Liberty League

[College Soccer Observer]

Lights are not a requirement.  Many schools have hosted recently without lights.

[Saint_Dad]

Thank you.  Looks like SLU has a good chance in that case.

[Saint of Old]

SLU has been hosting NCAA since Johnny was a boy.
Hosted 2002 Final 4.

[Flying Weasel]

SLU has been hosting NCAA since Johnny was a boy.
Hosted 2002 Final 4.

If it wasn't for the snow and having to move the games to the field hockey astroturf, having the Final Four in Canton on Sandy would have been great!  Unfortunately, the snow and astroturf, is probably to blame for not getting the highly anticipated Messiah-Trinity match-up in the final.  Though different styles, those were two high-octane attacks and everybody knew they were the two best teams in the country.  Hayden Woodworth, Matt Bills, et al. for the Falcons.  Josh Smith, Josh Card and company for the Tigers. So disappointing it didn't happen.  Trinity didn't have footwear to play on the slick, snowy/icy astroturf and rumor had it that the Saints lent turf shoes to the Tigers.  Besides just not being close to accustomed to playing in freezing temps, it was much harder for the Tigers to play their urgent, high-velocity attacking game on the smaller field with footing an issue and the ball skimming on the astroturf at a pace to challenge even their speedy forwards. Messiah's more controlled, short-passing game--given how good they were at it--wasn't as impacted by the conditions and they looked very good, especially in the semifinal against the hosts.  Otterbein, the surprise team at the Final Four, had that guy with the outrageously long throw-in which, if memories serves, did lead to the game-winner versus Trinity.  It as annoying because any throw-in past midfield, he'd come take it which made for lots of waiting.

[Saint of Old]

St.Lawrence playing without its 2 best players Sweeper and Defensive Mid against Messiah didn't help either.
Oh the history of it all.
Either way Messiah and SLU semi was a match up that was a classic. Even more so at the time for D3 supremacy really in 2002
Messiah returned the favor from quarter final in 1999 giving SLU a home loss.
Great times for D3 soccer.

[slu888]

SLU will not be hosting.....Cross Country Regional, Home Football, and Home Hockey on Saturday

Not enough hotel rooms open in an hours drive....per NCAA

Hope they don't put us in Amherst's Regional

[Flying Weasel]

I'm not sure I was aware at the time that the Saints were missing those players.

Otterbein had beaten Wheaton in OT in the Elite 8 and had eliminated Ohio Wesleyan on PKs in the Sweet 16. If one of those two had made the Final Four instead, it would have been a historical heavyweight (OWU or Wheaton both with titles in the previous 5 years) and a recent heavyweight in SLU (with undefeated '99 title) challenged by the new heavyweights in Messiah and Trinity. A changing of the guard, so to speak. The snow and all makes for great stories, especially for those of us who made the trip there, but it mooted the quality of the soccer played and kept us from seeing MacAllister field in all its glory (I think all but Otterbein would have loved to have played on such a spacious field).

[stlawus]

SLU will not be hosting.....Cross Country Regional, Home Football, and Home Hockey on Saturday

Not enough hotel rooms open in an hours drive....per NCAA

Hope they don't put us in Amherst's Regional

Unfortunate but makes sense. Hotels were the reason SLU didn't host the first two rounds in 2011.  There are more hotels in Canton and Potsdam now though, but I guess it's still not enough.

Nice to see another new contributor, who apparently has the inside info!

[Saint of Old]

I'm not sure I was aware at the time that the Saints were missing those players.

Otterbein had beaten Wheaton in OT in the Elite 8 and had eliminated Ohio Wesleyan on PKs in the Sweet 16. If one of those two had made the Final Four instead, it would have been a historical heavyweight (OWU or Wheaton both with titles in the previous 5 years) and a recent heavyweight in SLU (with undefeated '99 title) challenged by the new heavyweights in Messiah and Trinity. A changing of the guard, so to speak. The snow and all makes for great stories, especially for those of us who made the trip there, but it mooted the quality of the soccer played and kept us from seeing MacAllister field in all its glory (I think all but Otterbein would have loved to have played on such a spacious field).

Yes. 2 all-time great Saints Macky Diop and Shawn Watson, both out Injury and suspension. Dont get me wrong, Messiah are always worthy Champs, but would have loved to see that game with both teams full strength. At the time the game was for d3 supremacy.
99 v 2000 Champs.
Messiah returned the favor from 99 with a road win .

[Saint of Old]

Who is the last LL player to score a hatrick in a conference Final?
No one that I can remember.
If  it walks like a goat talks like a goat...

[stlawus]

Super happy for Vassar, about time the league gets some more respect.

According to the archives SLU has played Roger Williams in the tournament before (in the ill fated 2004 first round weekend).  Will be a tough test no doubt, the CCC is a pretty good conference. 

[deutschfan]

Am very happy for Vassar as well.  Should get into the tournament if you go undefeated in the Liberty League.  I feel for West Conn given they went 20-0-2 and beat Vassar and got no love.  Very tough draws for SLU and Vassar.  While the LL has had recent success against Roger Williams, Babson is a tough first round out in Brunswick, ME for Vassar and then the next rounds are against arguably the two best NESCAC teams and arguably two of the top teams in the nation on their home fields.  Amherst's players are HUGE.  Sibanda will be dancing among the redwoods.

[Coach Jeff]

I agree totally Western Connecticut deserved an at large bid.

[deutschfan]

Montclair beat Vassar at Poughkeepsie and they are left out as well.  Strange how these things play out.  Last year Vassar is passed over with similar rankings and SOS as this year, and this year the teams that beat them are passed over.  The more I think about SLU's and Vassar's draws the more I realize how terrible they are. 

[slu888]

Agreed...how does the committee put SLU in the Amherst regional?  Makes no sense.