Mid-Atlantic Region

[Kuiper]

Good first half by the Muhls. Goals are goals. 

F&M has to figure out a way to finish. Way too many opportunities that they haven't been able to capitalize. 

This looked like a pretty good finish.  Muhlenberg 2 - F&M 1

https://x.com/CentennialConf/status/1855066884493672556

[Hopkins Walk-On]

Hopkins3, Dickinson 0

What a turnaround! After Dickinson had 16 shots to Hopkins 4 in the first half and dominated possession, Hopkins scored 4 minutes in to the second half and never looked back. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I think Hopkins outshot Dickinson in the second half and clearly had the better of play.

I don't have a very good explanation for the turnaround. Dickinson slowed notably in the second half - they might have been tired after the Frantic pressing of the first half. Dickinson's back line was also exposed a bit. They are big but not fast. Once Hopkins was able to break the press, Dickinson's defense struggled a bit.

Simon Turner, the Hopkins GK, had a fantastic game and kept them in it in the first half under heavy pressure.

I can see why Dickinson did well this year. They can create a lot of chaos

[Hopkins92]

3-0 Hopkins.

Clinical game, and that's as mcuh as I want to say right now.

[Mr_November]

Messiah 1-1 York, 28 min left in second half of the MAC Commonwealth Championship.

Messiah opened the scoring through Sophomore winger Sam Phillips. York equalized two minutes later on a PK. Messiah dominating possession but York have been rock solid defensively. Anything lateral by Messiah is OK, but any penetrating pass is pressed aggressively by York.

Will be interesting to see how this one plays out. Wouldn't be surprised if we saw OT or even a PK shootout.

[Mr_November]

2-1 Messiah with 5 minutes to play. Goal scored by Patrick Lee. York caught out in a bad spot in their defensive third middle of the field and they pay the price.

[SierraFD3soccer]

Very good game!

[Hopkins Walk-On]

0-0 at halftime between Hopkins and Muhlenberg. Hopkins has dominated possession but has had only a few decent scoring chances. Muhlenberg is playing sound defense and keeping at least 4 men back. They seem to be hoping to capitalize on an error by the Hopkins backline.

Second half should be more interesting.

[pinball]

Hopkins and Muhlenberg heading to overtime 1-1

[SierraFD3soccer]

Hopkins and Muhlenberg heading to overtime 1-1

You have a perfect name for the Muhls' goal

[pinball]

Hopkins and Muhlenberg heading to overtime 1-1

You have a perfect name for the Muhls' goal

indeed.  when created the account I didn't have that in mind.

[Hopkins92]

Hopkins with the win in PKs.

I used to spend a lot of idle practice time (we didn't have a goalie coach) taking PKs with my fellow goalies. The no run up was my favorite way to take a PK, because it gives the goalie almost zero feel for where the kick is going because to do that, you need to see the hip positioning and what the guy does with his plant foot. I won't go on and on, but there are ways you can read things during the run up.

Hopkins just won on PKs with all 5 kickers doing that. It was pretty f'ing cool to watch that, and I wouldn't want to be messing with the Jays during the tournament if it gets to PKs. That was amazing.

(Also, we talk about this on the board and make note... Hop used a specialist for it's GK. Kind of paid off, as he stoned the first one... But the Muhles made the next three in a row... Still not sure I buy the specialty PK thing.)

[Ejay]

Those 5 PKs were unstoppable. Impressive.

[PaulNewman]

Hopkins with the win in PKs.

I used to spend a lot of idle practice time (we didn't have a goalie coach) taking PKs with my fellow goalies. The no run up was my favorite way to take a PK, because it gives the goalie almost zero feel for where the kick is going because to do that, you need to see the hip positioning and what the guy does with his plant foot. I won't go on and on, but there are ways you can read things during the run up.

Hopkins just won on PKs with all 5 kickers doing that. It was pretty f'ing cool to watch that, and I wouldn't want to be messing with the Jays during the tournament if it gets to PKs. That was amazing.

(Also, we talk about this on the board and make note... Hop used a specialist for it's GK. Kind of paid off, as he stoned the first one... But the Muhles made the next three in a row... Still not sure I buy the specialty PK thing.)

Congratulations to Hopkins Nation.  Hop92, you mentioned the short or no-runup for PKs a week or two ago.  I assumed that meant one guy uses that style.  Extremely effective, at least today, and just a tad annoying for whatever reason.  Must be an Appleby thing, or one guy convinced all the others to do it?  Have they done that in previous years? 

[Kuiper]

Hopkins wins the Centennial in PKs over Muhlenberg after tying 1-1 in regulation/OT

I don't think I've ever seen a PK strategy where every single PK taker plants one foot, waits a few beats for the GK to get antsy, and then swings the other foot.  Zero run-up.  Many of the shots were top corner, but not over the bar, because it's hard to lean back when your foot is planted and there's no run-up.  It clearly worked for Hopkins.  Better than the specialist GK brought in for PKs.  He did fine saving one, but that's kind of the low bar for a decent PK goalkeeper.  Didn't matter as all Hopkins needed him to save was one.

[SierraFD3soccer]

Hopkins with the win in PKs.

I used to spend a lot of idle practice time (we didn't have a goalie coach) taking PKs with my fellow goalies. The no run up was my favorite way to take a PK, because it gives the goalie almost zero feel for where the kick is going because to do that, you need to see the hip positioning and what the guy does with his plant foot. I won't go on and on, but there are ways you can read things during the run up.

Hopkins just won on PKs with all 5 kickers doing that. It was pretty f'ing cool to watch that, and I wouldn't want to be messing with the Jays during the tournament if it gets to PKs. That was amazing.

(Also, we talk about this on the board and make note... Hop used a specialist for it's GK. Kind of paid off, as he stoned the first one... But the Muhles made the next three in a row... Still not sure I buy the specialty PK thing.)

Congratulations to Hopkins Nation.  Hop92, you mentioned the short or no-runup for PKs a week or two ago.  I assumed that meant one guy uses that style.  Extremely effective, at least today, and just a tad annoying for whatever reason.  Must be an Appleby thing, or one guy convinced all the others to do it?  Have they done that in previous years?

So my two cents, is that it is awesome at the D3 level.  Think of how many pks, go wide right or over the bar. Much, much harder to do that with less power. 

Many may remember that JHU in 2022 lost to the Muhls in pks in the finals where they hit at least one (possibly 2) over the bar. Then against Stevens way, way left of the goal.

No run up, kick will most likely be on frame though not as much power and will make the keeper make a save.

As to pk specialist, I see that as crap at this level. This isn't 2014 and these teams aren't the Netherlands.  The coaches aren't Van Gaal with Tim Krul on their bench. I believe Hop did that twice in 2022 and at least once did not have one save. Another team did it in the 2nd round of the NCAAs and the sub keeper did not get even close to saving a pk. Happened again the next year, after being the starter for the season, did it again in the 2nd round.