Liberty League

[Saint of Old]

Saint you called the winners. Nice. Will NCAA snub a Vassar team that had zero league losses?

That is indeed impressive that Vassar has come through this league playing 10 games without losing a single one.
That alone should get them in the dance.
Problem is there are so many good SUNYAC and UAA teams who will also had great seasons.
First thing Vassar must hope is that SLU wins it all, if that happens, I give them a more than likely chance to get a bid.

Again, this league does not get the props it deserves so who knows.
It is the Patrick Henry "Give me Liberty, or give me death" league.

[deutschfan]

Thanks Paul and Saint.  Appears that Vassar is totally on the bubble and if Skidmore wins, unless the NCAA wants to give the league 3 bids, on the wrong side of it.  UAA has an advantage in that its teams are in many different regions as well as its historic strength.  From a recruiting standpoint, not only do the UAA teams have incredible academic prowess, they also have the attraction, at least for some players, of traveling as much or more than a D1 program.  Knowing you are going to play in Chicago, NYC, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, etc. is a pretty cool prospect for an 18 year old.

[Saint of Old]

What a final we have on our hands.
Not sure I want to go anywhere near a prediction on this one, not sure if any of us can.

Experience has taught me that in finals, it is not the best team that will win, but the hungriest.
Sunday we will see who the hungrier team is.

History v. History
Skidmore has a chance to make history. They have had some amazing teams over the years, especially during the first part of the last decade.
For some reason they never really get over the hump and have not danced as much as Hobart/RPI/Vassar or Ithaca.
This is their chance, with an all-time goal scorer. (I love the speedy #7s).
In all fairness as well, the league would benefit from having 2 dancers and SLU seems to have  maybe almost locked up an At-Large.

SLU is also representing history.
St. Lawrence has been giving it to them since the 70s, took the entire decade of the 80s off then came back in the 90s.
These boys (especially seniors) want to write their own page in the book of Saints.
I am sure the coach is telling them they need to win to dance.

@ the risk of being overly sentimental, both groups of seniors deserve to dance this season.
This senior class is maybe the most resilient in league history. Came in as freshmen and tried to find their footing in the college game. Sophomore year (Most important in many aspects) was blown up by Covid. As Juniors, they had to re-establish themselves as leaders in the team and now this.

We all had crazy 4 year careers, but this is next level for these boys and now they are at a point where they can have silverware and a chance at dancing in November.

Good luck to both teams. May the hungrier team win.

[Ejay]

Thanks Paul and Saint.  Appears that Vassar is totally on the bubble and if Skidmore wins, unless the NCAA wants to give the league 3 bids, on the wrong side of it.  UAA has an advantage in that its teams are in many different regions as well as its historic strength.  From a recruiting standpoint, not only do the UAA teams have incredible academic prowess, they also have the attraction, at least for some players, of traveling as much or more than a D1 program.  Knowing you are going to play in Chicago, NYC, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, etc. is a pretty cool prospect for an 18 year old.

Vassar also better hope Hopkins takes care of Muhlenberg in the Centennial final.  Should the Muhles win, that would be two Pool C's coming out of that conference (Hopkins, F&M). And remember, Muhlenberg already drew with Hopkins just a few weeks ago.

[LL_Alum]

I hope the Saint fans won't get too mad at me for putting the inevitable jinx on... but I'm expecting a comfortable Saint victory today. 2-0 would be my specific prediction. I've been very impressed by SLU this year. In the years I was playing it always felt as if SLU was one of the best teams we saw all year, with fantastic individual players, yet as a side they connived at their own self-destruction, or were prone to switching off for individual moments of games which led to goals. This year it seems to have come together and they seem to have found the ability to grind out a close result.

[Saint of Old]

Let's put the women and children to bed and go hunting for dinner boys!!!

[deutschfan]

My pick is SLU as well.  Skidmore is fortunate to be here.  Hobart made two huge defensive gaffes or that game would have gone to OT.  Vassar had 16 corner kicks in the 0-0 game with Skidmore.  Skidmore's goalie did come up huge in pks.   SLU can man mark number 7 and the rest will fall into place.  I am becoming less and less optimistic that the LL will get a second team into the dance.  A Skidmore loss eliminates them from consideration based on strength of record and lack of ranked wins.  With New Paltz losing in the first round of the SUNYAC, Vassar may have no ranked wins.  When teams like North Park and Kenyon don't get automatic qualifiers those are two teams that are locks for Pool Cs reducing the number of spots available.  Despite the great year SLU is having without sustaining a LL loss, it was not a dominant team with numerous ties and close wins.  Vassar didn't have a LL loss either, and while a good team, it is even farther away from being a dominant team.  If faced with a Wesleyan or Hamilton, two teams with very precarious Pool C status, I don't think there is a question that Vassar would not prevail against either.  So I am bummed about the LL NCAA prospects.  Hope I am wrong.

