Big Dance

[Buck O.]

But the deciding PK in the Kenyon game - wow. #27 for UR was having a MOTM game - several Kenyon fans said the same. Second half I was stationed on the fence at the attacking end for Kenyon - oh the chances they missed! #27 loses his footing, falls chest-first on the ball, ball touches his arm. I was 10 yards away - harshest decision - still not sure it meets the current criteria for handling. But the gentlemanly way he accepted the decision - unheard of in this era. My heart goes out to him. Class act in the face of such a decision.

Amended after finding the exact passage from the IFAB changes to handling, March 2019: (page 16:  http://static-3eb8.kxcdn.com/documents/791/171520_110319_IFAB_LoG_changes_and_clarifications.pdf)

"Except for the above offences, it is not usually an offence if the ball touches a player's hand/arm: 
•directly from the player's own head or body (including the foot) 
•directly from the head or body (including the foot) of another player who is close
•if the hand/arm is close to the body and does not make the body unnaturally bigger
•when a player falls and the hand/arm is between the body and the ground to support the body, but not extended laterally or vertically away from the body"

I was also at the match yesterday, in the UR section of the stands so not far from your place along the fence, and my immediate impression of the play was 'clean' and any contact negligible. Everyone wearing blue & yellow - every fan, team member and coach i heard said the same thing, not a penalty. But i wanted to see it again in video just to ensure my partisan eyes weren't blind. And having just watched it in slow motion, that impression stands. It just simply isn't a penalty in any league/contest i've seen. And certainly not a golden-goal penalty in OT of a really good, exciting NCAA knockout game. The contact is almost all on his chest (imagine falling from a pushup position over a ball centered under your breast plate). IF there was any arm contact it would've had no effect on the position of the ball or the players around it. There was no "hand to ball", no change of the direction of the ball, no denial of a goal scoring opportunity, no unnatural hand position, nothing to justify killing a game and robbing both teams of the chance to decide it with their play. I take nothing away from the Kenyon player who converted the PK - a high pressure moment and he finished, so well done to him. But to end that contest on the sort of play that all refs are taught to wave "Play On!" to and let the game decide it, it's just a crying shame. 

The game was everything you want in an NCAA tournament game - the players giving it their all, fans backing their teams, coaches making tactical changes, an even match with both teams creating chances. Rochester was the better team in the early going and got the first point, Kenyon responded and pressed hard, especially in the 2nd half - creating their own chances but also inviting counters, making for an exciting back and forth. In OT the first 7 minutes saw a flurry of Rochester attacks, a pair of corners and a few free kicks and the feeling was that UR would find the winner.  But unfortunately that one call will now mar the game in the memory banks. I remember leaving Grantham, PA two years ago after Messiah beat Rochester in the Elite 8 and hearing players and fans all say "great battle, but they were better". Last year the feeling was that Tufts took that semifinal game - physically but fairly, they were better. But this feeling, this isn't easy to settle with. Losing to an opinion is awful.

Do you have a link to the video?  I couldn't find anything.

Any credit to the Kenyon player who drove into the box and had the corner on the UR defender and put the defender in a vulnerable situation?

I would quibble just a bit with your characterization of the first half.  The UR back line was superb but imo the Lords still dominated possession and the UR goal happened due to a blatant unforced error by Kenyon's very good frosh CB who made a weak, mis-hit pass with no pressure close to midfield that was easily picked off and turned into a throw in for UR and then failed clearances by Kenyon after that and a scrum goal. 

And I also thought UR was going to score in the OT sequence you mentioned.  It wasn't so much repeated attacks as much as Kenyon couldn't get a clear from the initial foray into the Lords' final third and kept giving up corners and free kicks.  Anyway, UR definitely had opportunity and could have won it there.

I wasn't at the game but definitely looked like a very competitive, well played match overall between two worthy opponents.  I knew UR was going to be a problem.  I am sorry that you and other UR folks left with bad feelings about the ending.  I know that is a horrible feeling and one that does stick for a long time.

Sure, Muther deserves some credit.  But i saw it the same way that Mat saw it.  The UofR defender went to ground to block the cross, the ball hit him, and I don't think he did anything to make himself bigger, so they should have played on.

[PaulNewman]

So he made the slide tackle to stop the cross, the Kenyon player jumps over him to avoid the slide, and he lands on the ball.  And does he touch the ball with his hand?  Arm?  The ref didn't hesitate at all from what I could see.  Does he simply not know the rule?  Any chance any other ref would have called for a PK?  Did the UR player contribute anything to the call going against him?  Sounds like he made a play and because of his play to stop a play he had some type of contact with the ball with hand and/or arm.  Some descriptions have made it sound like what happened to him was totally accidental and that he did nothing to put himself at risk of a call.  Can someone produce the video?

