2017 Great Lakes Region

[Domino1195]

OWU @ Wabash - noon start. Gamesmanship?? I'd be surprised if OWU spent the night but that's close to a 4 hour drive - they'd have to leave 6:30?

[PaulNewman]

OWU @ Wabash - noon start. Gamesmanship?? I’d be surprised if OWU spent the night but that’s close to a 4 hour drive - they’d have to leave 6:30?

I'd be shocked if they DIDN'T spend the night. It's not like Martin just woke up yesterday.

Maybe my Greek compatriot will chime in.

[Domino1195]

Unless you're playing in the UAA I don't see the need for overnight trips in conference play. I would think the preservation of precious budget dollars would be another factor that might have suggested a later start time. Just curious - unless someone has direct knowledge of this situation.

[PaulNewman]

Kenyon goes the night before, and I'm sure OWu does, and DPU and Wab reciprocate.

[Mr.Right]

Anything over 3 hours and a team will go the night before on the weekend

[Little Giant 89]

OWU and Wabash played each other in futbol and football today.  I assume they came out together the night before.

[bestfancle]

This past weekend was weird for the OAC.

JCU tops ONU 2-1 in OT, which is a great win for the Streaks. ONU has always been their kryptonite. The last 3 meetings before this were ties (2 OAC finals and 2016 regular season game). JCU now can make its own destiny as far as the regular season championship goes.

Heidelberg his hit the wall, and may suddenly be irrelevant. Lost 4-0 to ONU and lost 3-0 to Otterbein last week, Wow! I am stunned. Now it looks as if the OAC only has 1 pool C candidate, JCU. Everyone else is looking for an Automatic bid.

Otterbein is throwing together a strong conference performance. JCU goes to Otterbein Tuesday, and we will see if they are the real deal.

[Domino1195]

Massey rankings - week ahead:

Team	Conference	Record	Δ	Rat	SoS	SSF	Week Ahead
John Carroll	Ohio AC	12-1-1	0.89286	2	8	15	17	@Otterbein, @Capital
Carnegie Mellon	University AA	9-3-1	0.73077	-1	20	4	6	LaRoche,
Otterbein	Ohio AC	11-2	0.84615	16	25	77	51	JCU, Baldwin Wallace
Kenyon	North Coast AC	10-2-2	0.78571	28	37	36	@OWU, DePauw
Ohio Wesleyan	North Coast AC	8-5-1	0.60714	5	45	19	27	Kenyon, Hiram
Transylvania	Heartland CAC	11-1	0.91667	-14	48	212	254	Franklin, @Anderson
Capital	Ohio AC	9-5	0.64286	-2	49	36	28	Marietta, JCU
Heidelberg	Ohio AC	9-2-1	0.79167	-24	53	111	96	@BW, @Marietta
Ohio Northern	Ohio AC	9-5-1	0.63333	18	54	38	52	Wilmington, @Muskingum
Thomas More	Presidents' AC	9-4-1	0.67857	1	57	67	93	Geneva, @Bethany
Case Western	University AA	5-7-2	0.42857	-20	73	2	1	North Park
Geneva	Presidents' AC	10-2-2	0.78571	11	76	187	206	@TM, Thiel
Denison	North Coast AC	6-6-1	0.5	21	84	17	30	@Wabash, Wooster
PSU-Behrend	Allegheny Mtn	11-4	0.73333	6	85	179	188	@Pitt-Bradford, LaRoche
Marietta	Ohio AC	9-4-1	0.67857	-9	93	134	78	@Capital, Berg

Great match-ups this week for most of the conference contenders - unfortunately many at the same time - can't catch them all.

