Liberty League

[Shooter McGavin]

The Ithaca coach says:

We have had a remarkable season with four wins over Top 25 programs and believe that we stand an excellent chance at a Pool C bid on Monday," said Dezotell. "We have been in the top four in our region and top 25 in the country all season. We will be ready when the call comes."

Ithaca is done. Rochester will jump them and Clarkson has a shot as well depending what happens down the stretch. The Messiah win early in the year doesn't look as strong due to the injuries they faced and the recent form has been troubling. 2-4-1 in last 6 is not the kind of form you want to see when making a playoff and NCAA push and I don't believe the committee will value it either. Last year's resume might have been slightly stronger and if there were 2 more teams last year like this year they would have been in but I think they will certainly come up short this year. Wrong side of the bubble for me right now. The 2 losses to Clarkson has done them in as I don't see how they can be ahead of Clarkson in the rankings at this point. 

[Red Dog]

Not sure Ithaca has beaten 4 top 25 teams. It looks like Messiah and RPI would be the two teams that fall into that category.

Looking across all the NCAA region rankings, the top group of teams in the east have some of the lower SOS numbers. In terms of the Liberty League is this in part due to playing Union and Bard? Does anyone know how much teams with low SOS reduce their opponents SOS? Is it minimal or significant? Top LL sides this year did their best to schedule demanding games including good SUNYAC teams, NESCAC and UAA etc. but it still seems hard to build their SOS up. Just curious.

[Christan Shirk]

EAST REGION - NCAA REGIONAL RANKINGS - November 06, 2019

Rank	School	. Div. III . Record	. Div. III . SOS	. R-v-R .	. Overall . Record	. Prev. . Rank
1.	RPI	14-2-2	0.576	6-2-2	14-2-2	1
2.	Ithaca	12-4-2	0.562	3-2-1	12-4-2	4
3.	Rochester	11-5-0	0.567	4-2-0	11-5-0	5
4.	Hobart	13-4-1	0.561	3-3-1	13-4-1	3
5.	Vassar	9-6-1	0.592	2-4-0	9-7-1	6
6.	Oneonta State	15-2-0	0.551	0-1-0	15-2-0	2
7.	Cortland State	8-6-3	0.581	1-3-1	8-6-3	--
8.	Clarkson	10-4-3	0.527	3-1-2	10-4-3	7

[Caz Bombers]

maybe the committee didn't yet take yesterday into consideration? Seems hard to justify.

[Flying Weasel]

maybe the committee didn't yet take yesterday into consideration? Seems hard to justify.

Like all other rankings, these are based on results thru Sunday.

[Flying Weasel]

With Ithaca's win over RPI, they were always going to at least hold their position or overtake Hobart.  What we weren' t thinking about was Oneonta State who, with SUNYAC rivals Plattsburgh and Cortland dropping out of the rankings last week, would have their RvR go from 3-1-0* to 0-1-0. (* I think Oneonta's 3-1-0 RvR last week was incorrect and should have been just 2-1-0).  Ithaca is in better shape then we thought, but who knows what happens with the remaining games and how the rankings will shake out after Sunday.

[Red Dog]

Are results from the week of league tournaments factored into final NCAA selection criteria?

[Flying Weasel]

Yes, the rankings they will do Sunday night/Monday morning will incorporate the results from Monday, Nov. 4 thru Sunday, November 10.

[deutschfan]

Based on these rankings Ithaca is in for sure as are Hobart and RPI. Clarkson will have to get the AQ which should give the LL 4 spots—an unprecedented result.

[d3d3d3]

Clarkson and Hobart through - each game went to PKs

[deutschfan]

Clarkson is the feel good story of the year. RPI is a.definite Pool C but has to be worried about its offense. No goals in the last two games and their freshman phenom has been shutout for three. Things change when defenses catch on to a one-dimensional offense. If Clarkson wins today does the LL get three Pool Cs?  Even if they don't is Clarkson still in the running although they have been done no favors in the regional rankings?  Amherst's loss means they are slotted for a Pool C and Rochester's tie with Emory likely gets them one as well. Oneonta getting the AQ may it is the only Sunyac team in the dance opening space for more LL teams.  Does Vassar have any chance at all with its mid-level third regional ranking and strong SOS combined with an early tournament exit due ro a home tie to a team with an overall losing record? Help me Obiwan Kenobi. You are my only hope.

[Bartman]

Congratulations to the Statesmen and Clarkson for a well fought championship match. Hobart wins 2-1 but Clarkson gave it everything they had. Go Statesmen, 2 titles in 3 years!

[stlawus]

2 possibly 3 teams representing the LL this year in the tourney.   Very nice effort by Hobart today coming back from a 1-0 deficit as a result of a spectacular free kick by Clarkson.  Hobart isn't the flashiest team but they make very few mistakes and capitalize on their chances. 

[CU_GKnight]

Clarkson's run came up a little short, but I am hoping they did enough to get a pool C. At this point I am worried that they may come up a little short again.  I think the key may come down to what happens at the bottom of the East rankings as much as the top. I can't see Cortland holding on to a top 8 spot after losing again to Oneonta in the SUNYAC semi's which would mean Ithaca loses a tie in the RvR dropping back to 3-3-0.  If Plattsburgh can move into that 8th spot it would give Clarkson another RvR win and push them to 4-2-3 with neither Vassar or Ithaca having played them. I think that could be enough to push them past both Vassar and Ithaca and into the mix for one of the last pool C's.  I could also see Skidmore move back into the #8 spot which would give Clarkson a W, Ithaca a draw and Vassar another L in the RvR which could improve Clarkson's outlook.  The last scenario that could play out if things go right is that Clarkson and Otterbein could both be on the board at the same time and Clarkson would have a win in H2H.  I'm hoping I'm right and some of these come to pass and get them a pool C.  Regardless of the outcome I can say I am extremely proud of the Clarkson program and everything they have done this season.

[Flying Weasel]

Clarkson's run came up a little short, but I am hoping they did enough to get a pool C. At this point I am worried that they may come up a little short again.  I think the key may come down to what happens at the bottom of the East rankings as much as the top. I can't see Cortland holding on to a top 8 spot after losing again to Oneonta in the SUNYAC semi's which would mean Ithaca loses a tie in the RvR dropping back to 3-3-0.  If Plattsburgh can move into that 8th spot it would give Clarkson another RvR win and push them to 4-2-3 with neither Vassar or Ithaca having played them. I think that could be enough to push them past both Vassar and Ithaca and into the mix for one of the last pool C's.  I could also see Skidmore move back into the #8 spot which would give Clarkson a W, Ithaca a draw and Vassar another L in the RvR which could improve Clarkson's outlook.  The last scenario that could play out if things go right is that Clarkson and Otterbein could both be on the board at the same time and Clarkson would have a win in H2H.  I'm hoping I'm right and some of these come to pass and get them a pool C.  Regardless of the outcome I can say I am extremely proud of the Clarkson program and everything they have done this season.

Yes, if Clarkson could get a 4th win versus a ranked opponent, that would give them a good shot.  If you haven't read Jim Hutchinson's article on D3soccer.com https://d3soccer.prestosports.com/columns/jim-hutchinson/2019/womens-pool-c-early breaking down the women's at-large selections over the past 8 years as they releate to the major metricts of win pct., SOS, and RvR, you should.  Who knows how closely the men's side is to the women's side, but for the women, four ranked wins virtually guarantees selection (only 1 of 47 women's Pool C teams with 4 wins WvR over that time period did not get selected).

For personal reasons would love to see Clarkson selected, but I do not see how Plattsburgh State would move ahead of Vassar in today's rankings.  Hope I am wrong.