Quote from: EnmoreCat on September 29, 2024, 10:13:24 PMColby 0 Amherst 1

I'm not sure I will return to Maine in my lifetime, but I am confident that the memories of the spectacular backdrop to Colby's Mark R. Serdjenian Field will not quickly pass.  The bleachers there offer a tremendous view of the field and it was a pleasure to watch.

I had already, by complete accident, had the opportunity to share breakfast with the team at the rustic Fireside Inn, where the sleep was much quieter than downtown Enmore.  I did sense a steely focus in the group and it was clear from the start that the white shirts were switched on.  The Mules attempted to play the ball out from the back, with mixed results and it did allow Amherst to take control of the game.  Just before the 20th minute, the end result from an attractive passing sequence was a careful strike from one of the seniors.  It was no more than the Mammoths deserved and now the question was whether or not a second goal could be found.  I won't drag things out, it didn't happen, despite numerous shots being taken, with some good saves by the Colby keeper.

Not for the first time this year, the lack of a second goal meant that the Blue Shirts (they are great looking shirts by the way) stayed in the game.  They did look dangerous on set pieces with some impressive deliveries and the Amherst keeper made one particularly solid save off a free kick.  The Mammoths were pushing for a second goal, which would have been wonderful for the hearts of those with purple in their hearts, but couldn't quite create the right opening.  Ultimately, it ended up being similar to the previous day against Bates, where we probably made it a little harder than we needed to.

Taking a step back, at the halfway mark in conference, Amherst is fourth and from this correspondent's perspective, still yet to produce a full game performance, which keeps the door open for a higher position in the standings, when things start to click.  Whilst the Mammoths are definitely underperforming xG, the encouraging news for this father of a central defender is that Amherst has only conceded three goals.  At the same time last year, it was seven.  It was also the first time since 2019 that Amherst has taken 6 points from this double header in what is aptly described as The Pine Tree State.

I thought Colby persevered in the face of Amherst pressure and they have a couple of players who are comfortable on the ball in midfield and capable of effective transition.  I understand it has been tough for them in conference so far, but I don't think they are far away from a result and with a bit of luck it will be at the expense of one of Amherst's close rivals.

Finally, I do need to mention the referee who was an exponent of the less-than-fine art of dramatic whistling.  To this uneducated ear it appeared to be only when Amherst committed a foul and it's possible that an itinerant Australian attendee at the game implored him to also dramatically whistle when the Mules fouled, but he resisted that temptation.

Foul Count: Colby 5 Amherst 16 (not the most fouls from a NESCAC team this weekend, the leader was 20).

High marks for this narrative; outcome of game secondary to your description of the day (to the neutral observer)

Longtime reader, first time poster here.

Was in attendance for the Tufts - Babson game tonight, 1-1 tie. Both teams looked really solid for most of the contest...it was nice and refreshing to see soccer played as the beautiful game it can be, rather than the ugliness of pure kick-and-run and physicality that college soccer can be sometimes.

Tufts seemed to have the upper-hand to me for most of the contest, though Babson certainly didn't appear uncomfortable at any point. In fact, in the middle 20 minutes of the second half, it seemed like Babson actually might be the team with a goal coming. With about ten minutes left, Babson found the back of the net, but it came off of a miscommunication between the Tufts CB Feinberg and GK Antic. This is not a mistake I expect to see again this season from the Tufts defense who have looked very solid this season and in this game. But here, the Babson FWD Yablonovskiy took advantage and put it away to make it 1-0.

For the next ten minutes, Tufts pushed hard for the equalizer and with about one minute left, they found the goal that seemed like was coming for most of the contest. Beautiful ball in off the corner from Gerken and I believe last touch was from Canfin to put it in the back of the net.

This Tufts team is showing grittiness that will be helpful later in the year, though they are still missing a dominant, goal-scoring striker...

Despite its six ties, expecting Babson will win the NEWMAC and make a tournament run. Expecting their limiting factor will be their lack of physicality and set-piece dominance.

D3Reporter, you did your board name proud.  Great (and fair) description.

