2017 Great Lakes Region

[TableMax]

Who are the best Teams in the Great Lakes for 2017?

Which Conferences will dominate the Region?

[Domino1195]

Preseason Scrimmages:

Date	Away	Home	Time
Tue. 22	Malone	Mount Union	7:30 PM
Tue. 22	Mt Vernon Nazarene	Capital	6:00 PM
Wed. 23	Baldwin Wallace	Denison	7:00 PM
Fri. 25	DePauw	Ill. Wesleyan	5:00 PM
Sat. 26	Earlham	Muskingum	4:00 PM
Sat. 26	Capital	Oberlin	7:00 PM
Sun. 27	Principia	DePauw	5:00 PM
Tue. 29	Case Western	Baldwin Wallace	2:00 PM

Mon 8/21 - OWU @ Cleveland St

Others??

[Domino1195]

NCAC Poll:  http://www.northcoast.org/sports/msoc/2017-18/releases/PreseasonPoll

   
• Kenyon
• OWU
• Oberlin
• Wabash (tied for 3rd)
• DePauw
• Denison
• Allegheny
• Hiram
• Wooster (tied for 8th)
• Wittenberg

OAC Poll: http://www.oac.org/sports/msoc/2017-18/releases/2017__Soccer_poll.pdf

   
• John Carroll
• ONU
• Capital
• Marietta
• Otterbein
• Mt. Union

Heartland Conference: http://www.heartlandconf.org/sports/msoc/2017-18/releases/20170815kwo0x9

   
• Transylvania
• Rose-Hulman
• Hanover
• Mt. St. Joseph
• Manchester
• Earlham
• Anderson
• Franklin
• Defiance
• Bluffton

AMCC Poll: http://www.amccsports.org/sports/msoc/2017-18/releases/Preseason_Coaches_Poll

   
• PSU-Behrend
• Medaille
• PSU-Altoona
• La Roche
• Franciscan
• Mt. Aloysius
• Pitt-Bradford
• D'Youville
• Pitt-Greensburg
• Hilbert

President's Athletic Conference: http://www.pacathletics.org/news/2017/8/14/mens-soccer-msoc-prepoll.aspx

   
• Geneva
• Thomas More
• Grove City
• Wash & Jeff
• Westminster (tied for 4th)
• Bethany
• Waynesburg
• St. Vincent
• Thiel

[bestfancle]

In the OAC, John Carroll (2-0) had a strong showing, beating #5 Kenyon. The game should have easily been tied 1-1, where Kenyon missed an open net. JCU has strong freshman, and the team looks better than Last year. Should hop up in national rankings after Penn State-B on Friday.

ONU (0-1-1) lost to Geneva 3-1 and tied its other match; you may have seen the Bike that was scored by Geneva. ONU's best defender is taking the year off and studying abroad, but will maintain his eligibility and come back next season.

'Etta and Heidelberg start 2-0 as well. 

[Flying Weasel]

ONU (0-1-1) lost to Geneva 3-1 and tied its other match; you may have seen the Bike that was scored by Geneva.

https://www.facebook.com/NBCSportsSoccer/videos/1568866976526326/

[OldNed]

ONU (0-1-1) lost to Geneva 3-1 and tied its other match; you may have seen the Bike that was scored by Geneva.

https://www.facebook.com/NBCSportsSoccer/videos/1568866976526326/

I'm not sure what was more impressive, the bike or the flip the player executed in celebration.  Terrific stuff.

[bestfancle]

OAC News:

POW: Liam McIntosh, GK, JCU - Two 1-0 shutouts

Standings (non-conference):
t-1. Heidelburg (2-0)
t-1. Marietta (2-0)
t-1. John Carroll (2-0)
4. Otterbein (1-0)
5. Capital (1-1)
6. ONU (0-1-1)
t-7. Wilmington (1-2)
t-7. Mount Union (1-2)
t-9. Muskingum (0-2)
t-9. BW (0-2)

Games to watch:

9/6/17:
Otterbien at Kenyon

9/8/17:
Kalamazoo at ONU
Penn State-B at JCU

9/9/17:
Denison at Heidelberg
Otterbein at Hanover

9/10/17:
JCU at Medaille

[Domino1195]

Capital hosts #3 St Thomas on Friday

[Domino1195]

Haven't seen many teams play so far - Scrimmages: Denison & Baldwin Wallace, Capital & Oberlin; Games: the two Capital played in Maryland, Kenyon & Otterbein. Based on games seen, scores and preseason expectations:

Teams bringing back their core group of starters are doing what you'd expect (Geneva, JCU), teams replacing a lot struggling (ONU). Kenyon is a "not sure" yet - first half disjointed - second half came out strong and controlled the game. I think Jeon might be the key for them - when they played through him they gained control. Lots of overlapping runs down the wings and "old English" style crosses into the box in the first half.

