NESCAC

[blooter442]

1-1 final after 2OT. Bates equalized with less than two left in regulation, then Bowdoin almost won it with the last kick of the second overtime but Juantorena's 25 yarder is a yard wide of the top corner. What a goal that would have been.

[Ommadawn]

Bowdoin almost won it with the last kick of the second overtime but Juantorena's 25 yarder is a yard wide of the top corner.

Every time I read his name, I can't help but think of this guy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Juantorena

[nescacfan94]

Bowdoin almost won it with the last kick of the second overtime but Juantorena's 25 yarder is a yard wide of the top corner.

Every time I read his name, I can't help but think of this guy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Juantorena

The announcer said they were related.

[Ommadawn]

Bowdoin almost won it with the last kick of the second overtime but Juantorena's 25 yarder is a yard wide of the top corner.

Every time I read his name, I can't help but think of this guy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Juantorena

The announcer said they were related.

That's very cool!  The roster says he's 6'3' 207 lbs, so there's definitely a "family resemblance" (although I suspect his relative was a wee bit lighter when dashing around the track).

[PaulNewman]

The Bates announcer was off the hook.  Really enjoyed listening.

And I never thought I'd hear these words with a very dramatic tone....."....and the stands are shaking at Garcelon!"

[Mr.Right]

So Conn College puts up 8 against Trinity in an 8-2 win yesterday. Is CC that good, or is Trinity that bad?

Trinity is THAT BAD. I rip into Pilger on here about his lack of recruiting for years and it has started to really show the past 3-4 years as other programs are just getting more talented players. However, an 8-2 thrashing midweek at Conn is not on Pilger ITS ON THE PLAYERS. They have obviously given up mid-September and thrown the white flag. It is really a sad sight to see when kids quit playing for their Head Coach. Conn is a better team than Trinity but not 8-2 better as if you read the recap and look at the box score it looks like the game when like this:

Trinity comes out of the gates sleepwalking and not ready to play and go down 4-0 at the Half. Pilger and staff I WOULD HOPE "rip" into them at Halftime to get someone/anyone fired up. It worked for a short time as Trinity pulled 2 back and the young Conn Head Coach showed his nerves as he had given Marcucci's backup a sniff to start the 2nd Half but after Trinity pulled within two the green Head Coach went back to Marcucci. Then Conn scores another goal or two to put the game out of reach. However, everyone forgets they still have 15-20 minutes to play so Conn kept playing/working/combining and Trinity stopped playing and watched the scoreboard tick down.

This Trinity situation is actually getting really sad. They legitimately could go 0-10-0 AGAIN in Nescac play....It's mid-September so they should 1. NEVER giveup but also 2. Do not panic and play free without anything to lose. Idk I am trying to be somewhat optimistic but Pilger's LONG solid Head Coaching career with many successful stops could end in SHAMBLES.

[Another Mom]

There seems to be a pretty strong correlation between strong programs and good recruiting.  I'm not sure why these losing coaches haven't figured this out!

(If the above is true, watch for Bates to improve dramatically!)

[oldonionbag]

Goals from Tufts 6-0 THRASHING of Wheaton. Is Wheaton that bad? I know Wheaton isn't as good as they were 4-5 years ago but 6-0 seems a bit outrageous. Anyone with intel on their program? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lou9NOLo1Bg

Third goal is a beauty - well worked, outside of the foot cross and a perfect header.

[Ejay]

watching those 6 goals on video and I think Wheaton's problem is their freshman keeper. Not a great day in net as 4 of those were easily saveable IMHO. But he's young and I'm sure he will have better days ahead. Maybe just a tad intimidated playing against Tufts?

[Mr.Right]

Quick Hitters:

Wesleyan at Bowdoin---Both teams are kind of hanging around this season with some decent results. However, both teams need to find a way to turn these close back and forth Draws into Wins to move up the table. Unfortunately, neither team has the real scoring punch to rely on goals when they need it. I would give Bowdoin the Home advantage with more size and athleticism than Wesleyan but this will be a back and forth one-goal game.  I think Wesleyan's Frosh Rubenstein steals the game with a garbage goal. 1-0 Wesleyan

Hamilton at Midd----Both teams desperately need a conference Win. With Hamilton struggling defensively I would think Midd should see about 5-6 really good looks in this game. Will they finish? Midd looks to be well organized defensively this year as their back 4 is solid although Oudet did not play mid-week. I just am not seeing Potter as a lone striker so maybe Reid gets back into the lineup in this match. Goulart has been very quiet and Midd has REALLY struggled scoring this year. Hamilton's defense rolls into town just at the right moment nut just before I give Midd an easy victory I remember this game either last season or 2 years ago where Hamilton was knocking the ball around well and taking it right to Midd. I just do not see any confidence in this Hamilton side right now and would be really surprised if they got a result in this match. Midd 2-0

Colby at Tufts----With all the attention Bates has been getting Colby has quietly gone under the radar and started 4-1-0 but just 1-1-0 in Nescac with a 3-0 loss at Home to Conn. This team has some of the key players that elevated it last year but it also LOST a few as well. I assumed it might take some time to get everyone to gel. Still for the most part the same type of team that will play Tufts exactly how they have played them the past 3 seasons. Tufts knows what is coming but will still be a long slog and struggle to break Colby down in this game. I think in the end Tufts will outlast Colby but it will be forced to work for it. Tufts 2-1

