NESCAC

[Ejay]

Who looks better is irrelevant.  Grady had a better season and is more deserving.

[Buddham]

Serpone has his hands full with #23. This kid has the athletic ability to be a star but he needs coaching like no player I have seen in a while in this league. The improvement / lack thereof of this kid might give some of us outsiders a real chance at seeing how good a Head Coach Serpone is. I will say it does matter the kids attitude..He has to be willing to learn and hopefully is open to it.

What do you mean by "attitude" and why does he need "coaching"? Please cite specifics.

I rhought I was pretty clear in what I meant. He has to be willing to learn and that it matters if his attitude is "open" to it. Some players are open to suggestion and others not so much. I was not in any way implying the kid has a bad attitude and why would I? I have never met him. I actually stated he has the potential to be a star but he needs some polish. Most Frosh need to "learn" the college game and some take longer than others. I feel like the overall product could be much better if he works on game....thats it...u obviously disagree and that is fine as well.

Nearly every first year player would benefit from "polish". Giammattei - did he arrive a finished product or has Serpone already submitted evidence of his coaching props? Doesn't everyone need the appropriate attitude to learn? The appropriate teacher?

I'm calling your post out b/c it's highly...provocative to call #23 out on scant evidence, and the evidence there is contradicts your supposition - he's won a starting position on a final four team and happened to score the winning goal in the game that you commented about.

Or maybe you meant to say, "He's got tremendous upside potential". Please refrain from commenting on his "grit".

[Mr.Right]

A joke the refs let the game start on the grass then switch their minds 45 mins later.  Anyways... this has got to be the first time the Nescac has gotten two teams in the final four in recent memory.  Everyone here would be rooting for a tufts-amherst final. That game would be one for the ages. Tufts will absolutely have their hands full with Calvin on friday night though.  You've got to think Amherst is a big favorite over centre but you never know.

I think those are ECAC refs but either way not a good look in an NCAA game and his admin I'm sure will hear about it...especially if RPI felt there was at all any "pressure" to play that game on that field. Ref is supposed to factor weather into account when making the decision. Weather was only going to get worse. Field has new drainage but why risk it? Ref should of started game on turf and validated that by deciding at half to move it...I cannot believe his assignments next year in ncaas will not be revaluated

[Michel Bernstini]

Centre's biggest W this season was their game over Montclair St.  Before that, Oglethorpe.  Anything could happen but... Amherst should be playing in the finals.  Tufts-Calvin is a better match-up but not so dis-similar.  Should be a NESCAC final. And, if it is, the Top Three teams in the nation would be NESCAC.

[d4_Pace]

Who's better couldn't be more relevant. That's the whole point of the award. Those stats don't factor in the difficulty of saves, a goalies ability in the air, his kicking. If you polled Nescac coaches they would rather have Marcucci and that's why he's first team. Because if he's on your team, your team is now better.

[d4_Pace]

Tufts making the final does not make Conn the #3 team in the country. It makes tufts a top two team. Conn is not better than Calvin, Messiah, North park or a handful of other teams. You can't just say we lost to the best team so we're the next best team.

[Mr.Right]

Serpone has his hands full with #23. This kid has the athletic ability to be a star but he needs coaching like no player I have seen in a while in this league. The improvement / lack thereof of this kid might give some of us outsiders a real chance at seeing how good a Head Coach Serpone is. I will say it does matter the kids attitude..He has to be willing to learn and hopefully is open to it.

What do you mean by "attitude" and why does he need "coaching"? Please cite specifics.

I rhought I was pretty clear in what I meant. He has to be willing to learn and that it matters if his attitude is "open" to it. Some players are open to suggestion and others not so much. I was not in any way implying the kid has a bad attitude and why would I? I have never met him. I actually stated he has the potential to be a star but he needs some polish. Most Frosh need to "learn" the college game and some take longer than others. I feel like the overall product could be much better if he works on game....thats it...u obviously disagree and that is fine as well.

Nearly every first year player would benefit from "polish". Giammattei - did he arrive a finished product or has Serpone already submitted evidence of his coaching props? Doesn't everyone need the appropriate attitude to learn? The appropriate teacher?

