NESCAC

[Mr.Right]

Sine the season is young I will not spend a great deal of time predicting yet until I have had a chance to see each Nescac team at least once.


Conn at Tufts----I have not seen either team at all but my first question tonight was going to be about Conn's Frosh GK AJ Marcucci. Then I noticed he won the first Nescac Player of the Week award. This will certainly garner plenty of attention from his opponents. Conn has had recent success against Tufts but that was with those very physical and big Conn sides a couple of years ago that were tremendously organized defensively. I can only go off of last year but again I was less than impressed with Conn last year defensively. They do not have any size advantage over Tufts and everything else favors Tufts including the turf. Count me as one who is glad Tufts moved off of that horrible Kraft Field which was a really bad grass field BUT not a fan of the turf. Tufts couldn't tear it up and get a brand new grass field? Tufts has a home football game tomorrow and they used to draw VERY well because of that and being on campus, etc. I am guessing they do not draw nearly as well now since moving down the road to the turf. To many Nescac's are moving to the turf starting with Midd in 2007. Oh right the game...2-0 Tufts

Bates st Newbury College---Haha I had to...This is beyond a joke...I plan on doing Amherst / Pine Manor also in a few weeks .....I am betting Coach tells his AD this would be a big win for the program....Handicapper's line............Bates -7 1/2   O/U  7....

Wesleyan at Bowdoin-----Both teams could really use this game. Wesleyan to gauge their nice early start to the season and Bowdoin to prove they are legit. This could be a tight game with the winner coming late. Bowdoin has the advantage in goal and their defense will not be bullied by Wesleyan like it was v Amherst. Still I really think Wesleyan can get points. 1-1

Midd at Amherst------Fathers do not bring your sons to this game. Youth Coaches and teams please stay away. Anyone looking for some technical play watch the women's game...THIS game is always UGLY and should get even uglier tomorrow..I am not watching this game at all so I hope other posters can recap it for us. 0-0

Hamilton at Trinity-----Both teams need a bounce back game. I have not seen Hamilton yet this year but Trinity always finds a way to get 3 pts out of these types of games, I think Trinity gets 2 goals from Savonen and wins but would not be surprised if they fail to show up until the 70th minute and lose. Trinity 2-1

Williams at Colby------Williams has its problems but is 2-0-0. Injuries and goal scoring are their biggest problems to date and Colby is not the greatest team to face when you are having issues breaking down teams. Williams figures Colby will not attack so they play with 11 field players, Colby counters with an amazing 2 strikers. 0-0

[cac.aholic1]

My turn to give the predictions a shot - can't do any worse than last week.

Midd v. Amherst: Home field advantage for Amherst will be key here, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Midd hold their own. I don't see Midd scoring - question is, can they shut down Amherst? Based on their giving up 4 goals in their first 3 games at Norwich, home to Conn, home to Colby-Sawyer, I'm going to say hell no. 2-0 Amherst.

Welseyan v. Bowdoin: Second game in a row that Bowdoin plays in the biggest Saturday NESCAC matchup. It didn't go so well for them last time, as they continued their streak of poor results at the beginning of the season and more generally against Amherst. Wesleyan is a bit of an unknown, but look good to start the season. ACH seems to have been busy, and Livingstone has put up some strong numbers. Both teams have enough going forward to be dangerous, and I haven't seen a lot of lock down D. Van Siclen was excellent for the Polar Bears despite the loss at Amherst, and could easily be the edge. But watch out for ACH and Komar going the other way. we'll know a lot more about both teams from this result. I'll guess 2-1 Bowdoin in OT.

Williams v. Colby: I expect a real physical one up in Waterville - lots of determination and size on both teams. Colby will look to rebound from a tough OT loss at Tufts, Williams coming off a good win but lost one of their better attacking players. I'm willing to bet they can replace him, and continue their strong start to the season. 1-0 Williams.

Hamilton v. trinity - another interesting one, and I expect better from them this time around. Giving up two goals to bates? really? I think they rebound to win here, getting at least one from a set piece. 2-1 Trinity

Conn v. Tufts: I want to try to watch to game to see what the hype is about with this new Conn keeper. He made an absurd 11 (ELEVEN) saves at Midd. Not only is that great goalkeeping, that's fantastic mental confidence and toughness from a freshman playing his first NESCAC game at one of the hardest places to play in the 'CAC. Watch out everyone, looks like this guy came to play. You would think this is a close one. And it seems like only a matter of time before Tufts drops points. Conn keeper holds them in it, while Conn hits on the break and scores on a 1 v. keeper. Final score: 1-1

Bates v. Newbury: who?

