2014 D3 Season: National Perspective

[Jump4Joy]

Soccer can be a strange game. At the start, looked like Wheaton would run away with it. Soccer gods are fickle. Tufts made good on chances while the Thunder did not until a bit too late.

Anyone else annoyed by the announcers who kept talking about how great Wheaton is--even when it was 4-2 with two mins remaining? With about a minute to go, they started praising Tufts.

Anyway: Go NESCAC!

[D3soccerwatcher]

Tufts cruised through the final four - scoring 7 goals in two games.  Seems like the real championship game was Tufts vs Messiah.  Congrats to Tufts! 

Wheaton certainly had a lot of heart, but didn't seem quite organized enough to win (particularly in the back).

Looking forward to next season.

[2xfaux]

I agree that it was strange to have a Wheaton guy basically doing the color commentary.  Great game Tufts is really, really good...duh.

[D3soccerwatcher]

Yes I thought they could have had him in the booth for few minute interview. But the second half was pretty much a Wheaton commercial while Tufts was taking it to them. I think the NCAA blew that one.

[PaulNewman]

I agree, but in fairness the Wheaton guy was pretty complimentary towards Tufts and even endorsed calls that went against Wheaton including the handball call for a 2nd PK that really didn't give Wheaton any advantage when it happened.  The Wheaton guy also said the game was over at 3-0.  This probably won't be remembered much later, but Greenwood make a couple of spectacular saves to keep the game from going to 3-3, and if Wheaton had scored again Tufts was going to be in real trouble.

[Flying Weasel]

Wheaton got the early game on Friday but had to go the distance with their starters.  Honestly I thought Wheaton lost the game when they gave up the goal with 5 mins to go.  I watched the live stream and saw the replay twice and still can't figure out why the goal was disallowed.  And if you watch the reactions of the Wheaton players it looked like they thought it was a goal too.  Anyone know the true story on that?

Tufts on the other hand, had an easier game.  They got to rest their starters a bit.  So that could work to their advantage tomorrow.

Hopefully it will be a good game.  Field conditions could also be a factor.

The goal was disallowed because the keeper had "possession" of the ball. I didn't think so until the replay, but he clearly had both hands on the ball and the opposing player kicked it while in the keepers possession.  At one time all the keeper needed was 1 hand to constitute possession, but not sure if that's still the law.  That was a very good call by the official in my eyes,  takes a keen eye and big balls to make that call.

Photo posted on D3soccer.com here confirms that the Wheaeton goalie had two hands on the ball prior to Santangelo's shot.  Ref got it right.

[lastguyoffthebench]

...and I (we) thought those Bennett Rankings were absurd.     Tufts ranked #1 the third week of season and I think as high as 4th last year...

[Nutmeg]

NCAC... You have been bashing Tufts and Shapiro all year. It almost seems as if you have a grudge against them and the NESCAC. Tufts midfield was quick and the defense strong. That was the winning combination all year. Wheaton goes down... Messiah goes down. And so it goes. Now, finally you praise them....I think Tufts shocked your heavy favorites. Wheaton had a hard time with them at first and it threw them off.  There is a new king in town...The Tufts Jumbos.

[PaulNewman]

Nutmeg, I was hard on Tufts.  And I wasn't alone early in the season.  I have very publicly admitted I was wrong.  What else would you like me to do?  And how many of you a month ago truly believed Tufts would be lifting the championship trophy?  Did you?

I also admit that I don't get how so many are looking at Tufts and NESCAC as virtually synonymous.  Tufts won, not the NESCAC.  This was a victory for Tufts.  As I've noted, I like a few of the NESCAC schools but in general I am not a NESCAC fan.  It seems that the NESCAC is more than well represented on the site.  And the NESCAC in general is too clubby and pretentious for my tastes.  For me it is a little too much of a prep school-fest.

[Nutmeg]

Nutmeg, I was hard on Tufts.  And I wasn't alone early in the season.  I have very publicly admitted I was wrong.  What else would you like me to do?  And how many of you a month ago truly believed Tufts would be lifting the championship trophy?  Did you?

