Liberty League

[stlawus]

The entire LL should schedule Rochester as an out of conference game.

SLU has tried to keep UR on the schedule as part of a weekend North Country fixture but they always throw a fit over having to play back to back.

[SaintsgoMarching]

Hats of to SLU. Great job to win the league.

To be candid I did not expect they had enough quality to pull it off, and I was pleasantly surprised.   For two decades it has been an expectation for SLU to win the league every year and anything less was absolutely unacceptable. So forgive me if I don't congratulate the post man every time he delivers my mail. This is what the program should expect every year. Anything less is unacceptable and a massive failure. Think Tom Cruise in the Last Samurai. 

Unfortunately, and I think soon to be revealed, this SLU team is average at best and those that keep insisting that the Liberty League is a great league are a bit off in my opinion. There is a massive difference between the NESCAC, NJAC, SUNYAC, UAA when compared to the Liberty League. Sibanda is a good player, and Mogul has potential to be something. But aside from that, average all the way around.

If SLU can get past Washington College, which will be no small errand, I expect we will see just how average this team is when they face the hired guns at Montclair State. A multi goal drubbing would not surprise me in the least.

Now, if SLU can pull off a run in the NCAA Tournament, I would be delighted. Don't get me wrong. 

As for the future of SLU soccer, if Toshak wants to separate from the pack and restore SLU as a nationally prominent program, he will need to reinvigorate the pipelines that have brought Division I caliber players from the West Coast, the Caribbean and Africa to sunny Canton, NY.  And for him to do that he will need to attempt to rebuild some of the burned bridges with key alumns around the country who have lost interest in helping the program. He's got his work cut out for him. And if he continues to rely on NE Boarding School kids, we will remain woefully mediocre for years to come.

But as for now, here we go Blue!

[d3d3d3]

All-Liberty League, POY, etc.

https://libertyleagueathletics.com/news/2021/11/8/liberty-league-reveals-2021-mens-soccer-awards-st-lawrences-sibanda-tabbed-player-of-the-year.aspx

[Saint of Old]

RIT rookie looks dangerous, if they get his some help the Tigers can roar for a while in the league.

Good call on player of the year, the man's feet speak for themselves.

Really good to see the RPI boys get rewarded for a great year and good performances.

Could be tough on RPI next season unless they reload after losing so many good pieces of the team.

Coach of the Year definitely deserved. Clinton has always been a class act and good coach.

[deutschfan]

Saint:  I totally agree that Coach Clinton is a marvelous coach and a great human being.  That being said, given what his staff had to work with RPI's year was majorly disappointing and my vote would still be with SLU's or Vassar's staff.  Ithaca has to be bummed by the recognitions.  They finish 2nd in the league and receive no first teamers and one second teamer. 

[Saint of Old]

I agree with you on  Ithaca.
Their seniors had the heart ache of losing a shootout their freshman year at Sandy, then losing senior year at RPI.
To their credit they had a good dance in  2019 and overall the Bombers have been doing quite well.
Losing a coach but making it to two tourney finals in 3 seasons in a very tough league.
I dont think it would surprise anyone to see them in the mix come next season.

RPI staff really deserves it. I think anyone who can win the LL regular season title is a NCAA team as well.
The problem that RPI had was maybe underestimating SLU, I know Clinton like Jennings respects the Saint program, but after beating them so easily earlier in the season I think  teams were caught a bit off guard over the last 2 weeks.

[deutschfan]

Totally agree that there was a bit of over confidence by Vassar and RPI given their earlier wins.  League ate its own this year when it came to NCAA bids.

[deutschfan]

Calvin shows the Rochester Emperor has no clothes-- 4-0.

[stlawus]

With Washington College handling Montclair St at Montclair it's safe to say that SLU lost to a quality team.  SLU played a much better 2nd half but WC were extremely disciplined in the back and had a great keeper that stifled any good chance.  There is no shame in losing to that squad who are on the hunt for another perennial power scalp next week at Tufts. 

