2014 D3 Season: National Perspective

[Mr.Right]

I love to watch different regions when I have time.

[PaulNewman]

Wheaton and Babson scoreless almost halfway through 2nd half.

Brandeis scoreless with NYU at the break.

Emory/CMU and Chicago/Wash U about the get underway.

And Grove City and Thomas More for the Prez conf title.

[PaulNewman]

Babson looking to pull the upset and secure at least an at large bid.  Go up 1-0 off flip throw dagger to 2nd floor porch of goal.

Pretty chippy game and Wheaton going to press hard to equalize as they may be watching a couple of home games slip away.

[PaulNewman]

Babson goes up 2-0.  Nice individual play to score.

[PaulNewman]

I wouldn't have said this leading into today, but Babson now clearly has earned a bid regardless of the AQ.  And Wheaton uses up an at large spot.  Not a good scenario all around for bubble teams.

And Brandeis still has not scored at NYU.

[lastguyoffthebench]

Three bids for the NEWMAC...  if it is a so called down year for the NESCAC... one of these mid Atlantic or south Atlantic teams will be happy taking a trip up to new england.  Being able to avoid Messiah to play Brandeis in an elite 8 match up will be best case scenario.

[PaulNewman]

The UAA really is something else.  Every week the same thing.  Following 3 UAA games and every one is 0-0.

[PaulNewman]

lastguy, you are absolutely right.  They should just put Messiah in the final four and have everyone else placed in the other 3 quadrants with play-in games so everyone gets a chance.

[Mr.Right]

3 bids? You could be looking at 4 bids if WPI beats Coast Guard. I would say it is a down year for Nescac but if you put some of these Newmac teams in Nescac and forced them to travel and play 10 league games they would have more losses and ties. It's a moot point now but Babson looks to be a bit improved from when I last saw them.

[PaulNewman]

Brandeis breaks through in 82nd min with a rebound goal from a kid who has only played in 2 games this season.  Pressure tilts over the Chicago.

[dontshootthegoose]

What is the general thought of the pool B bid?  UWO beat UWW last night 1-0 at home in a snow game for the WIAC championship. UWO is now 14-5-2 and is 1-2-2 against regionally ranked opponents with being ranked in the last regional pool at 7. Whereas UWW is 13-4-4 and is 3-2-1 against regionally ranked opponents and having maintained at 3 in the North regional poll.

[Mr.Right]

I think UWW gets it. Their resume looks good enough compared to others in different regions.

[lastguyoffthebench]

A team like Middlebury should get in over WPI... WPI played no one this year except Brandeis.  Other than an up year schedule vs NEWMAC teams.  This algorithm needs some fine tuning!

[Mr.Right]

I hear you. You could say the same for Coast Guard but this happened last year when the CCC got 3 weak teams in. Gordon, Roger Williams and WNEC were all over whelmed in the NCAA's by stronger sides from Nescac and UAA. I expect more of the same from Newmac this year. Midd has no chance except to win Nescac

[PaulNewman]

Brandeis has won more than a handful of cliffhangers.  A very clutch, experienced team but one wonders if the pattern will catch up to them as the quality goes up another level.