CCIW

[Gregory Sager]

In the NCAA's first weekly ranking, released two days ago, NPU was second in the Central Region behind Washington (MO) (13-1). (This is in spite of the fact that NPU has the common-opponent criterion advantage over Wash U; the Vikings beat Dominican, and the Stars handed the Bears their only loss of the season back in September,) Thus, the Vikings are rooting for Loras to win that big match on Sunday in Iowa between the Duhawks and the Bears. A Loras win would presumably put NPU in the driver's seat in terms of next week's second NCAA ranking.

Wash U does have a tough row to hoe in terms of its remaining schedule. After traveling to Loras (#1 North Region, 13-2-2) on Sunday, the Bears will host Rochester (#4 East Region, 8-3-1) a week from tonight and Case Western Reserve (#6 Great Lakes Region, 11-3) a week from Sunday. The Bears then conclude the regular season on the road in Hyde Park against a 6-6-2 Chicago side that has really stumbled badly over the past month but which has demonstrated that it's capable of playing at a much higher level than its record indicates.

North Park (9-0-3) travels to Decatur tomorrow to face hapless Millikin (0-14) and then moves on to Kenosha on Wednesday night to face a tough test in Carthage (9-5-2) before winding up the regular season at home against North Central (9-3-2) a week from tomorrow. But here's where NPU's road gets tougher and Wash U's gets easier; the UAA doesn't have a conference tournament, and the CCIW does. Even if NPU gets to host it, that's two more tough matches before Selection Day.

[Gregory Sager]

Alas, NPU's undefeated status ended tonight with a 1-0 loss to Carthage. I knew that this would be a tough match, particularly since it was played up at Art Keller Field in Kenosha. Now the Vikings have to close out strong at home against North Central and root for Illinois Wesleyan to beat the Red Men down in Bloomington on Saturday in order for NPU to host the CCIW tourney.

[d3fan1]

Why didn't Pederson and Lindstrom play? I went to the game and was looking forward to seeing them. I thought North Park's attack was pretty anemic tonight. Carthage played very strong in the back though and didn't give them a chance to get untracked.
Is it that North Park really missed those two? What do they do differently with them in the line-up?

[Gregory Sager]

Why didn't Pederson and Lindstrom play? I went to the game and was looking forward to seeing them. I thought North Park's attack was pretty anemic tonight. Carthage played very strong in the back though and didn't give them a chance to get untracked.
Is it that North Park really missed those two? What do they do differently with them in the line-up?

Pettersson (not Pederson) was out due to a red card that he took on Saturday at Millikin, presumably after arguing a yellow (the time given for both cards is the same, so it's pretty easy to deduce what happened). There's absolutely no excuse for that on his part. He really hurt the team by putting himself in the situation where he had to sit out tonight's match. I don't know what the circumstances were, but it doesn't matter. Regardless of what the Big Blue were doing to him, he had to stay above it and keep his cool -- he's too important to NPU's fortunes to miss an important match like tonight's for a non-injury-related reason, especially with Lindmark out and Grahn playing on a bad knee that is seriously hampering his game.

Lindmark (not Lindstrom) has been in and out of the lineup all season long with a nagging groin injury. He didn't play against Millikin, either.

With two of them out and the third hobbled, NPU loses a considerable amount of its offensive punch. Please note that I'm not making excuses for NPU; you have to play with the guys you have on the field, regardless of the circumstances, and I'm sure that Carthage won this one fair and square.

[voiceofseason]

Alas, NPU's undefeated status ended tonight with a 1-0 loss to Carthage. I knew that this would be a tough match, particularly since it was played up at Art Keller Field in Kenosha. Now the Vikings have to close out strong at home against North Central and root for Illinois Wesleyan to beat the Red Men down in Bloomington on Saturday in order for NPU to host the CCIW tourney.

Clearly, IWU will be motivated and needs a victory Saturday to make the conference tournament.  It was a nice battle last night, and Wheaton put in a goal through traffic on a short clearance in the the last 10 minutes.  IWU had a couple chances themselves, but just didn't get it done.