Quote from: D3Reporter on October 01, 2024, 11:09:02 PMLongtime reader, first time poster here.

Was in attendance for the Tufts - Babson game tonight, 1-1 tie. Both teams looked really solid for most of the contest...it was nice and refreshing to see soccer played as the beautiful game it can be, rather than the ugliness of pure kick-and-run and physicality that college soccer can be sometimes.

Tufts seemed to have the upper-hand to me for most of the contest, though Babson certainly didn't appear uncomfortable at any point. In fact, in the middle 20 minutes of the second half, it seemed like Babson actually might be the team with a goal coming. With about ten minutes left, Babson found the back of the net, but it came off of a miscommunication between the Tufts CB Feinberg and GK Antic. This is not a mistake I expect to see again this season from the Tufts defense who have looked very solid this season and in this game. But here, the Babson FWD Yablonovskiy took advantage and put it away to make it 1-0.

For the next ten minutes, Tufts pushed hard for the equalizer and with about one minute left, they found the goal that seemed like was coming for most of the contest. Beautiful ball in off the corner from Gerken and I believe last touch was from Canfin to put it in the back of the net.

This Tufts team is showing grittiness that will be helpful later in the year, though they are still missing a dominant, goal-scoring striker...

Despite its six ties, expecting Babson will win the NEWMAC and make a tournament run. Expecting their limiting factor will be their lack of physicality and set-piece dominance.

Thanks for the first-hand report.  I was going to say something about the Tufts' GK's play on that goal in my post on the National Perspectives thread, but I refrained because there was a press box post(?!) in the way of the camera on the feed and I couldn't quite see what happened.

Quote from: Kuiper on October 01, 2024, 11:35:09 PM

Quote from: D3Reporter on October 01, 2024, 11:09:02 PMLongtime reader, first time poster here.

Was in attendance for the Tufts - Babson game tonight, 1-1 tie. Both teams looked really solid for most of the contest...it was nice and refreshing to see soccer played as the beautiful game it can be, rather than the ugliness of pure kick-and-run and physicality that college soccer can be sometimes.

Tufts seemed to have the upper-hand to me for most of the contest, though Babson certainly didn't appear uncomfortable at any point. In fact, in the middle 20 minutes of the second half, it seemed like Babson actually might be the team with a goal coming. With about ten minutes left, Babson found the back of the net, but it came off of a miscommunication between the Tufts CB Feinberg and GK Antic. This is not a mistake I expect to see again this season from the Tufts defense who have looked very solid this season and in this game. But here, the Babson FWD Yablonovskiy took advantage and put it away to make it 1-0.

For the next ten minutes, Tufts pushed hard for the equalizer and with about one minute left, they found the goal that seemed like was coming for most of the contest. Beautiful ball in off the corner from Gerken and I believe last touch was from Canfin to put it in the back of the net.

This Tufts team is showing grittiness that will be helpful later in the year, though they are still missing a dominant, goal-scoring striker...

Despite its six ties, expecting Babson will win the NEWMAC and make a tournament run. Expecting their limiting factor will be their lack of physicality and set-piece dominance.

Thanks for the first-hand report.  I was going to say something about the Tufts' GK's play on that goal in my post on the National Perspectives thread, but I refrained because there was a press box post(?!) in the way of the camera on the feed and I couldn't quite see what happened.

The camera view and the pitch of the announcer is a bit of a struggle to watch/listen at Bello.....

You mean when looking to the extreme left or right the pole blocks the view? Not, not uncommon.  And the voice of the Elephants might be spot on - all in the nose. I think the person does not have a diaphragm.

I find D3s take on both goals off.

The camera is on a structure where the frame of the structure blocks
The view.

Quote from: SKUD on October 02, 2024, 10:14:02 AMI find D3s take on both goals off.

The camera is on a structure where the frame of the structure blocks
The view.

Yup

I'm confused... We don't agree with the in-person report, because the online camera view is obstructed?

I'm missing something here.

2 separate items. 1 was explaining camera view.

Other was feeling on game and goals was very different than his account.

Quote from: SKUD on October 02, 2024, 10:14:02 AMThe camera is on a structure where the frame of the structure blocks
The view.

