NESCAC

Bucket · August 30, 2019, 04:52:59 PM

Middlebury's pre-season preview is up, though they purposefully does not touch on any newcomers (first years or transfers) since they don't arrive on campus until next week.

https://spark.adobe.com/page/FfsvJSvflQZ8A/

Middlebury Dad · August 31, 2019, 10:42:33 PM

Middlebury newcomers have in fact arrived and participated in preseason this week. They scrimmaged Williams today.

d4_Pace · September 03, 2019, 11:09:48 AM

Its NESCAC christmas morning...the best day of the year. Heres the link to the Tufts preview...https://gotuftsjumbos.com/sports/msoc/2019-20/releases/20190831kdm8kp

They open with framingham state tonight. Framingham is the type of opponent Tufts usually thrives against, skilled going forward with some great individual talents, but not as organized as a team. I think Tufts superior size, depth, and experience will shine through in a relatively comfortable opening day win. But like any other game, they've got to make sure they show up against an opponent that has had this game circled for 9 months. My homer pick... Tufts 3-0

Hamilton vs Oswego... Best game of the day involving Nescac teams. Hamilton has traditionally played pretty well against the SUNYAC sides and should be hoping for a big year. Hamilton 2-1

Then we have the two games that should be a little more than a formality.

Middlebury 4-0 vs norwich

Conn College A lot-Mitchell a little

truenorth · September 03, 2019, 04:31:08 PM

And here's the Bowdoin preview, which doesn't really have a lot to say...

https://spark.adobe.com/page/LTP9IpiCU8Yau/

There's no question that Moctar Niang and Matty McColl leave gaping holes, as well as the leadership provided by Jake Stenquist. It's more likely than not that Bowdoin will get out of the blocks slowly this season in the NESCAC, especially with their first NESCAC being away at Amherst...

Bucket · September 03, 2019, 05:07:43 PM

Quote from: Middlebury Dad on August 31, 2019, 10:42:33 PM
Middlebury newcomers have in fact arrived and participated in preseason this week. They scrimmaged Williams today.

Yeah, I meant that coaches generally won't talk about—and the the Sports Info department will not write about—first years as a rule until the entire class arrives on campus and the teams have started to play games. That's why you never see first-years mentioned in preview stories.

blooter442 · September 03, 2019, 07:25:49 PM

Tufts up 2-0 on Framingham State, Lane and Tasker. Second goal was a great finish.

d4_Pace · September 03, 2019, 08:58:48 PM

Tufts 4-0 victory and able to give a lot of time to a lot of different guys. The game against Williams this Saturday will be a good test. Good to see 4 different goal scorers. That has been the staple of the last 5 years and this team is as deep as they come.

Middlebury Dad · September 03, 2019, 10:45:45 PM

Middlebury 2-0 victory at Norwich. Midd line up with back 4 of 2 seniors, a soph, and a jr. Midfield was soph, jr, sr. Two seniors and a soph up front. Freshman in goal.

Brother Flounder · September 04, 2019, 01:12:21 PM

Quote from: blooter442 on September 03, 2019, 07:25:49 PM
Tufts up 2-0 on Framingham State, Lane and Tasker. Second goal was a great finish.

Bloots!

d4_Pace · September 04, 2019, 10:12:36 PM

after a slow start, a 2-0 win for amherst. This should be the most talented attacking amherst side since they won it all in 2015. German got the first goal and should have a big year. Dane Lind got the second off a quickly taken free quick the ref shouldn't have allowed. Amherst scored against Tufts off a similar situation last year so that's definitely something they look for.

Overall a good start for the NESCAC with only williams dropping points. Seems like they had the majority of the play against springfield but failed to score a second goal. Offense was an issue for them last year and could be the limiting factor again this year for the ephs.

Excited for the opening of NESCAC play this weekend and hopefully we can get this thread up and running again.

NESCAC11 · September 05, 2019, 09:25:23 AM

The Williams game was more of the same as far as dominating without scoring. Last year they averaged 1.3 GPG and allowed .70. This game was crazy in that they allowed Springfield to tie with under 10 mins remaining on a direct kick into the box. In OT Williams again dominated and with 17 seconds remaining Springfeild was called for a foul 35 yards from the goal. The refs allowed Springfield to kick the ball and stand in front of it until the clock was finally stopped and springfield warned with 1.5 seconds left. Sure enough Williams left back Nick Renieri puts the free kick into the upper left corner as the clock expires and the refs confer and wave off the goal. The replay shows the ball to be just under the crossbar with 0.1 on the clock. IMO way to close to wave off, especially after allowing Springfield to stall 15 seconds off the clock initially. Really tough start to the season for Williams with Tufts next on the schedule Saturday.

