So, an early exit in the NESCAC tournament for say Bowdoin could be the kiss of death getting an NCAA berth?

As far as NCAA tournament goes, do 3 NESCAC teams getting bids sound right this year? More? Less?

Williams will have to do somthing which no team has done vs Messiah so far this season, score. I think they will.

Wonder what Becks thinks of Wes this year? I know of some good frosh coming in. I think Wes could finish  top three.

Becks, I'll miss your posts

Gerrs I read your rebuke of my earlier post.

"Impressive total" was sarcasm.

I am not a Conn Coll fan nor do I have/had any connection to that team. My kid expressed interest a while back in the program,and soon moved on.

Conn Coll's approach this year to the game is pretty cynical.

I live minutes from Wesleyan and have attended many games there over the last 20 years, so I guess I'm a Cardinal fan.

Going to Conn vs Wesleyan a week from now. Wonder if they will add to their impressive yellow card total...

Becks was wrong abot the Wes score today! He must be happy!

Hey, I know Becks is the maestro, but I spotted this nice preview of Wes in my hometown paper...

to the Press

MIDDLETOWN — After posting a solid 8-6-1 mark in 2009, a season which included a best-ever 4-5 record vs. NESCAC foes, Wesleyan women's soccer has 16 of the 22 players who saw action a year ago back for the 2010 season.

Led by co-captains Cora Lautze and Kaitlin Ashley, this experienced squad will be looking to reach the coveted 10-win plateau for the first time since 1994. In that year, Wesleyan posted a program-best 12-4-1 record.

Wesleyan had a lot to be proud of on the women's soccer pitch in 2009 as the Cards set a school record for shutouts in a season with seven.

Wesleyan held four other opponents to a lone goal as the team's goals-against average for the year was an outstanding 0.98.

Wesleyan outscored its opponents by a 28-15 margin. It was the first time since '94 that the Cards put more balls in the back of the net than its rivals and the goal-against mark also was a standard over the last 15 years.

Among the Cardinals' top returnees is NESCAC Rookie of the Year and second-team all-NESCAC choice Laura Kurash.

Despite playing just eight games in 2009 due to illness, Kurash led the squad in scoring with six goals and three assists for 15 points.

She established a school record for points in a game with 10 (four goals, two assists) in a 7-0 win at Smith. Also among the team's top scorers back from a year ago are Dasha Battelle (5-4-14), Kat Ellis-Ferrara (6-1-13) and Kaylin Berger (2-3-7).

Back after starting all 15 games a year ago are Lautze, Anna Crystal, Emma Nitzberg and Jen Brewer.

Mikaela Curtin started eight of 15 contests a year ago while others who saw action consistently in the field include Hannah Stuckey, Maddy Harrington, Hillary Biggs, and Gemma Doll-Grossman.

The Cardinals have both goalies back who handled all the team's minutes in 2009. Clare Colton started all seven games she played before being sidelined by injury.

Kate Connolly-Smithwick, who played in five of the opening seven games, started the final eight contests. Both had solid numbers as Colton went 3-2 with a 0.89 GAA and .778 save percentage. Connolly-Smithwick was 5-4-1 behind a 1.02 GAA and .880 save percentage.

Wesleyan also welcomes 10 newcomers to the squad. With six freshmen contributing so diligently to the Cardinals' fortunes in 2009, similar support is expected from the new batch of players in 2010.

Wesleyan has the enviable task of opening the year at home Saturday against Little Three rival Williams.

The Ephs, who captured the NESCAC tournament title last season, lost just one game in 2009, that in the NCAA Division III tournament sectional semi-finals. Williams handed the Cardinals a 5-0 setback in 2009 and have gone undefeated vs. Wesleyan the last 27 contests (26-0-1).

Twelve of those 26 defeats vs. Williams have come by just one goal, most recently in 2007, the last time the teams met in Middletown

Conn Coll  posted their 2010 roster, 24 players...11 frosh... Becks you'll just have to dig deeper and find out HS and Club performances so you can establish who are the impact rookies amongst  the NESCAC programs!

"However, I would suggest that an additional 3-4 week of playing time probably doesn't matter as much as what the players do in the 36 weeks between the end of one season and the start of the next season."

"It's my perception that, on average, female NESCAC players do not improve a lot over their 4 years.  Some definitely improve dramatically, but I think almost an equal number get worse."

Becks, Maybe NESCAC players, indeed most d3 players, regardless of team, make similar progress throughout their four college years. College isn't really about individual development, just results?

Regarding out of season play, do many d3 players rejoin their club or WPSL team in late Spring and summer?

How many players are on the most NESCAC womens rosters? I have been checking out D3 programs in the northeast and many have as many as 28, that's a looong bench.

Becks, regarding your last couple of posts... Conn Conn graduates 7 including their best player,  maybe now's the time to throw caution to the wind and play the frosh in 2010. Hope they had strong recruiting class.

From what I've noticed of womens D3 in general, there are impact players who start all four years. Then there are frosh who get into a minimum of 7-8 games, which mostly develop into starters or have significant roles later on. Most of the attrition is the with the kids who get into a couple of games, then are gone by junior year.

Almost  confused the following link with the UNC womens program... pretty brash compared to the understated NESCAC websites which just put up the '10 schedules!





http://www.vassarathletics.com/news/2010/4/30/WSOC_0430102244.aspx