NESCAC

[Mr.Right]

2 big Non-Conference games as well today......

The biggest.....Conn College at ECONN-----4pm start to this one and a massive game for ECONN. Conn College is at ECONN and at Bates this week and then have two HUGE games at Home next week v Amherst midweek and v Tufts next Saturday. ECONN Frosh striker Patrick Agyemang is the real deal and a serious threat to any defense in D3. The other Frosh that Devito has is Will Toomey who is also playing very well. He comes from Soccer rich EO SMITH High School and has great skill. 2 other guys who have been scoring goals the past few years are Griffin Luczek and Justin Jensen. Interestingly, DeVito only gives Agyemang about 45-50 minutes a game. I am guessing he might not be the fittest kid but it doesn't matter because he knows how to finish. DeVito does go deep into his bench and a ton of guys got minutes on Saturday in a 2-1 Win at Plymouth St. ECONN is 8-1-0 with a loss to Keene St so far in 2018. They will determine whether the Little East is a 2 bid league this season as if they go something close to clean the rest of the way and can get a Win / Draw in this match and the match at Babson later in the season they will be a Pool C team if they fail to win the LEC Tournament. Conn College did not look totally sharp in a 1-0 Win v Williams on Saturday but as I predicted they found a Goal 1st Half and saw the game out with hard work and the best GK in Nescac. Conn's Back 4 looked VERY shaky on Saturday as they did not have their best game on the day and made GK Marcucci work harder then he should have. Williams was getting behind them for good chunks of the game as RB Freddy Stokes and LB Tyler Hoadley looked very susceptible and did not have solid games. That being said CB's Luke Stoneback and Liam Donelan along with Manoogian kept Williams at bay in the middle of the field but Williams was giving Conn fits out wide. Conn was wasting time as soon as the 2nd Half began as Murphy took a play out of Wiercinski's playbook. Look for them to do that today if they grab the early lead which could possibly frustrate ECONN if they go down early. Should be a good game.


Runner-Up-----Williams at Skidmore-----Skidmore is quietly 5-1-3 to start the year. They have really over achieved as I just assumed they would collapse after some key losses due to graduation. I have not really seen them play yet but under Head Coach Jeremiah Kneeland they are extremely organized defensively, tough to break down and are a scrappy outfit. If you watch them play usually you are not blown away at how good they are but they do all the little things very well and most importantly find ways to GET RESULTS. Kneeland has a solid pipeline with the preps like NMH, Suffield, Kimball Union etc. He usually has about 2 difference makers on the field surrounded by role players that bust ass. He has had some pretty good success considering what he has to work with. Skidmore is not the easiest school to recruit to especially compared to the other schools in the LL. There are better academic schools than Skidmore in the LL but there are schools that are on par with Skidmore academically in the LL but just have much better facilities / endowment etc. It is not easy to Win at Skidmore especially in Men's Soccer. Williams at 4-2-1 has a week and a half off from Nescac competition and MUST go clean in their next 3 games at Skidmore, at Curry and v Coast Guard. They will beat Curry and Coast Guard but the matchup against Skidmore has been a problematic one in the past. Williams is 1-2-1 against Skidmore the past 4 seasons and have not Won at Skidmore since rekindling this matchup in 2013. They used to play in the 90's and always had issues beating Skidmore on the Road. Skidmore is coming off of a 2-1 Away Win at RPI in what looks like was an absolute tedious affair as Skidmore had 2 SOG all game but did score on both. RPI was not much better with 3 SOG. I am guessing Skidmore took the early lead and then got an insurance Goal early in the 2nd Half and then committed 100% to defending the whole 2nd Half. Looks like they had a wide open match in a 1-1 draw at Hobart up in Geneva, NY. I know what to expect in how Skidmore will play this game but I do not know how effective they will be tonight. Should be another tight match.


Oh right I almost forgot Colby will be travelling to Bangor, ME tonight to face off against Husson........Colby Reserves v Husson could be a tight game but I think Colby gets a Win.

[Biggerthantexas]

Have to say I don't get why Amherst had Bryce Johnson doing flip throws on seemingly every throw in (defensively and offensively). Attacking, I get it, it's like a corner, but making it a whole production to chuck it up the sideline when in the defensive half of the field seems a bit futile to me.

I said that last season. It's a pointless tactic period. Bereft of any creativity and just encourages kickball.

[ECSUalum]

Mr Right , nice write-up on ECSU -Conn Colllege match today at 4pm!  You should be a writer for D3Soccer.com!! 
I am afraid Easterns D will not be able to handle the pressure of an excellent team like Conn College!  Eastern seems to be intimidated by the NESCAC teams and has a poor record home and away against them!  Specifically, CC defeated ECSU 2-0 in New London last year, 2-1 in 2016 at Mansfield and 1-0 @ NL in 2015.  In 2014 came the last victory, a 1-0 decision @ home.  Pat Agyemang and Griffin Luczek are tied for the scoring, (goals/points) lead with 6/15 goals a piece, and as you stated can give backfields fits. However this match will be a comparison of team defense today and Eastern will come in second best! The only goal CC has given up this year was to Endicott College, they have shut out all other teams this year.  You had mentioned in an earlier ECSU evaluation that DeVito may come up with a defensive arrangement that will provide better results, but I have watched just about all the games to date and I am not optimistic, next year maybe.  As you know soccer is a funny game and if the Warriors can score first it might put a different light on the match, however, if they fall behind especially in the 2 half I think it's over.  Prediction Conn College by 3-1

[NESCAC11]

Williams - Skidmore moved to Wednesday evening from tonight.