Thanks.  I've seen something similar at a few other schools, although usually just blocking the extreme corners and not as far into the field as Tufts.  The camera could toggle back and forth between the left and right side of the post and still see field, so it actually obscured action on the field rather than just the run up for the corner kick.  It felt a little like the Farmers Insurance "winning view" commercial when the ball was on the left side of one goal and the right side of the other.

I've noticed a couple of schools are using technologically advanced solutions to this problem of not being able to see the angles well.  Pomona-Pitzer and UC Santa Cruz now use a drone to show overhead shots of all corner and free kicks (and P-P didn't even have the kind of extreme blind spots other schools have).  Others use a second camera behind the goal.  It may be that the FloSports contract is helping in some cases (for P-P for instance), which would help to justify the price.

Quote from: SKUD on October 02, 2024, 10:14:02 AMI find D3s take on both goals off.

The camera is on a structure where the frame of the structure blocks
The view.

Rewatched the goals on video to see how they compared to what I saw last night. Pretty unbelievable how much of the Babson goal was obscured by the post on the structure the camera is on. Seeing as that is...I can totally understand how my explanation about the miscommunication can seem like it came out of nowhere.

On the video you can see the beginning of the lead-up: Missed pass is cleared by Feinberg, which is blocked by Yablonovskiy.Then after that, the post completely blocks the rest of the play until the shot. On the field, I saw Feinberg shielding for a few seconds and visibly/audibly yelling at Antic, expecting that he would pick it up. Antic stayed on his line, though, and Yablonovskiy capitalized. Don't mean to take anything away from the Babson striker as his ability to get around Feinberg was impressive and strong, but to me, there's no doubt that goal doesn't happen if Feinberg and Antic are on the same page there.

In terms of the second goal, I think that one goes rather unobstructed. But, I view it at as a nicely placed ball to get it over the keeper onto Canfin's head, who finished at back post late in the game with almost everyone in the box.

I totally understand, though, that it's the nature of the game that several of us watching the same play can have entirely different interpretations. Would love to hear what others took away from the goals to get a different perspective.

Quote from: Kuiper on October 02, 2024, 12:18:04 PM

Quote from: SKUD on October 02, 2024, 10:14:02 AMThe camera is on a structure where the frame of the structure blocks
The view.

Thanks.  I've seen something similar at a few other schools, although usually just blocking the extreme corners and not as far into the field as Tufts.  The camera could toggle back and forth between the left and right side of the post and still see field, so it actually obscured action on the field rather than just the run up for the corner kick.  It felt a little like the Farmers Insurance "winning view" commercial when the ball was on the left side of one goal and the right side of the other.

I've noticed a couple of schools are using technologically advanced solutions to this problem of not being able to see the angles well.  Pomona-Pitzer and UC Santa Cruz now use a drone to show overhead shots of all corner and free kicks (and P-P didn't even have the kind of extreme blind spots other schools have).  Others use a second camera behind the goal.  It may be that the FloSports contract is helping in some cases (for P-P for instance), which would help to justify the price.

I don't know about other conferences, but as a fan of the NEWMAC the first year of the contract under FloSports has been a net negative.  I swore I wouldn't pay for the service, but my addiction got the best of me so I signed up for the special NEWMAC all-sports package.

My experience:

The "technical difficulties" have increased dramatically - exponentially really.  And you never really know whether you should wait for the "we're working on it" to be resolved or restart the feed, which if you do so you've got a commercial to suffer through.

You really need to use the app, because the browser version is extra fluky and doesn't support IOS from what their CS told me.

Not as easy as it used to be to toggle between games with multiple tabs open.  Now it's one at a time, and again, a commercial before the match.

The Customer Service is slow to respond (best to use the chat).

The ability to save Favorites is clunky.

My understanding (I could be wrong) was that all equipment (and cameramen?) would be supplied by FS, with the announcers (if any) supplied by the team(s).
I haven't seen any improvement in camera coverage/technology.

Other than that, everything is fantastic.  I know this is the trend, but pray your favorite conference doesn't get FS.