2014 D3 Season: National Perspective

[lastguyoffthebench]

If you go unbeaten in NESCAC play,  should be in no question.  I think only way WPI gets in is with AQ...   Amherst is safe.

[Mr.Right]

They will be really sweating it out. I think they got one of the last Pool C's but would not be surprised if they are left out especially if WPI and Bowdoin win tomorrow

[Mr.Right]

Gordon and Husson will be punching their tickets.

[Ommadawn]

Nichols just tied it up against Gordon, so no AQ for Gordon yet.

[Mr.Right]

wow..i was watching and i swear Gordon went up 2-0 with 12 minutes left, apparently something happened

[Ommadawn]

They took the goal away for some unspecified reason.  Second OT about to begin.

[Ommadawn]

Nichols wins in 2OT, much to the relief of Mr. Right.

[Mr.Right]

Of course Nichols wins it. They looked to be the better team. I wonder why that goal was disallowed as it was sitting in the net for about 15 seconds

[KnightFalcon]

Calvin's field is narrow but it looks decent enough. Grass and cut nice and remember its in Michigan so its kept well considering the conditions. Another bubble might be burst if Kalamazoo gets thru on PK's

True - I've watched several games there. It's tight width-wise but the grass surface is in very good shape. Tough for possession teams to play the ball wide there which is an advantage for Calvin's defenders. OWU found that out earlier this year.

[Soccergeek]

Attended the Calvin - Kzoo game this afternoon.  Hard not to feel for the kids in orange, as they left it all on the field.  Not as talented a group as the Calvin boys, but took the Knights to OT and then nine PKs before finally falling.  Kzoo's defense, and particularly their keeper, are as good as any I have seen this season.  If they were to sneak into the tournament (admittedly a longshot), they could give a lot of teams fits.  Meanwhile, Calvin is a quality side and deserving of a top seed.  As has been noted, the field conditions prevented both sides from playing an attractive brand of soccer, and the Knights gutted out the victory.  How cruel this game can be: The Kzoo keeper got his fingers on three of the PKs in sudden death, with a stop representing victory, but each time the ball deflected into the goal.  Finally, the Calvin keeper made a stop and his teammate followed with a make and that was the game.  However, both sides should be proud of their effort.

[Midwest Soccer]

OWU goes down 2-1 in OT to Kenyon. Fairly even game. I thought OWU had the better of the chances, hit the post twice and a couple shots just wide. Kenyon was always a threat on their set pieces but not as much from the run of play. A tie would have been a just result.

What does this mean with JCU being defeated by Heidelberg? Does JCU get the nod above OWU with the loss to H'berg and a OWU's loss to Kenyon? Surely a loss to Kenyon is a better result than a loss to Heidelberg.

Will JCU and OWU both get in? If one gets in who do you give it to?

[PaulNewman]

Great game in Delaware, OH.  Not a beautiful game but a tremendous battle.

First, got to ask about the video.  It was about the best I've ever seen the other night against DePauw and tonight it was just horrible...view was behind 2 posts in the press box and they moved it at the half and was even worse.  Also in and out of focus all night.

As for the game, Ryan H was right.  Kenyon had to overcome a lot of psychological angst, and always seems to happen with OWU they scored in the first 2-3 minutes off a long ball played in that Bloecher made a great play on the head on over Kenyon's right back.  Exactly the start that was Kenyon's worst nightmare.  Kenyon then completely dominated the next 25 minutes or so but wasn't scoring, and I was thinking OWU was pulling a rope-a-dope, absorbing pressure while Kenyon exhausted itself. 

Trying to watch the exciting Wartburg-Loras tilt as I type.

But Kenyon did finally score off a corner.

The first part of 2nd half seemed pretty even but Kenyon gave away a lot of free kicks and I was sure Bloecher would bury one and he came real close.  OWU totally dominated the last 10 or so minutes.  In OT Kenyon found a second wind and regained the momentum and their D1 transfer made a great play and fantastic finish to win the game with his 1st goal of the season.

This game was more important for Kenyon than OWU.  The Lords somehow had to put a stop to OWU's incredible streak that gets mentioned in every single game recap and game preview.  OWU will be fine and could very easily make a deep run.  They have several very dangerous players and are very difficult to contain for 90 or 90+ minutes. 

This Wartburg-Loras game is off the hook.  2-2.  Wartburg had clean point blank chance to put the game away at 3-1 but didn't score and then Loras levels with 4-5 min in regulation.

Anyway, finally breaking through should give Kenyon a big shot of confidence going into the tournament.  17-1-1.  Already a historic season for the Lords.

[PaulNewman]

Midwest, I think both OWU and JCU will get in.   But that's it for the Great Lakes.  2 at large bids for the region isn't that many and both have resumes better than some of the other teams that are going to get at large berths.  I'd be shocked if both don't get in, but if one gets screwed it will be JCU.  OWU has better SOS.

[PaulNewman]

Looks like all hell broke loose while I was watching Kenyon-OWU.  Roanoke goes down.  Heidelberg beats John Carroll.  And then Wartburg and Loras in the midst of an instant classic in the Rock Bowl.

[Mr.Right]

Why is JCU ranked ahead of OWU? Their SOS is pretty weak. I do not know if JCU is a lock just yet. 4-0-0 against ranked but those ranked that they have beaten are ok at best. I assume they will get in but not 100% confident