Liberty League

[stlawus]

Went to the SLU scrimmage today against Concordia (coached by all time Saint great Greg Sutton).  I try not to take too much away from a scrimmage, but Max Mogul looks like he's taking the next step.  Concordia had no answer for him.  Not all first team players played today, and in the 2nd half the young players had some miscommunications in the back that led to a Concordia goal.  I am not familiar with the level of competitiveness for Concordia, but they seemed like a pretty good squad.  One injury late in the 2nd half to who I think will be a starting defender for SLU, as he took a pretty hard tackle to the ankle and had to be taken off.  He'll probably miss some time.   

Nice to get a first taste of the upcoming season.

[Another Mom]

My son played on a team with Max Mogul. He is very talented,  and I am happy to hear he's flourishing at St. Lawrence!

[Saint of Old]

Would have loved to see the reunion between the SLU Coach T and Sutts.
They both joined the Saint family about  a quarter century ago and both stood out by shutting out. Sutts owes  alot of success in his career (MLS/National Team) to Tosh and SLU owes them both. Sure both Canadians were happy with the kick abooooot.

Max is a good player and a kid that radiates when you meet him in person as well. He will be a great Saint when it is all said and done. He just has to stay CONFIDENT and concentrate on improving every single time he plays. Amazing potential.

[deutschfan]

Vogel was the best SLU player on the field during the first SLU-Vassar game last year. Agree with Saint that his potential is sky high.  Vassar just posted its roster. Top recruit appears to be a 6"3 centerback with a DA and family pedigree. Vassar hopes that he is Zander Mrlik reincarnated and if even close he will add to a formidable back unit anchored by the league's best goalie. Tunnell does not appear on the roster as predicted. Is Reynolds back for SLU?  Predictions are due before Thursday students and Reynolds presence is going to affect my hierarchy.

[stlawus]

No Reynolds for SLU.    He will be greatly missed.    The Dutch striker who was injured last year is now playing the 9, and in SLU's second scrimmage yesterday evening he bagged 2 goals so he will be succeeding Reynolds in that position.  I hope he picks up where Reynolds left off!   From a selfish standpoint I hope deutschfan keeps the Saints low on his list, put the pressure on everyone else! 

[Saint of Old]

Any true Dutchman will fit into an Ajax team.

Saint Maxima and #33 are going to dictate  how far SLU go this year.

I want to see the rest of the league though. I obviously have a team close to the border close to my heart, but really want the LL to get more respect as a whole.

I think as a league we are wayy better than we get credit for.
RPI just had a deep run, Hobart had one just a few seasons ago.
Vassar is always there or there abouts and SLU is usually dancing.

Unfortunately this seems to be a 1 bid league for a while when realistically and in fairness the league should have 2 teams at minimum dancing like our Brothers in the SUNYAC.

I understand that it is about SOS/Head to Head/ Streaks at the end of season/record against winning teams/Many other variables, but it seems the league does not get the respect it deserves.

[1970s NESCAC Player]

I obviously have a team close to the border close to my heart, but really want the LL to get more respect as a whole.

I think as a league we are way better than we get credit for.
RPI just had a deep run, Hobart had one just a few seasons ago.
Vassar is always there or thereabouts and SLU is usually dancing.

Unfortunately this seems to be a 1 bid league for a while when realistically and in fairness the league should have 2 teams at minimum dancing like our Brothers in the SUNYAC.

I understand that it is about SOS/Head to Head/ Streaks at the end of season/record against winning teams/Many other variables, but it seems the league does not get the respect it deserves.

Agree that the league is underrated and should get at least two teams to the NCAA tournament annually.

[stlawus]

Still have my eye on RIT.  Young team with some quality players, and they just got back from a trip to Costa Rica and dispatched Nazareth in their final preseason scrimmage.

[deutschfan]

Without Reynolds I give RIT the top spot at least in the regular season.  Calling the playoffs, especially after last year, at this juncture is like flipping coins.  As for putting the pressure on SLU, last year I had them barely making the playoffs and RPI winning league--that was right until the playoffs.  Hobart was an enigma last year and still is. RPI's lineup is up.  Kept two grad students including First Teamer (with an asterisk when you compare his stats with second teamer Reynolds) Silva.  Also they have added a 6'2 forward from NE who scored 7 goals in a high school game.  However, many a prolific high school scorer has come into this league only to learn that college soccer is a whole different world.

[jknezek]

Anyone interested in participating in the D3soccer Fan poll this season?

If you are interested in participating, I will run the poll again if we get enough pollsters. My only caveat is that if you agree to participate you try your best to do it every week so that things are consistent. Also, you try to be on time because it's no fun for anyone if I have to track you down every week and pester you to get your votes in.

Unless someone has a better idea, I'll run it the same as last year with the same deadlines, so the poll will include games that start before Sunday at midnight EST and will be due to me before Tuesday EST at midnight and I will try to post on Wednesday.

