NESCAC

[Newenglander]

Not sure if this is the right place to post but if so many teams/conferences are going PPV there should be some minimum level of production value!

Splurged the $10 to watch my son's first game for Conn through Harford's wall and not only was there limited/no audio, the feed started 25 minutes late and the camera could barely be bothered to track the action for good chunks of time.....ridiculous.

[Coach Jeff]

Totally agree.  Last year University of PAYWALL (Rochester) charged and it was a big complaint on this board as well.  Landmark conference went to pay to view as well.  The games are free but got to pay if you athlete is far from home.  The schools are not making that much money by charging to view on line...this is ridiculous 

[EnmoreCat]

Firstly, really good to have soccer back, irrespective of who you support, how often you post or if what you post offends my admittedly fragile sensibilities (humour attempt), it's great to be able to watch.  I'm always jealous of those who get to see games in the flesh, but am starting to do something about that in around nine hours' time.

Yeshiva 1 Amherst 5

I was fearing the worst when on Yeshiva's website it was evident that other sports' livestreams had failed already that day and whilst I agree with the sentiment about pay per view, I might have found the coins to put in the machine to watch 90 minutes of Mammoths. Fortunately, one of the dedicated Amherst Ultras was there and able to keep us updated.  When he reported we were 1-0 down, I was prepared to catastrophize to the nth degree, but fortunately Yeshiva's lead was quickly pegged back.  I did get to watch the stream later and whilst the camera didn't quite pan across, the Maccabee's goal looked well taken.  Just as an aside, it was pointed out to me the logistic issues Yeshiva face in terms of field access etc, but on a first, admittedly less than educated glance, Fairleigh Dickinson seemed like a quite soulless place.  Apologies in advance to any FD alums in here, it's the field, not the institution I am lightly railing against.

Amherst did eventually start rolling and whilst Yeshiva possibly got the ball a little easier than I suspect Coach might have liked, out of the back third, they did find it trickier to progress much beyond half way and the ball kept coming back.  Ultimately, whilst the Mammoths possibly didn't get lots of touches in the Yeshiva penalty area, they certainly made a fair few of them count.  The third goal in particular, was a delicious move, with a zinging diagonal pass leading to a very nice goal and displaying to all the world, the football (whoops, Australian reference) the Mammoths have to offer.  The fifth goal was a great moment for a senior who has had serious injury issues and who has worked very hard to get himself fit and was a reward right at the end.  Distressingly, I am yet to see box scores downloaded, so can't relay the foul count, but it looked to me like Amherst maintained the programme's lofty standards in this regard.

Freshmen classes are the lifeblood of all programmes and it appears Coach and his staff have done some excellent work (mind you, I already knew that last year after one particular signing) yet again.  I was wondering if I should have been worried that potential young players might be put off by the reputation curried in here by some, but it seems that for all the Amhate, the Ammiration has shone through.  Welcome to those young men and I hope you enjoy yourself on & off the field and in the classroom as much as my son has so far.  Already, it appears one or two will see considerable game time this year and help the programme progress. 

It seems de rigueur in some quarters to mention how conferences have gone so far, it's sufficient to note that NESCAC went 7-1-1 on Tuesday, but this weekend sees some conference play and will be a better guide as to the relativities.  Tufts/Conn and Midd/Amherst are pretty good games for any neutral.  Midd at Amherst last year was my introduction to NESCAC and was semi-intoxicating to be a part of, I hope for something similar on Saturday.

[Viking]

Freshmen classes are the lifeblood of all programmes and it appears Coach and his staff have done some excellent work.

Saw that the average height of the AC freshman class was a mere 1.9 m and felt like Earth's magnetic poles had been reversed. #FragileSensibilitiesTest

[coach analytics]

NESCAC Preview

Overall, I expect another very competitive league, especially at the top, with a handful of NCAA births.  Last year was one of the most competitive from top to bottom with teams like Bates and Colby putting up some impressive results against the top teams.  Ties were abundant as OT was eliminated and the depth of the league made every game a battle, with very few multiple goal advantages.

The league is evolving to be quite a bit more technical as recent up and comers like Conn and Hamilton have instituted possession and ball movement styles which have had success and neutralized some of the athleticism of the traditional powers. 