[midwest]

I happened to tune into the Kenyon - UR OT, and saw the tackle which led to the PK. My initial reaction -- keeping in mind that I'm nothing more than a soccer parent -- was that the UR tackle looked good, Kenyon player leapt over the defender, and then, the call was made. I could not see hand ball contact from the live stream and did not realize (sound was off) that hand ball was the basis for the PK. I tried to re-watch the play, but could not rewind the live stream. Perhaps someone with access to Kenyon archived film could locate it?

[PaulNewman]

I happened to tune into the Kenyon - UR OT, and saw the tackle which led to the PK. My initial reaction -- keeping in mind that I'm nothing more than a soccer parent -- was that the UR tackle looked good, Kenyon player leapt over the defender, and then, the call was made. I could not see hand ball contact from the live stream and did not realize (sound was off) that hand ball was the basis for the PK. I tried to re-watch the play, but could not rewind the live stream. Perhaps someone with access to Kenyon archived film could locate it?

After this I'm gonna stop at least until seeing some video.  Apparently Rochester parents have seen it. I couldn't see what happened on live stream.  That may be at least partly because the UR player's body blocked the view.  Not sure.  It also seems possible that the ref and some of the players had a view that you wouldn't see even from 10 yards away if the view from the sideline was blocked or partially blocked.  As I said yesterday, when watching live my initial thought was that Kenyon had earned a corner.  But several Kenyon players and the announcer immediately shouted out for a penalty.  Must have seen something with that immediate of a reaction.  And I do recall thinking as Muther was turning the corner that Kenyon was going to have a great chance of scoring.  And I have to say that it's hard to believe that the ref made the call unless he was absolutely sure given the magnitude of the moment.  If he botched the call entirely then outrage is totally understandable.  I would be outraged.  It is amazing that Eisold didn't flip out at least a little too, given the stakes. 

[TyWebb]

But i wanted to see it again in video just to ensure my partisan eyes weren't blind. And having just watched it in slow motion, that impression stands. It just simply isn't a penalty in any league/contest i've seen. And certainly not a golden-goal penalty in OT of a really good, exciting NCAA knockout game. The contact is almost all on his chest (imagine falling from a pushup position over a ball centered under your breast plate).

PN, I have been trying to find the video without success as well. MaturinNYC, if you have a link to the video of the Kenyon v. UR game it would be appreciated.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park-Gustavus game is very chippy as Gustavus got the late equalizer.  Hard to say what happened but an NP player was down on the ground holding his head(?) as Gustavus sent a cross in.

I didn't see it when I was calling the game live, but I watched the game again last night and it appeared that a GAC player put an elbow or a forearm into the back of NPU midfielder Gustav Ericsson's head at the near post when he (the GAC player) was swinging around to track the cross as it sailed past him to the far post, where GAC's Otis Anderson headed it in for the equalizer. The elbow may have been inadvertent, as it looked like it may have been part of a natural turning movement.

North Park arguing everything with the referee.  Reminds me of a few years ago when North Park was the beneficiary of many whistles.  Maybe the karma whistle has made it back to North Park.

[Gregory Sager]

Susan,

I watched the game online and it was clear that it wasn't a flop. He simply tripped over his own feet. The center got the call wrong, the AR got it right and in the end - the right call was made. Your observation on it being a "flop" was incorrect.

I agree that it was not a flop.  He just overran and fell.  The ref conferred with the linesman, and they got the call right.  The complaining might have been over the subsequent possession, which went to the Gustavus GK.

Definitely not a flop. It was obvious what happened after we showed the replay. The NPU player in question, Gianfranco DeCarne, was leaning forward as he raced into the box, intent upon keeping his head over the ball so that he didn't lift it too high when he shot. Unfortunately, he leaned out too far and simply fell over. It's not the first time that that's happened in a soccer game, and it definitely won't be the last. One of the school's game photographers, who is an NPU prof, posted a picture on Facebook today of DeCarne starting to tumble, and you can see that that's exactly what happened.

We showed the replay on the air, I changed my initial call that DeCarne had been tripped, and after the refs conferred and reversed the original call I said that they got it right.

[Gregory Sager]

Not sure I fall in line with the seeming consensus that Chicago is a contender this year. I understand the legacy and recent success etc.. but looking at their record this year (11-1-5), they played out to 5 draws and a loss. That loss came to Calvin, and most of the draws (bar maybe Carthage) came against very respectable programs who are all discussed in the national perspective, so at first glance not a lot to worry about. But, this is the national tournament, so at this point you are playing programs of that high caliber almost strictly. Chicago is no exception w/ potential 2nd round matchup with winner of OWU and Hope and beyond. The seeming inability of Chicago to find that winning goal in overtime, at least in a decent # of games vs respected opponents, could come back to bite them in the tournament. As we all know, a shootout is not about who the better team is whatsoever. If Chicago gets into a penalty shootout, anything could happen.