I will not do a preseason poll. I hate them. They set up a ton of positional bias and, especially with 400+ teams in D3, there simply is no way to do a good one. The first poll will be based on games played prior to 9/11 and will be due to me on 9/13. That gives us roughly 2 weeks of games to start making judgements.

If you are interested, and I realize we about 2 weeks out, please send me a PM. I hope we get our pollsters back from last year, as they did an excellent job, but if you want to join in, I'm always open to more!

[deutschfan]

Tomorrow is opening day and as I have been wrong so many times before in my predictions I have no ego left and no trepidation about doing it again.  Some general thoughts--1) SLU's squad has a very international flavor and it will be interesting to see if that changes the style of play; 2) It seems like most of the teams recruited a big, tall center back; 3) Ithaca keeps three seniors as graduate students, two of whom were significant contributors last year; and 4) From what I have heard about SLU's and other teams' pre-season scrimmages, a lot of people are making a major impact for the first time making it difficult to handicap the field. Just one of many excuses I keep in my back pocket when it all goes south.  And the predictions are--1) RIT-should win it all and even if not should make its first NCAA appearance since joining the league; 2) SLU-if the foreign players gel look out; 3) RPI- I think Gaudiano's third year will be more like his first than his second which helps make up for all of the graduation losses; 4) Vassar-their defense will keep them in every game; 5) Ithaca-still will be looking for a consistent scorer; 6) Hobart-a dismal season last year but a dead cat bounce will be limited by the loss of their best player; 7) Skidmore-still more of a spoiler than a dancer; 8) Clarkson-always better than Bard and Union; 9) Bard-a sentimental choice; and 10) Union-schedule still has some major softness and even if it didn't it will take a while for the players to up their game against better competition.

[stlawus]

RIT actually has a lot more coming back than I initially thought.  They had some real solid wins last year as well, including one against RPI.  Skidmore got them twice which was a major outlier but not unsurprising given their youth.  I do not expect RIT to drop games like that this year.

[Saint of Old]

I am not putting too much confidence in RIT because they had an overseas trip.
I think the bonding and playing against unorthodox competition can help a team, but can also be overblown.

I rate them highly because I think it just might be their time.
SLU have their history
Vassar has had some great years, Clinton and his RPI boys just had a memorable year to go with a few more.
Hobart was flying high a few years back and might be again,  but RIT never seem to have had that run.
Always playing well, but under achieving since the inception of the LL that is.

They are also playing on the Coach DOUG MAY field this year.
For those that dont know, Doug May is the GOAT the GOATS think is the GOAT.
Had an a major impact on RIT/Nazareth and many coaches plying their trade over the past few decades. A true icon.

Those boys will be playing with an extra fire this season and are returning some ballers.
I too have them finishing #1.

#2 is very tough. I think that RPI gets the nod due to who they are returning
SLU is in at #3 as they are defending champs and really could have been 2 as well.
Hobart will finish #4 and surprise a few people along the way. Ithaca at 5 but could win the tourney as well and Skidmore 6.

This will be an interesting season and as we have seen last year anyone who makes the tournament has a shot at dancing.

[Saint of Old]

I said it already about the Zulu Saint.
Top 5 all time, and that is after just 2 seasons and Top 5 is being very very conservative.

[stlawus]

That goal by Sibanda was at least 35 yards out.  Looks like his NPSL experience is already paying dividends, as he banged in several similar free kicks for the Arkansas Wolves this summer.  I'm going to have to get to as many games in person as I can this year, what a treat it is to watch him play for the Scarlet and Brown.  Don't know when SLU will have a player like him again in the future.

SLU wasn't perfect (seems like a tradition for the start of the season to be marked by several injuries to starters) but the possession game had Geneseo dogging it a bit in the final 20 and got their back line caught up a bit too high leading to the 2nd goal.  The 2 recruits I mentioned in an earlier post look like a nice CB pair, not many mistakes on their part.

RIT let one get away from them, pretty brutal finish in them giving up a goal with 30 seconds left to lose the lead.  Their attacking players look really good though, they'll bounce back.

RPI gets a pretty good result with a scoreless draw @Montclair.  Only 2 shots on goal between both teams, with both going to Montclair.   That was a textbook Adam Clinton coached game, their floor is pretty high this year.

Looks like Bard is going to get the W.  Their coach has really high pedigree, I hope Bard rights the ship this season.  Couldn't ask for a better start on their part.

Union also with a scoreless draw.  Don't know what to make of the Dutchmen yet. 

Hobart cruises against Keuka.  Not the best competition but if Hobart gets some confidence, rest of the league better look out.

Vassar had a pretty pedestrian performance against West Conn.  They lost that game in the opener last year as well, so I doubt this is the real Vassar.