The rowed ruts on the field were palpable when you walked on it.  The ball on the ground was definitely not the way to go.

Congrats to your son finishing what really looks to be a memorable career - three final fours in four years is amazing, especially with a coaching transition in the midst of it. 

Checking in after my one week mandated absence from the board due to serious depression.  That was a tough loss to take for the Camels.  Just a handful of thoughts.

1.  The field was really not good.  All the folks who commented on it via the livestreaming were accurate.  I walked it a bit after the game and it was about as bad as you could imagine.

2.  I need a second opinion.  I thought Amherst was lucky to finish the game with 11 players.  It seemed to me that #14 (McCarthy), who received a yellow with his first hard challenge of the day, had two fouls after that which were as cynical/physical as the first one.  Yet, no other sanction other than a common foul was given.  That was my opinion as I watched it live.  Uncertain if others saw it the same way - the partisan/homer glasses were on.

3. EnmoreCat.  I have said this before, but The Kitten is a heck of a player.  And, I would add after watching this one up close and paying attention, he is a good sportsman.  I saw several moments of really good sportsmanship out of him.  Class kid.  If we were going to lose, I appreciate the fact that it was The Kitten who knocked in the winning penalty.

That is all.  Back to my group therapy session with us sad Camels.

Checking in from Vegas here.  Managed to land and get to the stadium in plenty of time to catch both games.

The field - definitely not the best.  I did not think it was awful, but it was not conducive to great passing.  A bit choppy and uneven.

I missed EnmoreKitten's well executed goal.  You see, I had read the amazing review of the bathrooms from EnmoreCat and decided I need to take a personal tour myself and while I was perusing the double toilet stall men's room, Amherst took the lead.  Midd equalized a few minutes later on a really well taken side volley.

I will have difficult time putting into words the emotions surrounding the penalty.  I think most officials do not want to be part of (or THE) story and in this case, the referee failed.  I also believe that context is key.  A 1-1 game in the second half of the national semifinal, imo, should not be decided by a questionable VAR reviewed penalty decision.  I know people will say "a foul is a foul", but we all know that the standard for a foul in the box is WAY different than one for a foul in midfield and in this case, unless the Amherst player loses a leg, or an obvious handball (think Martin Odegaard, which wasn't actually called a penalty in that Liverpool-Arsenal game).  But to have a game essentially decided on an iffy call like that is awfully disappointing. 

Hats off to Nuhu who executed it, but the end result has left a poor feeling.  I feel Midd and Amherst should have allowed their play on the field for the last 25 min or so (and maybe OT) be the deciding factor in that contest.  Not a ref spending 5 minutes at a small video monitor.  It wasn't called on the field.  The ref had good proximity to the play.  Just doesn't sit well with this D3 athletics individual.

Game two.  W&L was awesome.  Struggled a bit early, but after Rye Jaran picked up a knock mid first half and had to come off, the Generals really controlled the midfield.  Really strong game plan and execution by the Generals players and staff.

I do feel the ref allowed some players looking for contact to secure some fouls and free kicks, but beyond that, it did not play a significant role in the outcome.  Horvath-Diano's free kick and Silverster's incredible game were the difference.  I feel for the W&L players, coaches, parents, and families b/c I am sure they look at that game and feel they deserved a different result.

I also spent all night looking for a tall guy saying "mate" getting worked over by the UNLV campus police with a taser, but failed in my mission to provide video evidence for the group of readers here.

Headed to Vegas tomorrow, hoping to be there to get to game one.  And while I would love to jump in on PN's rankings extravaganza, I am way too partisan to actually be taken seriously as I try to rate fairly and honestly.  However, the two questions that have been bouncing around in my head for the last ten days ...

1.  Can Midd get over the post-season mental whammy with Amherst.  Don't get me wrong, both are phenomenal teams (I have seen both live and wow, impressive), but Amherst has gotten the best of the panthers in the postseason of late.  Can Midd overcome that recency bias?

2.  Is it W&L's year?  Three final fours in four years (same as Amherst, actually, right?), but no titles.  Are they the team of destiny this year that will overcome any and all teams placed in their path?

