Liberty League

[Saint_Dad]

Well said Saint of Old.  And yes, Marvin has been playing more of a defensive roll this year but is also very dangerous on the offense.  He controls the game.  The only thing he seemed to be unsuccessful at today was getting a yellow card.  More of the Saints are stepping up.  Peacock is tough on defense.  Shane Hauck and Antonio Rogliano get on the scoreboard.  And with Mogul and Mcdougald back to health, they have a rotation that keeps the players fresh, especially with tenacious first year Ryan Campbell proving himself in Mogul's absence.  My only concern is set pieces.  The last three games saw four goals against SLU on set pieces (none in the run of play), versus 6 goals for SLU in the run of play (none from set pieces).  With Cortland losing to Oneonta, we may see SLU number one in the region and top 20 in the national poll.  Will two wins this week guarantee them a pool C if they stumble in the conference tournament?

[stlawus]

When it comes to the Liberty League there is no such thing as a pool C guarantee.  Many an expected pool C berth has gotten the shaft over the past decade.   2 wins would certainly bolster the resume, but a loss to a low seeded team in the conference tournament could make them sweat. 

Good point on set pieces, I was thinking about that today.  Probably the team's most glaring weakness.  SLU fans aren't used to seeing that given the days of Copeland and Laird winning practically every set piece ball for the better part of a decade.

I still see Cortland atop the regional rankings given their blowout of Brockport on the road.  Hobart likely supplants Clarkson's spot. 

And as always, never underestimate Rochester's ability to remain high in the regional rankings no matter their record.

[Coach Jeff]

Man I really wish I could watch Rochester play....it is to far of a drive and I can't afford it either

[OldNed]

Man I really wish I could watch Rochester play....it is to far of a drive and I can't afford it either

They've got 3 remaining games, all away, so you should have a chance to catch Rochester play as it appears all 3 will be streamed:

Oct 28 (Fri) 5:00 pm
at Case Western

Oct 30 (Sun) 11:00 AM
at Carnegie Mellon

Nov 5 (Sat) 11:00 AM
at  Emory University

[stlawus]

Tidy little 3 game win streak for RIT to vault into 4th place for now.  They get Union next which we now know will be no easy out given that the Dutchmen seem happy to play spoiler.   RIT could be getting hot at the right time. 

In non-con play SLU gets about as optimal a result as they could have hoped for.   Rested the top dogs and still came away with a 3-0 win against a decent Plattsburgh side.  Managed the game well in the 2nd half to keep the clean sheet.  I can see how Plattsburgh came back on Cortland, they have a few impressive players and of course have a coach who is no stranger to the Liberty League.

[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.

One game to go (mostly) and only 3 teams safe. Wow.

1. SLU*
2.Vassar*
3. Hobart*
4.RIT
5.Skidmore
6. RPI
Clarkson HAS to beat RPI
That Clarkson RPI game will be the game of the season for sure on Saturday. Loser of this game might have to start planning for 2023.
Ithaca HAS to beat Vassar and hope
Union Got a taste of the spoiler role last week against Clarkson and loves it. They would love to beat RIT and spoil their season while getting a second league upset.
Speaking of spoilers. Bard could prove me right and potentially end Skidmore's season with a win as well.

Lots going on here folks! It will be a wild ride.

[stlawus]

Regional rankings are a bit perplexing.  These will likely change some next week, but it seems like SOS is pretty much the only factor being used these days.  The championship manual should be updated to reflect this, because looking at the RRs across all regions it's clear no one is valuing results vs common opponents and W%.

[paclassic89]

I've been complaining about the SOS issue for years.  It also seems to be inconsistent across regions.  It's frustrating 

[Saint of Old]

SLU IN (Could be 1st or 2nd seed)
Vassar IN (Could be 1st or2nd seed)
Hobart IN
RIT IN
Skidmore IN (Well, Basically In)
RPI (SWEATING)
CLARKSON (SWEATING)
ITHACA (LUCKY  to be SWEATING)

[deutschfan]

