2014 D3 Season: National Perspective

[Durantula]

In the Sweet 16 last year Trinity didn't even warm up outside and did not come out until like five min before the game. Wartburg scored in the first five min of that game. I wonder if they will rethink that strategy this year? Is that what they did for the Loras game the next day as well?

[Ryan Harmanis]

Point of contention: While the Amherst coach may receive yellow cards here and there for dissent, I don't understand why folks are so against the boys on the bench. They are more spirited than their opponents (always), standing to shout and cheer for the entire game (they didn't sit on the heated bench nicely provided by SLU), but I'm not sure why people get so upset about it. What's so offensive about an enthusiastic bench?

I haven't really watched Amherst much, but from an objective observer of the comments on this board it seems the perception is that Amherst's bench might be characterized as "obnoxious" or "out of control" rather than "enthusiastic."

I'm all for benches standing and getting involved in the game. It helps the players on the field, it keeps potential substitutes engaged in the game, and it gives younger guys that might not play much a sense that they're a part of things. Where some benches do cross the line - and again, I've never really seen Amherst so I can't speak to whether they do this - is when it changes from supporting your team or getting fired up to yelling at the opposition, getting on the referee, etc.

[blooter442]

I'm all for benches standing and getting involved in the game. It helps the players on the field, it keeps potential substitutes engaged in the game, and it gives younger guys that might not play much a sense that they're a part of things. Where some benches do cross the line - and again, I've never really seen Amherst so I can't speak to whether they do this - is when it changes from supporting your team or getting fired up to yelling at the opposition, getting on the referee, etc.

100%

[oldonionbag]

Point of contention: While the Amherst coach may receive yellow cards here and there for dissent, I don't understand why folks are so against the boys on the bench. They are more spirited than their opponents (always), standing to shout and cheer for the entire game (they didn't sit on the heated bench nicely provided by SLU), but I'm not sure why people get so upset about it. What's so offensive about an enthusiastic bench?

Where some benches do cross the line - and again, I've never really seen Amherst so I can't speak to whether they do this - is when it changes from supporting your team or getting fired up to yelling at the opposition, getting on the referee, etc.

Spot on, Ryan. I think where Amherst gets frustrating is that, while most coaches would sternly tell a player on the bench not to yell at the ref or question calls loudly, he sort of encourages it, or at least passively lets it go.

[All NESCAC]

Point of contention: While the Amherst coach may receive yellow cards here and there for dissent, I don't understand why folks are so against the boys on the bench. They are more spirited than their opponents (always), standing to shout and cheer for the entire game (they didn't sit on the heated bench nicely provided by SLU), but I'm not sure why people get so upset about it. What's so offensive about an enthusiastic bench?

Where some benches do cross the line - and again, I've never really seen Amherst so I can't speak to whether they do this - is when it changes from supporting your team or getting fired up to yelling at the opposition, getting on the referee, etc.

Spot on, Ryan. I think where Amherst gets frustrating is that, while most coaches would sternly tell a player on the bench not to yell at the ref or question calls loudly, he sort of encourages it, or at least passively lets it go.

Spot on...and add to it the constant chirping at opposing players from the Amherst bench...there's a right way and a wrong way to be "enthusiastic and support your teammates" and Amherst constantly goes "over the line" and the Coaches ignore it and encourage it.  Don't even get started about their "maul ball style" of foul you on every play.  There is a long standing coaching adage about "respecting your opponent" and Amherst's actions and histrionics during the Serpone era scream (pun intended) of no respect for their opponents.  They get results and play the way they are told to play, but it is the way they play and how they hold themselves out to their opponents which makes them the most disliked team in the NESCAC. 

[Homegrown Harry]

Missed NCAA action this weekend due to a terrible flu.
Was curious if anyone can give an overview of the IIAC games (both of Loras and Wartburg).
Just checking the box scores looks like the same impact players for Loras but Wartburg looked like bench was the difference maker.

[wingtips2]

I picked 12 of the 16 - St Lawrence, Babson, Dickinson, and Calvin all did me wrong...

[Mr.Right]

12 of 16 is excellent especially with all the parity...Hats off to you...

[Mr.Right]

Live Table:

UAA-           4-2-1     1 team in Sweet 16
Nescac        4-1-1     2 teams in Sweet 16
Centennial   3-1-1      2 teams in Sweet 16
Sunyac        3-1-0      2 teams in Sweet 16
IIAC             3-0-1     2 teams in Sweet 16
NCAC           2-0-2     2 teams in Sweet 16
Newmac       1-3-0     Heavily over ranked tams in Regional ranking.

In New England Midd and Wesleyan deserved a better RR. The Newmac and the rankings were a mess.
Did Haverford deserve a 4th CC bid
Luther should have at least been ranked but they did not get any results against Loras or Wartburg

[Mr.Right]

Had Puget Sound not started the year 0-2-1 they would have had a shot at a Pool C as they went 1-0-1 against Whitworth and I was really impressed by Whitworth.

[PaulNewman]

This is a Kenyon College promotional video now on the front of the college website, so most likely done by admissions, but it is pretty cool with soph star Tony Amolo featured.  Less than 2 minutes.  Well done (although I'm biased).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mooxYdjcNU#t=34

[Mr.Right]

I am really looking forward to all the Sweet 16 matches and I hope the times on Saturday will vary but for the first time in a while I really do not see a bad match on the schedule.

[Mr.Right]

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.
[/quote]




Out and out strikers are becoming VERY hard to find. The 90's it seemed like all the top teams had them but starting about 10 years ago teams have relied more heavily on scoring from their midfield thru the run of play or on set pieces and spreading the scoring throughout the team. I remember striker scoring 20 goals some seasons and that is really hard to find these days

[lastguyoffthebench]

I picked 12 of the 16 - St Lawrence, Babson, Dickinson, and Calvin all did me wrong...

11 of 16;  Bowdoin, MSOE, RU-N, Emory, MSU

F&M over Amherst
Wheaton over Trinity
Messiah over Tufts
Montclair St over OWU 

Wheaton over F&M
Messiah over MSU

Messiah over Wheaton

----------------------------------------------

2nd bracket:

11 of 16 in my 2nd one; RU-N, North Park, Calvin, Covenant, MSU

Oneonta St over Amherst
Wheaton over Trinity
Messiah over Tufts
MSU over Calvin

Messiah over Wheaton

[KICKIN95]

Missed NCAA action this weekend due to a terrible flu.
Was curious if anyone can give an overview of the IIAC games (both of Loras and Wartburg).
Just checking the box scores looks like the same impact players for Loras but Wartburg looked like bench was the difference maker.

Wartburg was place in a snow globe saturday and needed 2nd round PK's to finish of MSOE, they just couldn't get in to a groove in the snow covered field.  I didn't see their sunday match.
Loras handled Westminster with little effort in a 2-0 decision.  Their finishing wasn't the best and the Westminster keeper went down every 10 minutes for about 3 to 4 minutes of theatrics to try and slow the onslaught.
The Loras v GAC match was very entertaining, GAC was the better side the first 20 minutes, but I think their game plan was the fatal flaw.  They seemed to want to control the ball with short passes and possession style play and tried dibbling the Loras "D".  This wasn't the right field conditions for that style, very slippery and the Loras "D" just let them possess until they reached the defensive 3rd and picked them off.  The game in the air was won by Loras and after they scored their 2nd goal GAC was pretty much done.  Loras steam rolled them for about 30 minutes of the 2nd half before GAC decided to throw one one last assault that provided the same end result.  I did get to meet a few fellow D3soccer posters which was nice, I just didn't have enough time to sit and talk with them, they were are really good group of guys!