2016 NCAA Tournament

[PaulNewman]

Probably because Tuft's men play all their home games on Bello so they are used to it.  Tufts women play on the grass so I assume the coach prefers the turf for his team.

Up until this year, Tufts actually played all of its games on grass, at Kraft, so I think NCAC was speaking to the switch in general rather than to the location of the tourney. Not sure what prompted the switch, but I do think it perhaps makes sense given Tufts' propensity to play possession-based futbol on the ground where turf can provide a quicker surface.

Exactly.  Thanks.  I saw them play on Kraft last year.  And I think most possession teams would prefer grass actually, if it's a good grass field (Messiah, OWU, etc).  Obvioulsy they would prefer turf now if they've playing on it but I'm curious about the original switch.

[2xfaux]

Since the final four will be played on turf in Salem, does that make Tufts a favorite going forward?

[blooter442]

Since the final four will be played on turf in Salem, does that make Tufts a favorite going forward?

The Jumbos' NCAA experience might make them a potential favorite, but Chicago also plays on turf.

[4samuy]

It's interesting because Chicago played most of its early season home games on the grass pitch and went to the turf pitch from the Brandeis game forward.  Maybe it was forward thinking that the remainder of their road games would be on turf and they wanted get comfortable and I'm sure some it had to do lights on turf pitch and lights on grass.  IMHO They were thinking ahead.

[oldonionbag]

Tufts also won the National Championship two years ago playing their home games (and both final four games) on grass. Just a little tidbit to note. Kraft field is generally pretty decent (Roma trained there a couple years ago) but is known to be very soft and easy to tear up. I think the womens team practices and plays on it during the season, which would mean the field is only unused for one day each week.

[Jump4Joy]

Chicago vs messiah final will be a repeat of the 2013 National Title game. although i do wish i would've played against this 2016 team and not the 2013 boys.

I see a couple of posts have responded to this (sarcastically?), but just confirming: Chicago was not in the 2013 national title game.
Have they been there some other time?

[blooter442]

Chicago vs messiah final will be a repeat of the 2013 National Title game. although i do wish i would've played against this 2016 team and not the 2013 boys.

I see a couple of posts have responded to this (sarcastically?), but just confirming: Chicago was not in the 2013 national title game.
Have they been there some other time?

They have not. Closest they got was a Final Four appearance in 1996.

[d3soccerscout]

Does anyone see any sleeper teams getting out of the sectional and into the final four?

[NEPitch62]

Just some context around the Jumbo's move to Bello this year.  Up until the 2016 season, both mens and womens sides played on Kraft field.  The opportunity for the men to move to Bello was created by the women's field hockey team (fall sport) moving to a brand new field right next door called Ounjian Field.  Bello has always been the turf home to the perennial powerhouse Jumbos men's Lacrosse team and now shares with the Jumbos mens soccer team.  The women still play at Kraft on the grass.

[firstplaceloser]

I missed that 2013 Chicago-Messiah national final.  Was it a good one?

i guess you took that the wrong way or i worded it poorly. i meant if Chicago and Messiah make it to the final it will be a final just like when camden played messiah. which would be an amazing match up imo

[gustiefan04]

Does anyone see any sleeper teams getting out of the sectional and into the final four?

Everyone seems to be counting Chicago as a lock for the final 4 and even the Championship match but....St Thomas could be a sleeper. Extremely tight defensively and opportunistic in the counter. They won't wow you with style, but they will be incredibly tough to break down and are the type of team that can hang around all game and sneak a late goal.

[calvin_grad]

Any Tufts folks or NE fans know why Tufts is playing at Bello (turf) instead of Kraft (grass)?

First thought on Messiah-Calvin.  Calvin will not beat themselves nor lose control.  Should be a good game.  However, Messiah home field obviously a big advantage and I think the large size of the field helps Messiah as well.  Calvin will not be able to swarm the middle of the field and close down as effectively as they did against ONU and CMU.  That will be key to game IMO with Messiah also having more dangerous offensive threats coming from all directions and positions than Calvin can produce.

How much bigger is their field than "normal"?

[phillyfan12]

LOL was he arrested...Jesus?   I was comparing Amherst bench antics to Umass Boston bench antics which luckylefty mentioned they should not have advanced...Take ur purple and white blinders off...Amherst has not head butted a ref but they are not choirboys over there...

As I was leaving the game I saw their #77 getting driven away in a Cop car. Rumor was it was because he headbutted the ref and thus assaulted the referree. The stoppage of play was because the NCAA was trying to figure out whether or not to end the game with UMB forfeiting for their conduct. I suppose the ref decided to let it continue but truly the most classless performance from a team I've ever seen in my entire life

If somebody assaulted a referee in that manner the match should have been immediately called.

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse here or bring the conversation back to a rather unpleasant topic but is there any precedent for games being called for a teams poor conduct?

From what everyone has said about the game, and from what I saw at the game the UMB team was not just chippy (which is obviously part of NCAA tournament games) but dirty and violent. When a player gets taken away in a Cop car that definitely could be grounds for removing the team for the tournament. I'm not sure if any of the long time D3 soccer fans have any knowledge of a team advancing and then later being disqualified but I can't think of any instance. Anyone think there is a chance that UMB is disqualified? After all they did have a player arrested which seems a little more serious than a heated NCAA tournament game.

[PaulNewman]

Any Tufts folks or NE fans know why Tufts is playing at Bello (turf) instead of Kraft (grass)?

First thought on Messiah-Calvin.  Calvin will not beat themselves nor lose control.  Should be a good game.  However, Messiah home field obviously a big advantage and I think the large size of the field helps Messiah as well.  Calvin will not be able to swarm the middle of the field and close down as effectively as they did against ONU and CMU.  That will be key to game IMO with Messiah also having more dangerous offensive threats coming from all directions and positions than Calvin can produce.

How much bigger is their field than "normal"?

I thought I remembered comments in the past about Calvin having a grass field on the the smaller side with perhaps less width.  Could be wrong.  Also seems like turf fields, like at CMU and many other places, tend to have tighter dimensions.  I would assume Messiah is the maximum possible at 120x80.  It's a very big field so keeping up with a very skilled team that also has a ton of pace is difficult.

[PaulNewman]

Sweet 16 Participation By Region

New England -- 4

Central -- 3 (sort of surprising and Wheaton isn't even one of them)

East -- 2

Mid-Atlantic -- 2

West -- 2

South Atlantic -- 1

Great Lakes -- 1

North -- 1