NESCAC

[CacFan12]

More All-NESCAC talk. the awards are up: http://nescac.com/sports/msoc/2012-13/honors/allconference

I'm not sure I could be more surprised and disappointed by the choices. In my opinion, these awards have lost what little credibility they had.

[Sandy]

Boy this Amherst chick throw in thing has gone national....seriosly what is this AD doing down there...I understand winning, but win with some class

http://offthebench.nbcsports.com/2012/11/05/sometimes-in-womens-soccer-hitting-an-opponent-in-the-face-once-with-a-throw-in-just-isnt-enough-video/

In 2010 the men's goalie at the time proceeded to run up to St. Lawrence's fans after they (Amherst) had just won in the second round of the NCAA tourney and threw the ball at them from only a few yards away. I'm inclined to view these two incidents as related.

[Deuce]

Boy this Amherst chick throw in thing has gone national....seriosly what is this AD doing down there...I understand winning, but win with some class

http://offthebench.nbcsports.com/2012/11/05/sometimes-in-womens-soccer-hitting-an-opponent-in-the-face-once-with-a-throw-in-just-isnt-enough-video/

In 2010 the men's goalie at the time proceeded to run up to St. Lawrence's fans after they (Amherst) had just won in the second round of the NCAA tourney and threw the ball at them from only a few yards away. I'm inclined to view these two incidents as related.

As a SLU player at the time, I couldn't believe my eyes when their GK drop kicked the ball into our student section from 10 feet away, as a group of 5-7 other players ran up the birm towards our fans and proceeded to taunt them and spit at them.

Never in my life have I seen a college team act like this. If the soccer gods really exist, Amherst will go out in a very, very cruel way this year. Hopefully at the hands of my Saints.

[keeker]

well well deserved title for Amherst.   Serpone gets a lot of crap and is not the most well liked coach by opposing teams, but three NESCAC titles in his first six years is special.  He had his team up for this game, Russo did not.  Hats off to him.

Serpone  is a good, hard working, and dedicated kid. I would say he was instrumental in turning around northwestern's program when lenahan brought him in as his 1st assistant. He did everything from recruiting to butt-kissing local youth soccer teams to bring more awareness to the nu soccer program. He told me he was also busy reading moneyball by michael lewis because northwestern only gave out 4.4 scholarship and they needed to find players that were flying under the radar of more prestigious d1s. Glad to see him bring same success to duke and now, as a head coach, to Amherst. Still can't believe how he played goalie for drew when he's barely 5ft tall.

[nescacsoccer]

The girl throwing the ball twice at her head, is that intentional? That is really poor if it is.  Sandy, viewing that as related to anything that happens with the men's team is foolish.  Tying is back to the AD, LaPaz, is equally silly. All the people disparaging Amherst share one thing in common: they lost to them.  It reads as bitter.  Deuce, I was not present for the incident you refer to, but read that as a pretty one-sided account.  Even if those actions were exactly as you describe, I can't imagine there is a piece of the story that is being left out, or that you are just unaware of.

Turning to the NESCAC awards...what a complete joke. Purdy? Purdy had a strong freshman season and since then as been just average.  Stats wise he is middle of the pack goalie and didn't strike me as being too special in anything I saw this year. If you want to go goalie, I would select Finan.  Do you think he was knocked because Morrell also gets time? Noon or Heo are the only two field player choices in my eyes, which is where I think the award should have gone..  Noon if your judging production, Heo if your looking at the person who most impacts each game.  That Heo isn't on the first team...c'mon. User from Williams also probably deserved at least second team recognition. Nizzi from Hamilton perhaps as well.  It seems there is a concerted effort to get someone from as many teams as possible represented on one of the teams.  Not sure I agree with that philosophy.

Also, are these awards not a bit hypocritical? I grant that comparing a goalie and field player is a difficult task, but if in POY you value a goalie over a field player how does Bull not win rookie of the year over Rashid? Bull didn't have to do much, but when called upon stepped up. Hard to overlook 12 shutouts (really 15, in three games he didn't get credit for a shutout because he was pulled).

Final piece to address in the All-Nescac nonsense.  This goes back to everyone disliking Serpone (which I also do, but not the degree other seems to).  I dont think he will ever win the award (conversely, it  the rest of the NESCAC coaches would be willing to kiss Russo's hands).  It seems to be accepted that getting to the top is easy, staying at the top is incredibly difficult.  Undefeated a year after winning the title, dominant both offensively and defensively, losing a top player/captain, and thoroughly out coaching your opponent in the conference title game (my understanding is that the voting happens after, or at least is based solely on the regular season, but it helps make my point).  Serpone seems like an obvious choice.  Yes this is Amherst heavy, but they were the decidedly the best team in the league this year, so that makes sense.  As far as Shapiro's involvement in this debate, I agree what he has done at Tufts is tremendous and they will be in contention for the next couple years.  But this award is just for 2012.  Several posters, myself and LaPaz included, noted at the start of the year that Tufts was a talented team.  I expected them to push Amherst and Williams all year.  At the end of the day I actually feel they underperformed this year in not finished above Wesleyan.

[Sandy]

I'm not saying they're directly related. I was thinking more in terms of the culture that exists there that allows these types of actions to foster. Losing does not make me resent a team either. Being an ass does. Serpone knows how to coach, as is obvious with his success. No one is saying he can't and no one hates him for winning. His actions and that of his players sometimes however......

