NESCAC

[PaulNewman]

Sounds like a Colby home game....dream start... fortunate MSU hasn't scored but MSU also looks a little flat like they were expecting Baruch...

[Mr.Right]

Colby looks gassed as MSU has been all over them the past 10 minutes...Once Seabrook went to his bench Colby dropped off bigtime...I think he wants to keep his key starters fresh....This game easily has more goals in it because MSU is capable of scoring 2-3 goals but also because they send so many numbers forward capable of conceding a couple as well......1-0 Colby at the Half.....

[NESCAC11]

Williams scores off a nice series of headers that ended with the third header going into the net by Damian Gass. Williams has controlled play and played real futbal on this wide field. They did give up a dangerous counter 15 minutes in thatbreaulted in a blest from the top of the 18 yard box which schein came out and blocked with his body.

[Mr.Right]

Based on this game Etown is not a great team. Their GK's effort on Gass's Goal was piss poor. They cannot get anything going in attack....Williams in total control as I have never been so confident that I can watch other games because Williams is going to win this game.

Snow on ground at Cortland...

[NESCAC11]

Elizabethtown ties it at 1-1. Williams not playing with the same energy as they did for the first 30 minutes. Still getting opportunities but not moving the ball and midfield is not controlling the ball. The goal came on a cross or a corner where Williams had at least 4 opportunities to clear it out of the box and didn't get it out. Finally Etown got a foot on it.

[Mr.Right]

Etown finishes Williams off 2-1 in a disappointing game for Williams...TO many careless errors for Williams as they played so well the first 30 minutes and then stopped playing with any urgency or intensity. For a program with such history this is a very disappointing loss. Williams loses a very talented Senior class and now will have to wait for 2019 to get their first NCAA Win in what would be 6 years. Just not acceptable if I am being honest with myself. It feels like this program is just drifting into mediocrity...I thought Williams was not playing futbol today as they were not trying to connect on the carpet.

[Falconer]

Elizabethtown ties it at 1-1. Williams not playing with the same energy as they did for the first 30 minutes. Still getting opportunities but not moving the ball and midfield is not controlling the ball. The goal came on a cross or a corner where Williams had at least 4 opportunities to clear it out of the box and didn't get it out. Finally Etown got a foot on it.

That first goal was scored by SR Gilbert Waso, who was a 1st team AA as a freshman and sophomore. At that point I considered him among the most dangerous strikers in the nation--and clearly I wasn't alone in that opinion. His final two seasons have drawn less attention, but except for injuries I think he is still as dangerous. (Here's the bigger picture: https://etownbluejays.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=7470).  Waso can score in several ways, especially by bulling his short, powerful body through bigger bodies in the box or by rising over them to head the ball on frame. I can't say with confidence that he would have been the best player on the field yesterday, since I didn't see the game, but I'd be very surprised if Williams this season has anyone in his league as a scoring threat.

His FR year, Waso beat Messiah 1-0 on Herr Field. He started the scoring play at midfield, beat his main defender (I think it was AA Jacob Bender) and took a couple others with him before shooting from just outside the box. The next year at Messiah, he was marked by Samuel Ruiz Plaza, who mainly held him in check: Waso took just one single shot, which was on goal but saved. That was an interesting strategic move, since Waso is much faster than Ruiz Plaza, but Samuel is as good with the ball at his feet as anyone in D3, and he mostly kept Waso from receiving it in dangerous places. I don't recall who marked him last year at Etown, but Waso got 3 shots, none on goal. This year's game was rained out.

Bottom line: If you haven't seen Waso play before, you really don't know exactly what to expect. He's creative and very intelligent. I understand that he scored yesterday in a scrum of some sort, but I'm not surprised that it was he who got that crucial goal. He took 7 shots vs Williams, but luckily for Williams 6 were not on frame. If Cortland isn't very well prepared for him today, watch out. I'm rooting for the Blue Jays. I like Waso, a lot.

[Ejay]

I thought Williams was not playing futbol today as they were not trying to connect on the carpet.

In other words, they played the NESCAC way?   

[PaulNewman]

I thought Williams was not playing futbol today as they were not trying to connect on the carpet.

In other words, they played the NESCAC way?

I saw you had posted in the NESCAC thread, and especially given the back and forth with game predictions, I thought you probably dropped in to tip your cap to Colby and with a huge sign of relief about MSU living for another day.  I guess not lol.

