CCIW

[markerickson]

IWU tends to be in the top four, but NPU recently tallied six goals against the Greenies.

[SuperSub15]

IWU has only been top 4 maybe 3 out of the last 10 seasons.

[SuperSub15]

Correction Wheaton 1 vs North Central 4. Elmhurst 2 vs Carthage 3

[tjcummingsfan]

When was the last time the CCIW had 4 teams in the top 10 in the region (NSCAA poll), and none of them were Wheaton? 

[Gregory Sager]

It's never happened before.

For the record, here's how the CCIW fared in that latest NSCAA regional poll:

  3. Carthage
  4. NPU
  9. Millikin
10. Elmhurst

Keep in mind that the poll came out yesterday, and does not reflect last night's 6-2 evisceration of Carthage by #1 Chicago (which is a legitimate Final Four side).

NPU hosts Millikin tonight, by the way.

[tjcummingsfan]

It's unreal.  As a NP fan, it makes me hopeful for this Saturday's NP v Wheaton matchup, but also a bit nervous. 

[Gregory Sager]

You're supposed to be nervous when NPU plays Wheaton. That's the whole point. If you're not, it means that one or the other side is down to the point where the match probably isn't going to be close ... and we both know that Wheaton's most likely never going to fall into that category, so the issue at hand is for NPU to maintain a high level as well. In other words, your nervousness or lack thereof is a reflection of NPU's competence.

Incidentally, NPU (6-2-1, 2-0) absolutely annihilated Millikin (6-2, 0-1) last night, 4-0. It won't be that impressive a result when the final verdict is in, as Millikin is a paper tiger that fattened its non-conference record on SLIAC and NACC cupcakes prior to starting CCIW play (as MU is wont to do in numerous sports). I will be surprised if the Big Blue make it to the CCIW tourney. But it was good to see the Vikings take control of a match and never let up. Sophomore forward Carel Kawele, the reigning CCIW Offensive Player of the Week, is starting to emerge as a top-flight scorer. He had two more goals last night, the first of which was as pretty a goal as you'll ever see -- a left-footed bender from 25 yards out and off to the right of the net (he's right-footed) that cleared the far post by a good two or three yards before it hooked back into the net. It was also good to see Kebba Sanyang back on the pitch for NPU after missing several weeks due to injury. The Vikings are now as close to healthy as they've been all season.

[Gregory Sager]

Elmhurst's 1-1 draw with visiting Augustana at Langhorst was a bit of a head-scratcher. Augie (3-5-1, 0-0-1) had done nothing this season to lead anyone to believe that the Doggies could hang with a good side. Their wins over Lakeland (2-8) and Robert Morris-Springfield (1-7) were practically worthless (d3soccer.com erroneously has Augie beating much-more-competent Robert Morris-Chicago rather than RMUS), and their win over Lake Forest (5-5) was really the only impressive glimmer on their sked to date. On the other hand, Elmhurst (5-2-3, 0-0-1) is an always-dangerous side that specializes in physical, defensive-oriented play and always seems to rack up draw after draw against good sides, interspersed with low-scoring one-goal wins.

Last night, perhaps, Elmhurst's style backfired to the point where the 'jays couldn't obtain an advantage on a lesser outfit that would allow them to then play their preferred style. Augie scored at 35:01, and the Bluejays apparently spent the rest of the match fruitlessly peppering shots to no avail, until finally heading one in in the 89th minute. They did it short-handed, too, as one of the 'jays was sent off with a straight red in the 63rd minute. Augie returned the favor by having a player sent off with a straight red in the final minute of regulation (the card's color not mattering, since the player had already received a yellow earlier in the match). EC then outshot Augie 5-0 in the extra sessions, but couldn't produce the golden goal. EC outshot Augie, 24-14, although shots on frame were even at eight apiece, and the hosts had 11 corners to only one for the Rock Islanders.

As one would expect from Elmhurst and Augustana, the play sounds like it was pretty rough: Augie got six yellows and a red, while Elmhurst received three yellows and a red.

Perhaps the rainy weather was an equalizer, but it seemed like a surprising result; I expected much more out of Elmhurst, and much less out of Augie.

[gustiefan04]

Augustana is definitely not there yet, but they are an improving side. They've got 3-4 pretty talented freshman getting valuable minutes this year - Michael Peters is a work horse & Matt Allen is extremely technical on the ball, making them formidable in the final third. Salah Aghlaf is strong in the middle for a FY as well. From what I've seen, the Auggies have some big holes in the backline that need to be filled in the 2017 recruiting class.

If they can fill the void in the back, I suspect they will emerge as a CCIW tournament contender in the next year or two. The North Park's and Wheaton's wont be able to take them so lightly.

If Elmhurst's players share the same level of arrogance as their coach, then its no surprise they were caught off guard by and improving Auggie side. Elmhurst has been for years, a middle of the pack team that THINKS they are one of the best in the country with no real results to back it up...

[Gregory Sager]

North Park came away with an authoritative 2-1 victory last night over Wheaton at Hedstrand Field in a typically loud and well-attended match that the Vikings dominated. Wheaton had a flurry of corner attempts for a brief stretch in the second half, but couldn't put the ball in the net until the 87th minute, as NPU won every statistical category as well as the score.

This gives NPU the leg up on the league lead this season, as the Vikings are now 3-0. Carthage and Illinois Wesleyan are still unblemished at 1-0, while Augie has yet to lose at 0-0-1. NPU is at Illinois Wesleyan on Wednesday, while Wheaton is at Carthage on the same night.

[Gregory Sager]

Tonight brought a little bit of clarity to the CCIW race, as North Park won at Wesleyan, 2-1, and Carthage knocked off Wheaton, 4-2, up in Kenosha.

That puts NPU at 4-0 in league play and Carthage at 2-0. Augie at 0-0-1 is the only other remaining unbeaten. Wheaton's sitting at 0-2, but the good news for the Sonic Atmospheric Disturbance is that they have NPU and Carthage out of the way now, so they could go on a roll against the lesser sides and get back into tourney contention.

The big surprise today was Carroll beating UW-Platteville by an impressive 4-1 score.

[blue_jays]

It will come down to Carthage vs. NPU for the auto bid. Wheaton dug itself too deep a hole and just don't have the horses on either side of the ball to get out of it.

[markerickson]

Wheaton did not fare well against nonconference opponents this year.  I'll chalk up their season as an anomaly.

[tjcummingsfan]

Any good reason Calvin is ranked in the Top 25 Nationally, but behind NP in the regional poll?

[Falconer]

North Park came away with an authoritative 2-1 victory last night over Wheaton at Hedstrand Field in a typically loud and well-attended match that the Vikings dominated. Wheaton had a flurry of corner attempts for a brief stretch in the second half, but couldn't put the ball in the net until the 87th minute, as NPU won every statistical category as well as the score.

This gives NPU the leg up on the league lead this season, as the Vikings are now 3-0. Carthage and Illinois Wesleyan are still unblemished at 1-0, while Augie has yet to lose at 0-0-1. NPU is at Illinois Wesleyan on Wednesday, while Wheaton is at Carthage on the same night.

I see that Wheaton's goal was scored by Danny Brandt (who played his first two years at Messiah).  I see he started that game and scored nearly at the end of the game, so he obviously got significant playing time.  However, it's the only game he's played in for some time.  Does anyone know the story?  I assume he's had a nagging injury of some sort.  Did he look good in against NPU, apart from the score?