This is the third year in a row that IWU has gone down to the last game needing a result against Carthage.  Hopefully playing at home can get them over the hump....

I believe an IWU tie and an Augie win would also put the Titans through, but you certainly can't count on that.  IWU needs a win at home.

It's interesting how a season can actually be broken down to a couple plays - had IWU put one of their chances in and clear that ball that Wheaton ultimately scored on, the Thunder's season would be over.  Situations like these make the game that much more enjoyable watching....

[Gregory Sager]

It's interesting how a season can actually be broken down to a couple plays - had IWU put one of their chances in and clear that ball that Wheaton ultimately scored on, the Thunder's season would be over.  Situations like these make the game that much more enjoyable watching....

Yep, it's definitely a strange new world for Wheaton, having to win twice in the last week and then get some help from somebody else just to get into the CCIW tourney. There's never been a CCIW tourney that didn't include Wheaton. Heck, there's never been a CCIW tourney championship match that didn't involve Wheaton.

[markerickson]

Why would Pettersson, playing for an undefeated team, engage in a play against a winless team, that results in him getting booted from an important game against a good team?

Can anyone describe what he did to deserve the red card?  Was it a questionable call or is Pettersson an uncontrollable hothead?  (I believe he got kicked out of another game.)

[Gregory Sager]

Why would Pettersson, playing for an undefeated team, engage in a play against a winless team, that results in him getting booted from an important game against a good team?

I wish I knew, Mark. I wish I knew.

Can anyone describe what he did to deserve the red card?  Was it a questionable call or is Pettersson an uncontrollable hothead?  (I believe he got kicked out of another game.)

I wasn't there -- with an announced attendance of 30, sounds like hardly anybody was at that match down in Decatur -- and I haven't heard anything about it from anyone connected to the NPU program. As I said before, I drew the logical inference that Pettersson was red-carded for complaining about the yellow card he'd just been given, as the times listed for the two cards are identical in the box score. As for your last question, I don't see it as being an either/or situation. Regardless of how questionable a call it was, there are no circumstances whatsoever that warrant having a red card follow upon the heels of getting a yellow card. You shut up, you swallow your ego and your anger, you walk away from the referee, and that's that. I don't care if your opponent pulled your shorts down around your ankles and the referee didn't see it happen. You take your yellow card, you clam up, and you keep playing.

He didn't get kicked out of another game. He did miss the contest against UW-Whitewater due to the fact that he had accumulated five yellow cards. In NCAA soccer, once you're given your fifth yellow card of the season, you then have to sit out the next game.

[The Sock Heir]

Why would Pettersson, playing for an undefeated team, engage in a play against a winless team, that results in him getting booted from an important game against a good team?

I wish I knew, Mark. I wish I knew.

Can anyone describe what he did to deserve the red card?  Was it a questionable call or is Pettersson an uncontrollable hothead?  (I believe he got kicked out of another game.)

I wasn't there -- with an announced attendance of 30, sounds like hardly anybody was at that match down in Decatur -- and I haven't heard anything about it from anyone connected to the NPU program. As I said before, I drew the logical inference that Pettersson was red-carded for complaining about the yellow card he'd just been given, as the times listed for the two cards are identical in the box score. As for your last question, I don't see it as being an either/or situation. Regardless of how questionable a call it was, there are no circumstances whatsoever that warrant having a red card follow upon the heels of getting a yellow card. You shut up, you swallow your ego and your anger, you walk away from the referee, and that's that. I don't care if your opponent pulled your shorts down around your ankles and the referee didn't see it happen. You take your yellow card, you clam up, and you keep playing.

He didn't get kicked out of another game. He did miss the contest against UW-Whitewater due to the fact that he had accumulated five yellow cards. In NCAA soccer, once you're given your fifth yellow card of the season, you then have to sit out the next game.

After a questionable called handball on NPU, Jonas made a remark in the realm of, "I guess you should leave your arm at home next time." I am not sure what else was said. It sounded like the ref overreacted and Jonas couldn't keep his mouth shut.

[Gregory Sager]

Thanks, Sock Heir.

