Mid-Atlantic Region

[Hopkins92]

Mules homer back for some more after getting abused in first week of season by a supposed Mid-Atlantic expert. Haverford announcers (aka the Beavis and Butthead of the D3 booth) are hilarious and worth the listen in the old centennialconference.tv archive.

Kind of a weird vibe here.

[SierraFD3soccer]

First time the Fords Bevis and B was during the Shane Reneer (?) era and it was the first round of the NCAAs. They were recruiting our son at the time. We thought it was pretty funny. Luckily he went another way as Shane left the following year.

[Falconer]

Attended the Messiah/PSU-Harrisburg game last evening. The field is a very fast type of artificial surface that isn't suited to the Falcons' game of keeping the ball on the ground; and, whenever they went aerial in the first half (as a counter to an unusual defensive tactic), the ball seemed actually to speed up on landing. Probably an illusion, but balls definitely play faster on that field. It's the same field on which PSU defeated Messiah, 1-0, two years ago. There was no game last fall; I think it was rained out in Grantham.

It was a game of two halves, with PSU winning the first half and Messiah the second. The Lions scored almost right away, on their first counter, when D2 transfer Kobe Harris (https://athletics.hbg.psu.edu/sports/msoc/2023-24/bios/harris_kobe_9g10) got a wide-open shot around the top of the box and hit it just inside the right post. Maybe the GK was fooled, maybe a defender made a mistake, or maybe PSU just created the opening. I haven't seen a replay. Anyway, it was a nice goal. PSU put 5 men out front defensively, hustled their butts off, and pressured at every opportunity. The Falcons committed a lot of giveaways and also had many passes intercepted when defenders made well-timed runs into space. The Lions were very well organized and well disciplined. Kudos to them.

In order to counter that move, the Falcons did something they don't ordinarily do: they went over the top, repeatedly and deliberately, rather than sticking stubbornly to their usual pattern of building from the back. Now, I don't mean that they just abandoned the possession game; they didn't. But, they interrupted it much more than normal to play dump and run, Falcon style. In the first half it didn't work--not b/c PSU could match their speed (they couldn't), or b/c PSU knocked away or intercepted those long aerials (they didn't). Rather, the Falcons didn't properly adjust to the way the turf seemed to speed up passes. Far too many were sent far too long; they just went over the endline or out of bounds, without being touched by either side.

The Falcons fixed that in the second half, and totally dominated the Lions. The first goal, by perhaps the fastest Falcon, FR Sam Phillips (https://gomessiah.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/sam-phillips/10315), resulted from a great long ball from (who else?) fifth-year outside back Grant Johnson (https://gomessiah.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/grant-johnson/10298), his cup of tea. I didn't see any hint of a handball on the play, though Hopkins92 thinks maybe there had to be one. If anyone finds a replay, please chime in. Anyway, Phillips beat a defender and slammed it home less than 2 minutes into the second half. There were several more good chances for the Falcons, some of them from long passes, but none bore fruit until Macdonald did his usual thing: he outhustled and outmuscled a defender for a ball sent to the right of the box, then made a great pass into the middle, where it quickly got passed again to a wide-open Phillips. Macdonald wasn't credited for an assist, but his play created the opportunity and led directly to the score. He was double or triple teamed all evening, actually held to zero shots officially (I think he might have put a header on frame, but maybe it was seen as a pass by the scorer), but still found a way to create an easy goal for a teammate.

However, the best news for the Falcons last evening was the return of the player they call "LC," namely, AA defender Jake Lent-Koop. He had made two short appearances off the bench in the previous game, but honestly it was easy not to notice. Last evening, he dominated the field coming off the bench in each half, though he didn't do anything to write home about on any of the many set plays the Falcons had in the second half. Defensively, however, he has returned in what appears to be full force--and none too soon, given the big matchup with Widener on Saturday. I'm just very happy to see him in there, regardless of his fitness level, since the news didn't sound good when he went down with a knee injury right before the season began. I didn't like the Falcons' chances to go deep in the tournament without him. I only hope he can stay healthy the rest of the way.

In recent seasons the Falcons have been dogged by serious injuries to key players, more perhaps than their share. Other than LC, about a third of the Falcons' roster has missed all or some of the season to injury. The starting left forward (Cole Cristian) is out, his backup (Dylan Englehart) has yet to play a single minute, the backup target (Stefan Leitzal) missed several games, utility man Luke Foster was sub-par, FR CB Mark Adja missed the previous two games and had limited minutes yesterday, and a few others have spent some time in the trainer's room. The upside is, that Phillips has started four games and gotten a lot of minutes, which he's used profitably--the leading scorer so far with 7 goals.

