Quote from: jknezek on December 06, 2024, 12:38:11 PMAs for conference titles, unless you've won 5 or 6 in a row and plow through your regular season most years, I still think they mean a lot. Titles matter for most teams and players. You want to be a champion. If it's a one-team league, Messiah, well, it is what it is. But for the NESCAC schools, the ODAC, the Centennial and many more conferences, it's still a big deal. Maybe less to alums than to the players, but the players want, and celebrate, those banners.

That's my take on it anyway.

That's fair, and actually a great point.

Quote from: PaulNewman on December 06, 2024, 12:23:58 PMTo no one in particular...

So you're saying I don't have to feel bad about myself?

I don't have to ingest repeated failures to reach the F4 or win a title as a personal narcissistic injury?

Same for fans/parents/alums of Midd, W&L, Hopkins, F&M, Cortland, Rowan, GAC, Babson, JCU, ONU, etc, etc?

There are many quality clubs that compete for the Champions League that have never won it. Needless to say, they are still widely regarded as a world powerhouses.

Some clubs have title winning dynasties from past or present (Real Madrid, Bayern, Liverpool, AC Milan) and others are still hoping that one year will be the special year they clinch their first UCL title (Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, PSG).

*Please excuse this somewhat sorry analogy. D3 soccer is obviously different than the UCL

Lots of intriguing discussion here. Bottom line question seems to be: What level of achievement in a season is garnered as a success and can leave one feeling fulfilled when they look back on their career?

I agree with PN about conference titles, unless you are a program that isn't expected to win the conference and you can then hang your hat on that achievement. For perennial national contenders, a conference title will feel nice, but you won't be recalling conference championships when speaking to friends and family about fond college memories.

I do believe in a lot of cases it will be a milking of those E8, S16, and even NCAA tournament appearances, depending on the history of the school. I think it feels nice on a personal level to recall a F4, E8 or S16 achievement when talking to outsiders who want to hear about your college experience, but inwardly there will always be some longing of having made it to that next step that you just couldn't quite achieve.

I'm sure players at schools like Tufts, Amherst and Messiah feel some level of disappointment with anything less than a F4 or National title, simply due to the reputation of previous dynasties.

As a neutral who enjoyed watching the Red Devils this season, I wanted to highlight 4 players in particular who were enjoyable to watch:

Saul Iwowo - 16 goals 9 assists -- savvy, silky, deceptive. A special player who can create something out of nothing. At 6'3" he has incredible athleticism...reminds me of 2019 All-American Forward from St. Mary's College, Khalid Balogun, who was 6'4" and had similar skill with the ball.

Ethan Jarden - 13 goals 8 assists -- A perfect partner in crime to Iwowo. Dickinson's playmaker. Has a nose for getting in the right spots and finishing chances.

Nicholas Dwamena - 5 goals 5 assists -- his playstyle and physique reminds me of Brighton's Tyriq Lamptey. Such a fun, dynamic player to watch down the outside.

Timi Omoniwa -- 7 goals 3 assists -- At times, Omoniwa was just as tricky to deal for defenses with as Iwowo. A product of the Houston Dynamo academy.

Well done Red Devils on a great season.

 

Quote from: Newenglander on November 25, 2024, 02:02:41 PM

Quote from: camosfan on November 25, 2024, 01:38:05 PM

QuoteSomething I want to add about Amherst is the lack of substitutions made. This is interesting for a team that goes complete high press to only make 4 subs on a Sunday double-header Elite 8 game..wow. Same for W&L with 5 subs.

In comparison, Midd and Conn both made 10 subs. Depth and fresh legs play a critical role at this stage
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Sometimes the substitutions hurt Conn's game, you look at the bench and say WTF they are doing, Amherst has a way of keeping key players in for very long time, remember Oko had to signal to the sideline
that he needed to come out.

I would agree at times but hard to argue with the results.....think part of Conn's formula is that the sum is worth more than the individual parts.....Not sure they've had a Oko type individual player. Burk anchors the team with his back 4 (CB's rarely subbed) and rotates everyone else. Strong players like Jaran and Scoffone still command a ton of time.

Every year they seem to have someone different step up in the playoff run... 

Flashbacks to MT Tshuma in 2021

Quote from: Another Mom on November 25, 2024, 11:13:23 AMGood memory Paul Newman, on the hat eating ! I had forgotten :-).

As to whether I knew W&L would end up in the final 4 -- absolutely not! In fact, for most of the season I was pretty sure they weren't even getting to the tournament.

That said, the team that's playing now is a completely different one from early September.  And that's not a surprise with a new coach coming in and having to get up to speed on each player, some players getting used to new positions etc.

The players on the team, though, have always had the finals in their sights, and always believed they would get here. I would say W&L is the underdog of Las Vegas, but the team is peaking at the right time, and the mental game goes a very long way. And they have that.

As a neutral, I notice that mental edge. They seem very composed and unbothered by the occasion of each game.

W&L v Williams PK Shootout

I had talked up a big game about the Williams keeper, Diffley...but how about Will Joseph of W&L? Mentality monster in net during the shootout. Both Diffley and Joseph are great keepers in their own right. I thought William's first PK taker, #28 Tate Michelson, was unfortunate to somewhat lose his footing while striking his pen. Fast forward to the 6th PK for W&L taken by Ryan Sharpe (a freshman). What a lovely, deft, little dink. Impressive composure. I also enjoyed watching the leadership of #21 at the back for W&L, PJ Ryan - 6'1, 180 lbs.,no nonsense defender.

How do we think W&L will fare against CC in the Final Four?