Once again Capital fields a team of underclassmen - 26 fresh/sophomores, 4 seniors. MD trip was a travel nightmare - arrived 1.5 hours before the game after a 4 hour trip. Got an early goal and literally parked the bus. St. Mary's was a physical game - they scored on a DFK from a tight angle - perfectly placed - got a second late as Cap was exposed trying to get the equalizer.  If they two MD teams I thought Salisbury was slightly better. Gettysburg was fun to watch - lots of talent.

Not sure what to make of Thomas More's home loss to Hanover. I thought Hanover would struggle to start the year as they replace many players - we'll find out "more" this weekend

[TableMax]

Which conferences are the strongest in the Great Lakes??

Is the NCAC as good as the OAC this year??

Does Capital even have a chance against the #3-4 Ranked returning Semi Finalist "TOMMIES"

[PaulNewman]

Which conferences are the strongest in the Great Lakes??

Is the NCAC as good as the OAC this year??

Does Capital even have a chance against the #3-4 Ranked returning Semi Finalist "TOMMIES"

OK, TableMax, you are clearly a Russian bot trying to lure me back into the fray, and of course almost any lure would do.

Why the need to know which conference is stronger?

I'm not an OAC expert, but my guess is that the NCAC is stronger than ever.  It's possible there are no top 5 teams or maybe not even a top 10 team, but I doubt the overall strength has ever been stronger.  Kenyon IMHO is not just a "we'll see" team.  They will be very good again.  Maybe not as good as the three prior editions, but that doesn't necessarily mean this year's edition won't be the squad that gets further.  I don't think Tufts' squad last year was their best out of the last 3-4 years and yet we know what happened.  They lost a bunch of talent but they still have quite a bit.  They should get stronger as the year goes on.  They snatched a good win against CMU (who should be another top Great Lakes team with most of the Tartan squad returning), and as another poster noted they probably deserved at least an away draw with JCU (who also will be a top Great Lakes team).  That game reminded me of the CWRU affair last year where Kenyon let CWRU hang around and hang around until CWRU scored in OT.  No real conclusions to reach based on the JCU match.  OWU should be back to being OWU, although perhaps they are a year away from being a national title contender.  Oberlin is going to be very good and with high levels of confidence and determination.  Wabash should be good again and DePauw always contends.  Will the OAC have that many strong teams?  I don't know.  JCU is good, I suspect Capital will challenge again, and you can never count out ONU.

[PaulNewman]

I'm going to write a long piece on "homerism" and the impact on perception/perspective at some point, but for now I'll just share a few thoughts I had watching the Kenyon-JCU game which was painful to watch as, IMHO, Kenyon looked the more talented team but blew several can't miss chances and then that feeling set in of "we're gonna lose this one" the longer this match stays 0-0.  A noted above, very similar to the CWRU loss last year.  Very similar to the first loss of the season in 2014 at Wabash after starting out 12-0.  In fairness, Kenyon has had its share of late goal and/or improbable last second type wins, versus Denison in 2014, Oberlin last year (x2), versus Tufts in 2015, etc, etc.  The focus the last two years has been on Kenyon getting knocked out in the Elite 8 by two unimaginable defensive errors by All-American caliber centerbacks essentially gifting trips to the Final Four to the opposition, versus Calvin in 2015 and Tufts in the last minute of the 2nd OT in 2016, but those dreadful endings only happened because Kenyon had failed to score.  Same thing in 2014 when the Lords were one of the top 2-3 teams in the country and had a nightmarish rematch with OWU on home field in the Sweet 16.  Even in that one where Kenyon was getting seriously outplayed they had the best opening point-blank chance which was missed (twice) and then a minute later OWU drew a PK.  Come to think of it a failed clearance led to Messiah's under two minutes winner in 2013 about 15 minutes after Kenyon had a point-blank chance to go ahead.  You can't win if you don't score.  That's the real mistake.  Don't put yourself in a position to need last second heroics or fall prey to last second disaster.

[Domino1195]

Good post - and no need to mask your love of Kenyon soccer - we know of your passion!

First weekend of the EPL - 3.1 goals per game - caused one commentator to remark, "Playing defense is a dying art." Maybe - I've seen shabby/lazy marking, I've seen miscommunication by central defenders and lackluster attempts by midfielders to get back and defend.

