2015 D3 Season: NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

[PaulNewman]

Oneonta with enormous gut-check win AT Montclair.  Now Oneonta could be off and running.  A ton of talent.

We will hear a ton about Messiah and doomsday predictions.  Tonight reminds me of last year OWU losing at home 4-1 to Otterbein.  Watched most of the game and the talent is still there for Messiah.  Way to early to think the Falcons won't be there at the end.

Time to pump up UW-Whitewater a little.  Undefeated.  Beat Wittenberg 7-0.  Witt isn't great but not terrible either.

[dontshootthegoose]

I second that, UWW is 7-0 and has only given up 3 goals. Have always had a stout defense, but now have an all-american candidate in a forward Dylan Hottsmith, who has 6 goals and 5 assists in only 7 games.

[Midwest Soccer]

I'm with you NCAC...way too early to write off Messiah.

The talent is there. I think McCarty will have to tinker with some things but count me not surprised to see their name late in November still playing. It's not about how you're playing at the 3 to 4 week mark. It's how you're playing in October and November. My eyes will never adjust to seeing them give up 4 goals at home (and for the 2nd time already this year) and lose but I would bet my mortgage that they don't do it again this year.

In 2008 they lost a conference game, a non-conference game, and had 2 ties. They still went the distance.

As for the NCAC...holy crap. Four undefeated teams who all look to be legitimate and OWU isn't 1 of them. With a 4 team conference tournament, things will get interesting. These teams will beat up on 1 another.

Case Western is a quiet 6-1 with their only loss being in OT to Thomas More. They are my sleeper pick in the UAA. We always take about Rochester, Brandeis, Wash U, etc. I'm picking them over everyone else.

[Saint of Old]

Messiah is still a good team no doubt.
I am by no means writing them off.
My only point is that soccer is 95% mental and 5 % physical.

It is not just Messiah, but many of the big boyz are finding out this season that the psychological edge (1-0 lead before opening whistle) they had over other teams is no longer there.
Once a team thinks they can beat you, they can beat you.

We are looking at a new d3 reality from here on out.

Invincible teams are a thing of the past.

[Flying Weasel]

Messiah is still a good team no doubt.
I am by no means writing them off.
My only point is that soccer is 95% mental and 5 % physical.

It is not just Messiah, but many of the big boyz are finding out this season that the psychological edge (1-0 lead before opening whistle) they had over other teams is no longer there.
Once a team thinks they can beat you, they can beat you.

We are looking at a new d3 reality from here on out.

Invincible teams are a thing of the past.

I think you are keying in on the most important aspect of all this. The passing/fading of the aura of invincibility which has both bolstered Messiah and handicapped their opponents is what a result like this may end up symbolizing the most. The Falcons held onto that aura much longer than anyone could have imagined was possible back when Messiah beat Rowan on their home field on a crisp, cold Thanksgiving weekend in 2000. Every time it seemed the aura might be fading, they would go on to climb to the top of the mountain yet again, and again, and again. Maybe it's fitting it was Rowan who did the business tonight.  There's lots of talent on this Messiah squad--that's not the problem--but experience and leadership is down and after tonight confidence probably is as well.  Now the Falcons are going to need to climb back up the mountain without the advantage of that aura.  It certainly can be done (and it's way too early to bet against that happening), but the challenge of doing so has grown.

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

That's the great thing about sports and especially soccer. Anybody can beat anybody with enough effort and luck. It's fun to see how competitive everything is so far this year and I think we are in for a treat come tournament time! Only thing about the Messiah loss is that they got thrashed at home. Disappointing for them to perform like that at home. Crazy how it's either they give up 4 or get a shutout. Not a good pattern!!!

[PaulNewman]

After being stuffed with an embarrassing Thanksgiving feast of soccer yesterday, we wake up with stomachs still full, chores to do, but still a surprisingly strong slate of games for a Sunday, especially given that we are still in pre-UAA season mode.

The NESCAC faithful are already back from the gym and fine-tuning internet video connections for games today that are all the more interesting after yesterday's stunning results.

A torrid Colby band of brothers deeply inspired by NCAC New England devaluation looks to garner a rare NESCAC double for the weekend facing a valiant, but winless-in-NESCAC Conn College outfit that again challenged Tufts as much as any team in the country, since, well, the last time Conn played Tufts.  The question is....who will have the biggest hangover today....Colby, from a night of raucous celebration in the streets of downtown Waterville...or Conn, from exhaustion, more travel, and dreams of at least 4 defenders not preventing Majumber from walking himself into the old onion bag?

There's no way those free-spirited, squash-buckling Bantams from Hartford drop in on Medford today and steal a win from the Jumbos the day after the Continentals ruined Trinity's traditional Foam Party bash, is there?  Probably not.

And what to make of suddenly down and out Williams, trudging down the coast of Maine after an indigestible loss to face the lobster-loving (and #1 ranked college dining) Polar Bears of Bowdoin?  Logic points to Bowdoin, especially after a confidence-building (and first win over Wesleyan in 5 years) triumph, and of course that means Williams will play like Williams and still get out of Maine with a win (just a different one than most of us thought).

Amherst follows up their "we're still the the bullies on the block" conquest of Middlebury to face.........ELMS?  Really, Amherst???  Really?