blooter442 · September 05, 2019, 09:52:46 AM

Quote from: NESCAC11 on September 05, 2019, 09:25:23 AM
The Williams game was more of the same as far as dominating without scoring. Last year they averaged 1.3 GPG and allowed .70. This game was crazy in that they allowed Springfield to tie with under 10 mins remaining on a direct kick into the box. In OT Williams again dominated and with 17 seconds remaining Springfeild was called for a foul 35 yards from the goal. The refs allowed Springfield to kick the ball and stand in front of it until the clock was finally stopped and springfield warned with 1.5 seconds left. Sure enough Williams left back Nick Renieri puts the free kick into the upper left corner as the clock expires and the refs confer and wave off the goal. The replay shows the ball to be just under the crossbar with 0.1 on the clock. IMO way to close to wave off, especially after allowing Springfield to stall 15 seconds off the clock initially. Really tough start to the season for Williams with Tufts next on the schedule Saturday.

This is my biggest qualm with the way timewasting is handled...even in the pros, a team will waste 3 minutes of the 5 added on and the ref will blow at 5:40. I get that it's tough, and that the clock should generally be running, but refs have to do a better job of managing the clock IMHO.

TheAnonymousCommentator · September 05, 2019, 09:59:19 AM

Hello all! Wanted to make a quick introduction before getting on with the post. I'm a recent ('19) grad from NESCAC soccer and after reading the thread for 4 years and graduating I thought it would finally be appropriate for me to make an account. I've enjoyed reading everyone's opinions and although I haven't always agreed with the analysis, I have appreciated the amount of time everyone spends watching and discussing NESCAC soccer. As for me... in order to avoid accusations of being biased I have decided to remain anonymous but I promise that I will look at things from a holistic standpoint and be fair (kudos to whoever can guess what school I'm from). Lastly, if there is anything that you need to know about me, it is that I absolutely loved playing for a NESCAC team and am excited to be talking with people who care about the league I love so much.

Now to soccer! Saw the Tufts, Middlebury, Williams and Amherst games. 9 goals and 1 conceded for those four teams combined is not a bad start for NESCAC. Thought Tufts looked the strongest and am always impressed with how many people they manage to get on the scoresheet. Van Brewer is one of those players that always seems to have a solid game, although I don't think anyone has been able to really stick it to him in the past 2 years. I wonder how he would have done against the giants of Amherst in 2015. Anyone remember the 6'7" Orozco? I would pay to see the two of them play against each other. Amherst looked strong and I think they have the potential to challenge for the top 3 spots. That was a given for a number of years but for the past 3 years or so they have looked vulnerable. If Lind can produce like he did last year with assists and Giammattei can up the goals a little they will score a lot. Middlebury had a solid game against a solid team in Norwich who always puts up a fight (it's a military academy after all). Don't think I saw their big guy Brandon Reid up top at all- maybe he picked something up in preseason? Tough ending for Williams as the ref should have called Springfield for timewasting about 10 seconds before he did. Beautiful freekick, Renieri will hope that wasn't a once-in-a-lifetime shot.

That's all for me right now. The clear game of the weekend is Tufts v Williams and I would be shocked if Tufts conceded against a weak Williams attack and even more shocked if Williams managed to keep Tufts' front 4 out.

nescacfan94 · September 05, 2019, 11:47:26 AM

There are lots of free kick issues in NESCAC games. Last season Amherst beat Bowdoin 1-0 on a goal scored after a free kick was taken too quickly but was allowed to stand. I've seen similar issues in other games. The refs have a tough job and often find themselves part of the post game conversation.

I was not impressed with Middlebury against Norwich, and I thought Bowdoin was ok against an outclassed UNE team. First game for both teams, and they were both better as the game moved along. Bowdoin was significantly better in the 2nd half and looks to have a good young team. Started 8 sophs and 3 jrs, and the freshman didn't play. Curious to see what they do with the lineup against Amherst on Saturday.

d4_Pace · September 05, 2019, 09:09:01 PM

Anonymous welcome to the boards. I'm sure you and I had a couple battles over the years. I think your point on Van Brewers consistency is a good one and he's an underrated part of the tufts team. He's definitely taken his fair share of shots the last two seasons. I think the hypothetical matchup against orozco would have been hilarious, but he'd figure out a way to hold his own.

I hope your prediction is about the williams game is true. A garbage time goal last year was the only time Williams has scored against Tufts in the last five years, so breaking down the Tufts backline will certainly be priority one for the ephs.