CCIW

[thePietist]

Looks like NPU took care of business at Concordia tonight: 3-1
http://www.sidearmstats.com/cuchicago/msoc/xlive.htm

Glad Lindmark is back running up the assists.  Anyone know why Ahlberg wasn't in goal? 

[Gotberg]

Looks like NPU took care of business at Concordia tonight: 3-1
http://www.sidearmstats.com/cuchicago/msoc/xlive.htm

Glad Lindmark is back running up the assists.  Anyone know why Ahlberg wasn't in goal?

It looks like the GKs split halves.

[Gregory Sager]

Ahlberg's had some tendonitis issues in one of his knees, and with a not-particularly-good opponent on the menu John Born decided to split the keeper duties between Ahlberg and Alex Adielsson.

As expected, almost the entire game was spent in Concordia's end. The talent disparity between NPU and Concordia was about as lopsided as it's ever been. NPU still really isn't in sync yet, but there were still a plethora of close-in chances that the Vikings had, although they only converted on three of them. NPU used 25 players in the game, so Coach Born subbed freely and often.

The Vikings are going to have to step it up a notch or two when they visit Dominican tomorrow afternoon.

[Gotberg]

NPU lost to Dominican 1-0, with 20 seconds left in the 2nd OT.  Game was pretty evenly played.

[tjcummingsfan]

Was it that even?  It sure looked like the Vikings had a lot of chances... 16 shots, 6 on goal.  Were they legit chances or no?

[Gotberg]

Was it that even?  It sure looked like the Vikings had a lot of chances... 16 shots, 6 on goal.  Were they legit chances or no?

In terms of real chances, I would say they were pretty even.  Dominican had claims to a penalty kick for handball (I can't believe it wasn't called) and NPU hit the post off a header from a corner.

Fair result, not that there is such a thing, would have been 0-0.

[Gotberg]

Was it that even?  It sure looked like the Vikings had a lot of chances... 16 shots, 6 on goal.  Were they legit chances or no?

In terms of real chances, I would say they were pretty even.  Dominican had claims to a penalty kick for handball (I can't believe it wasn't called) and NPU hit the post off a header from a corner.

Fair result, not that there is such a thing, would have been 0-0.

I should also mention that I was really impressed by what I saw out of North Park.  It will take some time to develop chemistry in the final 3rd, but I think they will be better than last year's team.

[thePietist]

Should be an exciting weekend coming up for CCIW play.  Tough matchups for Wheaton and NP tomorrow with PLU and Gustavus.  The Gusties seem to score at will (especially that All American sophomore of theirs!)--it'll be a good test for the Vikings.

For some reason, it looks like all of the Scandinavian-loving schools are on the CCIW schedule in the coming week: GA, St Olaf, Lawrence, PLU.  Maybe that shouldn't be surprising for a conference with two teams named the Vikings. 

[augie77]

`Though lacking the credibility of the d3soccer.com poll, it is noteworthy that the latest www.nscaa.com poll ranks Wheaton women at #4 and Augustana at #19.  Wheaton men are #7.

Wheaton's men brought in a great recruiting class, plus a couple of very solid transfers.  The freshman class includes two of Illinois' top three high school seniors from last year.  The team is in Spokane, Washington this weekend to play Pacific Lutheran and Whitworth. 

[Gregory Sager]

Was it that even?  It sure looked like the Vikings had a lot of chances... 16 shots, 6 on goal.  Were they legit chances or no?

In terms of real chances, I would say they were pretty even.  Dominican had claims to a penalty kick for handball (I can't believe it wasn't called) and NPU hit the post off a header from a corner.

Fair result, not that there is such a thing, would have been 0-0.

NPU dominated play. The Vikings were the more talented team. But I'd agree with the statement that the Vikings didn't have a ton of real scoring chances, even though the ball was kept in DU's half of the field for most of the game. The Vikes had more good chances than the Stars had, but it wasn't as though they were peppering the DU keeper with shots on goal the whole afternoon. DU's back line is just really, really solid, and, as Gotberg said, the NPU forwards are still in the process of gelling as a unit.

It was a disappointing loss in the sense that NPU is good enough for the Vikings to have an expectation of winning whenever they take the field in the regular season, and also in the sense that losing off of a long throw-in with only 24 seconds left on the clock in double overtime is a crushing feeling. But those are good disappointments, if there is such a thing. It's the disappointment of reasonably heightened expectations.

[Gotberg]

Are the NPU games going to be broadcast on the internet this year?

[Gregory Sager]

Yes, as far as I know. Just home games, as has been the case the past few seasons.

[Gotberg]

Yes, as far as I know. Just home games, as has been the case the past few seasons.

Thanks.   The video link was not active on the np athletic site when I posted earlier, but now is available.

[thePietist]

I can't get the video.  Anyone else experiencing "technical difficulties"?

[tjcummingsfan]

Yeah, I've gotten 1 or 2 seconds to play and that's about it.