NESCAC

[PaulNewman]

Watched Conn-Bowdoin since DePauw had no stream....Bowdoin IMO definitely carried the play.  Impressive run by the Polar Bears and will test Tufts.  This Bowdoin coach (previously at Chicago, right?) must be pretty good.

He is a Brunswick native.  Played GK at Midd.  Brother was an All-American at Colby in the early 90s.  Was an assistant at Brown, with Murphy under Noonan.  Also coached at Bruno United.

So Middlebury counts him AND Shapiro as alums....too lazy to look, but did they overlap?

[Ommadawn]

So Middlebury counts him AND Shapiro as alums....too lazy to look, but did they overlap?

Yes, they overlapped for at least 2-13 years.  Also part of the Saward coaching tree is WNEU's Devin O'Neill.

[Mr.Right]

Nescac Prediction Tonight


Amherst at Brandeis------As I have stated this is a HUGE match for both teams. I would say Brandeis is teetering on the brink so this game is more important for them but Amherst also cannot afford to drop their 4th game of the year as well. I do credit Serpone for scheduling this match as his non-conference schedule has been improving the past few years. Brandeis has the Home field advantage and advantage on turf but Amherst has played enough games on turf this season so it should not be that much of a dis-advantage for them. Brandeis has looked "soft" in midfield this whole year and if that continues tonight they will lose this game. I will be watching to see what changes Margolis will make from last weeks disaster giving up 2 late goals to Clark to blow the game and end of with a Draw. It came down to a lack of mental toughness, careless mental mistakes in the back and a horrific GK'ing error by Cohen. So who will be in net tonight? Should be Irwin IMO but who knows. Will the defense stay in tact? Will the system stay intact? Are there changes in midfield? Tons of questions that will be answered tonight. Amherst has had some issues of its own on defense this season so I expect Brandeis to get some decent looks tonight and I am hoping they can get in behind Amherst defense and really test Amherst Frosh GK Bernie White. White has done well since taking over after the Williams loss but frankly Amherst schedule has softened besiedes the Tufts match since then. Brandies should shoot as much as they can tonight and follow all shots as there could be some juicy rebounds for them to finish. On the flip Amherst Cutler Coleman has played very well all year IMO and Bryce Johnson's long throws could be very dangerous tonight as even with Amherst lack of height compared to previous years they are still an aggressive and physical team. Jimmy McMillan started against Wesleyan so it looks like he is back and Frosh German Germatti was sacked but was first off the bench. Sean Fitzgerald has been starting lately at CB and Brandeis MUST take advantage of his lack of speed and NOT be scared of his physicality. Brandeis still has plenty of speed and skill BUT they must body up tonight and play tough to get a Win. I think they have a chance in this game at Home and I think it will come down to 1 Goal. Alex Walter will have his hands full and I expect Handler to be dealing with McMillian but I do not know who will be matching up with Amherst dangerous Dane Lind. He is load and will need to be defended well. Derby did not play at Wesleyan so he might be injured? Also, Cutler Coleman MUST be sticked and not allowed to go right at Brandeis midfield. So there are a lot of questions here for Brandeis in this game but if they can come out and find a goal and then sit compact and deal with all of Amherst set pieces they will have a chance. I just do not think Brandeis can clean all this up in a matter of five days and Amherst takes advantage and finishes Brandeis off tonight........Amherst 2-0

[Mr.Right]