That's actually a pretty clever one-liner for a guy who speaks English as a second language. Nevertheless, it was a stupid thing to say to a man who has the ability to make you miss the most important game of the year sitting right in his pocket.

[The Sock Heir]

I thought so, too. I half-laughed when I heard the story.

[keeker]

With two of them out and the third hobbled, NPU loses a considerable amount of its offensive punch. Please note that I'm not making excuses for NPU; you have to play with the guys you have on the field, regardless of the circumstances, and I'm sure that Carthage won this one fair and square.

Carthage were missing 4 starters as well. Make that 3. The replacement goalie this season is actually better than the coach's favorite. Milan Tijanic made some incredible saves and the one he made just before the final whistle saved the game for the redmen.Also missing was urosevic probably their top player. Carthage deserved the win.

Jonas really has become a headcase. He needs a good kick in the butt. How many times have I seen his teammates telling him to shut up. Probably more than a few players who can't stand wannabe prima donna. At some point you have to ask, is he helping or hurting.

[The Sock Heir]

With two of them out and the third hobbled, NPU loses a considerable amount of its offensive punch. Please note that I'm not making excuses for NPU; you have to play with the guys you have on the field, regardless of the circumstances, and I'm sure that Carthage won this one fair and square.

Carthage were missing 4 starters as well. Make that 3. The replacement goalie this season is actually better than the coach's favorite. Milan Tijanic made some incredible saves and the one he made just before the final whistle saved the game for the redmen.Also missing was urosevic probably their top player. Carthage deserved the win.

Jonas really has become a headcase. He needs a good kick in the butt. How many times have I seen his teammates telling him to shut up. Probably more than a few players who can't stand wannabe prima donna. At some point you have to ask, is he helping or hurting.

That's a no brainer, he's helping. And with the team that NP fielded, they should have won 3-0, regardless of what Carthage team was out there. It was a matter of NP not playing well and nothing else.

[blue_jays]

It was a matter of NP not playing well and nothing else.

Now THAT is a stupid thing to say. Teams don't play poorly all by their lonesome. The opponent has say in it too. It's not like Carthage just stood there while North Park missed wide open shots or something. Coulda, woulda, shoulda... this is soccer! A game where you can out shoot an opponent 30-1 and still lose 1-0. Oh and by the way, North Park got out shot.

Jonas is absolutely helping, as they wouldn't have been undefeated as long as they were without his goal scoring ability. Luckily for him, cards reset to zero in the postseason.

The CCIW race is so jumbled right now, no one can control who they might face due to the fact that teams can go from hosting to out of it in one game at this point. But if I'm North Park, I want to face Wheaton more than Elmhurst or Carthage. The Thunder defense can be quite porous in close.

[voiceofseason]

It was a matter of NP not playing well and nothing else.

Now THAT is a stupid thing to say. Teams don't play poorly all by their lonesome. The opponent has say in it too. It's not like Carthage just stood there while North Park missed wide open shots or something. Coulda, woulda, shoulda... this is soccer! A game where you can out shoot an opponent 30-1 and still lose 1-0. Oh and by the way, North Park got out shot.

Jonas is absolutely helping, as they wouldn't have been undefeated as long as they were without his goal scoring ability. Luckily for him, cards reset to zero in the postseason.

The CCIW race is so jumbled right now, no one can control who they might face due to the fact that teams can go from hosting to out of it in one game at this point. But if I'm North Park, I want to face Wheaton more than Elmhurst or Carthage. The Thunder defense can be quite porous in close.

Not to overreact, but IWU is still in the hunt too.  I'm pretty sure a win against Carthage puts them in.  There is actually a scenario (IWU win, North Central win, Augie win) where there would be a four-way tie for the title.  Doubt that's ever happened before.  I don't see NP losing again, but the other games are clear possibilities.  I suppose it depends what Augie shows up and what they decide to play for (Senior Day, etc.)

Despite being a Titan observer and fan, I hope Urosevic plays on Saturday for the Carthage.  He's one of the players in the CCIW I enjoy watching - incredibly strong.  Not sure why he missed the NP game.