Curious to find out.  And, try to catch EnmoreCat getting tasered on video so I can share it with the entire soccer board.  ;-)

Well, as a point of evidence, W&L just handled Williams, who finished 4th in the NESCAC this year.  They took the '21 Conn team (regular season champs and losers of the NESCAC final to Tufts) to OT in the final four in Greensboro.

Zero doubt that W&L would be a consistent top half NESCAC team and when the right mix/right luck came along, NESCAC semis and finals would be in Lexington.

PN - couple of things.  You did NOT imagine one last chance for the Owls.  I think it was right at the end of OT and it was a true chance.  Hit on the ground right at Silvester.  Not sure why it was not recorded in the stats, but that had this observer's heart in his throat.

I completely agree with comments on trash talking.  I think it is unnecessary and takes away from the game.  I normally watch games from a bit of a distance (20+ yards) so I can see the full field.  UMW has their field set up so the fence along the sideline with the stands is no more than five yards from the touch line (making long throws from that side of the field a challenge with almost no run up space).  Standing that close to the pitch, one can really observe the level of talk/commentary between the players.  It's a fair amount.

I concur, the Owls were very, very good on Saturday.  Really controlled the midfield for much of the game.  I don't know if it was fatigue or a bit of being deflated, but the last 10 of regulation and almost all of the 20 min of OT were controlled by the Camels.  Prior to that, the Owls had the better of it. 

Lastly, you are correct about the Camels prior to the NESCAC tournament.  I was in attendance when Wesleyan prevailed 3-1.  Wes was much better that day.  So, anything can happen coming up in Vegas.

PN, phenomenal observation from afar.  Jaran has been such a key for the Camels for the last four years.  Was a starter on the 21 national championship team.  Missed the latter half of both the 22 and 23 seasons with injuries.  But his steadiness on the ball and set piece delivery has always been spot on.  I just watched the replay of the Conn - Kenyon game and his goal was a set piece delivered at just the right height, pace, and angle to really trouble the keeper.

Also, I tried to comment on this on Sunday, but if you watch the penalties, the video is clear that the trash talk was started by the Kenyon PK keeper.  I was there and heard this from some of the actual participants, but I wanted to confirm it with the video.  The Kenyon keeper clearly says something to Conn's first kicker.  The ref delays the start of penalties to point and warn the keeper.  After converting, the Conn penalty taker looks to have said something back to him.  After the second round, you can't see if the Conn player came off the bench to taunt, the video is too focused on the goal to pick that up.

Took in the pair of games in Fredericksburg yesterday.  Both were worth the time and effort.

I really feel for the kids at UMW, who played a heck of a game, but just could not find the back of the net.  Controlled the midfield for much of the contest and forced the Denison keeper into at least one very good save.  The winning goal came on a set piece from the left wing - the UMW defender committed an unnecessary foul 40 yards from the goal.  Keeper came off his line for a punch, did not get enough of it and a flicked header at the back post won it.  Tough for those seniors at UMW to lose like that.

Game two.  PN, your Owls played well.  As I saw it, the stats do not tell the story of the game (they show that the Camels outshot the Owls 21-8).  I saw it as a much closer affair.  The Owls first was a deflection off a Conn defender that wrong footed Silvester and dribbled into the net.  Conn equalized on a nice sequence up the left wing.

In the end, the two most important goals of the day (the Denison winner and Conn equalizer) came from virtually the same place on the left wing, both off set pieces.  On the Conn equalizer, an in-swinger from Jaran was attacked at about the penalty spot by a Conn attacker, who did not make contact with the ball (just over his head).  My suspicion is the Kenyon keeper misread that the Conn player was going to get it and therefore, was wrong footed as it found the net at the back post.

No need to comment on the penalties.  They were what they were.  I feel for the Kenyon kids b/c they played a heck of a game and for multiple segments of the game, they were superior.

Not saying the Generals can't win tomorrow.  I'm saying I do not see a high scoring affair with the Generals getting three.