All in all it was a good finish to the season for the squad who made a nice run at the end.   It's unfortunate the seniors didn't get to experience victory in the NCAA tournament, but they were able to hang their hats on a LL title run. 

However, it should still be said that it is a basic expectation for this program to make the tournament, and SLU should be the ones breaking hearts in the early rounds.   I hope Toshack is hitting the recruiting trail hard and fast, as the program needs more top to bottom quality.   

[deutschfan]

The expectation this year was that SLU wouldn't make the dance and in that regard they exceeded expectations and deserve kudos.  As to making an impact once there, the expressed sentiment on the board was that they would be one and done, and a two goal loss with a red card was consistent with their inconsistent play all year.  SLU has not won a tournament game since 2015 with better teams than this one so to get back on track needs some major retooling.  Overall it was a down year for the league.  Given Stevens almost taking out Tufts on Sunday, Vassar's 2-0 win over Stevens was the league's best showing against a quality non-conference opponent.  RPI's loss to Williams was the most telling and should have put everyone on notice that we were in for a rough year.  I drank the RPI kool-aid as well as many others including the ECAC voters who named the same 2 RPI players their offensive and defensive players of the month for both September and October.  Given that the RPI keeper was anywhere from the 3rd-5th best keeper in the league, and RPI's forward finished with a grand total of 7 goals, there were probably some other worthy candidates out there.  In the end, RPI couldn't finish.  In its last two losses to Vassar and SLU, other than an own goal, it scored no goals on 47 shots.  Given SLU's relative youth I see them as the pre-season favorite next year as last year's holdovers and grad students on other teams finished their eligibility.  I hope the LL teams schedule a lot of quality opponents and show against them.  Happy Holidays all.

[Saint of Old]

Deutschfan, excellent and objective analysis as usual.
Yes, SLU started playing with the intensity of old, but not the much else resembling their old self.
RPI just had a rough year man, you are right that Williams loss said a lot in hindsight since Williams never quite took off after that either.
Credit to RIT for makinga step
Skidmore for squeezing in there and Vassar who are the one team in the league that can honestly feel hard done for not getting the at large.
The league seems to have 2 tiers at the moment  with 6 teams in one and 3 in the other.
Not sure if there is much separation and anything can really happen next season.

For the LL atleast this was perhaps the craziest, most unpredictable and therefore fun (to the non-die hard fans) I can recall since...  well ever.

[The Mole]

Asking for a friend..

Potential SA inquiring about teams in league that employ a "wingback" formation. Disclosure: I have no clue what this means as soccer is not my sport. Any other place or resource that could be researched to find this out?

Thanks in advance, appreciate any guidance on the subject. Posting this to the league threads that have shown mutual interest.

[Saint of Old]

He should consider this league for sure.
You have competition and quality.
6  different teams could have easily won the championship this year.

As to your specific question, having the skills required to play wing back will be needed at this stage regardless of whether or not the teams play that way.

I am old school, but when I played we had 2 different formations we would use, atleast the first couple years, so many coaches today will have that as well.

Your game must be flexible. If you can pass it run it and shoot it like Roy Keane says you will fit in.

Best to find a culture you enjoy and focus on that. The coaches in this league are stable and have been around for a while (Vassar will have someone new) but a quality program.

[stlawus]

Looks like Vassar is hiring Jonathan Hood.  He is no stranger to the Liberty League, as he was Toshack's assistant at SLU for Tosh's first 3 seasons.  A very solid hire for the Brewers. 

[Kuiper]

Looks like Vassar is hiring Jonathan Hood.  He is no stranger to the Liberty League, as he was Toshack's assistant at SLU for Tosh's first 3 seasons.  A very solid hire for the Brewers.

It can't be easy to replace someone who was at the program for 41 years (including being Athletic Director for a 14 years in the middle).   Jennings likely touched every part of that program from players, to facilities, to everything in-between.