Liberty League

[deutschfan]

Complete domination by RPI over SLU except on the scoreboard. Maybe SLU can weather the storm.

[LL_Alum]

Chance that appeared out of nowhere. Just checked and RPI is now in danger of losing 3 straight LL semis after getting a top-2 seed and a first round bye. Should be a fascinating last 35! I will say SLU is not a team I'd like to try and come from behind on. All that possession can get really tiring as you chase the game, and them, around the field.

[stlawus]

What a win for SLU!  Sometimes all it takes is a little momentum.   RPI pressed pretty hard the last 15 or 20 minutes or so in the 1st half which SLU took advantage of early in the 2nd half when RPI got a little greedy pushing their back line up resulting in the first goal.    Weathered the storm and got some good goalkeeping to seal the upset.   

[stlawus]

I can't believe it, SLU does it.  3 conference tournament wins against 3 teams that beat them in the regular season.  Hats off to Coach Toshack.  Many including myself were critical a month ago, but he stuck to his game plan and it paid off.   A truly great run that hopefully continues.

[Saint of Old]

Great to see a tradition of African Saints continue.
An argument can be made that over a generation of Great Saints have hailed  from the motherland and have done the league and their school proud.

King Britto
King Annan
King Diop
King Dede
King Sibanda
The beat goes on and the tradition continues... in one sense atleast.

Sibanda is class man, I knew it the first 10 seconds I saw him play... will be a great Saint like his African Brothers before him.

Firstly, not quite sure who is now off the all-time SLU starting 11, but someone in the middle (Maybe one of his Brothers named above) has to make way for Marvin Sibanda.

Secondly, great work to Coach Toshack and his coaching staff. One thing done by great coaches is to make an adjustment after getting beat.
I dont think its a coincidence that Coach Toshack out maneuvered every coach that beat him within the last month when he got a chance.

Thirdly, good win. Boys should celebrate and be happy, as should the coaching staff, but we are still St. Lawrence, we should be dancing this time of year. We have to start cleaning up silly mistakes like using the #1 as a #4/10 when not necessary.
The one goal we conceded this weekend is proof that playing Goalie/Quaterback has its downsides.

Since we are here, why not clean up what needs to be and keep this thing going.

Again big props to the boys from Saint Nation with special props to MT and MS!

[midwest]

Wow, congrats to SLU, what an amazing conference tournament run! Hope it continues, as SLU has such a great soccer tradition. My kid went through recruiting a few years ago, and played against Dede etc., such a talented group of players. Although my kid did not get an offer from SLU and went elsewhere, I've kept an eye on the program and am happy to see the turn-around in the conference tournament.

[stlawus]

Sibanda's 25 points so far this season is the most by a Saint since all time program great Andrew Bednarsky's 26 points in 2013.  Sibanda also missed the first 5 games of the season.

[OldMCGuy]

Great to see a tradition of African Saints continue.
An argument can be made that over a generation of Great Saints have hailed  from the motherland and have done the league and their school proud.

King Britto
King Annan
King Diop
King Dede
King Sibanda


The beat goes on and the tradition continues... in one sense atleast.

Sibanda is class man, I knew it the first 10 seconds I saw him play... will be a great Saint like his African Brothers before him.

With a name like Sibanda he must be from the province of Matabeleland in Zimbabwe.  I was born (long before Sibanda) in Gwanda Zimbabwe and played soccer for Messiah (also long ago).
Congratulations to Mr. Sibanda and the SLU nation.

[deutschfan]

First, major props to St. Lawrence for so many reasons.  The coaching staff lost all of their seniors to the Covid season.  Their D1 transfer was not productive given his pedigree.  They turned a defender, Robert Reynolds, into the leading assist man in the Liberty League.  They went on the road as a 5 seed and swept the then number 2 team in the East Region, the LL regular season champ on their home turf, and the number 2 regular season team in the final.  From their nadir in Poughkeepsie to the zenith at Troy it has been a wild ride and whatever happens in the dance they will be back next year.  My picks for the LL awards (as if anyone cares) which I believe are based on the regular season and that caveat would only affect one of my picks: Player of the Year (and first unanimous first teamer since 2015)--Marvin Sibanda (I know--too easy).  Defensive Player of the Year--This is tough as the goalies were good but I also saw head scratching mistakes from them--RIT's Adam Wuest who contributed 4 goals.  For best FY it is Max Mogul. While he doesn't have the numbers like former best FYs including Jansen, Kelley, Mrlik, and Gaudiano, he was the glue that held the SLU team together in the games I watched.  Finally, for Coaching Staff if the playoffs were considered clearly St. Lawrence deserves the award.  Based on the regular season, and this is not a retirement gift, I would give it to Coach Jennings and his staff.  Vassar may be the only pool C based on its preseason and regular LL season accomplishments with no offensive standouts.  Coach Jennings and his staff got the most out of all of his players.   

[d3d3d3]

Wow. No at-large bids from the LL

[Saint of Old]

Thought Vassar was in.
Overall, this leaguegets very little respect for how good it really is.

I heard an interview from the SLU Skip and he basically said SLU won because the team  got hot at the right time, but in this league it is tough and anyone can win.

If that is the case then RPI/Vassar should have had atleast a chance.  Seems the league is seen as a one dance league unlike SUNYAC or a certain goldclad school.

[Ejay]

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

[deutschfan]

Vassar was the league's only hope and despite having an excellent r v r, and a number 2 regional ranking before their last two games, the two home losses at the end doomed them as I'm sure the Committee is looking for end of year signs of life even though all the Pool Cs are being invited after losses except for those where there is no league tournament.  Don't know how Rochester gets in and how they jumped Vassar in the East.  Unlike 2019 where Ithaca and Hobart started with wins over Messiah, the LL teams had very few quality non-conference victories.  It will be interesting when the awards come out.  If they are based on regular season performance, RPI's staff may be chosen, yet they (along with the 2019 finalists Hobart and Clarkson) had a very disappointing year, probably the most disappointing in terms of underperforming.  Unlike SLU, their 5th years came back in force.  On paper they were the league's strongest team by far.  If they win at home against Vassar, or SLU in the semis, they likely get a bid, yet they couldn't finish despite dominating both opponents.  Soccer is cruel that way. 

[College Soccer Observer]

Thought Vassar was in.
Overall, this leaguegets very little respect for how good it really is.

I heard an interview from the SLU Skip and he basically said SLU won because the team  got hot at the right time, but in this league it is tough and anyone can win.

If that is the case then RPI/Vassar should have had atleast a chance.  Seems the league is seen as a one dance league unlike SUNYAC or a certain goldclad school.

I'm sure RPI, the regular season champ, losing 5-2 to Williams, the 8th place NESCAC team, did not help the league profile.  Also Vassar beat Mt. St. Mary's 2-1, while Middlebury beat the same team 6-0. 

[d4_Pace]

The final regional rankings are up on the NCAA site and it looks like Rochester ended up 2nd in the region with Vassar at number 4.