I watched much of the second half of the Hopkins vs W&L game.  Just don't see a way in which they put three past Diffley

PN, I was at the Conn-Tufts 5-4 game in 2021 and I think Jumbos fans felt that a handball on a Conn defender (while retreating on a ball that bounced high off the notoriously bouncy Bello turf) could have been called as a clear goal scoring opportunity and a red card.  Conn scored two pretty miraculous strikes from outside the box and got a headed goal from a 5' 7" attacker.  Lots of things could have gone differently, that game could have easily swung the other way, Dezotel could have a final four (or natty) on his resume, and the narrative could be vastly different.

Looking at stats in the NESCAC this year, among Midd, Amherst and Tufts, the Jumbos were the best defensive outfit among the three, but also scored the least number of goals (I think it was 37, which was 12 fewer than Midd).  Occasionally, that kind of fine margin, score just enough to win, situation can come back to bite you in a close to the vest tournament setting. 

Handful of thoughts after a day of reading everyone's posts on the upcoming sweet 16.

What did Amherst do to upset the NCAA?  Top seed and have to go to blustery, cold Wisconsin!  I know nothing of the Wisconsin teams (my midwest days are far behind me) but I suspect the Mammoths will use this as motivation.

The Midd regional looks all kinds of interesting.  Midd and Babson played earlier this year and while the scoreline was 3-1 in favor of the Panthers, the final two goals were scored very late in the contest.  Add in undefeated Trinity (who dispatched NESCAC foe Bowdoin 3-0) and CMS riding the hot streak from Colorado Springs and there are some compelling matchups.

Dickinson hosting over Williams was another "snub" of the NESCAC.  Buff State had an incredible level of compete to stick with Tufts in the 2nd half and OT as the push came from the Jumbos to get the equalizer.  Ben Diffley could be the difference in this section as he is good enough to steal a result for his team.  Oh, and the much discussed Williams goal in OT was a foul - except in NESCAC land.  I am a NESCAC partisan, but that was most definitely a foul.  Frustrating for Messiah.  And yes, the Messiah GK could have played it a bit differently.

The Mary Washington regional is packed with intrigue.  All four teams play a possession style game with the ball on the ground a fair amount.  Should be entertaining and any of those four teams could get out of the bracket to Vegas.

Hartford would be the ideal spot.  Airport is north of the city, right along I-91, and it would be an easy zip up the interstate to Amherst.

NESCAC homer here.  But even I am not all in on the NESCAC (or any conference) getting 8 teams into the field.  As someone who has been involved with other conferences around the country (NCAC, Centennial, ODAC), 72% of one league getting in doesn't feel, in a word, fair.

Leads to the perpetual argument when selecting teams for a post-season tournament - are you trying to gather the BEST teams or the ones who are MOST DESERVING?  Sometimes, those objectives align, other times they don't.  In D1 Football at the moment, one could make the argument that the Georgia Bulldogs are probably one of the best 12 teams in the country (talent wise).  But, with their resume, are the deserving of a bid over some other teams? 

Curious to see how the conference as a whole does across the first weekend.

Was in person up at Midd yesterday.  Great experience with Midd hosting - great job by the school, players, and fans.

I tend to see it in the same light as MiddFan.  Great game.  Conn had the upper hand early and the Midd keeper was forced into at least one strong save to keep the game scoreless (including one off his face after he had to come off his line to close down a Camel with a scoring chance).  After Conn scored the opener, the tide shifted in the Panthers' direction.  The goal (off a corner) was well taken.  Great delivery, great header.  Conn was fortunate to get to the half tied.

Second half, play was more balanced.  Both teams were able to generate possession and opportunities.  After Conn scored their second, play swung (again) in the direction of the Panthers.  Conn's third was definitely against the run of play, but that is what happens when a team is forced to push forward to get an equalizer.  Conn's third also happened immediately after a Panther missed a sitter (over the bar) on a rebound.  The very next trip up the field, Conn scored the third.

In the end, great game.  Conn took advantage of their chances, Midd did not.  No slight to Midd, they are really, really good.  Game could have easily been 3-1 in their favor.

It will be interesting to see how these two (and other NESCACs) are slotted in NCAA selection later today.