[PaulNewman]

Vassar can't lose the New Paltz win as any team ranked in week 3 or 4 counts...athough it is a lower ranked win compared to a, say, Brockport that has wins over Oneonta and Cortland.

[deutschfan]

Thanks Paul.  West Conn's PK loss in the finals also concerns me.  They are 20-0-2 and beat Vassar at Poughkeepsie and yet pundits are suggesting that West Conn won't get a bid.

[PaulNewman]

Congrats, Saints Nation!

[stlawus]

Sibanda was on another level today.  Overheard more than one Skidmore fan praising his talent.  He's a special player, and that's putting it lightly.  I'm glad I got to every home game this year to see him play.

As for the game, it was all SLU in the first half but Skidmore played a much better 2nd half.  Skid keeper made some great saves.  This stretch of games has been the best SLU has played this year. 

On a side note, about 80% of the crowd today showed up more than halfway through the 1st half, most of them students.  Heard many of them asking each other if they saw the first goal.  Well maybe if you were here even 5 minutes into the game you would have seen it.  I guess I don't understand the calculus of coming to the game that late.

[Saint of Old]

Right back at you Deutschfan.
Never said he was all-time Saint status, that group is maybe a good 22,am squad... I said he was top 5 (At minimum)

No over reaction man.
I told People Dede was the best player in the league before he kicked the first ball for SLU and he left as back to back league MVP.

This kid is even better.

First Saint in history to top score in his first two seasons (and scoring is not really what he does).
Already a league MVP and just really getting started.

There are players and then there are players.
Levels to football. This man is not normal.

I recall saying this earlier in the season and some questioned my analysis of the player, but the Saint #10 is a different type of animal.

First Saint to play top score for the team his first 3 years and has been the best player in this league for 3 years in a row.
Amazing Player, and a very humble human being.

[deutschfan]

Great win with Sibanda taking over the game.  Maybe the Saints are in contention to host the first round.  That would be the cherry on the sundae. 

[Flying Weasel]

When teams like North Park and Kenyon don't get automatic qualifiers those are two teams that are locks for Pool Cs reducing the number of spots available.

That's probably true for the Kenyon/OWU result as OWU probably doesn't get an at-large berth if they lost, but the North Park/North Central result didn't cost anyone a Pool C berth because both were locks and it was merely a question of which one got in a an AQ and which as at-large.  Not to mention that North Central had the better win pct., slightly higher SOS, higher RvR win pct. whic is why they were ranked #2 in their region one spot ahead of North Park. 

Similarly, the CNU/Mary Washington result didn't cost any Pool C hopefuls because Mary Washington was a pretty safe bet for a Pool C berth anyway.  I also don't think a Pool C berth was lost due to ONU not winning the OAC tournament (John Carroll was probably getting an at-large anyways) and Montclair State getting beaten in the NJAC final (Rowan with another loss would have had an iffy win pct., but the SOS and RvR was probably enough). 

Babson or Stevens or Messiah losing, now that would have cost Pool C hopefuls a berth.  But looking it all over, I think this year only one Pool C berth was lost due to an unlikely conference champion that wasn't going to get picked otherwise (Muhlenberg taking the Centennial AQ with Hopkins short-changing Pool C hopefuls).  That's better than most years.

[Saint_Dad]

Agreed re Sibanda.  He moved up to even another level today.  Took a shot from midfield that even had a chance.  Just completely controlled the game.  Poised, smart, perfect weight on his passes.  Favorite plays of the day were the first goal, where Mogul did an amazing flick move over the defender, exploding to the by line, and then feeding Sibanda with a back pass into the penalty area.  Of course the second goal where Sibanda, aware of time left in the game, exploded up the field, feeding Levy on the wing and then receiving the ball back in the penalty area for the finish.  Perhaps the best short passing that this team can do with control, that you don't see other teams in the LL do, was when Rogliano bobbed and weaved and passed and then almost finished, except for the excellent save by the Skidmore keeper, Bobby Strats.
Just an exciting game.  The best I've seen SLU play this year.  Can SLU get through the first weekend? Can SLU host without lights?  I believe they deserve the honor.  And I think this team has the talent, drive and confidence to make a run in the NCAAs.