2016 NCAA Tournament

[FalconFan]

This has been one heck of a second half for Calvin

[blooter442]

Got it, but when one team won a title just 2 years ago and another program has been searching for one for four straight years the redemption angle seems to heavily slant to one side.  Given how Tufts has found itself getting in the tourney the last 3 years and their overall good fortune including now a completely unforeseen home advantage I'm not compelled on either revenge or redemption but obviously every team will use whatever motivation it can. We'll embrace the underdog role which suits us well.

Also true. Kenyon would be a deserved Final 4 side. I think that home field could be advantageous for Tufts but I think Kenyon will know that Tufts is, while hot at the right time and hosting, by no means unbeatable. The underdog status is an interesting point, and I think Kenyon will indeed be the underdog despite a superior record and national ranking because Tufts does have a target on their backs after beating Rowan and hosting this pod. They have been the underdogs in the past, particularly 2014, but are perhaps now the favorites in the pod, and it will be curious to see how they cope with that newfound pressure, although I'd think the pressure of being in a NCAA title game is greater than hosting in the Elite 8. Either way, should be fun!

[Ommadawn]

If I recall correctly, he went to SLU for one year before transferring to Brandeis.

I don't think he went to St. Lawrence, but I did find a page from before the 2013-14 school year started saying that he changed his choice from SLU to Brandeis. My initial thought was "if he did go to SLU, he didn't play," because he played 4 seasons at Brandeis. He would have done well up there, but I'm happy with his choice!

Thank you for the correction.  I knew that there was something linking him to SLU floating around in my memory, but it must not have involved his actually playing there!

[NEPitch62]

Tufts 2- Keynon 1.  Tufts goes through.

[blooter442]

Tufts 2- Keynon 1.  Tufts goes through.

Are you implying that Greenwood is going to concede a goal?! I kid, I kid, all in good fun NEPitch.

[Ommadawn]

I appreciated the expert color commentary in the Calvin-F&M game.  Was that "our" Flying Weasel on the mic?

[NEPitch62]

Blooter, I've always been of the mind set that each team gets one goal per game.  The Jumbos have been fortunate enough to prove me wrong to this point - and I'm happy about that.  But at this stage of the tourney, yes, I concede the we may have to give one to get two.   

[blooter442]

Blooter, I've always been of the mind set that each team gets one goal per game.  The Jumbos have been fortunate enough to prove me wrong to this point - and I'm happy about that.  But at this stage of the tourney, yes, I concede the we may have to give one to get two. 

Fair enough. Just don't be too generous!

(For the record, I am a neutral in this one, as it's two programs that I like to watch and have great respect for - I just want to see a good game.)

[NEPitch62]

No, generous stops at 1 Blooter.  Zero is the goal (no pun intended)  Go Jumbos!

[CovensCorner]

In 2014, when Brandeis beat Amherst on penalties, I believe Lee Owen stepped in as goalie for the PK shootout.  Is he really a PK specialist or was Bull that poor at penalties. 

[ENYfooty]

Did anyone watch the run vs oneonta game? Other than 15 minutes terrible defending by oneonta they completely dominated run.  12-1 in corners says it all.  Prediction is run will lose to Brandeis tomorrow

[Falconer]

Great game.  Falconer, I'd like to get your thoughts on why you predict Calvin will go all the way.  I'm
Curious to know about the three draws this year and if they gave up leads or came back to tie.

Sorry I didn't reply earlier, but I'm on the road today and haven't seen a single game or visited the board until now.  I base my conclusion (so far looking good) on two things: (1) my ability to evaluate the quality of Messiah's teams, vis-a-vis other years; and (2) the eye test for Messiah's opponents, especially when the Falcons bring their "A" game--and they absolutely brought their "A" game in the first half yesterday.  They should have scored at least 3 goals on Calvin, and surely would have scored at least 3 on almost any other team in the nation yesterday.  That's how well they played that half.

I don't know why they wouldn't have continued that "A" game in the second half, at this point in the season and with holding to that pattern for the last two months.  So, I'm just assuming that Calvin was the reason that the Falcons were seriously outplayed in the second half and the first overtime (ironically I think it was about even in the second OT).  So, I evaluate Calvin as simply the best team in d3 this year--and a team that is relentless as well, which is what it takes to crown the champion. 

If others don't find this very convincing, I certainly understand.  I'm simply explaining what I said. 

Final comment: the two goals Calvin scored were the first non-PK goals surrendered by the Falcons since Misericordia scored on an own goal, when a Falcon defender hit the head of an opponent and reflected back into the goal.  Even given this, neither Calvin goal came in the run of play.  The last time Messiah yielded a goal in the run of play was to York on Sept 20.  That's pretty darn impressive in my book.  Every starting defender (including the sophomore keeper) returns next fall, so the defense ought to be even better in 2017.

[PaulNewman]

Who could have predicted that you would see a list of the Elite 8 and not see any of these names.... Chicago, Messiah, Amherst and Rowan?

Congrats to Calvin.  No question they earned it the hard way.  Given who is left the Knights have to be considered the favorite.  Even more impressive the way they have won the past two games coming from behind.  F&M looked to be in good control well into the 2nd half and 10 minutes later it was Calvin 3-1.

[blooter442]

In 2014, when Brandeis beat Amherst on penalties, I believe Lee Owen stepped in as goalie for the PK shootout.  Is he really a PK specialist or was Bull that poor at penalties.

I think he is a PK specialist. IIRC that year he saved 3 of SLU's 5 pens in the 2nd Round, so the game before the Sweet 16 versus Brandeis, although perhaps Bull's confidence regarding PKs was shaken after losing to Bowdoin in that fashion the preceding week in the NESCAC final. Owen also saved a PK this year against Midd., a 1-1 draw, so that was clearly an influential moment in terms of that result, so I think he is quite good at PKs.

Did anyone watch the run vs oneonta game? Other than 15 minutes terrible defending by oneonta they completely dominated run.  12-1 in corners says it all.  Prediction is run will lose to Brandeis tomorrow

As the eternal pragmatist/pessimist when it comes to my own team, I'll say that there are no easy games at this point in the season, and that I will not make a prediction regarding that game (in fact, aside from UAA games, I rarely make predictions about Brandeis matches, period). That said, I would be very OK with your prediction coming to fruition.

[blooter442]

Classy response from Serpone in the Amherst press release after the game today. Feisty as he may be on the touchline I have never seen him be anything but classy and diplomatic in his remarks whether in victory or defeat. Also congrats to him on the birth of his third child: if I am correct this is the second time that his wife has had a child during the NCAA Tournament.