Quote from: Flying Weasel on November 05, 2018, 07:40:21 PM
Two Pool B berths?!?  Where did someone get that idea?  Who did they think was the second Pool B selection?

The only thing I can think is they forgot that UW-Superior is now in a conference

Quote from: TheGreenKnight920 on November 05, 2018, 05:10:32 PM

Quote from: Ron Boerger on November 05, 2018, 05:06:43 PM

Quote from: TheGreenKnight920 on November 05, 2018, 04:55:52 PM

Quote from: Ron Boerger on November 05, 2018, 04:49:19 PM

Quote from: territorysooner on November 05, 2018, 03:20:05 PM
As someone new to following soccer as well as D3 athletics, how does a team like Claremont-Mudd-Scripps who is ranked #1 in the West region get left out when Southwestern (Texas) who is ranked #5 regionally get in with the Pool C bid?

According to https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/soccer-men/d3/regional-rankings (the ones released today) the NCAA has Southwestern ranked #1 in the region despite having a worse record than Trinity or CMS, a lower winning percentage against RROs, and a 1-3 h2h loss to Trinity.    CMS was third.   The only thing SW had over either school was a better SOS (by a whopping .02).   Don't ask me.

Honest question: Are these regional rankings released today there solely to serve the purpose of justifying At-Large bids? In this situation, that seems to be the case...

These are supposed to be the final numbers the NCAA uses in making their decisions.  Unfortunately (in CMS' case) we have zero explanation why a small (significant, but still small) difference in OWP overrides much larger differences in overall record and records against RROs.

I'd sure love Christian or one of the d3soccer folks to weigh in on this.  I've never seen this large of a disconnect between the NCAA's own criteria and their selections.

I'd also like to know whether H2H plays any role at all...From my slim understanding, anyway, it does not. UWP top 3 in the North, even though they lost to SNC, who finished 6th in the region? I know that they took a Pool B bid, but one could argue that since there were 2 Pool Bs, Platteville essentially took SNC's Pool C spot. I simply do not understand. Does H2H have any weight? It certainly should, in my opinion.

Am I missing something? The only Pool B I'm seeing is Platteville?

Quote from: dontshootthegoose on November 07, 2016, 03:51:54 PM
But my question is, having a worse RvR than an other team really a bad thing? So what we are saying is that you lose to more 'good' teams than another team....

Loras' losses: Norbs, at Carthage, at Dubuque, at UWW and Luther (in the conference championship)      All national tournament teams!

Dubuque's losses: at North Park, Simpson, Wartburg, Platteville, Luther.                 1 National tournament team!


So one head-to-head game on the road with a won goal loss decides a teams fate; meanwhile you have a better SOS (by far), you at least made it to your conference championship, your only losses came to teams in the national tournament, oh and you were in the national championship before (which obviously isn't criteria that you should base your assumptions off of, but still)

Can't say for sure, but it may be that the committee sees RvR as a signal for whether your team can compete with tournament teams.  Unfortunately for Loras it doesn't seem like they take into account the fact that all those were one goal losses. 

Either way I'm sure there would have been controversy as Dubuque would be upset if Loras got in over them considering the head-to-head result.

Quote from: Wisco21 on November 07, 2016, 04:45:31 PM
Classic, NCAA committee always keeping us on our toes. Feel for Loras and Macalester, but life goes on. Congrats to Dubuque for the 1st NCAA Tournament appearance in the program's history.

Looking further down the road, which team survives this pod and makes it to the Final 4? Would have to imagine this is the weakest of the four groups, however I have no idea of the caliber of teams outside the North and Central regions. UChicago would be the obvious favorite (even to win the National Championship), but stranger things have happened.

Hard to pick anybody against UChicago out of this pod.  I've watched about 5 of their games this year (all against tournament opponents) and they seem like the real deal.  I can't remember the last time somebody had their credentials (16-0-2, 8-0-1 RvR, SOS .644) going into the tournament!

With Dubuque struggling down the stretch, and Westminster not even having one of their better years (getting in only because of a weak conference), UChicago should have a cakewalk through the first weekend.  If WashU makes it through that could be a good rematch game as they just drew this week. 

Carthage had a couple hiccups early (including a 4-1 loss to Hanover), but since have been more consistent than we've seen over the past years.  They're a dangerous side, especially on their home turf.  If I had to choose I'd say they'll beat Benedictine and pull the double over UWW (who they beat at UWW early this year).  UWW is on a roll so I see them taking Hanover in a game reminiscent of last years bout with Rose-Hulman, but they tend to struggle against Carthage.

St. Thomas doesn't give up goals, and after seeing Luther's near meltdown against Loras I find it hard to see them getting/holding onto a lead against the Tommies (assuming they don't get taken down by St. Norbert in the first game).  I could see St. Thomas making a deep run riding their defense to close wins.

Devil's advocate: If you're deciding between 2 teams (presumably Loras and Dubuque), who have similar resumes (Loras with a higher SOS but worse RvR), you're probably going to go with the team that won during the in season matchup. Head-to-Head sunk Loras, simple as that. 

Warhawks took care of business and make the committee's job easy for them.  UWW still has a couple big games to play though which could help in determining what quality opponent they get in the first round of the tournament.

