2015 NCAA TOURNAMENT THREAD

[Part_Bart]

Oneonta 2 Amherst 0 In a dog fight that becomes an instant classic.

Calvin 0 Loras 0 PK Calvin

Oneonta 2 Calvin 0

Champion SUNY Oneonta or Oneonta State.

The Boyz wont care once they win.

I'm with Saint of Old on predictions. Its a Liberty League thing.

[Krazy Legz]

Loras 2
Calvin 1

Oneota 1
Amherst 0

Loras 1
Oneota 0

[PaulNewman]

RE: Calvin....

I agree that OWU vs Calvin was a tough 2nd round match-up (right up there with Montclair vs Tufts), and winning was huge mostly because you advance but also because OWU, away, was a hurdle especially given the history between the two schools.  That said, Calvin's advancement through the next two games was equally or more impressive.  They definitely have proven themselves as worthy while acknowledging they could have lost any of those three games.  F&M was starting to pressure the Calvin defense late in that game and should have scored on a point-blank chance.  The Calvin GK made a tremendous save.  That would have only tied that game so who knows.  In the Elite 8 Kenyon IMO looked more likely to score with 20 minutes left and in anticipation of OT periods and only a major gaffe having little to nothing to do with Calvin's attack resulted in a late Calvin goal.  The goal also was opportune in the sense that little time remained for a response.  Shortly before the goal the Calvin GK had to make another very good save as a Kenyon player broke free into the box.  Calvin is very good, and better than given credit for most of the season, but Calvin also survived (in a sense like most teams have to do to advance).  They are unlikely to run away with a game against Final Four level of competition, just as they are unlikely to be blown out.  They have a bit of a destiny feel and I think they have something going on with their coach right now that is special and which is very in sync with the whole Calvin zeitgeist.  I'm very curious to see the game with Loras.  I mentioned this I think before, but the difference for me may come down to depth.  Calvin only goes 3, at most 4, deep off the bench and Loras is going to come in waves with lots of different looks.  I just think Loras is going to be too much for Calvin to survive again.  If Calvin goes down a goal I think they'll have trouble equalizing and/or preventing a second one from the Duhawks.  If Loras goes down, as long as it's in the 1st half or with at least 25-30 minutes left in the 2nd, they'll be fine.  Loras will be confident in their system to eventually wear the Knights down.  I look for Bradley to have a big game for Loras and they have more than a few kids who will know how to handle the take-you-out, smile-and-apologize while helping you off the ground, and then take-you-out again tactics of the Calvin CB.  Loras does have to be careful not to drop down to 10 men while the Calvin player stays on the field.

I expect Amherst to win fairly comfortably while the score will be close, like 1-0 or 2-1.

I want to pick Loras in the final, and I think they'll have a good chance, but my head is saying that Amherst will be the one animal the Duhawks haven't seen and at some point the sheer size and force of Amherst will prevail.  Either way, one of these big-time programs will get a huge monkey off their backs.

[firstplaceloser]

today's the day we've all been waiting for. Good luck to all participants and may the odds be ever in your favor.

[NJrexSoccer03]

Thoughts for tonight

Amherst wins 2-1
Loras wins 1-0

Championship
Amherst wins 1-0 in OT

[Mr.Right]

I am predicting Loras defeating Calvin with a hand from god 1-0.

I am a big Nescac fan and I believe Amherst is the better team but somehow Oneonta continues Amherst bad luck and beats them on PK's.

[Mr.Right]

A couple points I took away from the Serpone interview. In total random order.

1.  He really cares for his players and they work their ass off for him and themselves. That is most definitely a "culture" he changed when he arrived at Amherst. That to me is the biggest difference between Amherst prior to Serpone's arrival and now. They always had talent (2012 is the exception as that was the most talented Amherst side I have ever seen by a wide margin) but the players never had the work rate they do now under Serpone.

2.  He has officially jinxed GK Thomas Bull with the MLS reference. Alot of eyes will be on Bull, can he perform under even more scrutiny? You better believe that will be bulletin board material for Byrne motivating his players to knock a few in the back of the net.

