2014 D3 Season: National Perspective

[Mr.Right]

Umm Messiah has NO say in the matter and should and probably does not offer an opinion

[Mr.Right]

Whitworth will have so much travel I would be surprised if they play their best against CNU.

[Domino1195]

Domino, you're losing a little credibility.  Justice didn't  play at all.  18 had a great game and also a goal and an assist yesterday.

And you keep mentioning the Capital game that Kenyon won 5-1, and the Cap goal came off a counter where the weak PK call was against a player not on the back line.  Sure, they ain't perfect, but they must be decent given the lowest GAA in the country.

My bad - I was referring to 5 at center back. I don't follow them as closely as you, but if you think 18 had a great game today then we must value different things with respect to defenders. What is your honest assessment of the play at the 60 minute mark?

[wchandy22]

Here is my best guess as to where the sectional host sites will be.  On the women's side I believe Messiah, Chicago, Carnegie Mellon and Williams will be hosts.  For the men I believe Oneonta, Loras, Muhlenberg and Kenyon will be hosting. There are certainly arguments for other sites.  The Trinity men and women are both deserving but the other three teams in their sectionals (CMU, Hopkins and Thomas More on the women's side and Wheaton, Loras and Wartburg on the men's side) makes it unlikely they will be hosting.  Same goes for the Lynchburg women; certainly deserving but Messiah is centrally located to all four sectional participants.  There you have it.

[KnightFalcon]

Why would the Wheaton Men not host? Since they have a field turf surface, I'm not sure the situation that impacts Messiah and others with grass surfaces would apply.

[KnightFalcon]

Umm Messiah has NO say in the matter and should and probably does not offer an opinion

Yeah - that was a bit presumptuous wasn't it. I was thinking if Messiah would have been asked to host but couldn't, that maybe they would have some input on the alternate site.

[PaulNewman]

Domino, #5 did have a great game.  And so did #18, who normally is the left back but played CB with Justice out.  18 is one of the best and strongest left backs in the country, and he is not slow.  Frequently gets forward on the wing.  #28 was the left back today, and he committed the play on foul I believe you are referencing.  Considering that he had to mark #6 for TMC for over 100 minutes he did a pretty darn good job.  Kenyon gave up way too many throws in the final 3rd, and the ref gifted them more than a handful of cheap free kicks, but all in all two clean sheets in consecutive days.

Don't know what happened with Glassman, except that he was badly taken out twice in the first 5 minutes and the ref called nothing, and then called Kenyon for fouls on pretty clean head ball wins.

And I was probably 10 feet from you.

[wchandy22]

Why would the Wheaton Men not host? Since they have a field turf surface, I'm not sure the situation that impacts Messiah and others with grass surfaces would apply.

Not a fan of the Rock Bowl?  Well the four teams in that sectional are Wheaton, Wartburg, Loras and Trinity. Wheaton, Loras and Trinity all have strong claims with regards to hosting. But this may be one where geography comes into play. Trinity is not within 500 miles of any of the other schools, all of which are fairly close (in comparison) to each other. Loras being located between Wartburg and Wheaton makes most sense. But I would not be surprised if Wheaton were chosen.

[Domino1195]

Domino, #5 did have a great game.  And so did #18, who normally is the left back but played CB with Justice out.  18 is one of the best and strongest left backs in the country, and he is not slow.  Frequently gets forward on the wing.  #28 was the left back today, and he committed the play on foul I believe you are referencing.  Considering that he had to mark #6 for TMC for over 100 minutes he did a pretty darn good job.  Kenyon gave up way too many throws in the final 3rd, and the ref gifted them more than a handful of cheap free kicks, but all in all two clean sheets in consecutive days.

Don't know what happened with Glassman, except that he was badly taken out twice in the first 5 minutes and the ref called nothing, and then called Kenyon for fouls on pretty clean head ball wins.

And I was probably 10 feet from you.

