Big Dance

[PaulNewman]

That is brutal.  No idea how that one ball didn't go in on the chip over the Calvin GK and then inches from a PK.  I really thought NP deserved that one.  Excellent job too by Mr. Sager.  A very high caliber game....one of the best I've seen honestly.

What I don't understand is only 2 subs for Calvin (that surprises me about Souders and in D3 soccer just rubs me the wrong way) and only 1 sub for NP (who I did think was tiring especially in the 2nd OT) when they have a roster of 50.  There's got to be at least 4-5 guys out of the extra 35 who can spell the starters.  Anyway, feel really bad for NP.  Calvin if they get by Luther better hope that someone takes care of Tufts because there is no way Calvin is beating Tufts playing 2 subs.

[d4_Pace]

The Lob by Olsen would have been goal of the year. His motor was incredible, he made a slide tackle in his own half 20 seconds after that shot. Calvin had majority of possession but didn't go anywhere for majority of game and was exposed on the counter towards end of regulation. Both teams really opened themselves up and eventually Adams capitalized on a great goal.

[PaulNewman]

The Lob by Olsen would have been goal of the year. His motor was incredible, he made a slide tackle in his own half 20 seconds after that shot. Calvin had majority of possession but didn't go anywhere for majority of game and was exposed on the counter towards end of regulation. Both teams really opened themselves up and eventually Adams capitalized on a great goal.

I'm not sure Calvin had the majority of possession especially in the 2nd half.  I know possession and shots don't necessarily track together but NP outshot Calvin 18-6 and 12-3 in the 2nd half alone...but only one shot in both OTs combined.  Calvin GK also made a nice save on I think Olsen's free kick from the side angle late in regulation iirc.

[blooter442]

The winner was impressive but I thought the assist was great vision. When the kid played it forward and it got cycled back to him I thought he would try to play it around the back and switch fields to create one final chance, but instead he one-timed a ball forward and right to feet. Heads-up play and the finish was great too but the forward-thinking vision on the through ball was evident.

A very entertaining 1-0 and I tend to agree that North Park would have deserved the win. Tough breaks against the Vikings, but Calvin had just enough to get over the line.

[PaulNewman]

The winner was impressive but I thought the assist was great vision. When the kid played it forward and it got cycled back to him I thought he would try to play it around the back and switch fields to create one final chance, but instead he one-timed a ball forward and right to feet. Heads-up play and the finish was great too but the forward-thinking vision on the through ball was evident.

A very entertaining 1-0 and I tend to agree that North Park would have deserved the win. Tough breaks against the Vikings, but Calvin had just enough to get over the line.

Agreed.  That pass was a great, clutch play.  NP earlier in regulation had a through ball almost as good or better if the player had scored....that was the first chance to chip and a big chance missed.

It's weird....I thought NP deserved to win but I never thought Calvin was gonna lose (well, maybe for a second when I had zero doubt that lob was going in.  The things that decide games and who you end up playing or not playing down the road are so impacted by the smallest of margins.

[Gotberg]

As an NPU fan this is a hard loss to take given we were the better team on the night (I thought we were at least) .  Thank you seniors and good luck with your futures and thanks for being a Viking!

Calvin - good luck for the rest of the tourney.

[rudy]

That is brutal.  No idea how that one ball didn't go in on the chip over the Calvin GK and then inches from a PK.  I really thought NP deserved that one.  Excellent job too by Mr. Sager.  A very high caliber game....one of the best I've seen honestly.

What I don't understand is only 2 subs for Calvin (that surprises me about Souders and in D3 soccer just rubs me the wrong way) and only 1 sub for NP (who I did think was tiring especially in the 2nd OT) when they have a roster of 50.  There's got to be at least 4-5 guys out of the extra 35 who can spell the starters.  Anyway, feel really bad for NP.  Calvin if they get by Luther better hope that someone takes care of Tufts because there is no way Calvin is beating Tufts playing 2 subs.

I think the Calvin goalie should buy dinner for the crossbar on that chip. He must have been thinking...oh crap its over my head and going in. Then a bounce and long wait to see if it goes in...saved by the crossbar. Tough break for NP.. Smallest of breaks make the difference between being bounced or winning it all. That's what makes it so tough to repeat. Calvin got golden goal against Messiah in 2016 sweet 16 with about a minute left in 2ot. Deja Vu.  Foul around 30 yards out and set piece goal ended it before shootout. Even during Messiah multiple repeat championships they had OT wins, PK shootouts, and 1 goal victories. Takes good fortune, good health and good defense to pull it off consistently.

[blue_jays]

First rule of all PKs is ya gotta hit it with pace. And that was the difference in why Luther is going on and OWU is going home.

well to be fair I think besides the 8th kicker OWU was fine.

And that's the point. Whole season riding on you, gotta give it a knock.