Conn at Amherst-----Nescac game of the weekend. Both teams will be UP for this game. This fixture was a 1-1 Draw last year at Conn and two years ago at Amherst it was an OT Win for Amherst as they scored off a Nate Sommers deflection IIRC. Should be a physical bloodbath on that narrow field. There will be no flow to the game but you can bet we could be treated to a couple of injuries, a fight, tons of yelling and screaming at refs/parents/players/coaches, plenty of entertainment on the end of long set pieces, probably some goals in this particular game I have a hunch...Both teams will try to clamp down but I think both will each get a couple Goals......2-2


Williams at Trinity-----Basically any team that does not pick up 3 pts against Trinity will be in reality 5 pts in the whole to their competition or 6 pts if they  happened to lose. Demian Gass Hat trick will be all the Ephs need.  Williams 3-1

[PaulNewman]

Goals from Tufts 6-0 THRASHING of Wheaton. Is Wheaton that bad? I know Wheaton isn't as good as they were 4-5 years ago but 6-0 seems a bit outrageous. Anyone with intel on their program? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lou9NOLo1Bg

Third goal is a beauty - well worked, outside of the foot cross and a perfect header.

For any of us hoping for Tufts to get knocked down a couple of pegs (or 10) this video is very deflating.

From an opponent's view I think I'm most afraid of Tasker (with Van Brewer a close second)....and I swear Tasker has been at Tufts for 7 or 8 seasons.

Go Mules!

[Buck O.]

Goals from Tufts 6-0 THRASHING of Wheaton. Is Wheaton that bad? I know Wheaton isn't as good as they were 4-5 years ago but 6-0 seems a bit outrageous. Anyone with intel on their program? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lou9NOLo1Bg

Third goal is a beauty - well worked, outside of the foot cross and a perfect header.

For any of us hoping for Tufts to get knocked down a couple of pegs (or 10) this video is very deflating.

From an opponent's view I think I'm most afraid of Tasker (with Van Brewer a close second)....and I swear Tasker has been at Tufts for 7 or 8 seasons.

Go Mules!

Funny, I was thinking the exact opposite:  I can't believe he's a senior already.   Of course, I've always paid a little more attention to him because he attended my son's middle school, so that may skew my perception of time.

[PaulNewman]

Goals from Tufts 6-0 THRASHING of Wheaton. Is Wheaton that bad? I know Wheaton isn't as good as they were 4-5 years ago but 6-0 seems a bit outrageous. Anyone with intel on their program? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lou9NOLo1Bg

Third goal is a beauty - well worked, outside of the foot cross and a perfect header.

For any of us hoping for Tufts to get knocked down a couple of pegs (or 10) this video is very deflating.

From an opponent's view I think I'm most afraid of Tasker (with Van Brewer a close second)....and I swear Tasker has been at Tufts for 7 or 8 seasons.

Go Mules!

Funny, I was thinking the exact opposite:  I can't believe he's a senior already.   Of course, I've always paid a little more attention to him because he attended my son's middle school, so that may skew my perception of time.

LOL.  He's already got two rings and is going for a third.  The other kid that seemed like he was there forever was Weatherbie....and Lane seems like he's been there for more than a minute too.

Bowdoin 2, Wes 1

Hamilton 2, Midd 1

Tufts 4, Colby 1

Amherst 2, Conn 0 (if Conn gets a result here then I'm a believer)

Williams 5, Trinity 1

[Ommadawn]

I enjoyed reading the NESCAC predictions of Mr. Right and PaulNewman.  Both of their predictions for the Colby-Tufts game go against the recent scoring norm for matches between the two teams.  You have to go back as far as 2011 to find a Colby-Tufts game that featured as many as 3 goals (combined between the two teams).  The Conn Coll-Amherst game is a classic battle between an "irreversible force" (NESCAC scoring leader German Giammattei) and an "immovable object" (2018 D3soccer.com Goalkeeper of the Year  AJ Marcucci), who together snagged the past two NESCAC Rookie of the Year awards.  Of course, both Giammattei and Marcucci have a ton of help in advancing their respective causes, which should make for an exciting match tomorrow!

[blooter442]

There seems to be a pretty strong correlation between strong programs and good recruiting.  I'm not sure why these losing coaches haven't figured this out!

(If the above is true, watch for Bates to improve dramatically!)

It's certainly true that a coach who seems to take recruiting seriously will likely have more success than one who doesn't, but I have to say I'm not so sure that it's as easy as correlating the success of a program with the coach's recruiting ability/desire.

Look at Tufts. Even without the prestige the program has developed or Shapiro's man-management, Tufts had to be a pretty popular destination for players as it was: close to Boston, a top 30 school in the USNWR National University rankings, the prestige of the NESCAC while offering something a bit different, etc. And while I do still think of Williams and Amherst as the most "prestigious" NESCAC schools, Tufts' research opportunities, size, and unique offerings (such as Engineering, something not ubiquitous throughout the NESCAC) make it seem (to me) like a pretty easy sell for a lot of kids — even some of those who would be on the radar of Amherst/Williams/etc. Throw in 3 national titles in 5 years — two more than any NESCAC side — and people will practically be filing in.

That being said, as far as Bates goes, it certainly seems like Sheikh is making a more "active" effort to build positive relationships in recruiting than perhaps his predecessor did, as demonstrated by the huge freshman class. While success is not necessarily correlated with squad size, it would seem that he has figured something out.