I expect this season to go back to a more traditional, more top heavy league.  Traditional powers Amherst and Middlebury bring back strong rosters. Tufts, Bowdoin and Conn bring back a lot of key starters but also lost some very high end talent.  Bates, Colby and Williams have been hurt the most by graduation and Hamilton remains the most intriguing team in the league with their maturation.  Trinity could definitely surprise on the upside as they seemed poised for their strongest team in years.

Player of the Year Candidates
Ada Ojorogheye - Amherst
Jordan St. Louis - Middlebury
Fynn Hayton Ruffner – Amherst
Luke Peplowski - Hamilton
Julian Juantorena – Bowdoin
Max Clivio – Tufts
Ryan Grady - Middlebury

Other Top Offensive/Midfield Players
Pandelis Margaronis – Hamilton
Luke Peplowski - Hamilton
Tife Agunloye – Bates
Matt Scoffone – Conn
Jake Creus – Conn
Rye Jaron – Conn
Gavin Vanden Berg - Conn
Ignacio Cubbedu – Amherst
Sean Traynor – Tufts
Daniel Yanez – Tufts
Woovin Shin - Tufts
Mario Simoes – Colby
Tyler Huck – Bowdoin
Ronaldo Cabral – Bowdoin
Felipe Rueda Duran – Bowdoin
Adam Hadzic- Middlebury
Eujin Chae – Middlebury
Michael Traynor – Trinity
James Donaldson - Trinity
Kyle Burbage - Wesleyan
Lucas Ruelemann - Wesleyan

Other top defenders
Eamon Gara Grady – Williams
Sebastian Ghosh – Hamilton
Jack Kelesoglu – Conn
Alessandro Horvath Diano – Conn
Luke Madden – Middlebury
Matt Moran – Trinity
Ben Clark Eden - Amherst
Laurens Ten Cate – Amherst
Simon Kalinauskas - Amherst
Evan O Brien – Wesleyan

Other top GKs
Ben Diffey – Williams
Peter Silvester – Conn
Brendan McCarthy – Colby

Top Newcomers
Mohammed Nuhu - MF/F– Amherst
Xavier Canfin – F - Tufts
Chalie Miles – D – Conn
Alex Ainsworth – GK – Bowdoin
Zach Feldman – D - Wesleyan

[coach analytics]

NESCAC Preview

Middlebury

It does not seem like a big statement to say that Mid is loaded with many, many contributing players returning.  The only question that I have is whether they can rebound from the end of the year swoon which saw them go 1-4-1 in their last 6 games including a first round upset to Rowan in the NCAA tournament.  After a 6 goal second half explosion against Trinity, they managed to score in only 3 of the last 6 games.  This year's opening thrashing of Mt. Saint Marys and a 4-0 scrimmage victory over Williams is very encouraging for a bounce back.

Key losses - No team except Amherst brings back more but the loss of 4 year starter and 3 time All NESCAC center back, Mark Mc Farlane cannot be over looked.

Key returners - Where do I start? That's easy - 4 year starter and multi time all league keeper Ryan Grady locks down a solid D with former d1 player Luke Madden, who will also step into a leadership role.  There is a ton of returning production up front led by player of the year candidate Jordan St. Louis, solid finishers in Alex Muris, Alem Hadzic and one of the best play makers in the league Eujin Chae.  No player in the league is better at initiating the O and using the outside talent of St Louis than Chae.

Outlook - They will no doubt contend for the league top and have the most favorable schedule by getting to host Tufts and Amherst.  The pressure will be on this year to make up for last years disappointment and they will surprise no one after being a top the league and the country for most of the year last year.  A lot of senior leadership will want to finally get it done in their last season.  They play a nice style of using their athleticism and toughness to dominate but still can technically break down a team by using its skill on the outside to unbalance the defense.

Amherst

Like Middlebury, they are loaded with returning players with very few departures.  In addition, many are very high on the technical abilities of their recruiting class.  With an incredible string of sweet 16 appearances, I would not expect anything else besides a top 3 NESCAC finish and a solid run in the tournament.

Key losses - They will need to replace Bernie White in the net as well as multi year starters and contributors in Nico Kenary, Alex Shahmirzadi, a true playmaker, as well as underclassman Aidan Curtis who scored 8 goals in limited minutes.  Curtis is on an academic sabbatical.