Wow. What a weekend of soccer. Hate to be that guy that quotes his own correct prediction, but I'm going to be that guy for a sec because I want to make a point. I think many just assumed that Chicago would be a contender, because, well it's Chicago. Let this be a reminder that just because a team has legacy, does not mean that that legacy will shine through each year. I think there are some schools that people automatically assume will contend, and they largely have earned the right to have that assumption made, but remember that each year it's a new team, and that teams should be judged on what they did during the year (as is protocol for selection committee) not what they have done in years prior. Some people may not like this comment, but I think many know it's true whether or not they like it.

BTW, take nothing away from the performance of OWU and one of the best coaches in college soccer, Jay Martin. OWU looks hungry.

I think I follow your point and your caveat at the end is appreciated, but just because a team loses or is upset doesn't necessarily mean they were overrated.

This.

I mean, come on, Chicago was undefeated (7-0-0) in one of the two top conferences in the country and DID NOT ALLOW A SINGLE GOAL.  They looked to be in decent shape versus OWU for much of the game too.  OWU has said they made some adjustments, but the game really turned once OWU scored to draw even.  That happened late enough for OWU to get a burst of momentum that led to a go-ahead goal and then Chicago just didn't have much time to respond.  I'm sure the Maroons were shell-shocked at the final whistle wondering what had just happened to them.  And it does take away from OWU's gutsy win to suggest that Chicago wasn't really that good.

This, too.

There rightfully is a lot of focus on Tufts and Messiah, but OWU has done this NCAA thing a couple of times....a record 41 NCAA appearances to be exact, and the Battling Bishops are unlikely to ever be eclipsed on that measure.

From your mouth to God's ear, 'cause Wheaton's in second place behind OWU with 36 appearances, and I don't like the implication for NPU of Wheaton being able to make up that five-appearances deficit.

The nightcap (or daycap in this case) puts the last 2 national runner-ups against each other, as Calvin takes on the home side, North Park. Obviously, NP caught a significant break with Chicago bowing out - allowing them the chance to host this Pod. However, I don't think it will change the outcome of the game, as every team is comfortable on turf (compared to having to play on grass, when you have only played on turf all year). Calvin goes as Olson/Twigg go, so it will be interesting to see the defensive tactics that Kris Grahn puts into place to minimize the impact. Similarly, North Park is at it's best when Olsen/Ericsson are allowed space in the midfield to attack. When that space is tightened up and team's play physical with them, it tends to lead to the ball being stagnant and NP becomes ineffective. I expect this game to be up and down the pitch, quite entertaining for the fans. One key factor will be the health of 2 NP players (GK-Stuhlen and F-Khoury). Khoury went down in the first half and didn't return. Stuhlen went out before OT and didn't return. The one part of the field where NP seems to lack depth is up top, so it will be critical for them that Khoury is able to go. I think it goes one of two ways, either Calvin scores early and wins big (3-0) or NP wins a 2-1 or 1-0 game. My gut is telling me the latter, so from a prediction perspective, I will take an NP win 2-1 in regular time.

This sets up a unique battle between NP and OWU, as you have a first year head coach going up against a legend. I think NP has a pace advantage, especially on the wings, and will be able to create quality scoring chances. I like NP winning this one 2-0 and heading back to Greensboro for the 2nd time in 3 years.   

... and it's stuff like that that makes me hope Wheaton never catches OWU. They keep trying to kill NPU with kindness.

Seriously, though, having watched each of the three other teams in the sectional already, I think that GoThunder1's assessment is fair. Still, I like the idea of NPU staying under the radar. Aside from GoThunder1, nobody has taken the Vikings seriously yet, and that's a trend of which I approve. Yeah, a bunch of people predicted that NPU would reach the Sweet Sixteen, but I get the impression that it was more of a default pick than anything else for a lot of people who took Gustavus, Pacific Lutheran, and Colorado College even less seriously.

[Domino1195]

But i wanted to see it again in video just to ensure my partisan eyes weren't blind. And having just watched it in slow motion, that impression stands. It just simply isn't a penalty in any league/contest i've seen. And certainly not a golden-goal penalty in OT of a really good, exciting NCAA knockout game. The contact is almost all on his chest (imagine falling from a pushup position over a ball centered under your breast plate).