[cac.aholic1]

Also, check out the Bowdoin soccer facebook page - they seem to be updating it pretty regularly. Their goal against Tufts in the scrimmage was a good bit of passing.

[Mr.Right]

+k cac.aholic1...I saw that goal and I agree with you. Nice predictions this week as i think you might best me this week however I was confused as it seems you were ready to pick Hamilton but went with Trinity?

[cac.aholic1]

+k cac.aholic1...I saw that goal and I agree with you. Nice predictions this week as i think you might best me this week however I was confused as it seems you were ready to pick Hamilton but went with Trinity?

Thanks Mr. Right, I appreciate the complement. Been lurking for a while - always admired your knowledge and passion.

Good catch on the Trin v. Hamilton game. Let the record show that that was a typo - I meant to pick Hamilton. Hopefully they don't let me down this week, or I'm gonna have to give them a stern talking to.

[Mr.Right]

Bowdoin off to a quick start with a goal 3 minutes into the game. Wesleyan with a bad giveaway at midfield and a nice crisp pass by Bowdoin's Stenquist out to the flank that was whipped in and Ethan Ellsworth had an absolute cracker from about 20 yards out. Wesleyan GK had no chance but Wesleyan's defense was non-existent on the play. No pressure on Ellsworth and he buried it. Good start for Bowdoin as they are controlling play early. Let's see if Wesleyan can claw back into it.

[Mr.Right]

1-0 Bowdoin at the Half. Not many dangerous chances for either team. Very even game with both teams having its share of possession. I was impressed with Wesleyan's starters who were playing two touch very nicely. Wesleyan's Devanny is a big fast flank player and Livingstone had a nice 1st half. ACH did nothing and frankly Wesleyan while a nice technical team just are not very physical especially in the back. I like their back 4 but the GK is still a question mark. Also, while Wesleyan is playing very well from box to box they do not look very dangerous at all in the final 3rd. Bowdoin looks a bit sluggish but are doing enough to see this game out. However, they look a shell of what they looked like at the end of last year and if they continue to look like this they will not be winning Nescac. Not saying they look bad but they look a tad above average which will not be good enough to win Nescac.

[blooter442]

Middlebury up 1-0 with 30 mins to go. Didn't see the goal, but we can expect that Midd will have to withstand the gauntlet that comes with Amherst being down late in the game...an amount of pressure that is too much for the vast majority of teams to handle.

[Mr.Right]

Middlebury up 1-0 with 30 mins to go. Didn't see the goal, but we can expect that Midd will have to withstand the gauntlet that comes with Amherst being down late in the game...an amount of pressure that is too much for the vast majority of teams to handle.

i'll bet $100 Midd scored on some kind of set piece

[blooter442]

i'll bet $100 Midd scored on some kind of set piece

Just saw it...direct free kick. Nice shot by Sass over the wall.

Under 7 to play, still 1-0.

[blooter442]

WOW...it looked like Amherst had equalized in the 89th but the throw-in from Johnson hadn't touched anyone on its way in. No goal!

Final from Amherst, 1-0. First regular-season loss at home for Amherst since 2011.

[Mr.Right]

Williams goes up 1-0 over Colby on a cross and free header by Sisco. Pretty even game so far. Not to many dangerous chances by either team. Seabrook has put together a big Colby team that is more physical than they have been in years. Still who will score goals for Colby?

[Mr.Right]

Colby a brand new TURF field where the old grass field was. Looks just like Trinity's new turf field. Colby had promised a huge financial investment in its athletic facilities a couple years back.

[blooter442]

Colby a brand new TURF field where the old grass field was. Looks just like Trinity's new turf field. Colby had promised a huge financial investment in its athletic facilities a couple years back.

Interesting. I'm not that familiar with Colby's facilities, but they have had turf for lacrosse for a while (does any NESCAC school play lax on grass?).

Good grass is better than turf, no doubt, but it seems like many schools that make the switch just don't want to make the investment to maintain a field that will only get used, say, 10 (or so) times a year (as you have to practice elsewhere). Williams, Bowdoin, and Amherst are the only three grass fields in the NESCAC that I've been overly impressed with.

[blooter442]

Just noticed that MacMillian isn't playing for Tufts, as the starting back four is Zinner, Coleman, Jameson, and Weatherbie. I consulted the stats and then the roster, and he is on neither, although I'm almost certain I saw him on the roster earlier this year. Did he get cut?

In other news, it would appear that the Jumbos are playing a 4-3-3 with Tasker as a false nine (with Braun coming off the bench). Methinks they miss Majumder, although with a 3-0 start they won't be complaining.