Elsewhere, Trinity (TX), fresh off their first #1 ranking in a while...and also a loss to Univ of Dallas in AT&T Stadium, leaves behind the glitter of Jerry's World and takes for the Rockies to meet a Colorado College side that is riding "high" to knock Trinity down another peg and gain revenge for Trinity keeping the "hempsters" out of the NCAA tournament last year.

Kenyon heads down to Bourbon country to face Centre at the Colonels' famed "distillery of no return" hillside stadium.  The first real road trip for many of the Lords' youngsters, and the Colonels are in a foul mode after getting the worst of their fight (literally) with their Hatfield neighbors from Thomas More.

Speaking of TMC, the Saints (now, that's funny) head up the road to Delaware, OH to tangle with an ornery Battling Bishops bunch who are shuddering at the thought of another Jay Martin "It's a privilege for you to wear the OWU jersey and you better damn well act like it" speech.  For their part, the Saints (and their fans) have had this game circled on their nunchucks all summer.  This is the game to watch today if you have the D3 Soccer Sunday Package with your internet provider.

What to make of SLU?  Will these "Saints" allow Buffalo State to leave "chips" all over their pristine pitch?

And, of course, the game most of you on the East Coast are holding your breath for....can Nebraska Wesleyan keep their unblemished streak alive away at Wartburg?

[Domino1195]

Denison survives Capital in OT, goes to 6-0.

Wabash 7-0

Denison 6-0

Kenyon 5-0

DePauw 5-0-1

Not bad for 15th best conference in the country, and that's not even counting OWU.

Don't forget Oberlin.  Bizarre schedule they have - 11 hellacious road games, only 7 at home. Denison is OK - talent sprinkled throughout their starting 11 - but I thought Oberlin was a better team - having seen both play. It will be extremely difficult for Oberlin to make the NCAC playoffs as they will have to pull off a few big road wins to get there.

[Domino1195]

I'm with you NCAC...way too early to write off Messiah.

The talent is there. I think McCarty will have to tinker with some things but count me not surprised to see their name late in November still playing. It's not about how you're playing at the 3 to 4 week mark. It's how you're playing in October and November. My eyes will never adjust to seeing them give up 4 goals at home (and for the 2nd time already this year) and lose but I would bet my mortgage that they don't do it again this year.

In 2008 they lost a conference game, a non-conference game, and had 2 ties. They still went the distance.

As for the NCAC...holy crap. Four undefeated teams who all look to be legitimate and OWU isn't 1 of them. With a 4 team conference tournament, things will get interesting. These teams will beat up on 1 another.

Case Western is a quiet 6-1 with their only loss being in OT to Thomas More. They are my sleeper pick in the UAA. We always take about Rochester, Brandeis, Wash U, etc. I'm picking them over everyone else.

Good call on Case.  While they have good talent I think their most outstanding attribute is the collective heart with which the team plays.  They are tough as nails without being dirty.  They can grind it out and control the midfield - I've seen teams with more talented midfielders but not one that plays with more determination and heart. 

[PaulNewman]

Anybody got a score on the Alumni game (aka Puffin Bowl) at Maine-Presque Isle??  Should be deep into the 2nd half.

[Mid-Atlantic Fan]

Thomas More beating up on Ohio Wesleyan 5-1 with 15 left to play!

[PaulNewman]

Trinity (TX) reeling, losing 3-1 to Colorado College.

Kenyon survives at Centre, 2-0.

Austin Juniet gets my vote for NPOY.

[PaulNewman]

Prairie Wolves of Nebraska Wesleyan succumb to Wartburg 2-0.

The NWC is looking weak this year which gives Whitworth a VERY GOOD chance to enter NCAA tournament undefeated.

The superpowers are stumbling, but don't count them out.

Trinity (TX) loses two in a row.  Wheaton (Ill) was held to a draw by RHIT last night AT HOME.  OWU has lost two in a row.  Messiah was down 4-0 at home before falling 4-2.  Loras drops a big intersectional matchup away at DePauw.  Struggling Oneonta may have righted the ship with a crucial win away at Montclair.  Williams salvages the Maine trip with a big win over hard-luck Bowdoin who seem better than a 1-2 conference start would suggest.

[PaulNewman]

Teams that should see significant rise in the rankings....roughly in this order.

Amherst (yet to concede goal)
RPI
Whitworth
UW-Whitewater
Plattsburgh
Calvin (29 goals for, 2 against)
DePauw
Brandeis
Thomas More
Case Western
Wash U
Rowan
Denison
UMass-Boston
Drew
Eastern
Lycoming
Wabash
Birm-Southern

[Nutmeg]

Teams that should see significant rise in the rankings....roughly in this order.

Amherst (yet to concede goal)
RPI
Whitworth
UW-Whitewater
Plattsburgh
Calvin (29 goals for, 2 against)
DePauw
Brandeis
Thomas More
Case Western
Wash U
Rowan
Denison
UMass-Boston
Drew
Eastern
Lycoming
Wabash
Birm-Southern

NCAC, what do u think the deal is with everyone's early favorites Wheaton, Loras and trinity, especially Wheaton with their preseason superstar midfielders?