3. A coach using the terms "dude" and "chill", I would need some time to get used to. But hey it is a different era. Rothert looks like he is the same way. Not a negative thing just something I would pick up on.

4. You can bet he got the better of the 2 scouting reports as Haverford's Head Coach is a former Amherst assistant.

5. His evaluation of NPL is very accurate especially what other coaches thought about him when he was getting recruited. He was passed over by some good schools who wish they could have predicted his development as a player. Serpone took a chance and he nailed that one. It happens to every coach at every school as you are not going to always make the right decisions recruiting. NPL reminds me alot of Bowdoin's 2007 graduate all-star Nick Figueiredo. They are different players but they were recruited the same way. Coaches in Nescac and Ivies backed off because they were not sure he was physical enough and Ainscough up at Bowdoin took a chance. He ended up being IMO in 2006 and 2007 one of the best Nescac players the league had. I believe Figueiredo ended up with about 40 goals in his career and had so much skill and composure. He also improved steadily every year( like NPL) and his teammates would look to him if they needed a big goal.

6. He knows his team better than anyone but I just cannot agree with the Orozco analysis. Just is not my cup of tea and personally i think he slows them down when they are attacking but he is a physical force and Oneonta will KNOW when he is in the game.

Didn't read the interviews yet but in reference to the bold section for #3 on your list Mr. Right...how a coach talks shouldn't define whether he/she is a good coach or not? It's just modern day slang that I am sure he picked up from being around other players at his previous schools and current school in Amherst. Also it probably makes him more favorable to the players since he is younger and hip and can relate a little better than a 70 year old coach who is stuck in his ways. I am curious to see the average age of coaches in the final 4 this year. It's gotta be below 40 right? That definitely tells you something.

You are astounding at putting words into people's mouths err keyboards..I NEVER said that the way a coach uses slang DETERMINED whether or not he is a good coach. Serpone is a very good coach but it would take awhile for me and others to get used to being called dude by my coach. Coaches are not or should not be your friends as there has to be boundaries between coach and player. If there is not especially in this day and age with all the coddling and pampering and mis-communication then it can lead to "other" issues between coach and player.

[lastguyoffthebench]

Na..na..na..na..na.. Na..na..na..na... JAAP STAM

[Mr.Right]

I will say Amherst has only let up 2 goals since September against very good competition. That is extremely solid. I am having a hard time seeing Oneonta being able to break them down.

[firstplaceloser]

I just noticed this, Loras always seems to get matched up against an undefeated team in the semifinals

[lastguyoffthebench]

That's all well and good when you get Carthage, DePauw, Wheaton as your run to get there. 

Really looking forward to this Loras-Calvin match-up.  I'll be routing for Calvin since I underestimated them almost the entire year, and felt as though Loras should have been #1 or #2 at times earlier in the year.  Also would be nice for their unbeaten streak and a chance at history.  26-0-1 would just be unfathomable.

IF they get it done, they would have mowed down 3 #1s in the process.   Not sure that's ever been done before.

[firstplaceloser]

don't know if anyone is watching but centre just scored from the oddest of angles as the goalie from Williams didn't even try to save the ball

[Mr.Right]

Yes...That's how much I follow Women's soccer. ..Women can play some attractive soccer but one thing I HATE is the HORRIFIC GK'ing at the Women's level.

[firstplaceloser]

Yes...That's how much I follow Women's soccer. ..Women can play some attractive soccer but one thing I HATE is the HORRIFIC GK'ing at the Women's level.

yeah a good woman keeper is hard to find, the ones that are found get D1 offers right away because there is such a shortage on solid women keepers. the D3 schools kind of have to just settle for a sub par goalie and hope you can train her to become solid. makes things interesting

[Part_Bart]

Yes...That's how much I follow Women's soccer. ..Women can play some attractive soccer but one thing I HATE is the HORRIFIC GK'ing at the Women's level.

yeah a good woman keeper is hard to find, the ones that are found get D1 offers right away because there is such a shortage on solid women keepers. the D3 schools kind of have to just settle for a sub par goalie and hope you can train her to become solid. makes things interesting

The club goalie coach that can consistently train women GK to parry high balls effectively will have a lucrative camp business....