[Gregory Sager]

Tough one to take as an NPU fan, but that's soccer. The Vikings had more than their fair share of chances to put one in today, and it just never happened. There were about three or four great opportunities -- not just Peder Olsen's crossbar shot and the foul at the edge of the box -- that the Vikings will be seeing in their sleep all winter and spring. Calvin had a few great opportunities as well -- Hunter Olson's point-blank shot from eight yards out that Mathias Stulen stopped early in the second half comes to mind -- but on balance NPU had more good chances. But Calvin connected on the only one that mattered with 1:22 left in live action, and blooter 442 is right that it was a great setup and well-executed goal. That's somehow comforting, as it would've stung even more if Calvin had won on a lucky bounce.

It doesn't seem to me that NPU has enjoyed a lot of respect in this online community, even after the run to the national title game in 2017, but perhaps that's starting to change. D3 men's soccer is sort of an old-guard kind of level, which is understandable when you look at the high degree of continuity with regard to which teams are playing in the second and third weekends of the tourney year after year. Building a program that garners that kind of respect is a process. But I think that d3soccer.com has regarded NPU even more lightly; the Vikings barely squeaked into the last ranking at #25, and Matthew Zinner didn't even deign to mention North Park at all during the season after listing the Vikings as his #20 dark horse in his preseason column. Perhaps going toe-to-toe with d3soccer.com's #1 team today the way that the Vikings did will turn a few of their heads as well.

Great season for NPU, and I couldn't be more proud of the way that my alma mater's team played today.

What I don't understand is only 2 subs for Calvin (that surprises me about Souders and in D3 soccer just rubs me the wrong way) and only 1 sub for NP (who I did think was tiring especially in the 2nd OT) when they have a roster of 50.  There's got to be at least 4-5 guys out of the extra 35 who can spell the starters.  Anyway, feel really bad for NP.  Calvin if they get by Luther better hope that someone takes care of Tufts because there is no way Calvin is beating Tufts playing 2 subs.

I can't speak for Ryan Souders, but Kris Grahn dramatically shortened his bench in the tight contests NPU was in once the regular season ended, down to three, then down to two, then down to the one he used today. I think that he was having trust issues and just didn't want to get burned with anything short of his best players out there.

Greg,

Are you on the call today? I hope so, as you have done a tremendous job all year.

...And Luther takes it in PKs.  Nice announcing, Greg!  I could tell during the replay that you wanted to say something about Davenport's full-body wiggle prior to the final PK that he stopped, or maybe you were just trying to suppress a laugh.

Excellent job too by Mr. Sager.

Thanks, gentlemen. Much appreciated!

[Mr.Right]

I agree with all the comments....It was a Final 4 level game. North Park midfield especially #10 was impressive, Their midfield combination play actually both teams was excellent. That thru ball that the kid MISSED on was PRO level vision by both passer and receiver. Poor finish didn't matter as the ball was jaw dropping...As far as Calvin, PN was right ..they just fin a way but I thought at Halftime last night it felt a little different..I really was confident North Park would find a Home goal the way they were playing.

Now...Calvin has the talent to win it all but are clearly not quite as strong as years past and do not have the depth. Also, Calvin's GK might have made one nice save but he has gotta make u nervy back there..The crossbar play he was way off his line and then like 2 minutes later he almost got caught again. I would have liked to see North Park maybe test Calvin's GK from distance and then crash for cough ups....North Park was sometimes looking for the perfect finish and they almost got it but that GK needs to be tested....


Subbing-----It is a bit ridiculous to use only 2 subs....Basically the Head Coach ONLY trusts those players on the field....Do or Die games / important games will always show a Head Coach's hand at what a team has...He will only throw their very best at you and not risk anyone on the field they do not have confidence in. So what must all those players sitting on the bench thinking??? This goes back to my point about guys sitting for years and never playing and it being pretty rare for these guys to stick it out and push for 3-4 years....

[Falconer]

It doesn't seem to me that NPU has enjoyed a lot of respect in this online community, even after the run to the national title game in 2017, but perhaps that's starting to change. D3 men's soccer is sort of an old-guard kind of level, which is understandable when you look at the high degree of continuity with regard to which teams are playing in the second and third weekends of the tourney year after year. Building a program that garners that kind of respect is a process. But I think that d3soccer.com has regarded NPU even more lightly; the Vikings barely squeaked into the last ranking at #25, and Matthew Zinner didn't even deign to mention North Park at all during the season after listing the Vikings as his #20 dark horse in his preseason column. Perhaps going toe-to-toe with d3soccer.com's #1 team today the way that the Vikings did will turn a few of their heads as well.

Before responding directly to this, Greg, let me offer congratulations to the NPU team for a splendid season, a terrific game yesterday against the best of the best, and personal regards for the way you represent your university over the airwaves and here online. A big tip of my hat.