[Bobcat1]

I thought Colby played a great game. The 8th place team in the league from the regular season was 5 minutes from punching out MSU at MSU! Colby also had two tremendous chances to win it the OTs as well. MSU survived and advanced in what ultimately was draw over 110mins. People should not question the quality of depth in the NESCAC.

3 very good matchups for NESCAC teams today, but the St. Joe's/Amherst game really catches my eye. Will they move to the grass field? If so, this could be very physical contest. Amherst's sweet 16 run is on the line and I think Serpone will have his guys fired up for this game. St. Joe's has not lost in 2 years. Something has to give.

Tufts has not played in 2 weeks. How quickly can they shake off the rust and will they bury their chances today. Should be interesting as Stevens has good skill, plays decent futbol, and looks solid in net.

Also, I think Conn/Ramapo will be a tight one as well. It was good to see Conn put up 4 goals yesterday. They looked sharp coming off their 13 day layoff.

Big day for the heavyweights in the NESCAC!

[Ejay]

I saw you had posted in the NESCAC thread, and especially given the back and forth with game predictions, I thought you probably dropped in to tip your cap to Colby and with a huge sign of relief about MSU living for another day.  I guess not lol.

Yeah, my bad. I had every intention of going to the game but it just didn't work out. Honestly though, with no dog in this fight all I care about at this stage of the season is competitive games. Sounds like Colby gave it a go, which is great. They should be thrilled with their season and hopefully can build on that for next year.  It would be nice to see someone other than the usual NESCAC suspects make a run.

[Mr.Right]

Colby actually played the best futbol out of all the Nescac teams yesterday. They really played well and you are correct they should have won the game in OT. MSU was giving them so much space because the game was stretched that I think Colby got out of their usual gameplan of sitting with 6 because of all the space. Clouse really hurt them on the defensive end because of his lack of mobility MSU was finding 2v1's in the middle of the field and getting some nice chances from it. Rosenberg and Douglas played excellent and Pereira had one of his best games of the season. It just happened that their luck ran out but I was a little surprised at their fitness as they did look gassed in the last 20 minutes of regulation but then got some pep back in OT. The goal they conceded in the 85th minute was unfortunate as the Frosh Pugh took a risk by going for the ball off the long serve instead of letting his man retrieve the ball and then sticking him. The failed clearance which hit off the back of an MSU player right to the kid who scored was also some bad luck but it was an excellent finish with the kids left foot. Still Pereira missed a sitter and Fletcher missed basically an open goal without the GK in it so they can only blame themselves for not finding the winner. PK's were a not as good as in the Nescac Tournament as the first 3 banged them home but Fabricant who is from Jersey and probably had tons of family and friends there bombed his 30 yards over the goal which is unacceptable and actually Berolzheimer's I was surprised because it was telegraphed and a pretty weak effort. Still it was a fantastic effort for a team that was not just "happy" to be in the NCAA's but wanted to keep their season going and had the confidence to do so.

It sucks all the games are on at the same time today. Gotta pick one. All 3 games should be tight unless Amherst can get a quick goal.

[Mr.Right]

Tufts going back to its usual starters with Weatherbie, Paoletta, Najjar and Daly in the back. Aroh holding with Rojas and Van Brewer and then Tasker and Lane wide with Braun up top.

[blooter442]

Tufts-Stevens notes:

- Tufts deserved the result, as the Jumbos bossed proceedings throughout, hitting the woodwork twice.
- Stevens did cause Tufts some problems, particularly a passage of play which resulted in a rash challenge by Najjar for which he saw a yellow. Right on the edge of the box. Second half, was 0-0. Obviously know it's outside of the box rather than in, but if opponents can get him out of position and he makes the same challenge a yard away it's a penalty.
- Tasker is really, really good. He overlapped well with Jameson on the left flank, and took his goal very well.
- Tufts yet again finishes off a broken play. Can't let the ball bounce in the Jumbos' box.
- Aroh does the dirty work. He looks at home in the defensive midfield position.
- I arrived at the game at around the 30th minute, and Stevens did look like they were having some joy down the Tufts flanks. That being said they didn't create much and I am not sure Mieth had to make a save of note.

[amh63]

Amherst beats St. Joe's 4-2.  Writeup on Amherst's  website.