I'm calling your post out b/c it's highly...provocative to call #23 out on scant evidence, and the evidence there is contradicts your supposition - he's won a starting position on a final four team and happened to score the winning goal in the game that you commented about.

Or maybe you meant to say, "He's got tremendous upside potential". Please refrain from commenting on his "grit".

Yes...well I dont think I ever commented on his grit..u have obviously bungled my point...u even start criticizing his own teammates actions on the field to make ur point..however I am willing to drop it if it helps...

[College Soccer Observer]

Who's better couldn't be more relevant. That's the whole point of the award. Those stats don't factor in the difficulty of saves, a goalies ability in the air, his kicking. If you polled Nescac coaches they would rather have Marcucci and that's why he's first team. Because if he's on your team, your team is now better.

So we are going with the eye test?  Here are Grady's stats.  If you rank first in 6 different categories, at some point the statistical body of evidence has to have some impact.  Or does Marcucci gets to be first team until he graduates just because he is Marcucci?  Marcucci had an unbelievable 2018, but his 2019 stats are nowhere near his 2018 ones, and not as good as Grady's. 


STATISTICS CATEGORY   OVERALL   CONF
Games played   20   1st   10   1st
Games started   19   1st   10   1st
Minutes   1828:40   1st   970:25   1st
Goals against   10   5th   7   4th
Goals-against average   0.49   1st   0.65   3rd
Saves   81   1st   50   1st
Save pct   .890   1st   .877   3rd
Wins   9   4th   3   6th
Losses   3   297th   2   275th
Ties   7   306th   4   283rd
Shutouts   9/2   1st   3/1   5th

[lastguyoffthebench]

A joke the refs let the game start on the grass then switch their minds 45 mins later.  Anyways... this has got to be the first time the Nescac has gotten two teams in the final four in recent memory.  Everyone here would be rooting for a tufts-amherst final. That game would be one for the ages. Tufts will absolutely have their hands full with Calvin on friday night though.  You've got to think Amherst is a big favorite over centre but you never know.

I think those are ECAC refs but either way not a good look in an NCAA game and his admin I'm sure will hear about it...especially if RPI felt there was at all any "pressure" to play that game on that field. Ref is supposed to factor weather into account when making the decision. Weather was only going to get worse. Field has new drainage but why risk it? Ref should of started game on turf and validated that by deciding at half to move it...I cannot believe his assignments next year in ncaas will not be revaluated

I can't imagine refs assigned to the Elite 8 not having D1 experience or many years of experience on D2/D3 level...  interesting situation, with a very simple solution.

I have not watched RPI this year... but I'm sure they'd have rather started/played on turf.

[CU_GKnight]

I normally keep myself confined to the Liberty League thread but saw this and had to comment.

All-conference selections for keeper are extremely difficult to assess, especially as there is typically only 1 spot on each team.  Position players have more latitude as there are multiple selections for each position.

I think it is preposterous to rely solely on stats - we don't give the 3 forward spots on the first team to the leading goal scorers or maybe the assists leaders should be granted the midfield spots?

How you play the game and your value to the team are far better indicators of whether you are the best keeper in the conference.  Stats are easy to go by but it is the subjective aspects that make a difference.  Having seen Marcucci play only twice and never having seen Grady I am not in a position to make comparisons, but I will say Marcucci is legit.

As a former keeper I can say that stats only tell some of the picture.  Is one teams defense better than the others.  Does the style of play affect things - such as a lock down defense that only allows less dangerous shots from long distance.

I think a similar situation played out this year in the Liberty League with Ithaca having an All-American keeper returning.  He had another very solid year, but I think (although I admit I may have some bias) that Clarkson's keeper had a better year.  Clarkson's keeper was voted Defense Player of the Week for 3 straight weeks and the ECAC defensive player of the month.  He also was the difference between a .500 season and being on the cusp of getting his team into the NCAA's.  His value to the team was unmistakable as I would say he was the difference in about 4-5 games that would have had different results if even an above average keeper were in goal. If I were a coach heading in the tournament I would take the Clarkson keeper every day of the week.  Not surprisingly the Ithaca keeper was league Defensive Player of the Year, but the league made the rare exception and actually put both keepers on the first team. 