[camosfan]

 during the Shane Reneer! where is he now, he tried recruiting my son when he was at Colgate, next year I saw him at Drexel where my older was playing ,then that head coach got fired?

[Hopkins92]

I can't say definitively on the handball, but while I had access to the feed I watched that play a half-dozen times... I just don't see how a ball served that far and at that pace is going to hit off a forehead and die at his feet like it did. His arm comes up in a somewhat unnatural motion. But, like you say, it sure wasn't an "obvious" call by any stretch.

(And for the record, the PSH coach was pretty upset and was slapping his hand on his opposing forearm at the ref as the ball was being back up for kickoff.)

Overall, great analysis and agree that the first half was kind of tough to watch as Messiah struggled in possession. I think PSH was pressing one of their midfielders higher than Messiah may have anticipated.

[SierraFD3soccer]

during the Shane Reneer! where is he now, he tried recruiting my son when he was at Colgate, next year I saw him at Drexel where my older was playing ,then that head coach got fired?

Yeah, it looks like he might be looking to get back into soccer. Doesn't look like he is up to much right now other than being back in the Philly area. https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-rineer/

However, he may be running his own business or working with this outfit. HQ in Paoli, PA which might be him.  https://www.linkedin.com/company/athlete-match/about/  He may be involved with this, but his bio is not in there. However, he is in the picture here. https://athletematch.com/our-story/  Mark Wagner was Shane's coach back in the day at Eastern.  Mark is also the older brother of Dan Wagner, F&M's coach and helps coaching F&M.  Mark started the Future 500 ID camp as well. 

[camosfan]

I know Wagner "Future  500" was a good camp, never restart after Covid!

[paclassic89]

Widener down 2-0 already. 

[Freddyfud]

Watching the Hampden Sydney W&L game, well at least when the camera isn't backwards.  Actually listening to one of the coaches talking to his team in the corner at half time, presumably due to one of those corner cameras.  Interesting.  My son is there in the stands texting me some game notes.  Let's just say they are a little NSFW compared to the ones SC publishes.  But hey, maybe he can look into a journalism major?   

[Hopkins92]

I wonder if the Stockton camera person is aware we have a chyron with the score and time available. :-)

Pride fell into the trap. Just nothing really cooking for them tonight. Not sharp and the attack is pretty feeble (for them.) Couple of half chances for Fatiga, but they just don't look as energized as I've seen them earlier.

Understandable with a huge tilt this weekend, but it's going to mess with there RR.

[Another Mom]

W&L 2 -1. They showed some flashes of their former brilliance. Not sure if it's because they were playing a weaker team. Coach still mixing things up.

[SierraFD3soccer]

Classic trap game

[SierraFD3soccer]

W&L 2 -1. They showed some flashes of their former brilliance. Not sure if it's because they were playing a weaker team. Coach still mixing things up.

The Squids beat VWU when they down 1 -0. So maybe turning the corner??

[Hopkins92]

Classic trap game

I don't want to take TOO much from tonight, but...

It showed that Widener has limited # of players with skill. I know that's going to sound harsh from the resident hype-man, but what I've seen them do in many games is kind of overwhelm the oppo with quick counters and numbers in space (if that makes sense... 2v1 or 3v1 before the oppon can react).

Organized teams can absorb that and frustrate Widener. Not saying they are over-rated, just saying this Saturday is going to really be a Show Me game.

[Hopkins92]

Sorry, not to be down the Widener rabbit hole. I don't feel like editing that, but... I mean players with game-changing level of skill. They are starting at a D3 program in a good conference. That's your baseline.

Watching tonight, just a criminal number of bad touch/turnovers. Not enough critical thinking to get the ball to the forwards (way too direct and in places that made it really difficult for the F to do anything with the ball.) Just a tough game to watch and I think Coach and every player would agree not the most cohesive approach.

Geez. Thinking... poor guys are just out there playing a random mid-week and getting hammered by their most random online super fan. Makes this weekend at Shoemaker all the more fascinating. If I wasn't going to Dewey for a fundraiser, I'd make an effort to be there. (Though... Sat weather is supposed to be sh*t so...)