Didn't realize 18 was not in his normal position. As far as the throws - there was more and slipping while striking the ball today. 21 had some tough touches today, but I was glad to see him drift more centrally. More's formation conceded the flanks and clogged the middle - and they executed their game plan very well. It seems they had at least 5 behind the ball most of the time.

Going forward I don't see any of the final 16 making tactical adjustments as More did today. Bring your A game and see how it goes.

[wingtips2]

Live Table:

UAA-           3-1-0      Brandeis and UR at 5pm    Chicago down 1-0 at Half
Nescac        4-0-1     Bowdoin at 5pm    2  possibly 3 teams in Sweet 16
Centennial   2-1-1      F&m at 5pm          1 possibly 2 teams in Sweet 16
Sunyac        3-1-0      2 teams in Sweet 16
Newmac       1-3-0     Heavily over ranked tams in Regional ranking.

The NCAC is 4-0 and is guaranteed to get one team in the elite 8...

[Flying Weasel]

According to the interactive bracket (http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/soccer-men/d3) the men's Sectional hosts are: Oneonta St., Wheaton (Ill.), Muhlenberg, and Kenyon.

[wingtips2]

After seeing Muhlenberg's field on video it looks to be narrow(which Tufts would be used to) and it looks to be the old turf.  Their video quality is NOT good and borderline horrible so I could be wrong but the video issue would be another problem

Pretty sure it is a grass field - they have changed it since I was there last (2009), but I haven't heard that they have.

[KnightFalcon]

Why would the Wheaton Men not host? Since they have a field turf surface, I'm not sure the situation that impacts Messiah and others with grass surfaces would apply.

Not a fan of the Rock Bowl?  Well the four teams in that sectional are Wheaton, Wartburg, Loras and Trinity. Wheaton, Loras and Trinity all have strong claims with regards to hosting. But this may be one where geography comes into play. Trinity is not within 500 miles of any of the other schools, all of which are fairly close (in comparison) to each other. Loras being located between Wartburg and Wheaton makes most sense. But I would not be surprised if Wheaton were chosen.

Ah - yes the geography angle would make sense - especially with 2 Iowa teams. But, no, my reasons are more selfish as it would far easier for me to get to Wheaton to watch than to Loras. Actually, I intend to get out to the famous Rock Bowl to see a game some day ... Just need the right time

[Flying Weasel]

Why would the Wheaton Men not host? Since they have a field turf surface, I'm not sure the situation that impacts Messiah and others with grass surfaces would apply.

Not a fan of the Rock Bowl?  Well the four teams in that sectional are Wheaton, Wartburg, Loras and Trinity. Wheaton, Loras and Trinity all have strong claims with regards to hosting. But this may be one where geography comes into play. Trinity is not within 500 miles of any of the other schools, all of which are fairly close (in comparison) to each other. Loras being located between Wartburg and Wheaton makes most sense. But I would not be surprised if Wheaton were chosen.

Ah - yes the geography angle would make sense - especially with 2 Iowa teams. But, no, my reasons are more selfish as it would far easier for me to get to Wheaton to watch than to Loras. Actually, I intend to get out to the famous Rock Bowl to see a game some day ... Just need the right time

Then you would seem to be in luck as the interactive brackets are indicating that Wheaton is hosting along with Oneonta, Muhlenberg, and Kenyon.

[St. Larry]

STLAWUS the better team won.
Congratulate Amherst. This is not the way we act.

Now hope that they win it all.

Good job Amherst. Man down to a possession team with 15 minutes to play and they advance!

I disagree - the better team lost. With that said, SLU fell victim to the lack of a pure goal scoring threat again. Outside of Gorman few years back, I can't remember the Saints having an out and out striker with a killer instinct for gaol. The '99 team had loads of them, but that was a D1 team on the D3 level. Since then, they have had a ton of offensive minded middies. I hope they find a kid who can create separation up top, has the 1v1 ability, and a knack for the goal - they need it.