I think selecting All-anything teams is highly subjective and I don't think it needs to be debated too seriously.  I don't think in the past 20 years I have ever said to anyone "I was an all-conference soccer player in college".  I do say I went to a Final Four though.  So my advice is keep the focus on the team accomplishments and don't take the individual honors as life changing events.  I've never seen all conference carved into anyone's grave stone.

[OldNed]

A joke the refs let the game start on the grass then switch their minds 45 mins later.  Anyways... this has got to be the first time the Nescac has gotten two teams in the final four in recent memory.  Everyone here would be rooting for a tufts-amherst final. That game would be one for the ages. Tufts will absolutely have their hands full with Calvin on friday night though.  You've got to think Amherst is a big favorite over centre but you never know.

I think those are ECAC refs but either way not a good look in an NCAA game and his admin I'm sure will hear about it...especially if RPI felt there was at all any "pressure" to play that game on that field. Ref is supposed to factor weather into account when making the decision. Weather was only going to get worse. Field has new drainage but why risk it? Ref should of started game on turf and validated that by deciding at half to move it...I cannot believe his assignments next year in ncaas will not be revaluated

I can't imagine refs assigned to the Elite 8 not having D1 experience or many years of experience on D2/D3 level...  interesting situation, with a very simple solution.

I have not watched RPI this year... but I'm sure they'd have rather started/played on turf.

I think the bolded part of your quote is important, as Amherst did something similar last year with the St. Joe's game.  While the game day itself was sunny and cold on Sunday, the previous day's games at Amherst were played on Amherst's turf field due to driving rain.  I was stunned that the refs allowed Amherst to dictate that the field was playable on Sunday, as it was a quagmire and it clearly affected play.

It's an advantage for Amherst to play on a grass field against teams that normally play on turf, but that becomes an unfair advantage in my opinion when the conditions make that grass field virtually unplayable.

My son played at St. Joe's and there is definitely some residual bitterness on my part regarding the field conditions last year, but I don't want to take anything away from the Amherst players as they simply played better than St. Joe's last year and they deserved to win.  That's what rankles me, though - they're good enough that they don't need to resort to that kind of stuff.

[Michel Bernstini]

Tufts making the final does not make Conn the #3 team in the country. It makes tufts a top two team. Conn is not better than Calvin, Messiah, North park or a handful of other teams. You can't just say we lost to the best team so we're the next best team.

Conn College's loss to Tufts doesn't make them #3.  Their Ws and Ls this season does.  Their loss to Babson is definitely a blemish but otherwise, there resume is #3 in the nation. Currently.  If Centre or Calvin win, obviously, this will change. But, otherwise, they'll hold this #3 spot.

[PaulNewman]

Tufts making the final does not make Conn the #3 team in the country. It makes tufts a top two team. Conn is not better than Calvin, Messiah, North park or a handful of other teams. You can't just say we lost to the best team so we're the next best team.

Conn College's loss to Tufts doesn't make them #3.  Their Ws and Ls this season does.  Their loss to Babson is definitely a blemish but otherwise, there resume is #3 in the nation. Currently.  If Centre or Calvin win, obviously, this will change. But, otherwise, they'll hold this #3 spot.

Conn is going to hold the #3 spot in your head but no where else on the planet.  Enjoy the delusion.

[Ejay]

I think (although I admit I may have some bias) that Clarkson's keeper had a better year

And I would argue his stats could support that argument as he faced more shots per game, and had a better save percentage - though all stats are extremely close. 
Roeloffs - 18 GP, 16 GA, .88 GAA, 75 Saves, .824 Save %
Lichenstein - 21 GP, 17 GA, .79 GAA, 74 Saves, .813 Save %

[1970s NESCAC Player]

Conn is going to hold the #3 spot in your head but no where else on the planet.  Enjoy the delusion.

I came out of retirement to give a +K for this one!