Key returners - Like Mid, they are loaded with returners in almost every phase.  Defenders like Laurens Ten Cate, Simon Kalinauskas, and Ben Clark-Eden will protect any new GK with their physical prowess.  Returning former star Ignacio Cubeddu will be the maestro in the middle and get the ball to returning forwards Ada Okorogheye and Finn Hayton Ruffner.  My projection for NESCAC player of the year is Ada Okorogheye who really blossomed during their tournament run. Also, word out of central Massachussetts, is newcomer Mohammad Muhu could be a game changer with his skill set.  The smallish speedy player is not your typical Amherst player and will bring something different to their attacking third.

Outlook - While they have a slightly tougher schedule with road trips to Mid, Tufts, and Conn, teams that will benefit greatly from getting off the small, high grass pitch in Amherst.  One thing is certain, Amherst will try to bludgeon teams and use their size and strength to intimidate. They have been in the top 2 in the league in both fouls and yellow cards for the last 10 straight years and remarkably had 5 players with at least 5 yellow cards.  Only one other league player matched this level.  This lack of discipline really cost them as they took a red card late in their NCAA tournament loss when they could have had a man advantage for OT.

Tufts

While they have lost more than Mid and Amherst, Tufts is also in reload mode.  A number of younger players got considerable experience in 2022 and if they can get more production from a year older and wiser front 4, this Tufts team will compete will anyone.  First game is a good sign as all 4 front starters notched at least two points.

Key losses- In addition to 2 year starting GK Eric Lauta who transferred to D1, Tufts loses 2 time national champ and 4 year starter Ian Daly who was a tremendous 2 way player.

Key returners.  The D looks solid with returning center backs Alex Wall and 2 year starter Max Clivio and numerous players who saw time on the back line.  The midfield looks solid with emerging star Danny Yanez highlighting an experienced group.  It will be the returning playmakers on the outside Sean Traynor and Ethan Feigin who will need to step up the production as well as finding a #9 where the production was inadequate last year.

Outlook -   Can Tufts get back to their national dominance when they could both possess as well as overwhelm you with speed and strength? While still relatively young but older and wiser than in 2022 when there were 7 new starters, they have a lot of playoff experience among the seniors.  Without a dominant #9 they will need to build through the midfield and get the ball out to their wave of crafty wingers like in years past.

Connecticut College

You could argue only Bowdoin rivals Conn College in terms of what a top team lost from 2022.  Something was just not right last year as the team struggled being "the hunted" with high expectations.  How do they respond this season?  The early results are very promising as they have found the net frequently as their heavy possession style can really frustrate teams early who are overly aggressive.  No one moves the ball better horizontally and uses the width better than Conn.  They know they cannot attack the strong CBs in the league so they attack the width.

Key losses - Two huge losses in 4 year starters, multi time all NESCAC players in Steve Yeonas and Augie Djerdjaj.  These two could do it all, and they did. 21 combined goals over the last two years. In addition, defensive stalwart and 2 year starter Roman Dutkewych will be missed.

Key returners -  While the big names are gone, Conn still brings back a number of multi year contributors and will take their possession game up a notch with their technical depth.  Jake Creus, Rye Jaran (who missed 2022 with an injury), Matt Scoffone and Gavin Vanden Berg are proven producers with a lot of big game experience.  GK Peter Silvester, a PK saving star for the national championship team, returns after a solid 2022 campaign and Jack Kelesoglu and Alessandro Horvath Diana return as big time defensive contributors although Diano may move up the field.

Outlook -  They bring a very unique and refreshing style to a league known for its physicality.  They have experience but will need to see new leaders emerge across the pitch.  They have the most favorable schedule of the top teams, hosting Mid, Amherst and Tufts.  Putting the ball in the net is the hardest part of NESCAC soccer and they have proven scorers, so I like their chances.

Hamilton

After starting off last NESCAC season with 4 wins and a tie including upsets of Tufts Conn and Middlebury, Hamilton lost its way, going 0-3-3 and did not reach the NCAA tournament.  It was quite a downfall.  The season started off with a whimper as they drew SUNY Oswego in the opening week.  Which Hamilton team will we see?  Was scouting a part of the turnaround for other teams?  Or a key injury? I think this team is very promising as they return all their key personnel.

