2015 NCAA TOURNAMENT THREAD

[lastguyoffthebench]

With the 1-0 victory over Kenyon, Calvin's keeper, Giantsopoulos, recorded his 19th shutout of the season--a new NCAA D3 record. The previous record was 18, set by Joel Wallace of MacMurray in 1991.

His season goals-against average of 0.20 is tied for sixth-best in the record book. However, of keepers with more than 1818 minutes played in a season, the 0.20 goals-against rate is the best ever.

Unfortunately, I don't have access to last year's stats except at MasseyRatings.com, and a couple of games are missing. But it looks as though Calvin gave up 10 goals last year, meaning that Giantsopoulos' career goals against average with the Knights (2 years) would be about 0.32. The current NCAA D3 record is 0.35 for Brian Bush, 2005-8, Middlebury.

Drew recorded 21 shutouts in 25 games during the 2003 season.  Peter Boyer has the record for 17 straight games without conceding a goal..

I'll be routing for the Knights because they also have a shot a history to reach 26 wins...

[Dark Knight]

With the 1-0 victory over Kenyon, Calvin's keeper, Giantsopoulos, recorded his 19th shutout of the season--a new NCAA D3 record. The previous record was 18, set by Joel Wallace of MacMurray in 1991.

His season goals-against average of 0.20 is tied for sixth-best in the record book. However, of keepers with more than 1818 minutes played in a season, the 0.20 goals-against rate is the best ever.

Unfortunately, I don't have access to last year's stats except at MasseyRatings.com, and a couple of games are missing. But it looks as though Calvin gave up 10 goals last year, meaning that Giantsopoulos' career goals against average with the Knights (2 years) would be about 0.32. The current NCAA D3 record is 0.35 for Brian Bush, 2005-8, Middlebury.

Drew recorded 21 shutouts in 25 games during the 2003 season.  Peter Boyer has the record for 17 straight games without conceding a goal..

I'll be routing for the Knights because they also have a shot a history to reach 26 wins...

Neither Drew nor Loras keepers are mentioned in the NCAA record book

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_soccer_RB/2015/Div3.pdf

Perhaps they weren't all solo shutouts, or they weren't all against DIII teams.

[D3soccerwatcher]

My picks for Elite 8:

Lycoming
Trinity
Loras
Wheaton (Ill)
Haverford
SUNY Oneonta
Kenyon
F&M

My only miss so far is F&M.  Tomorrow could be different.

Well I had 6 out of 8 correct - missed on F&M and Lycoming

[D3soccerwatcher]

Calvin had one shot on goal...the goal.

Now two Vegters for Calvin have gone to Final Fours as freshmen.

Calvin is a high functioning high school team. Their backs are a fortress, they have three of the fastest white boys playing soccer up top. I saw three better soccer teams these past two weekends, but look who's moving on. You can gnash teeth and mutter about their quality - but they play well as a unit.

Kenyon really did shut down their wingers today - man of the match was #26 in the center of the park. Hardly the biggest or fastest - great poise and possession skills. Was all over the place. And their keeper came up big when called upon. That "face save" early in the game tells you how tough he is.

High functioning high school team?  What do u mean by that?  Who were the better teams?

They are a straight vanilla, north-south team. Hard working, simple game plan. Not what I would can a possession-style team - rarely swing the ball from side to side. The defenders clear, the midfielders fight to regain the ball, the forwards fly in their channels. They have very important individuals supported by competent complementary players. Tufts, Chicago and Kenyon were fun to watch and resembled more of what I would expect to see in the final four.

But there's something to be said for their team execution: they Get It Done.

You have to defend well and score to win soccer games and championships - all the possession oriented and "pretty" soccer in between those two things doesn't amount to a hill of beans unless it contributes in some meaningful way to those two things.  I suppose we can resort to all the name calling we want to ("high functioning high school team", "straight vanilla, north-south team", etc), but the fact of the matter is Calvin has faired better than 3 of the 4 New England teams in the sweet 16 so far.  And they have punched their ticket to the final 4.  (Are we going to start saying they have an unfair recruiting advantage too because they are a Christian college?).

[Jump4Joy]

With the 1-0 victory over Kenyon, Calvin's keeper, Giantsopoulos, recorded his 19th shutout of the season--a new NCAA D3 record. The previous record was 18, set by Joel Wallace of MacMurray in 1991.

His season goals-against average of 0.20 is tied for sixth-best in the record book. However, of keepers with more than 1818 minutes played in a season, the 0.20 goals-against rate is the best ever.

Unfortunately, I don't have access to last year's stats except at MasseyRatings.com, and a couple of games are missing. But it looks as though Calvin gave up 10 goals last year, meaning that Giantsopoulos' career goals against average with the Knights (2 years) would be about 0.32. The current NCAA D3 record is 0.35 for Brian Bush, 2005-8, Middlebury.