The fans were heckling the keeper and other players, something they do quite frequently. That happens. What shouldn't happen is running up and chucking the ball from a few yards away at their heads after you've just won though. Simple as that. There are other accounts of this that will tell you more or less the same thing. I know you can't take our word for it but it certainly happened.



How is Williams's field? I'm asking about quality, dimensions, overall playability really. I assume they got some snowfall earlier this week. Will this affect the conditions all that much? Same goes for the other sites as well.

[TerrasIrradient]

First time poster. Had to respond to this diatribe against Amherst and shed a little light...

"Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself...The desire to destroy what others build has it's roots in the soil of envy."

Lapaz while you do seem to have watched a lot of Nescac soccer, you are blinded when it comes to the jeffs. They've been one of top 5 teams in the region, if not the best one, for the past 5-6 years. No team plays beautiful soccer. As a previous poster mentioned, it's the nescac. It's tough, hard nosed soccer and winning 1st and 2nd balls. 80% of it is ugly 100% of the time. But that other 20% can sometimes be pretty special. This goes for every single team in the CAC...all capable of special moments, but not 90 minutes of great soccer. You seem to begrudge Amherst's "style" simply because they have size and are capable of scoring on a lot of set pieces. You describe them scoring goals on set pieces as "hoofing" it forward as if every team in the Nescac does not try to do the same thing on set pieces...score goals.

The jeffs, as well as many teams in the league, are indeed capable of doing some very special things in the final third with their creative attacking core. Sandy and deuce, for your viewing pleasure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bimkPkIu-Ck&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I'd like to congratulate Amherst, Williams, tufts and Wesleyan on great seasons. Filled out my bracket and have each of them going deep. Looking for a tufts/Williams rematch and a surprise to the rest of the country wih a deep run from a tough Wesleyan squad.

[LaPaz]

I am officially done talking about these Jeffs....In fact I hope they lose now so all these Jeff fans go away. Can someone explain to me how Russo was "outcoached" in the final like a previous poster wrote. I think Amherst just has more takent thean Williams, nothing to do with coaching. I would take 35 years of winning and coaching experience over some irrational hothead anyday. The point of all this is that this coahces mentality or his disorder is affecting his players attitudes and it all starts at the top, and yes I blame the AD for leting this crap go on without discipline of any kind. He was reprimanded at the 2008 NCAA by the NCAA and Amherst swept that under the rug. He's a NUTJOB end of story

[soccer121285]

LaPaz, once again you're the NUTJOB here. 

Please do all of us a favor and not only stop talking about the Jeffs but please stop talking about the other ten NESCAC teams as well.  No one respects you or your opinions.  One little dig at Williams and you show your true colors.  For what it's worth I thought Colby outplayed Williams for good stretches of the game this season.  We had the ball 60%-65% of the time.  Williams took their chances well and countered effectively but certainly not what they were cracked up to be. 

Glad to see Andrew Meisel recognized as first team All-NESCAC.  I still think he should have been considered for POY honors!

[dacac]

In this year's Amherst v Conn Coll game at Conn, an Amherst bench player ran over to a bell located near the Conn's field and rang it after each Amherst goal.  Clearly Amherst was amped up for this game since Conn had their number of late, but thats just ridiculous. 
Classless coach --> Classless team

[Sandy]

I never said they weren't a good team and couldn't create goals...That's the first time I've seen those goals on video though and I see how easily those goals could have been avoided 

[LaPaz]

soccer121285 your an idiot...I have been on this site for 2 years and kno the league much better than you. I have praised Colby enough. Meisel had a bad game aganist Williams and the final score was 4-0 williams. Doubt Colby outplayed them by your accoiunts. ONCE AGAIN I HAVE NO ALLEGIANCE TO WILLIAMS, but as you can see like other posters we are sick of the way Amherst has no class. I have no problem with them wining. JUSAT WIN WITH CLASS. I will keep posting on all teams regardless. You have 3 posts and take over this board.. DONT THINK SO..see ya next year

[TerrasIrradient]

Final post about all this nonsense before my mind moves on to the NCAA tournament and watching some great DIII soccer (unfortunately via webcast instead of in person  )

This year and last year are the first two years that Serpone has had teams comprised of entirely players that he recruited if my math is correct. Putting the talent together and creating a team that runs like well oiled machine is part of the coaching process too.

2011: 16-2-2 Nescac Champs...Beat Trinity 1-0 in regular season and 2-0 in Nescac Finals
2012: 15-0-2 (so far) Nescac Champs....shutout Williams twice including 2-0 win in Final @Williams

I would like be so bold as to describe that as outcoaching....but the results speak for themselves.

LaPaz, thanks for the irony in your last post. I enjoyed it.

Good luck to all in the tourney, including SLU Sandy...would love to watch another match between SLU and Amherst if they are both fortunate enough to advance that far. It would be very intense I'm sure.

[LaPaz]

your math is wrong..he's been there since 2007. been to one final four in 2008 in which he was reprimanded for bad behaviour. Goodings went to final four in 1997. They won with class and had some great teams as well..Thats one final four each..Being outcoached has nothing to do with records or any of that, it has to do with in game management and tactical changes. He definitly motivates his players. All I am saying is he and his team have no class after winning. Examples here have been mentioned at Conn, SLU and Williams.. the truth does not lie..players, i.e. kids in which they are take on the personality of their coach and in this case its getting ugly. My prediction is in the next 5 years there will be a huge incident at Amherst with all this nonsense and he will be right in the middle of it...You can see it coming

[Pat Coleman]

... guess you guys aren't going to take my advice about keeping the ax-grinding down? Seems like you have made your opinion clear.