Key losses - None

Key returners - You can literally name the entire squad as key returners as many young players saw considerable time and gained valuable experience.  The headliners are definitely their midfielders Luke Peplowski, Luke Ehrenfruend and Pandelis.  They have the makings of the top midfield in the league with their possession as well as ability to score. Charles Hawthorne brings some finishing and athleticism to the #9 spot.  One of the merging superstars in the league is cool-as-a-cucumber center back, Sebastian Ghosh, whose late season injury could have been the catalyst to their demise. He does not fit the typical mold of a NESCAC center back at a slim 6 feet but he can initiate the build up through the middle that they like.

Outlook - If any of the non traditional powerhouses can break into the top tier, it's Hamilton.  A year older and a year stronger and wiser is really important in the NESCAC where traditionally upper classman and experience have ruled.  Last year was promising and the early season dud may be just a blip.  I like their chances to break into the top 4 and host a NESCAC tournament home game where no one wants to make that drive west.

[coach analytics]

NESCAC Preview

Bowdoin

Similar to Conn, they lose some very high end talent especially on D, which was their calling card last season as they only lost 2 games despite scoring only 2.2 goals per game.  They were lock down on D. They do not have a strong out of conference schedule so they will need to produce in the league to get a bid for the second straight year.  This feels like a team in transition from a defensive stalwart to a team with good young attacking players.

Key losses -  They lost maybe the top two players in the league last season in GK  Michael Weber, who graduated with a 0.63 goals against average and Dylan Reid, a star center back, NESCAC player of the year and 4 year starter.  In addition, the 2 of the top 3 scorers in Harry Cooper and Charlie Ward are gone.

Key Returners - All Everything midfielder Julian Juantorena will be a NESCAC player of the year candidate and will be joined in the returning midfield by Charlton Steinberg. Jack Selig and Ben Brown return to the D which will need to step up in Reid's absence.  The most promising part of Bowdoin's team is their young attacking stars Tyler Huck and Felipe Rueda Duran (4 goals in the opener) who join top scorer Ronaldo Cabral to form some offensive fire power up in Brunswick.

Outlook -  As I mentioned, this team could transition into a more offensive oriented squad with its talent base but the name of the game in NESCAC soccer is defense.  Can they reload after losing such stalwarts?  The disappointment of losing in the final 8 after Reid went down has to sting.  Will that be motivation?  They also are planning on playing a couple home games on turf.  Maybe that is a recognition that they boys are ready to get numbers forward.



Wesleyan

Like Hamilton, they started off strong last season but could not finish strong and did not receive an NCAA bid despite a top 10 ranking at one point.  This season looks like a rough one.  Along with Williams, Bates and Colby, this team has lost many key players so they will need to find some contributors from last years bench and the new comers

Key losses - They lost key players all over the field but nowhere more acutely than the crafty midfield trio of Oliver Clark, Phillip Cubbeddu, one of the leagues top playmakers, and Mathew Rubenstein who initiated their offense very nicely last year.  There will be a new GK as 3 year starter Liam Devanny has moved on.

Key returners - No doubt, in typical NESCAC fashion, a strong CB Evan O'Brien is the heart and soul of this team and will likely be paired up with freshman Zach Feldman who has looked good in preseason.  Up front, leading scorers, Kyle Burbage and Lucas Ruehlemann return and look to build on productive seasons a year ago if they can get the midfield right.

Outlook -Wesleyan could definitely be a wildcard as they replace some key contributors and try to build off an improvement in 2022.  They lack the size and athleticism of some of the top end teams and will need to build on their success from 2022 by maintaining the ball.

Williams

Could Williams be this seasons version of Conn and struggle being the "hunted"?  Couple this scenario with the fact that they lost a ton of excellent players and saw a couple transfers and several quitters.  For a team coming off a national championship runner up, things do not seem right in Williamstown and the early scrimmage results support a concern.

Key losses -  While Jayden Reid won NESCAC player of the year, the player who had the finest overall season was Nick Boardman who carried his squad through game after game in the playoffs.  Another key loss will be super athletic, all everything, Will Fellito whose career ended prematurely in 2022 with injury. Another key loss is Nathan Song a skilled playmaker in the middle and Cole Mariello, an athletic outside player with a long dangerous throw.

