2014 D3 Season: National Perspective

[Ron Boerger]

My guess is that Trinity (TX) could not host because the TU women are hosting, and there's but a single suitable pitch (you wouldn't want to host playoffs on their worn football field).      I guess Messiah must have two fields because they don't have any problem hosting both men and women in the same weekend.

[Mr.Right]

Do not dismiss UMASS Boston and / or Nicolls against Oneonta. I saw both league finals and Nichols is quite physical and could hold their own maybe. Umass Boston is undersized but quite skilled in the middle of the park with a mix of Portuguese and  Hispanic palyers they are fun to watch

[just4kix]

Do not dismiss UMASS Boston and / or Nicolls against Oneonta. I saw both league finals and Nichols is quite physical and could hold their own maybe. Umass Boston is undersized but quite skilled in the middle of the park with a mix of Portuguese and  Hispanic palyers they are fun to watch

Messiah actually came to Salisbury last year due to conflict with the women.  I think the bye alleviates that this year.

[Mr.Right]

Also people predicting Brandeis to go to the Final 4 need their head examined. They are good but NOT that good and can be beaten on the day by most teams in this field. They will struggle to get to the Sweet 16

[oldonionbag]

Also people predicting Brandeis to go to the Final 4 need their head examined. They are good but NOT that good and can be beaten on the day by most teams in this field. They will struggle to get to the Sweet 16

Agree with you here, Mr. Right. Very beatable in my opinion from the games I watched.

Also, unless they are dramatically improved and you know something we don't (which I wouldn't put past you)...this is the same Umass Boston team that lost to Tufts 8-0 earlier this year. I watched the first half of that game and came away thinking UMB looked like a high school team...

[Mr.Right]

Also, Coast Guard will not be able to play 10 deep against Catholic in my mind because after seeing Catholic's back up keeper / field player on Saturday save PK after PK from Merchant Marine they do not want to get to PK's against them.

[Mr.Right]

Also people predicting Brandeis to go to the Final 4 need their head examined. They are good but NOT that good and can be beaten on the day by most teams in this field. They will struggle to get to the Sweet 16

Agree with you here, Mr. Right. Very beatable in my opinion from the games I watched.

Also, unless they are dramatically improved and you know something we don't (which I wouldn't put past you)...this is the same Umass Boston team that lost to Tufts 8-0 earlier this year. I watched the first half of that game and came away thinking UMB looked like a high school team...




HA..I did not say they would beat Oneonta but is more of a game than say Daniel Webster will give Wheaton. I liked what I saw in that UMASS Boston v Keene game Saturday. Also, remember UMASS Boston is a commuter school for the most part(although they are trying to change that) and mid week games usually some of the players are WORKING. Most of these kids come from very little and I enjoy rooting for that.

[PaulNewman]

I don't see Emory getting through Whitworth and CNU/Montclair.

I am expecting Brandeis to show well but getting all the way to KC looks daunting.  Otherwise, I wouldn't be surprised to see the UAA teams drop off pretty quickly.  Could see the same for the NESCAC trio.  Could all be out by the first weekend.

North Park (assuming Kenyon beats H'burg) looks like a tricky game.  I caught a little bit of N. Park and they looked very physical and athletic, although it was a turf field which made assessing them difficult.  OWU at Calvin is a great game and I fully expect OWU to prevail there.

[Mr.Right]

jeez I saw North Park play Elmhurst and I thought Elmhurst dominated them.

[oldonionbag]

Very true. Having grown up in a working-class city in New England, I love rooting for teams comprised of players like that. Nice to see kids play with a chip on their shoulder and with something to prove. Adds some sabor, conoces?

Don't get me wrong- I would LOVE to see a team like UMB get into the next round, especially with all the kids they have from Cape Verde/Portugal/Brazil. I was just a little surprised to see them bounce back from an 8-0 loss to Tufts and make the tournament!

[PaulNewman]

jeez I saw North Park play Elmhurst and I thought Elmhurst dominated them.

The lighting at night on those bad turf fields makes it very hard to tell what is going on.  Unwatchable and seems like a totally different sport.

[stlawus]

Looks like yet another potential rematch for SLU-Amherst.  This time Amherst will be playing on Sandy.  Can't look past Purchase obviously, but it looks like they upset their way to their league championship with 10 wins and 9 losses.  I don't know much about Fitchburg St, but their record indicates that Amherst should win.  Amherst knocked us out in the Sweet 16 last year in 2OT in Amherst, so I'm hoping we get a chance for redemption on Sandy. 

[Mr.Right]

SLU has been playing  Nescac's I feel like forever in the 2nd and later rounds. You might enjoy my post from Nov 1st.

9 of those games come to mind.

1998 SLU v Williams. In my mind these were the 2 best teams in the country that year. That SLU team was basically the same team that was NCAA champion in 1999 and that Williams team was nasty.

2002 SLU v Amherst. SLU dominated and won 1-0 but that was a good Amherst side with a great striker named Joe Gannon. One of the Goodings better recruits.

2004 SLU v Williams. Instant classic as Williams comes away with a 1-0 OT win. SLU was a bit better that year but Williams countered well. SLU had gone thru a real  tragedy the week of the game as a SLU player was found dead after going missing after leaving a bar intoxicated. He was found to have drown.

2004 Geneseo v Williams at SLU. Williams was the better side and even had a goal called back on a very questionable offside call and I think out shot Geneseo by a 3:1 margin but let up a soft goal and lost 1-0. Geneseo advanced to the 2004 Final 4 and got hammered by a very strong UC Santa Cruz.

2005 SLU v Williams at Plattsburg. Williams win 3-0 but the game was dominated in possession and shots by SLU but Williams countered extremely well and finished their chances.

2005  Plattsburgh v Williams. Plattsburgh wins 1-0 on a frigid day near the Canadian border in a game Williams should have won. Plattsburgh moves on the Final 4 where they get trounced by Messiah.

2010 SLU v Amherst. Amherst survives a game SLU deserved to win.

2012 Williams v SLU. SLU minus their best player Sam DeMello goes up in Williamstown in the 1st minute 1-0 and holds the lead until the 82nd minute when frosh Mohammed Rashid scores a beauty to knot the match. 10 minutes later an excellent cross by Rashid finds Michael Madding's boot for  2-1 OT Williams win.

2013 Amherst v SLU. Another travesty for SLU as we all have this game fresh in our minds. Check the highlight on youtube.

I guess the point is that I completely agree based on history we will see another Western NY v Western Mass classic in the later rounds of the NCAA's

[pelinho5]

Also people predicting Brandeis to go to the Final 4 need their head examined. They are good but NOT that good and can be beaten on the day by most teams in this field. They will struggle to get to the Sweet 16

Would you consider Loras to be better than Brandeis?

[swibbles]

Also people predicting Brandeis to go to the Final 4 need their head examined. They are good but NOT that good and can be beaten on the day by most teams in this field. They will struggle to get to the Sweet 16

Would you consider Loras to be better than Brandeis?

I'd say Brandeis over Loras based on style of play at least. Brandeis play real soccer.