UWP vs UWW:  This past week definitely made the Pool B race closer, but even with the rather lackluster results in the last couple of games UWW is still in the driver's seat.  They've got a top 10 SOS in the country compared to UWP somewhere in the 200's, with their only poor loss against Augustana.  The number of blemishes for UWW is troubling though, so they're definitely not doing this in convincing fashion.  UWP has to win out to really have a chance.  Even a tie against UWW could sink their chances, barring a UWW meltdown. 

Quote from: KICKIN95 on November 21, 2015, 03:22:43 PM

Quote from: GoPerry on November 21, 2015, 03:03:28 PM

Quote from: Footy23 on November 21, 2015, 03:01:39 PM
I dont see how the wheaton loras game takes place tonight with the rock bowl receiving 10-12 inches over night. With wheaton not playing on sundays...theories on when it will be played if they cant get it in tonight?

Wheaton/Loras postponed until on Monday . . . just posted on Wheaton site.

Surprising.  It's not snowing anymore right?  Couldn't get the snow removed soon enough I guess?

Nearly a foot of snow on the field.  Religious exemption for Wheaton, so now the players will have to miss classes for another teams religious restrictions.

Hard to complain about Loras players having to miss class "for another teams religious restrictions" when it's their own facility that wasn't prepared to clear off the field and get the game in today.

Quote from: firstplaceloser on November 20, 2015, 03:45:50 PM
I would love to play an NCAA game in the snow

I got to play in one last year, but it wasn't nearly this much snow and it was on a nice grass field. Loras' field isn't fun to play on on a good day (not quality turf) but with this snow? I don't envy those guys playing out there today.  I'm just hoping there aren't any serious injuries.

Quote from: firstplaceloser on November 20, 2015, 03:38:02 PM
did the Wheaton vs st Olaf game start yet? I'm having trouble with the feed again..

Looks like the feed is working now, hasn't started yet though.  Looks like it's going to be an interesting one with the snowstorm they're getting.  Trying to shovel the lines off right now.

Just FYI Carthage changed from the "Redmen" with a logo that had a feather connotation to a Native American headdress, to the "Red Men" referring to their uniform color and changed their logo.

UW-Whitewater Assistant Coach Jamie Lieberman (an alumni of UW-Parkside like MSOE coach Jimmy Banks) was selected as a GK for the United States National Futsal Team in 2011.

ROUND OF 32
Amherst, Morrisville State, Lycoming, Rowan, Brandeis, Stevens, Trinity, Whitworth
Haverford, Wash&Lee, St. Lawrence, Mass-Boston, Oneonta, Rutgers-Camden, MIT, Plattsburgh
Loras, Ohio Northern, Wash U, Depauw, Macalester, UW-Oshkosh, Wheaton, UW-Whitewater
Montclair St, Tufts, Kenyon, Chicago, Franklin&Marshall, Carnegie, MSOE, Calvin

ROUND OF 16
Amherst, Rowan, Brandeis, Trinity
Haverford, St. Lawrence, Oneonta, MIT
Loras, Depauw, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater
Montclair St, Kenyon, Franklin&Marshall, MSOE

Elite 8
Amherst, Brandeis
Haverford, MIT
Loras, UW-Whitewater
Kenyon, MSOE

FINAL FOUR
Amherst, Haverford
Loras, Kenyon

FINAL
Haverford 3 - 1 Kenyon

My Dark Horse pick for this tournament is MSOE.  They have one of the more difficult paths IMO but they've got something special this year and I'm pulling for them to make a run.  Last year was their first ever tournament appearance and they had an early exit due to a PK loss against hosting Wartburg in the first round.  They're a little more experienced this year and this won't be the first NCAA game (which is always intimidating) for many of their players. 

The Andryk brothers are a two-headed monster who are BOTH averaging over a goal a game (Logan is averaging over 3 points per game, and Braden is averaging over 2.5 points per game).  If you want to beat MSOE you're going to have to keep them off the score sheet which is no easy task.  This is Logan's last year so you can bet he and his brother (and a team that's learned to rely on him for 4 years) are going to leave everything on the field. MSOE might not see 2 players of his/his brother's caliber in the same year again for some time. 

Quote from: Mr.Right on November 10, 2015, 09:16:19 AM

Quote from: wingtips2 on November 10, 2015, 08:44:40 AM

Quote from: Mr.Right on November 09, 2015, 02:19:54 PM
Loras got a "bye" to the Final 4

You keep saying this, but it makes absolutely ZERO sense.
They have 4, count them, FOUR losses this year. Not exactly an unbeatable team.
One of which was a 2-0 loss to a team in their pod.

Their pod is weak...WEAK...one more time for you WEAK

Wingtips they actually only have 3 losses (the fourth was to Western Illinois who is D1) but I agree, this is not the Loras of past years.  However, that doesn't mean they won't turn it up a notch now that it's playoff time. They're the type of team that can certainly do that.

Mr. Right you are correct about the pod being weak comparatively, and they do have what appears to be the easiest route to the Final 4, but it is by no means a bye. Loras could potentially meet 2 of the 3 teams they lost to during the regular season (their loss to UWW was in the Rock Bowl) again before the Final 4.  I'd still put my money on Loras having the best chance to reach the Final 4, but I think it'll be more of a challenge than you make it out to be.

Wisco21 don't get me wrong, I actually think it gives the tournament a little extra excitement and they can definitely handle their own.  I'd like nothing more than for this to help them keep their program.  I think them losing their program is bad for the former WIAC, bad for local soccer, and bad for D3 soccer in general.  I would hate to see the rivalry that UWW and UWO have disappear as it was always the game I had marked on my schedule when I was playing.