NESCAC

[blooter442]

Hey thanks..appreciate it..it was a good game..so high intensity matches tomorrow

Wow, I saw Tufts and Bowdoin were 1-1 at half, but completely missed this result — was on the road this weekend and was fully focused on a certain other game (predicted 2-2, that's why I'm not a pundit).

To be fair, Tufts was ~4 mins from losing at Colby back in September and probably would have if not for a couple of great saves from Lauta at 1-0. Ah well, they lost a couple in October back in 2019 and look what happened there.

[deiscanton]

Heading to extra time in Brunswick, Maine with Tufts and Bowdoin still tied at 1-1.

[Hopkins92]

Heading to extra time in Brunswick, Maine with Tufts and Bowdoin still tied at 1-1.

And I didn't want to say anything, in case it was just the camera, but the announcer backed up my suspicion:

They need to get the show on the road up there or a second OT is gonna need old-school car lights around the field to finish the game.

[blooter442]

They need to get the show on the road up there or a second OT is gonna need old-school car lights around the field to finish the game.

As someone whose office is around 20 miles south and just stepped outside for a second, it is dark and cold, so fair play to them for playing (no pun intended). That said, they should be fine if they get it in by around 5:40.

[PaulNewman]

Hey thanks..appreciate it..it was a good game..so high intensity matches tomorrow

Wow, I saw Tufts and Bowdoin were 1-1 at half, but completely missed this result — was on the road this weekend and was fully focused on a certain other game (predicted 2-2, that's why I'm not a pundit).

To be fair, Tufts was ~4 mins from losing at Colby back in September and probably would have if not for a couple of great saves from Lauta at 1-0. Ah well, they lost a couple in October back in 2019 and look what happened there.

Losing in the NESCAC quarters is almost a gift (as long as you know you're getting a Pool C...which of course Tufts will if needed).  They've won at least 2 national titles via that route...and gives them essentially 2 weeks before the tournament starts to recover and recharge and 3 weeks before playing a game they could lose. 

It's funny how so many (including me several years ago) don't think Tufts is that good...and then they win another title.

[Hopkins92]

They need to get the show on the road up there or a second OT is gonna need old-school car lights around the field to finish the game.

As someone whose office is around 20 miles south and just stepped outside for a second, it is dark and cold, so fair play to them for playing (no pun intended). That said, they should be fine if they get it in by around 5:40.

On-the-scene reporting, folks!

(I was mostly being silly, but good to know firsthand.)

[deiscanton]

Heading to extra time in Brunswick, Maine with Tufts and Bowdoin still tied at 1-1.

And I didn't want to say anything, in case it was just the camera, but the announcer backed up my suspicion:

They need to get the show on the road up there or a second OT is gonna need old-school car lights around the field to finish the game.

It is an official game now if the game must be suspended due to darkness before the two extra time periods get played and no goal gets scored --  the result would be a draw and Tufts and Bowdoin would share the points.

Game still tied at 1-1 between Tufts and Bowdoin after 100 minutes.-- We are going to the second extra time period.

[blooter442]

Whooey, that was about a yard wide by Bowdoin. Great try.

30 seconds later, Tufts has a chance to win it inside the 18 but the guy put it right at the 'keeper.

[deiscanton]

Colby has clinched their spot in the NESCAC tournament with a golden goal in the 97th minute to beat Bates, and the field for the NESCAC tournament is set.

Final:  Colby 2, Bates 1.

[blooter442]

Tufts with the chance of the game, Bowdoin totally open at the back and the 'keeper sends the rebound right back to the Jumbo who blazes over the empty net. 

[deiscanton]

Tufts and Bowdoin ends in a draw, 1-1, after extra time.

[Centennial1]

Tough conditions for Tufts/Bowdoin. I have to hand it to both teams for playing as well as they did, and to the grounds crew for providing a pitch that wasn't a level-4 mudslide. I suppose Tufts feels hard-done by the weather, but from what I saw, Bowdoin controlled big stretches of the match as it wore on.

[hiyasoccer]

Didn't catch either first half in the night games, which are both 0-0 at half, but Amherst was credited with only 2 SOG against Trinity (8 total) in the first half, and only took 2 corners. Trinity has one shot which was on goal, and one corner. Not a great half from Amherst who need a W to leapfrog Tufts into second place.

Midd and Williams both registered 5 SOG in the first half, which sounds like it was more fun. Gonna try to catch the second.

[hiyasoccer]

If I am doing the tiebreakers right, and no promises that I am, a Williams win would jump them all the way to 5th from 8th (!!!) in the standings, passing Colby on points and Midd+Bowdoin on head to head tiebreaker. Drawing or losing will leave them in 8th, so they have all the incentive to go for the win. Huge difference between a first round matchup with Conn and with Wesleyan.

Midd I would guess will be conservative - a win will give them home field advantage against Wes (who they beat 3-1 early on), but a loss would see them face Amherst (L 1-0) or Tufts (D 0-0) away from home.

[hiyasoccer]

Midd grabs home field advantage on about as good of a goal as you'll see in the NESCAC, scored with only a couple minutes left in 2OT. Ball laid back across the top of the 18 moving left to right (from attacking teams perspective). Some freshman midfielder, forget the name, absolutely smashes it first time with his right foot to the top right corner, beats the keeper for power and placement. Think he hit it from 22ish yards, right side of the goal mouth. Looked like he hit it with his laces, but hard to tell for sure on the camera.

That locks in the matchups I personally was rooting for the first round, and I think are pretty good from a neutral's perspective too. Regular season result in parenthesis.

#8 Williams at #1 Conn (1-0 Conn in New London)
#7 Colby at #2 Amherst (2-0 Amherst in Amherst)
#6 Bowdoin at #3 Tufts (1-1 draw in Brunswick)
#5 Wesleyan at #4 Midd (3-1 Midd in VT)

Every top seed but Tufts won the regular season version of these matchups at home.