 in the country)

Not sure about that. Looks like Trinity women lost so maybe that is an option? Wash U could also probably pull off hosting both men/women like Trinity just did.

Was told by an Augsburg alum that after the game today the coach told them Augsburg is not hosting the next round. I wasn't there, but I was told he seemed to think they were headed to St. Louis. Didn't sound like that was 100% except that it would not be at Augsburg.