Key returners - As last season, the key to Williams success will be a stout defense with returning GK Ben Diffey and star CB Eamon Gara Grady.  To bolster the scoring they will need more from Sam Gibson,  Henry Kirkman, and Dan Rayhill who have all shown signs.

Outlook -  This season could be an interesting one.  I predict they will rival the 11 ties they achieved in 2022 as the defense again looks solid but the offense is unproven and the set piece dominance from Fellito and Boardman are gone. Last year they may not have even made the NCAA tournament if not for an 89th minute questionable PK call they got in the NESCAC quarterfinals. They turned that good fortune into a magical season.

Trinity

Is this the year they can break into the NESCAC win column and even challenge for a NESCAC tournament slot?  I think the answer is yes as the bottom of the league looks weaker than 2022 and they return almost all of their contributors.  Breaking into the win column will not be easy but they did play the middle of the league and the bottom of the league tough last year.

Key losses - The only full time starter that left was 2 year starter Gabe Mangiafico

Key returners -  The core of this team, although winless in the NESCAC, has a lot of experience.  4 year starter Matt Moran is a top level NESCAC center back as is playmaker James Donaldson.  The D is bolstered by 2 year starter Dante Merlin and 2 year starting GK Bernardo Simones who often kept them in close games.  Michael Traynor is the most dangerous outside player.  The return of Quinn Ackmann in the midfield from a 2022 injury should solidify the middle.

Outlook - It's make or break year for Trinity as their top players are either seniors or Grad students. While they played some teams tough last year, they did not generate enough offense, particularly from the #9 slot where they could not even register shots let alone goals.  Their opening game win this week matched their entire season total from 2022.  Last year a new coaching staff used far too many players and played a more direct and pressing style which does not match their overall athletic disadvantage to most teams.  A team which is a year older, stronger and wiser should challenge the bottom league teams as the coach appears now to know who and what his strong group can be.

Bates

Bates saw improvement in 2022 despite a new coach and nearly made the NESCAC tournament with an end of season win versus Colby. I think 2023 will be tough to continue to make progress as they lose several key players.

Key losses - The defense stalwarts, Max McKersie and Alex Kodak, multiple year starters are gone.  In addition, key playmakers Iwowa, an athletic force, and Ciaran Bardong have also moved on.  On a team that has struggled to score, the loss of athletic and proven scorer Alex Szwarewicz will also be very difficult to replace.

Key returners -  With the loss of so many leaders and playmakers, a lot of responsibility will be on Tife Agunloye, a gifted 1v1 player and proven finisher.  The defense will rely on returning starter Seba Niehenke and some unproven faces in front of a rookie GK.  Midfield is better positioned with returning starters David Ortiz and Sebastian Iacovetti who will do their best to get it wide to Tife.

Outlook - I see Bates struggling and their opening game loss to Emerson is concerning.  A lot of veteran faces need to be replaced, especially on D and striker which is always tough in a very defensive minded league.  Tife will need to explode along with some new faces for them to improve on their 9th position.

Colby

Colby had a very similar year to Bates as they rode a lot of experienced players to a very competitive position and rivaled Williams by achieving 5 conference ties including Amherst and Tufts and a victory over Conn.  However, graduation and transfers have devastated this squad and this season looks to be a challenge.

Key losses - Up top, Colby had a dynamic duo of Ethan Franco, a top  v1 player and Ethan Fabricant, a strong, classic #9 with size and speed to battle the NESCAC best center backs,  whose goal production and creativity will be sorely missed. At midfield, Colin Sullivan and Nicholas Lemaire's work rate and playmaking will be missed. On Defense, Jared Wood and Aboubacar Traore were both multi year starters whose physical presence will be missed.

Key returners -  The list is a little sparse but veteran GK Brendan McCarthy returns along with defenders Alex Moretti and Ryan Stewart bringing some experience on the outside.  In preseason camp, Mario Simões has been a force and will be expected to fill the large shoes up front.

Outlook -  I see this young and inexperienced squad struggling with the upper echelon teams in the conference who seemed to have much stronger returning squads.  Ethan Franco and Ethan Fabricant could be game changers and their production will need to be replaced although Simões has that game changing speed and technical ability if they can get him the ball in dangerous places, particularly wide.