Quote from: College Soccer Observer on November 25, 2024, 08:17:17 AMFor those unfamiliar with the Midd broadcasts, the English accent belongs to former Midd coach David Saward, who coached the Panthers from 1985-2017, compiling a record of 359-126-59 (.714), including the 2007 National Championship.  He also coached Alex Elias (current Midd coach), Kyle Dezotell (current Tufts coach), and Scott Wiercinski (current Bowdoin coach). 

CSO, thanks for the context. Just found his Hall of Fame page...

https://athletics.middlebury.edu/honors/hall-of-fame/david-saward/66

Entertaining match. Juniata look sky-high on confidence, and rightfully so.

Those Rutgers Newark kits remind me of the old school Man United kits from 2005 -

https://www.unitedkits.com/kits/seasons/2005.php

Middlebury v Babson [Elite 8]

What an entertaining match. This was my first time watching Midd this season (I know, shame) and I was mightily impressed. They are loaded with skillful, tall midfielders that have a certain edge to them. #17 in particular caught my eye (was it the green cleats?).

Babson was impressive in the sense that they were incredibly organized defensively. I loved how Babson built out of the back - both CBs displaying top notch composure and distribution. They often looked for penetrating passes to skilled MFs who were comfortable receiving the ball with pressure on their back. I thought they were dangerous on the counter and quite sound in defense. There was one moment in OT where a Babson player had a smash from the top of the box through heavy traffic, and I'm sure the Midd players had hearts in mouths as they watched the ball whistle past the post.

The Midfield in this match was tightly contested and became increasingly more of a warzone as the two teams entered deeper into OT.

And of course, as mentioned previously, any announcer with an English accent is automatically over qualified to announce a D3 match 

PKs were a thrill to watch. Felt Babson were in for it as soon as their keeper took the first PK and skied it.

Overall, two really good sides who showed why they belonged in the final 8 teams of the tournament.

Quote from: Hopkins92 on November 22, 2024, 11:32:56 AMNot necessarily a counterpoint re: Diffley, but size isn't always a bonus for a GK. Diffley is the right kind of "big." Seems like in the same vicinity as Courtois (Belgium).

I agree. I was interested to read his bio from before college soccer:

High School/Club: A five-year varsity starter and senior captain at Pinewood Preparatory School in Summerville, SC...Helped lead Pinewood Prep in South Carolina to two state semifinal appearances...Named South Carolina Independent School Assoc. (SCISA) Region Player of the Year in 2019 and was selected to the All-State team in 2018 and 2019...Following his senior season, he attended Deerfield Academy as a Postgraduate...Played at the club level for Charleston Battery Soccer Club, where he was named captain in his final two seasons and led the team to their first Challenge Cup title.

Quote from: Bucket on November 22, 2024, 10:24:10 AM

Quote from: skg2 on November 21, 2024, 10:00:11 PMMy predictions for the Sweet 16 - would love to hear everyone else's as well:

Midd vs CMS: 3-0 Midd
Trinity vs Babson: 2-1 Trinity
Midd vs Trinity: 1-1 (Trinity advances 3-0 on pens)

Buffalo State vs Dickinson: Dickinson 2-1
W&L vs Williams: W&L 3-0
W&L vs Dickinson: W&L 2-1

Amherst vs Wis-Superior: Amherst 3-1
WEC vs Wis-Platteville: WEC 2-0
Amherst vs WEC: Amherst 2-1

UMW vs Denison: UMW 1-0
Conn College vs Kenyon: Conn 2-0
UMW vs Conn: 1-1 (Conn advances 4-1 in pens)

I hope W&L wins, but the Generals aren't putting 3 past Diffley.

He is an excellent keeper, and a mountain of a man at 6'5". W&L will not want to enter a PK shootout with him in net.

Quote from: skg2 on November 21, 2024, 10:00:11 PMMy predictions for the Sweet 16 - would love to hear everyone else's as well:

Midd vs CMS: 3-0 Midd
Trinity vs Babson: 2-1 Trinity
Midd vs Trinity: 1-1 (Trinity advances 3-0 on pens)

Buffalo State vs Dickinson: Dickinson 2-1
W&L vs Williams: W&L 3-0
W&L vs Dickinson: W&L 2-1

Amherst vs Wis-Superior: Amherst 3-1
WEC vs Wis-Platteville: WEC 2-0
Amherst vs WEC: Amherst 2-1

UMW vs Denison: UMW 1-0
Conn College vs Kenyon: Conn 2-0
UMW vs Conn: 1-1 (Conn advances 4-1 in pens)

These predictions seem very plausible. Excited to see how it aligns..

W&L seem to have a "know-how" about them. Hard to score on and dangerous going forward. Nothing pops out as outstanding, but an all around competent and well coached team. Can't wait for Williams v W&L.

Quote from: Tyler12410 on November 20, 2024, 12:39:47 PMI believe the reason W&L women are not at home is due to their Field Hockey team hosting the second round of their tournament. Nonetheless it's quite crazy that Trinity from Texas will be flying across the country to the home of the office, Scranton PA.

One can only hope teams will be able to steer clear of the Scranton Strangler

Wanted to do a deeper dive into Babson, since I haven't seen any of their matches yet.

Out of Babson's top 9 stat leaders, 8 of them have AT LEAST 50% SOG. That's pretty impressive and shows some serious discipline when it comes to shooting.

It also looks like they have a fairly wide spread of goals, with their top 5 stat leaders contributing at least 13 points.

Top stat leader, Kento Abe, transferred in from Maryland and is playing his Grad year at Babson. Listed as a defender at UMD but has racked up 8 goals and 6 assists for Babson. Looks like he contributed 14 games and 9 starts at UMD last season as a senior.