Nescac Predictions------------


Tufts at Bowdoin--------As Bloots mentioned in his Nor'easter News Tufts has not defeated Bowdoin since 2013 and in the last 4 Games played since 2015 Tufts is 0-2-2 scoring only 2 Goals in 4 Games. I am shocked a bit that they have had this much trouble with Bowdoin the past 5 years.  Bowdoin will be intheir usual 4-2-3-1 with a solid back 4 of LB McColl, CB's Reid and Niang and RB Miller then holding is Stenquist and Houseman and attacking is Frosh Cooper with Byrd wide left and Shultz wide right and the Frosh Uek up top....I would say Miller is the weaker link of that back 4 but unless Shapiro switches Tasker and Lane he will be going against Lane which is the easier player to defend over Tasker. I could see Shapiro switching Tasker to the left side to go at Miller as I think McColl can handle Tasker and shut him down. Niang and Reid have to be the biggest and most physical CB's in the league. I will put money that Braun does not get a Goal today as if Shapiro leaves him for dead up top he will get eaten up by Niang and Reid. Tufts midfield of Van Brewer, Rojas, Delaney and Trevarrow will cause Bowdoin some problems BUT Bowdoin's holding midfielders Stenquist and Houseman will be instructed to stick to Tufts midfielders like glue. That means Bowdoin will only really be attacking with 4 Players the striker Uek plus wide guys Shultz and Byrd and then attacking midfielder Cooper. Byrd has been playing very well all year and Shultz is decent but am not quite sure about Cooper just yet. I have no idea where McPherron went because he was a better attacking midfielder IMO. Either way JUST LIKE LAST YEAR if Bowdoin is going to score IT WILL HAVE TO BE OFF A SET PIECE or rebound / ball bouncing around after a set piece. Not sure why Morant is not getting as much time because his flick last weekend to Niang who beat Conn was helpful. Morant could be helpful in this game off set pieces. I honestly think the GK's are basically even as Mieth looked a bit shaky against Williams with some crosses but is still obviously solid and the Frosh Kingston has looked real solid this year. Not sure the tiebreaker if Tufts were to lose and Conn win today but it might be a goal differential after head to head so all Tufts needs is a Draw to repeat as Nescac Regular Season Champions and Hosting the Nescac Tournament not to mention getting to play the winner of Colby/Bates on Saturday. Bowdoin is 7-0-2 in its last nine games and I would guess Tufts is as well so this game will IMO come down to who converts a set piece..........Bowdoin 1-0



Midd at Williams-----------Williams has struggled under Sullivan against Midd since he took over going 1-3-0. This game is a MUST WIN for both teams to get a Home Seed in the Nescac Tournament but TBH either way I think these two teams could be facing each other again on Saturday. That would be real intense to have 2 matchups in 5 days. Williams is 8-4-2 and I am betting they are on the wrong side of the Pool C bubble right now but they will have 3 Ranked Wins but a lower SOS than most Nescac's plus there is NO WAY the committee takes 6 Nescac teams. I think after last season only 4 Nescac teams get in and I see Conn/Amherst/Tufts/Bowdoin in position right now with Midd just behind Bowdoin and Williams just behind Midd. However, if Williams can defeat Midd today that I think would give them 4 ranked Wins next week and bump them past Midd BUT will have to Win a Nescac Quarterfinal match which Sullivan has failed to do in his 3 years. POINT IS---Winner in good shape loser might need to win Nescac tournament. Midd is getting lucky lately with these PK's they have gotten against Bates/Colby/Tufts but they were legit PK's. Still in the run of play they are struggling to score goals. Williams is as well but they did get behind Tufts defense enough last Saturday to make me smile as if they could ever finish they could of scored a couple goals in that game. Williams tried to play the right way against Tufts keeping the ball on the carpet and moving quickly and passing forward not backwards. Still Tufts burned them on the counter BUT I like that Williams is playing like that and in the long run it will get them WINS in Nescac. This conservative style that Sullivan has favored in his tenure I have not liked and frankly has not gotten them anywhere the past 3 years SO I was so pleased to see them come out of their shell and go at Tufts as best they could. If they play like that today against Midd at Home I think they will Win especially if O'Grady is still injured. One thing to watch is if Williams key wingback Ranieri is still out and Griffith the backup is in I think Goulart can burn Griffith and cause problems on the flank but I do not believe for a second that Midd striker Reid will be successful against Williams CB's Scatt and Oberg. If O'Grady is playing than that is a different story. First Goal Wins today but I am predicting Williams goes back to its conservative ways against Midd as they will be scared to give up the first goal. If they do then we will have a tedious draw.........1-1