Entirely apart from soccer, my own respect for NPU as an institution is very high, and my knowledge of the institution is not superficial. I've mentioned a few times that I spent most of my career in higher education. I knew former NPU president Parkyn long before he went to NPU; ditto former NPU Provost Joe Jones, who is now president of Fresno Pacific; I knew well the late, sadly missed Larry Martin, a wonderful person who did so much to put NPU's physics program on the map; and I have known several other present or former faculty members and administrators at the college or seminary. I have sometimes had occasion to explain to people the distinctives of the Evangelical Covenant Church, and--believe it or not--I was offered a job at NPU before anyone I named worked there, and perhaps even before you first stepped foot on campus.  (I declined it only b/c I liked the job description better at an SEC university, not out of any dislike or disrespect for NPU.)  In other words, I probably know more about NPU and its mission, and perhaps also have more respect for it, than any other poster here apart from you, and maybe a few other occasional contributors who have been associated personally with NPU, or one or two Wheaton fans who have (to their credit) praised NPU soccer b/c they have seen a lot of it over the years and can be objective. So, what comes next shouldn't be seen as arising from a lack of respect. Quite the contrary.

Let me speak only about this 2019 season, Greg. NPU finished an excellent season at 16-5-2, with notable wins over Hope (4-0) and UW-W (2-1), and a 1-1 tie vs a Wheaton team that didn't have its best season and didn't get to dance. NPU lost to Chicago (3-1), Rowan (3-1), and K'zoo (0-1). The Vikings didn't have all of their starters available for much of the season--and Falcon fans like me certainly understand what that means (we have a key guy out this weekend, for that matter)--and they absolutely improved as men healed up and the leaves started falling. No question about that. But, the Massey ratings this week have NPU at #20, immediately above Rowan and well below Chicago, which seems about right to me considering the whole "body of work," to use a term popular with sports commentators these days that I actually don't like very much. I entirely agree with others that NPU outplayed Calvin yesterday, that they are more athletic and might even be a better team (right now) than Calvin and would have been deserving of a place in the Final Four. But, Massey works with objective data, and the 16-5-2 speaks for itself: nothing there argues that NPU should have been seen this year as among the very top teams in D3. They weren't. Not to put too fine a point on it.

Now, next year the story might be different. Wasn't every single player who got into the game yesterday an underclassman, or did I miss something? Granted, you might lose someone somewhere (I recall hearing about NPU players who go elsewhere before graduating, or who graduate "early" because they already had some college in Sweden before arriving), but for goodness sake NPU fans have every reason to be very optimistic about 2020. Very optimistic. Unless they do lose several starters, your team should be dynamite, and if they don't stumble a few times early in the season I would expect them to be regarded as top five from the gate. Of course, if the European connection results (directly or indirectly) in some starters needing to be replaced, that's what comes with that particular recruiting strategy. Again, unless I missed something, just two Americans played any minutes for NPU yesterday, both of them awfully good players (Barriga and DeCarne) to be sure. Either of them (along with half the other guys) would start for almost any other D3 team I could name. Any opponent who doesn't fully respect the talent at NPU is about to lose.

My best to you and NPU, Greg.

[Mr.Right]

How does Rowan play this today....By now they should be very comfortable with Nescac teams and know what is coming. I am curious to see if they hang with Amherst and look for the upset late....RPI and Messiah is also another interesting game...I could see a 0-0 PK's but I also could see Messiah dominate the ball and scoreboard 2 or 3-0...Need ur most competitive kids to play well today to give you the best chance to win..Need the luck as well but WHO wants it more??

[GoThunder1]

Mr Right,

I agree with your comments regarding the game. I thought your analysis was spot on. Very high level game dominated by extremely talented and skilled midfield players. Was a treat to watch.

I disagree with your comments about subbing. If this was high school soccer or youth league soccer, I would agree with you. However, these kids are making the choice to play and the coach's livelihoods are on the line. In the tournament, you absolutely put out the team that gives you the best chance to win. If that is 11 guys or 25 guys, it shouldnt matter.

[Mr.Right]

Mr Right,

I agree with your comments regarding the game. I thought your analysis was spot on. Very high level game dominated by extremely talented and skilled midfield players. Was a treat to watch.

I disagree with your comments about subbing. If this was high school soccer or youth league soccer, I would agree with you. However, these kids are making the choice to play and the coach's livelihoods are on the line. In the tournament, you absolutely put out the team that gives you the best chance to win. If that is 11 guys or 25 guys, it shouldnt matter.

I never argued the Head Coach SHOULD play them..I was just asking what they must be thinking?

[d4_Pace]

Yeah mr. right spot on. It's not about making players feel nice. But playing 13 players isn't a winning strategy. If d3 was Friday-Monday I don't think tufts has 3 titles. Playing 18 guys makes such a difference when it comes to the second game.