Nice stats, but Loras keper recorded 19 shutouts also in 2007.

Amherst's Bull also set a record yesterday--most career shutouts at 48.
From the school website:
"With his 48th career clean sheet, Bull passes Mac Church of Ohio Northern who totaled 47 shutouts between 2009-12. The Montgomery, N.J. native now has a 0.21 goals against average (four goals allowed), and 62 saves this season."

http://athletics.amherst.edu/sports/msoc/2015-16/releases/20151121pexwwe

[Brother Flounder]

Calvin had one shot on goal...the goal.

Now two Vegters for Calvin have gone to Final Fours as freshmen.

Calvin is a high functioning high school team. Their backs are a fortress, they have three of the fastest white boys playing soccer up top. I saw three better soccer teams these past two weekends, but look who's moving on. You can gnash teeth and mutter about their quality - but they play well as a unit.

Kenyon really did shut down their wingers today - man of the match was #26 in the center of the park. Hardly the biggest or fastest - great poise and possession skills. Was all over the place. And their keeper came up big when called upon. That "face save" early in the game tells you how tough he is.

High functioning high school team?  What do u mean by that?  Who were the better teams?

They are a straight vanilla, north-south team. Hard working, simple game plan. Not what I would can a possession-style team - rarely swing the ball from side to side. The defenders clear, the midfielders fight to regain the ball, the forwards fly in their channels. They have very important individuals supported by competent complementary players. Tufts, Chicago and Kenyon were fun to watch and resembled more of what I would expect to see in the final four.

But there's something to be said for their team execution: they Get It Done.

Gotcha... Thanks!

[PaulNewman]

Calvin had one shot on goal...the goal.

Now two Vegters for Calvin have gone to Final Fours as freshmen.

Calvin is a high functioning high school team. Their backs are a fortress, they have three of the fastest white boys playing soccer up top. I saw three better soccer teams these past two weekends, but look who's moving on. You can gnash teeth and mutter about their quality - but they play well as a unit.

Kenyon really did shut down their wingers today - man of the match was #26 in the center of the park. Hardly the biggest or fastest - great poise and possession skills. Was all over the place. And their keeper came up big when called upon. That "face save" early in the game tells you how tough he is.

High functioning high school team?  What do u mean by that?  Who were the better teams?

They are a straight vanilla, north-south team. Hard working, simple game plan. Not what I would can a possession-style team - rarely swing the ball from side to side. The defenders clear, the midfielders fight to regain the ball, the forwards fly in their channels. They have very important individuals supported by competent complementary players. Tufts, Chicago and Kenyon were fun to watch and resembled more of what I would expect to see in the final four.

But there's something to be said for their team execution: they Get It Done.

Honestly, I think part of the impression with Calvin comes from the plain vanilla uniforms that look like a cross between rec league kits and old-style Penn State football uniforms and looking out on the field and seeing very little that strikes fear in your heart besides the star CB and the Vegter throw-ins.  They have good soccer players, but they mostly are youngish-looking all-white kids on the small side.  Who would have thought after they opened the season with a tie against Endicott and a 1-0 win over Gordon that they would be sitting at 24-0-1 and in the Final Four?  An amazing story, a feel-good, inspirational coach, and a destiny vibe.  What's not to like?  To the extent that I can even pay attention from here on out, I'll probably be rooting for them.

Hard to swallow that Kenyon is not in the Final Four right now.  That was a game where I thought they needed to score in the first 30-35 minutes.  Once you allow the game to go kind of random then random things happen.  I would have preferred Calvin scoring off a corner or a throw than a completely avoidable Kenyon defensive mishap.  Going back to the Wabash game, and then including the first game with OWU, the Chicago game, and even in the first half with Calvin, Kenyon had an alarming number of weird botches and miscommunications between either the midfield or back line and the GK.  Not sure what that was about, and sadly fitting that they ended up giving up a freebie to Calvin on a similar kind of miscue to end their season.  At any rate, with 10 minutes left yesterday I actually still felt pretty good about Kenyon's chances and if they had gone to OT, but at that point in a 0-0 game you are really rolling the dice.

[lastguyoffthebench]

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_soccer_RB/2015/Div3.pdf

Pages 9, 12, and 15

[Mr.Right]

Today is the battle of two teams that consistently under perform in the NCAA's. Amherst v Trinity TX. The difference is Trinity dows have the 2003 NCAA Championship. Amherst has 2 Final 4's in 1997 and 2008. Both teams should have at least 2 NCAA Championships. Who advances? I have no clue. I was impressed with Trinity TX yesterday but I thought Brandeis had one of its flattest games this year and I feel for them. Amherts is used to losing in the Elite 8 to Williams but Trinity does not know Amherst like Williams did. I say Amherst prevails but honestly it's a toss up.