[EnmoreCat]

Tremendous rundown Coach Analytics.  I can report a solid storm in downtown Middlebury this evening, hopefully that system has worked its way through and it's clear tomorrow.

[EnmoreCat]

Freshmen classes are the lifeblood of all programmes and it appears Coach and his staff have done some excellent work.

Saw that the average height of the AC freshman class was a mere 1.9 m and felt like Earth's magnetic poles had been reversed. #FragileSensibilitiesTest

I made it 186.74 Viking, but am nervous my maths could be out. 

[Viking]

Freshmen classes are the lifeblood of all programmes and it appears Coach and his staff have done some excellent work.

Saw that the average height of the AC freshman class was a mere 1.9 m and felt like Earth's magnetic poles had been reversed. #FragileSensibilitiesTest

I made it 186.74 Viking, but am nervous my maths could be out.

I must've left out Nuhu!

[PaulNewman]

Hey, @coach analytics...

That is very impressive work.  Very few could provide that type of detailed assessment and prognostication.  At the peak of my powers (such as they were) I could have maybe done something similar with two, maybe three, NCAC teams, but certainly not eleven.

There is only one person who in recent history on the site could approximate what you did...and while thinking about that and wondering if @coach analytics was just the new screen name for our old friend, I vaguely recalled that his disappearance at least roughly paralleled his objection  to a phrase you used.  A little bit of research confirmed the chronology, and btw I had forgotten that you had provided a similarly detailed breakdown of the entire NESCAC last year as well.  I also recall thinking that he must know you and thought that he knew who you are given the personal nature of the interaction (and objection).  I didn't think there was anything there and I think I also vaguely recall wondering if he was reacting more to someone else providing such comprehensive insights into the league.  At any rate, I do know you aren't him, because even though you both have offered very detailed, well-written commentary, the actual writing styles are quite different.

Anyway, please carry on and I hope to read more of your posts going forward.  Would also btw love to see Mr.Right return but perhaps more happened "off-stage" that I am not privy to...or perhaps his accusation alone was considered prohibitive...or perhaps he simply decided he had had enough.

[PaulNewman]

Typical NESCAC Saturday...

Midd 1 Amh 1 FINAL

Tufts 0 Conn 0 HALF

Colby 0 Wes 0 65th min

[SimpleCoach]

Typical NESCAC Saturday...

Midd 1 Amh 1 FINAL

Tufts 0 Conn 0 HALF

Colby 0 Wes 0 65th min

This Conn team, at least in this half, looks like the National Championship team.  They are good.

SC.

[PaulNewman]

Four NESCAC tilts....Four NESCAC draws...Bowdoin top of the table

[EnmoreCat]

Middlebury 1 Amherst 1

Firstly, thanks to College Soccer Observer for all the very helpful Middlebury tips.  It's a pretty town, which sounds like something the region in general, specialises in.  Nice to catch up with him and some Midd parents at the game.

As to the game, domination seemed to regularly switch in the first half,  but both defences were doing quite good jobs against quality forwards.  Did think Amherst could have been in front perhaps, a couple of very good crosses were unable to be turned in, but Midd also had one particularly good chance that went wide.

Amherst scored after 51 minutes when a nice drive from around the edge of the box looked to me like it went through a few bodies and found its way in.  15 minutes later, the Panthers pared the lead back, after one of their defenders was allowed to run way too far with the ball and by the time the defence got involved, it was too late.  The Midd player still had a bit to do after being being put into space, but finished clinically.

After that, Midd's tail was up and they pushed forward more.  The team can create space to work with and move the ball with some style.  A couple of Mammoths substitutions seemed to tip the scales back to the purples however and I suspect the Midd supporters were probably the more nervous in the last 5 or so.

The last time more than a goal decided this match up was 2012, so it was fair to expect a tight one.  Both teams look to me like top half NESCAC candidates, but it is early doors still.

Foul count:

Midd 11 Amherst 14

Other NESCAC games for perspective:

Tufts 14 Conn 9
Bates 8 Bowdoin 11
Hamilton 17 Trinity 10
Wesley 12 Colby 9