I also admit that I don't get how so many are looking at Tufts and NESCAC as virtually synonymous.  Tufts won, not the NESCAC.  This was a victory for Tufts.  As I've noted, I like a few of the NESCAC schools but in general I am not a NESCAC fan.  It seems that the NESCAC is more than well represented on the site.  And the NESCAC in general is too clubby and pretentious for my tastes.  For me it is a little too much of a prep school-fest.

Well look at my dark horse prediction in that thread before the tourney started. tufts and Bowdoin. So, someone was on tufts a month ago..

[Corazon]

...and I (we) thought those Bennett Rankings were absurd.     Tufts ranked #1 the third week of season and I think as high as 4th last year...

Ha ha. Hail Bennett Rankings!

[lastguyoffthebench]

Kenyon, Wheaton, Oneonta St, Tufts would be the 4 that I think could knock off Messiah.   Oneonta St has played them twice in the last 3 years.  (Messiah 2, Oneonta St. 1 1OT in 2013) (Messiah 0, Oneonta St 0 in 2012).  We know of the Kenyon result last year...

Of course OWU, Calvin, CNU (before they kind of fell off mid-season).

Ehh not a bad grouping of a thought process as OWU beat CNU to reach final 4.


More importantly, congrats to the Jumbos for a well deserved title. 

[D3soccerwatcher]

Wheaton got the early game on Friday but had to go the distance with their starters.  Honestly I thought Wheaton lost the game when they gave up the goal with 5 mins to go.  I watched the live stream and saw the replay twice and still can't figure out why the goal was disallowed.  And if you watch the reactions of the Wheaton players it looked like they thought it was a goal too.  Anyone know the true story on that?

Tufts on the other hand, had an easier game.  They got to rest their starters a bit.  So that could work to their advantage tomorrow.

Hopefully it will be a good game.  Field conditions could also be a factor.

The goal was disallowed because the keeper had "possession" of the ball. I didn't think so until the replay, but he clearly had both hands on the ball and the opposing player kicked it while in the keepers possession.  At one time all the keeper needed was 1 hand to constitute possession, but not sure if that's still the law.  That was a very good call by the official in my eyes,  takes a keen eye and big balls to make that call.

Photo posted on D3soccer.com here confirms that the Wheaeton goalie had two hands on the ball prior to Santangelo's shot.  Ref got it right.

That's probably a 1/24th second freeze frame.  If that ball was actually stopped under his hand then it was probably the right call.

[Jump4Joy]

I also admit that I don't get how so many are looking at Tufts and NESCAC as virtually synonymous.  Tufts won, not the NESCAC.

NCAC, it IS a NESCAC victory in that voices on this board were using championships as a barometer for strength of league. Tufts is not the only NESCAC to reach the final four recently and not the only conference rep to have won it all. The league has been a fairly regular presence deep in the post-season, despite some voices claiming otherwise. That's where this "Go NESCAC" cheer is coming from. Undeniably, NESCAC is one of the strongest leagues in the division. The Tufts trophy was not a fluke for Tufts this year and not a fluke for the conference.

[Nutmeg]

I also admit that I don't get how so many are looking at Tufts and NESCAC as virtually synonymous.  Tufts won, not the NESCAC.

NCAC, it IS a NESCAC victory in that voices on this board were using championships as a barometer for strength of league. Tufts is not the only NESCAC to reach the final four recently and not the only conference rep to have won it all. The league has been a fairly regular presence deep in the post-season, despite some voices claiming otherwise. That's where this "Go NESCAC" cheer is coming from. Undeniably, NESCAC is one of the strongest leagues in the division. The Tufts trophy was not a fluke for Tufts this year and not a fluke for the conference.

Yes, people often said Tufts SOS didn't matter and cited mathematical reasons. The failed to recognize the general premise that a strong SOS helps prepare you generally four tougher competition.