[Domino1195]

Calvin had one shot on goal...the goal.

Now two Vegters for Calvin have gone to Final Fours as freshmen.

Calvin is a high functioning high school team. Their backs are a fortress, they have three of the fastest white boys playing soccer up top. I saw three better soccer teams these past two weekends, but look who's moving on. You can gnash teeth and mutter about their quality - but they play well as a unit.

Kenyon really did shut down their wingers today - man of the match was #26 in the center of the park. Hardly the biggest or fastest - great poise and possession skills. Was all over the place. And their keeper came up big when called upon. That "face save" early in the game tells you how tough he is.

High functioning high school team?  What do u mean by that?  Who were the better teams?

They are a straight vanilla, north-south team. Hard working, simple game plan. Not what I would can a possession-style team - rarely swing the ball from side to side. The defenders clear, the midfielders fight to regain the ball, the forwards fly in their channels. They have very important individuals supported by competent complementary players. Tufts, Chicago and Kenyon were fun to watch and resembled more of what I would expect to see in the final four.

But there's something to be said for their team execution: they Get It Done.

You have to defend well and score to win soccer games and championships - all the possession oriented and "pretty" soccer in between those two things doesn't amount to a hill of beans unless it contributes in some meaningful way to those two things.  I suppose we can resort to all the name calling we want to ("high functioning high school team", "straight vanilla, north-south team", etc), but the fact of the matter is Calvin has faired better than 3 of the 4 New England teams in the sweet 16 so far.  And they have punched their ticket to the final 4.  (Are we going to start saying they have an unfair recruiting advantage too because they are a Christian college?).

I feel you are reading animus in my comments that I did not mean to imply - and I had no intent to resort to name calling. I think the descriptors I use accurately describe their style of play - heck I'll toss in another: blue collar. I take back high functioning high school if that helps . . .

I watch these games with an eye for what wins, what qualities are common across the teams that go through. I have insisted that camaraderie and chemistry are the most important qualities a winning soccer team MUST possess. Style of play - sure, I have a preference. Not an Arsenal fan but aren't they pretty to watch (at times - yesterday - not so much). Calvin has a great team environment - no dysfunction - at least in what was visible to me the past two weekends. Players know their roles and execute them for the full 90 minutes. If there is a potential flaw it would be in #5: he lives on the edge of two yellow cards every game. In that skirmish in the second half - he grabs the jersey of the Kenyon player and pulls him down on top of him. CR let the play go (for once - he had a way of slowing the game down with whistles that didn't necessarily need to be used). #5 very animatedly yelled at AR1 for over a minute - should have been booked for dissent. And the funny thing - the foul should have been called on him!

NCAC - chemistry is something Kenyon needs to further develop. Yesterday you could see and hear some bickering. Players not getting the ball when and where they thought they should for example. They certainly have the talent.

[PaulNewman]

Yeah, Domino, I thought the ref did Kenyon no favors.  Called a ton of touch fouls on the Lords and let some much harder stuff from Calvin go.  Seemed unbelievable Barnes didn't a call when he was taken out right outside the box.  Is the play you are talking about with #5 the play Barnes got sent off on?  I don't fault Barnes too much for getting a 2nd yellow (although that would have been a problem if they won), as there were only 2 minutes left and that certainly did not decide the game.  His real mistake was getting the 1st yellow for waving off the ref on a call leaving him with no margin for error, forgetting that the ref earlier had given him a gift by not giving him a yellow in the first minute or two in the game when he came in hard on a challenge. I'm guessing the ref resented Barnes' pretty minor dissent after giving him a break earlier.  Let's be honest.  Kenyon also really missed Carmona.  We lost the ball in the midfield needlessly time after time after time, and that's been a theme for a while.  My sense is the chemistry is pretty good, but when you have a bunch of talented kids and you're frustrated certainly there can be breakdowns and even complaints about who is favored and who isn't.

[D3soccerwatcher]

Domino
Great reply. Thanks for clarifying.

[KICKIN95]

Was the correct player called for offsides, was he involved in the play?

[blooter442]

Haverford-Oneonta is a great matchup so far. Oneonta hit the bar with a free-kick and then Haverford had the ball in the net - called back for offsides.

Anyone else having trouble with the Amherst stream? I hear the audio but my screen is black. Didn't have that problem yesterday.

Edit: now it works. Weird.

[KICKIN95]

Haverford-Oneonta is a great matchup so far. Oneonta hit the bar with a free-kick and then Haverford had the ball in the net - called back for offsides.

Anyone else having trouble with the Amherst stream? I hear the audio but my screen is black. Didn't have that problem yesterday.

Edit: now it works. Weird.

I am having the same issue with the feed