[Mr.Right]

Mr Right , nice write-up on ECSU -Conn Colllege match today at 4pm!  You should be a writer for D3Soccer.com!! 
I am afraid Easterns D will not be able to handle the pressure of an excellent team like Conn College!  Eastern seems to be intimidated by the NESCAC teams and has a poor record home and away against them!  Specifically, CC defeated ECSU 2-0 in New London last year, 2-1 in 2016 at Mansfield and 1-0 @ NL in 2015.  In 2014 came the last victory, a 1-0 decision @ home.  Pat Agyemang and Griffin Luczek are tied for the scoring, (goals/points) lead with 6/15 goals a piece, and as you stated can give backfields fits. However this match will be a comparison of team defense today and Eastern will come in second best! The only goal CC has given up this year was to Endicott College, they have shut out all other teams this year.  You had mentioned in an earlier ECSU evaluation that DeVito may come up with a defensive arrangement that will provide better results, but I have watched just about all the games to date and I am not optimistic, next year maybe.  As you know soccer is a funny game and if the Warriors can score first it might put a different light on the match, however, if they fall behind especially in the 2 half I think it's over.  Prediction Conn College by 3-1

Haha nah...I'm way to controversial...plus deadlines and responsibilities are usually 2 words I do not hear much. I work better on my own terms but thanks for the shout out.


Looks like Wesleyan v Trinity has been moved to the turf at 8pm. Women's game at 7pm so 1 of those games will be on the nice Football turf and 1 game on the Dr appt Field Hockey turf.

[ECSUalum]

Conn College up 1-0 at half on a Ben Manoogian header off a beautiful corner feed by Christian Murphy @ 9:32. Manoogian just not picked up by an Eastern defender and slashed forward to pick up the Murphy corner right in front of the goal mouth. Eastern GK Murphy had no chance!  CC passes crisp and on target vs Econn passes to CC players.  One sided soo far!  Overall Eastern D not bad except for the one corner miscue.

[BendIt007]

Now weather big factor with rain coming down.  Field wet and slippery.  Conn seems in control, and still 1-0 with 20 left but with field anything could happen.  Lightning also a potential game ender.

[ECSUalum]

Conn College up 2-0, but should be up 5-0 as the Eastern defense giving up passes in their own end and looking porous!  Very frustrating to watch!  Conn College defense and goal keeping solid as a rock with ECSU's only chances blocked by CC GKer or messed up by poor passing.  I do not know what foot ware Eastern has on today but they are slipping everywhere like they are playing on ICE, while CC has had no trouble at all     just crazy!!  Anyway, I have given up watching the remainder of the game... to exasperating!!  Great game by CC they look like a top 10 team!!

Update Game suspended @ 80' due to electrical storm!!  Conn College 2-0

[BendIt007]

Trinity leads Wesleyan 1-0 with a goal in about 33 minute mark.  After shaking open minutes, Trinity has played relatively solid, with Wesleyan not  connecting up front.  But lots of game to go.  Trinity seems a bit more energetic.

[BendIt007]

Oh...and watching Yankees at same time... so might miss a play or two.

[BendIt007]

Alas, Trinity, the lead didn't hold long... as long Wesleyan throw practically goes straight into the goal at 40 minute mark. 1-1.  More goals are due in this one.

[BendIt007]

Second half of Trinity/Wesleyan unexciting the first 18 minutes  with neither team able to make more than two passes in a row.  Good play by Wesleyan though, at around 21 minute and nice save by keeper. Both teams playing hard.  Very few chances as ball bouncing back and forth in midfield. 

[Mr.Right]

Skidmore rips Williams heart out and then stomps on it and proceeds to give it back...Skidmore defeats Williams 1-0 with 1 second left in 2OT,,,,Crazy stuff....Actual buzzer beater...Williams LB with a stupid foul to give Skidmore a long free kick and it gets cleared out of the box but Skidmore player hits a prayer back into the box and it finds a very wide open winger who rips it into the net...Could have been LB's man as well that was open...Heartbreaking loss and like I said Williams always struggles over at Skidmore on its turf...Pretty even 1st Half and then Williams was all over Skidmore in the 2nd Half but could not finish....I will say Skidmore worked very hard all night. They have some quick wingbacks and tough CB's...GK was ok...They have some skill and try to counter on the carpet but not a legit striker...Skidmore moves to 6-1-3 while Williams gets gutted and drops to 4-3-1 and I realize they are missing Ranieri and Gass but this team after beating Amherst looked like it was ready to take off and then they drop 3 games to Conn, Skidmore and Bates...Just a massive disappointment...I cannot blame Sullivan though as he was attacking with numbers looking for the winning goal and Skidmore had a few dangerous counters and the game was getting stretched...Players are at fault in that game as Williams could not score.....

[Mr.Right]

Second half of Trinity/Wesleyan unexciting the first 18 minutes  with neither team able to make more than two passes in a row.  Good play by Wesleyan though, at around 21 minute and nice save by keeper. Both teams playing hard.  Very few chances as ball bouncing back and forth in midfield.

Sounds about right....Unexciting is a great adjective to describe these 2 outfits...Wesleyan needs a Win here

[BendIt007]

Wesleyan scores in early overtime on long shot.  Overall, I love watching soccer, but this was not an exciting/fun game to watch.