PN, I have been trying to find the video without success as well. MaturinNYC, if you have a link to the video of the Kenyon v. UR game it would be appreciated.

Perspective. Been on the pitch since I was 8. New Yorker gone west to play college ball at U of Dayton. Reffed for 30 years - HS, College, USSF. Now 62 years old.

Stood with the Kenyon fans both days. Met Sean again and Muther's dad. First half - I made a comment about #27 for UR - both of these guys turned and said the same : the kid is killing it today. At the ten minute mark of the first half - not a single whistle for a foul. Sean - the Scotsman says: "Is that good or bad?"  I said - compared to the two officials the previous day - this was great. The boys hadn't given the CR much reason to intervene - let them play.

UR gets a goal against the run of play off a corner. It happens. Second half I watched from the 18 to the goal line - moving as much as the AR over the same territory. I saw one cross kiss the crossbar that may not have been perceptible to the video. I saw Kenyon miss two grade A chances - clear cut goals except for final touches.

OT. The scramble in front of Kenyon's goal was a million miles away from me - no perspective to offer. But the play leading up to the PK call was right in front of me. Muther attacked - #27 lost his footing - attempted to plant his feet and you could hear his studs desperately trying to hold their position - but he fell forward and his arm touched the ball.

Referees are challenged annually during recertification with many scenarios to consider. One constant is: "what is fair?" It varies game by game. But once you - the ref - set the standard for the game - be consistent.  This CR allowed them to play until that PK call. Regardless of the micro-analysis of "that play" - the just call for this game, for the way the CR officiated the game to this point: no penalty.

[MaturinNYC]

But i wanted to see it again in video just to ensure my partisan eyes weren't blind. And having just watched it in slow motion, that impression stands. It just simply isn't a penalty in any league/contest i've seen. And certainly not a golden-goal penalty in OT of a really good, exciting NCAA knockout game. The contact is almost all on his chest (imagine falling from a pushup position over a ball centered under your breast plate).

PN, I have been trying to find the video without success as well. MaturinNYC, if you have a link to the video of the Kenyon v. UR game it would be appreciated.

Sorry i can't share the video (it's on a pw-protected archive of the UofR games) - but I believe Kenyon's video of the game is available with a subscription (an "On Demand" section of their site)?  Maybe a Kenyon fan who has a video subscription can share their clip from it?   I guess i can try and share stills of the moment - i'll try that.

But before i do let me say that Kenyon did nothing wrong here - of course they would claim a foul when there's suspected contact in the box, who wouldn't?!?!  And absolutely #15's dribble attack into the area gets credit, as does Kenyon's free kick that equalized the game in the 76th minute. I've said this elsewhere, but let me repeat - it was a great NCAA playoff game that saw two solid teams giving their all and then giving even more. My only criticism is that this exciting, thrilling game got cut short by the official who, i believe, made a mistake in awarding a golden goal penalty on what was at worst incidental contact or chest/shoulder on a player falling down. It happens. That's not Kenyon's fault (also full credit to the kid who converted the PK, talk about pressure). So please do not take this as a UofR fan throwing shade like a sore loser. Kenyon won, i heard and saw that their players and ours showed great appreciation and respect for each other, and i wish them well. I just also wish that the game was decided in a manner fit for the moment and the quality of both of the teams playing it.

OK, so with that disclaimer, here's some screenshots.

[MaturinNYC]

Sorry, apparently this has to be a one-image-per-post thing, so here goes:

#15 White (Kenyon) has dribbled into the area and #27 Blue (Rochester) has started to slide - stopping the cross (the ball is under #27's left leg at this point)

[MaturinNYC]

Sorry all, but i could only load that one pic it seems. I'm well within the limits (jpg, under 500kb, each pic is only 50kb or so) -- anyone know what i'm doing wrong?  Can an admin help? I've got 4 more pics. But it's late and it's a work night so i'll try again in the AM.

[PaulNewman]

Cristan, can someone fix the Tournament Central page?  It's stuck on 2018.

[Christan Shirk]

Cristan, can someone fix the Tournament Central page?  It's stuck on 2018.

Fixed. 

The 2019 page was always there and accessible from the pull-down menus, but the headline on the home page was linking to last year's page thanks to yours truly.  Sorry about that.  Note to self: ALWAYS test the headlines and links you create. #retirementcalls #bringinfreshblood

[PaulNewman]

Cristan, can someone fix the Tournament Central page?  It's stuck on 2018.

Fixed. 

The 2019 page was always there and accessible from the pull-down menus, but the headline on the home page was linking to last year's page thanks to yours truly.  Sorry about that.  Note to self: ALWAYS test the headlines and links you create. #retirementcalls #bringinfreshblood

LOL.  Thanks as always.