2016 NCAA Tournament

[Nutmeg]

Congratulations to Tufts on the victory. Calvin was clearly the more skilled and technical team, but Tufts did not break and got a gritty win buy imposing physical play and gutted out a gritty win. Soccer is a game that doesn't always reward the most skilled team if you can't put together successful scoring combinations in the front third.

The Calvin team that beat Messiah was the more technical team...This weekends Calvin side did not look the same team...They looked gassed and unable to deal with physical play. I am nor sure where u are seeing they are a "way" more technical side today...The interesting thing is I remember remarking in that Messiah game how dit Calvin looked and how Messiah looked gassed...Not sure how that changed in 2 weeks...Shapiro win his 2nd in 3 years and Nescac their 3rd in a row...You would have to figure if Shapiro is to move on back to D1 this would be the time to do it...Mid 40's, Former D1 assistant at Georgetown, etc etc...IDK maybe he is happy in Boston...To think Ralph Ferrigno had this Tufts team as the absolute doormat in Nescac only 6-7 years ago.Amazing what a new coach can bring....Williams and Amherst have had more talented sides in the past but could never get 2 NCAA's and Tufts has so that is a big +...I just did not see this Tufts side anywhere near winning this title this year and didnt even think they would get out of the regular season...Shapiro recruits "heart" almost over talent but I can tell you atleast 4 of Tufts starters were passsed by by Williams and Amherst and he turns them into players...Hats off

Yep, thought this was a semi rebuilding year, especially after the slow start.... but the team found its identity....

[PaulNewman]

I wouldn't compare the two Tufts teams either.  Champions in their own right.  I do think this year's edition might overwhelm the other one.  The amount of depth and overall talent are impressive.

[PaulNewman]

Majumder in fairness is probably just now getting into top form.  He is good because he is dangerous and immediately creates anxiety for the other team.  Like I said earlier, he's wiry, slippery, strong and skilled.  Good soccer IQ with a good feel for big moments and obviously a winner.  He made a difference in this game today.

[blooter442]

To echo some of your points, I think that this year's team has a crazy amount of depth. So while the 2014 team had bigger names, and perhaps more talent in the first 11, this year's team may just have had more aggregate talent, as there is very little drop off once you look at the bench.

[PaulNewman]

To echo some of your points, I think that this year's team has a crazy amount of depth. So while the 2014 team had bigger names, and perhaps more talent in the first 11, this year's team may just have had more aggregate talent, as there is very little drop off once you look at the bench.

Agreed.  Scary to think who they have in their soph and especially frosh classes.  Players who will become household names in the NESCAC but who also played solid and often key roles today.  Shapiro clearly has some kind of formula going and success will breed success.

[d3fan1]

I thought Majumder was very talented. He is a tough smart player. Sullivan on the other hand is a hack and tight officiating would make him a liability to his team.

[Nutmeg]

To echo some of your points, I think that this year's team has a crazy amount of depth. So while the 2014 team had bigger names, and perhaps more talent in the first 11, this year's team may just have had more aggregate talent, as there is very little drop off once you look at the bench.

BLOOOOTS!........you are an astute futol fan. Like I said above, depth (and defense) were the key to this team..... also not mentioned the past few games, Becherano deserves credit also....he stepped up out of nowhere..... agree on the 2014 starters. Both teams had great defense...and the same goalie

[PaulNewman]

Last year Barnes for OWU got no card at all, not even yellow for taking out Glassman from well behind with Glassman clearly in all alone with the GK.  The ref called the foul for a PK, so even if you didn't think it was a foul the ref called it (and I have a 25 frame slo-mo that shows he cleaned out five ways to Sunday).

I'm assuming that means you agree with the general point, that referees often fail to give red cards for those calls?

I do agree, although I don't think that made a big difference in the game.  Calvin scored right away and there were 15 minutes left.  Not ideal for Brandeis for sure, but IMO not nearly as big as Ocel getting injured early and the goal taken away.

As for the other thing, I'm truly interested in the psychology of partisanship.  We remember what naturally favors our own teams.  I didn't think twice about Kenyon beating Lynchburg in OT after the game or how that might have gone the other way.  I of course thought a lot about it after the Tufts game while I'm sure Tufts fans believe the game was hardly ever in doubt or just plain moved on with little thought at all.  I never spent an extra second thinking about Kenyon advancing on PKs versus Thomas More two years ago.  The "who deserves what" comments -- from all of us, me included -- almost without fail reflect our love for our own teams.  There are so many things, some rather arbitrary, that impact how things play out.  Would Tufts have beaten Haverford at Haverford?  Maybe.  Could anyone have anticipated Tufts having two home games at a critical stage thrown in its lap when they came in at 9-5-2?  No.  What if PS-Behrend beat OWU in OT in 2014 or Calvin won the PKs?  What if Amherst had advanced instead of Brandeis?  What if Brandeis had been in the final today?  What if Chicago was there instead of St Thomas, or Messiah instead of Calvin?  In the end, in terms of today, we got two legit teams who had no thought that they could lose and that played out into a 2nd OT.

[Mr.Right]

I thought Majumder was very talented. He is a tough smart player. Sullivan on the other hand is a hack and tight officiating would make him a liability to his team.

Sullivan is the quintessential Nescac player...Very athletic and tough an big...Calvin wore down because of the physical play of Tufts and quite frankly Brandeis...They just were not used to it...

[d3fan1]

I hear a lot from the supporters of the NESCAC on this forum and have figured they would be a skill conference that play control soccer. But from what I saw, that was not the case. They rely on physicality and to certain extent kick and run. The teams I see in other parts of the country play a better brand of soccer. I think it is very ironic how little respect is given to Calvin coming into the tournament season.