Conn at Wesleyan--------Conn should be one pissed off motivated bunch today. Wesleyan's horrific season will be put to bed finally today. This was the case last year and Wesleyan ACH scored the GW'ing Goal and defeated Conn. Also, you always have to beware the team with nothing to play for. However, this Wesleyan team is not even as good as last years team. Wesleyan has had nothing to play for the past week and they have not scored a goal in like 4 consecutive games or whatever. Basically, Wesleyan has SUCKED all across the board. The only way I see Wesleyan getting some kind of a result today is if Frosh 6'5 GK Lowen stands on his head but I just do not see Wesleyan even keeping this game close.....Conn 3-0

[NESCAC11]

Should be good games today. Moran is not playing much because he is injured. He hurt his knee in the weight room and was told he could get season ending surgery or play 20 minutes a game. Interesting story that I have heard more and kore frequently in nescac. Coaches really pushing the boys to lift. Several teams lift twice a week in season on top of practices. Coaches are all about getting bigger and more physical. The boys come from real soccer programs where their clubs or academies don't want them too big. The boys are often reluctant as Morant was but coaches pushed him to lift more. I have heard this at a few nescac schools this season.

[Mr.Right]

That is ridiculous to lift twice a week during the season on top of practice and games on average every 3 days...Getting bigger does not give a kid toughness...either a kid is a warrior or he isnt....muscle does not change heart...

[oldonionbag]

Maybe a light lift combined with short calisthenics for training once a week is OK, but two lifts on top of practices is too much. Agreed with the heart/toughness point Mr. Right, but strength is important, especially in a league as physical as the NESCAC...which is why it wouldn't surprise me that some coaches want more lifting.

[Bobcat1]

Raining at a decent clip right now in Maine. Temps in mid to upper 40s. Should clear out in plenty of time for tomorrow nights "play in game" on the turf at Bates. Will be cold though. Seems like in many ways today/tomorrow is a repeat of last year in terms of regular season final game impact on the standings for playoff seeding.

[NESCAC11]

No Andreou today for Williams. No Ranieri. No Gass.

[NESCAC11]

I'm told Ranieri may get a few minutes.

[Mr.Right]

No idea who is playing RB for Tufts today because the Frosh Daly was sacked a couple games back and IDK why as I liked the kid as a player. Veteran Tanner Jameson started at RB v Williams on Saturday but looks like he got sacked as well because he is not in the starting lineup. Williams was getting behind him throughout the game and he got benched early in the 2nd Half. Shapiro does have Aroh, Rojas, Van Brewer and Delaney in the lineup so I am guessing either Delaney is playing RB OR he is going with 3 backs which I highly doubt

[Mr.Right]

No Andreou today for Williams. No Ranieri. No Gass.

Well Gass has been out for weeks and I think is done for season. Ranieri got a concussion over a month ago and had played a game or 2 then all of a sudden did not play again. So those two are not a surprise but Andreou I do not remember getting injured at Tufts. However, because of the glut of holding midfielders I would imagine Dory who has been in Sullivan's doghouse because he has played sparingly lately would fill in for Andreou

[oldonionbag]

Mr. Right are you getting the Bowdoin stream? Says it's been "delayed."

[Mr.Right]

Tufts v Bowdoin stream is delayed as NSN cannot figure its sh*t out when it rains..

LOL Live Stats go like this:

Foul on Bowdoin
Foul on Tufts
Foul on Bowdoin
Foul on Tufts
Offside

[blooter442]

It'd be great if they either told us it's not happening because of the rain or when we can expect it to work. This is like when airline pilots have you sitting on the tarmac for a half-hour without telling you why you aren't moving.

Have to say I've been having the same experience with the Brandeis stream lately..."you've had since 7am to figure this out!"...although last night it was good, if for no other reason that it let us hear how obnoxious the Amherst bench was all game.

Apologies for the grumpiness; it's Tuesday.