   
• NCAC:  OWU vs Kenyon - as usual this game will decide the conference champ. Right behind them a resurgent Denison vs Wabash - current 3-4 place holders. These are, most likely, the 4 teams that make the post season tourney.
• OAC: another 1 vs 2 showdown with JCU visiting Otterbein. The two stingiest defenses in the conference - Otterbein conceding only 3 goals during this 9 game winning streak.  The size of JCU is considerable, especially at midfield. The next 4 coming off losses - no shame for ONU losing at JCU but the other three need to look in the mirror and ask themselves the hard question: Do you have what it takes to finish the season on a positive streak? All four of these teams have earned the Box of Chocolates status for the week.
• PRaC: the third 1 vs 2 match-up of the week. TM is the team to beat, winners of 5 straight and with double-revenge, losing twice at Geneva last year, including the conference playoff final 1 minute into OT. I think TM makes a statement in this game - and then must avoid a hangover traveling to Bethany on the weekend.
• HCAC: Transy falls from the ranks of the unbeaten - I thought 4 straight road games was going to be tough - the hangover game after Hanover is what got them.  Interestingly that loss creates a 3-way tie for first. Transy has 3 of the last 4 against the lower half of the conference with one potentially tricky away game at 4th place Anderson. Anderson's record against winning teams is very poor - I expect they'll finish 4-0.
• UAA: CMU gets a nice victory at Wash U; Case plays tough in both games - taking Chicago to OT.  The CMU result just might have nailed Wash U coffin closed. CMU with a very weak non-conference game this week and then 9 days off to play the 3rd and 4th UAA ranked teams, at home.  If they win those two and win vs Case I think they're hosting the first round of the NCAA's as they did last year.

The first of the Regional Rankings comes out Wednesday. For the most part the rankings aren't going to be a shock to most teams except those with weak SoS.  We saw last year what happened to Kenyon in the first rankings - first place in the coach's poll and 7th, I believe, in the first regional.  If past form holds true the top 8 teams, ranked, could be JCU, CMU, Kenyon, OWU,TM, Otterbein - and then Capital, ONU Dension - you pick.  I would not be surprised if Otterbein falls lower than 6th.  Transy may make the top 8 - history says they won't.  I don't believe Tuesday's results will impact the rankings - please let me know if this is not correct.

[bestfancle]

Looks like JCU has moved up to 7 and 9 on D3soccer and Coaches poll respectively. Kenyon ranked 20 and 22, respectively.

The coaches poll has 3 oac teams for what must be the first time in a decade, which may play real well for the OAC in regional rankings.

While the d3 soccer poll has CMU ranked, the coaches poll has Heidelberg and Otterbien, with CMU only RV.

Maybe I spoke too soon regarding a second OAC bid should JCU lose in the OAC final.

[midwest]

In today's games, Denison got a last minute goal in regular time at Wabash to tie it at 3, as they head into OT.

[Domino1195]

In today's games, Denison got a last minute goal in regular time at Wabash to tie it at 3, as they head into OT.

I saw the score at 3-1 and turned it off!

https://boxcast.tv/view/msoc-vs-john-carroll-197028

JCU @ Otterbein link

[Mr.Right]

At 10-2-2 where will Kenyon be regionally ranked tomorrow? They have a win v CMU to open the season and a decent win v Case and a big win v Otterbein who are in 1st place in their conference. Their NCAC conference only has 2 other teams above .500. That is a ton of wins v sub .500 teams. I am guessing they will be ranked #4 or #5 but what will their record be v ranked opponents? Case will not be ranked. So Otterbein and CMU will be which is 2 wins. JCU will be so that is 1 loss. Thomas More will not be ranked. Will OWU at 8-5-2 get the #8 ranking? Probably not and even if they did a loss to Kenyon would knock them right out. I have not seen Kenyon play this year and have only seen OWU once at John Carroll and in that game they were horrific defensively. Will be an interesting game...

For you Midwest fans should I be watching the JCU v Otterbein game or the OWU v Kenyon game?

[midwest]

Denison-Wabash final score after OT,  3-3. 

[Mr.Right]

What a strike by OWU #9..1-0 OWU about 15 min in..They have come out FIRED up in this game...and as I am typing they go up 2-0 on a series of mistakes by Kenyon...WOW...one complete flat giveaway and one WHIFF and OWU looks like an NCAA team in this game.Kenyon looks flat and uninterested and the scoreboard is proof

[PaulNewman]

Actually Kenyon is up 2-0.