It is cool and appropriate that the league title will be decided on the last day of the regular season. Even though Ithaca is the site of perhaps the worst collapse in Vassar soccer history in 2018 losing 4-3 after leading 3-0, and even though Ithaca's win last year in Poughkeepsie seriously dented Vassar's Pool C hopes, I expect Vassar to beat the Ithaca barely scoring bombers on Saturday.  It seems that the fact that about 80% of Vassar's league goals are off of set services in the box still hasn't caught the attention of their LL opponents or there would be better marking all around.  See today's RPI game.  SLU will need a result against Hobart to win league.  For how many years has that been true?  This SOS issue must be very frustrating for SLU faithful.  Vassar loses all three games against top 25 opponents and seems to have been rewarded for the losses.  It is certainly possible that given SLU's current Regional Ranking they will not get a Pool C especially if they pick up an early tourney loss.  How Rochester, and Vassar, currently can be ranked ahead of SLU is quite perplexing.  Finally, Saint still has a chance for the Daily Double, picking RIT to finish 1st and then not making the tournament, and picking Vassar not to make the tournament and then winning the league.  Love you Saint!!!

[Saint of Old]

Big oversight on not having Vassar in the top 6.
You just thought that with a new coach, maybe it would be rough at the start to replace a Vassar Icon.

RIT will make the tourney, I think a few other commentors on here had quite high expectations of them as wall after their team bonding overseas trip...

My other picks seem to be doing well, although RPI might have issues at the end.

With the way Pool C seems to be shaping up, this is rapidly becoming the Patrick Henry ("Give me Liberty or Give me Death") league in the eyes of the committee.

This RPI v. Clarkson game is going to be the most entertaining game to watch all year.

Fan, I do remember that 4-3 game you speak of. Classic liberty league game for the ages that one.

[deutschfan]

Yes, I live in a glass house when it comes to RIT.  I really thought they would have a leg up and they proved me way wrong. 

[stlawus]

I just wish the NCAA would be upfront with the criteria.  What is the point of publishing a manual that says SOS, results vs common opponents and win% should all be considered when only SOS drives the rankings?  Certainly SLU needs a few more wins, but this is why I always complain about Rochester.  They share a win with SLU @ Cortland, but besides that what result does Rochester have that puts them above SLU?   They tied RIT who SLU beat 4-0 on the road.   Again, I recognize that these rankings are fluid as there's another few rounds, but if the committees are going to only care about SOS then they need to be transparent about it.

As for Saturday, Ithaca has defended pretty well at home so Vassar will need to be on their A game.  Hobart has always played SLU tough at Sandy.  The last 4 games in Canton have been 1 goal affairs.

[deutschfan]

StLaw--I feel your pain.  If SOS is the be all and end all the NCAA should say so.  SLU's current ranking makes no sense.  I agree with Saint that RPI/Clarkson is going to be a Donnybrook bringing back memories of 2017 when an overtime Clarkson goal kept RPI out of the LL tournament.  Of course this year we won't have such excitement as the powers that be took OT away from us. 

[Saint_Dad]

Deutschfan, it seems that SLU and Vassar choose different ways to score.  You said that Vassar has scored 80 percent of their goals with service into the box off of set pieces.  I think that SLU has not scored a goal this year on a set piece into the box, although they have scored with service into the box in the air along the run of play.  Most recently with two balls to the head of the ferocious freshman Ryan Campbell.  Also against Union, Marvin sent a long ball into the box with time running out that found the feet of Graber to Pipers.  In the last 10 games SLU has scored 20 goals, one on a PK and the other 19 in the run of play.  Their opponents have only scored 3 goals in the run of play and 5 on set pieces.  19-3 in favor of SLU in the run of play, and 5-0 in favor of their opponents on set pieces (not including PKs).  The main reason SLU has zero is that they don't attempt service into the box, whether a corner kick or a direct kick on the offensive third.  Many times they just recycle.  I believe that Marvin and Miles are two of the best in the conference at service into the box (if they played the ball there) and Campbell has shown his heading prowess.  And with the scoring talents of Pipers, Mogul, and the aggressiveness of Rogliano, I believe they would have had five goals (or more) to match their opponents.  In todays soccer, professional teams are hiring set piece coaches.  Here is hoping Toshak has something up his sleeve to surprise his LL opponents and eventually in the NCAA tournament.  He has done an amazing job with the boys.  If you add the set piece component to this team, I believe they can go all the way to Greensboro.