[Jump4Joy]

One secret NESCAC players and coaches have learned is that there is plenty of opportunity in college soccer to apply the free hit, especially the afters. Sullivan is an example of one who has figured that out. He's not alone, by any means, but we all saw him today, so he's an easy one to spotlight today. Those hits wear opponents down, especially players from teams who are not used to the rough and tumble--perhaps the players from teams who play pretty soccer against other teams who play pretty soccer. While NESCAC teams have the experience of playing in a physical league, each of the top teams in the league also have players who know how to play the pretty, nifty, creative flair brand that we all appreciate. Mixing the two blends an excitingly dangerous cocktail that leads to championships. Congrats to Tufts.

[d3fan1]

Well said and a good analysis jumpforjoy.

[PaulNewman]

I hear a lot from the supporters of the NESCAC on this forum and have figured they would be a skill conference that play control soccer. But from what I saw, that was not the case. They rely on physicality and to certain extent kick and run. The teams I see in other parts of the country play a better brand of soccer. I think it is very ironic how little respect is given to Calvin coming into the tournament season.

You're in a NESCAC-centric site and they just won their 3rd national title in a row.  Calvin clearly is among the top handful of elite D3 programs.  They have an absolutely stud coach.  I think many knowledgeable soccer folks know all that.  I thought they were going to win but then again I couldn't picture how Tufts was going to lose.  While the pace was not as frenetic (or in some ways as exciting) as the Calvin-Brandeis tilt, it was a worthy national title battle.  When a game goes into double OT obviously either team could have won.  Hopefully most now understand a bit more about how good Calvin's program is.  NESCAC plays high level D3 soccer and no other conference or region can compete with the amount of interest.  There are people here who care what happens in the Colby-Bates finale in a bottom of the table clash whereas few here could even name the bottom of the table teams in the MIAC.  It is a bit annoying when NESCACers talk about how "pretty" they play, but the recent success speaks for itself. 

The NJAC and the UAA get a decent amount of press, and not coincidentally often as as offshoot of NESCAC interest.  Then there are schools like Messiah, OWU and Kenyon who have had a few (in Messiah's case) or 1 or 2 prominent, heavily involved and loyal supporters here but I doubt we will ever see the amount of overall interest in any conference or team to rival the NESCAC.

Regarding Tufts' depth here's another thing that really doesn't get mentioned.  Not only does the depth impact games like today, but imagine the training advantage.  Tufts literally can have two virtually equal teams of 11 go against each other in practice.  Imagine Majumder as one of the players on your SECOND 11.  And also kids like Zinner who started for the 2014 team and then the boatload of talented frosh. 

[PaulNewman]

One secret NESCAC players and coaches have learned is that there is plenty of opportunity in college soccer to apply the free hit, especially the afters. Sullivan is an example of one who has figured that out. He's not alone, by any means, but we all saw him today, so he's an easy one to spotlight today. Those hits wear opponents down, especially players from teams who are not used to the rough and tumble--perhaps the players from teams who play pretty soccer against other teams who play pretty soccer. While NESCAC teams have the experience of playing in a physical league, each of the top teams in the league also have players who know how to play the pretty, nifty, creative flair brand that we all appreciate. Mixing the two blends an excitingly dangerous cocktail that leads to championships. Congrats to Tufts.

Yes, well said.  Sullivan is right on the edge and maybe sometimes over.  Probably time to give Coleman some credit too.  Virtually no mistakes from him.  Does seem Tufts made a very conscious decision to be extra physical today, either because thinking Calvin wouldn't like it or would wear down because of fatigue from the Brandeis battle, or some of both...but it was obvious and not just Sullivan as they went out of their way early and especially with Stark to let Calvin "feel them," so to speak. 

Side note:  Weatherbie was huge for Tufts the past two weekends as well.

[Ryan Harmanis]

I'm assuming that means you agree with the general point, that referees often fail to give red cards for those calls?

I do agree, although I don't think that made a big difference in the game.  Calvin scored right away and there were 15 minutes left.  Not ideal for Brandeis for sure, but IMO not nearly as big as Ocel getting injured early and the goal taken away.

As for the other thing, I'm truly interested in the psychology of partisanship.  We remember what naturally favors our own teams.

I get what you're saying. I'm sure I remember those two specific plays because they involved "my" team, but I don't know how much that matters. Those were just examples of a specific type of foul - player breaks in behind the defense, guy pulls him down from behind - where the referee should have given a red card but didn't. The same thing happened yesterday and he did red card him, so apt comparison. I'd guess those type of red-cardable offenses happen all the time on various types of plays. (As for the one you mentioned, I think that was a different type of foul than one where a ball is played in behind and he's pulled down, so I wouldn't consider it the same type of play, and thus not a direct comparison. But the same principle holds for any instance where the foul, by the book, deserves red.)

Anyway, the overall premise for the Brandeis-Calvin post was that, in tight games, there are key moments that tilt the game one way or the other. You see it happen when one team misses a glaring opportunity, and the other scores right away. (Think today's Man City/Chelsea game. Man City is up 1-0, misses an open net from 3 yards out, a few minutes later Chelsea draws even, and Chelsea goes on to win 3-1). When you think back on those games, you see inflection points, and I thought those three points where the biggest ones. Considering how much Brandeis was in control in the second half, I think it's fair to say the red card was a game-changing moment - doubly so once Calvin scored on the ensuing free kick. And I do think playing a man down when you desperately need a goal is a huge deal.