I think the critical positions in today's game are two-way wingers - whether they be backs or middies - and a dominant DM (if you are fortunate to have two you are truly blessed). Defense has always been a team responsibility, but having a killer DM protects the middle from easy/fast penetration. I've read several accounts about Kante - he is the current gold standard.

Two-way wingers protect the flanks, deny crosses and prevent opposing wingers from turning the corner st the by-line.

It will be interesting to see how many teams use the 3-5-2  (many times playing as a 5-3-2). And playing it means be effective with it - see Arsenal for a disasterous failure using it.

Seattle won the MLS Cup last year without recording a shot on goal. Soccer is probably the only sport in which you can be held scoreless and win a championship. Goals conceded  is the most important variable, and what I've seen - so far - are breakdowns in communication and/or marking assignments more than "golasos". One mistake in defending is all it takes to lose . . .

[PaulNewman]

Good post - and no need to mask your love of Kenyon soccer - we know of your passion!

First weekend of the EPL - 3.1 goals per game - caused one commentator to remark, "Playing defense is a dying art." Maybe - I've seen shabby/lazy marking, I've seen miscommunication by central defenders and lackluster attempts by midfielders to get back and defend.

I think the critical positions in today's game are two-way wingers - whether they be backs or middies - and a dominant DM (if you are fortunate to have two you are truly blessed). Defense has always been a team responsibility, but having a killer DM protects the middle from easy/fast penetration. I've read several accounts about Kante - he is the current gold standard.

Two-way wingers protect the flanks, deny crosses and prevent opposing wingers from turning the corner st the by-line.

It will be interesting to see how many teams use the 3-5-2  (many times playing as a 5-3-2). And playing it means be effective with it - see Arsenal for a disasterous failure using it.

Seattle won the MLS Cup last year without recording a shot on goal. Soccer is probably the only sport in which you can be held scoreless and win a championship. Goals conceded  is the most important variable, and what I've seen - so far - are breakdowns in communication and/or marking assignments more than "golasos". One mistake in defending is all it takes to lose . . .

Domino, lol, didn't think I was masking.  I proudly embrace my leanings, even though I am actually a bigger fan of the school than the soccer program.

In my initial draft I had a sentence about winning without scoring that I took out, because, while true in any individual incidence, it's not so true in terms of a pattern of results or a strategy that should be depended on.  I did a poor job with my real point, which was that in the aftermath of games like the last two Elite 8 games, the sequence leading to the game winner becomes larger than life and I/we overly focus on that instead of the other 89+ or 109+ minutes.  And the common denominator across Kenyon's last 3 exits from the tournament was a failure to score. 

We as sports fans, and almost always following a loss (because when you win who cares how many breaks went your way or how against the run of play a result was), become preoccupied with the IF ONLYs....and that of course is one of the great fallacies in homerism or even just regular postgame analysis. Even if the IF ONLY had been true, that doesn't mean all other variables would have stayed in place.  At the risk of blatant tautology, dynamics are by their nature dynamic.  We don't actually know what would happen.

Here's a good oversimplified example of how homerism often works.  Your team has been badly outplayed and is losing 4-0 with two minutes to go.  You pull out your last card which is the Buffalo Wings bartender guy, and 90 seconds later the game is 4-4.  You're ecstatic and have no qualms about feeling the new circumstance is well-deserved, and not only well-deserved but maybe even historically phenomenal.  Then your team loses in OT.  You feel robbed.  You focus on thinking something was a bad call or an inexcusable error or gross luck on the other side.  You remember the game as a really painful one that "got away," instead of understanding that your team had no business equalizing in the first place.  And of course the feelings (and perceptions) one has if your team was the one in full control who blew a nice lead and lost involve another angle on homerism...one primed for a stance of righteous indignation.

Domino, best of luck to your Capital crew.  I genuinely hope you guys run the table unless of course that involves a first round NCAA meeting with a certain squad.  I don't always agree with you 100%, but you, along with the blooterman (and of course some others), always strive to play your analyses right down the middle.

[bestfancle]

Great friday for the OAC. Northern beat Kalamazoo 3-1, JCU beat Penn State-B 3-1, and Capital beat St. Thomas 2-0.

There are some good games today and tomorrow that I will be paying attention to. As of right now, JCU looks destined to make the tournament. If they lose the OAC Championship as they have in years past, I would expect a bid.

Case got outmatched yesterday at #2 Calvin. Calvin looks really, really good.

A lot of the ohio teams are matching up the next couple weeks. CMU, Case, JCU, Ohio Wesleyan, Kenyon. Should clear a lot of things up by next weekend.