2021 NCAA Tournament

[deiscanton]

Salem State and Conn College first round match is a 0-0 draw after extra time in New London, CT.

The match is heading to kicks from the mark to determine who advances to play tomorrow vs the winner of NYU vs St. Joe's Maine.

1:41 PM Eastern update--  Conn College advances on kicks from the mark, 3-2 after 5 rounds, to the round of 32 where the Camels will play the winner of NYU vs St. Joe's Maine tomorrow.

[WUPHF]

Any UAA and Wash U faithful have any color to provide about Wash U?  Best season in years, wins UAA, skyrockets up the polls, but not much buzz about the Bears at all and not clear if most view them as true contenders.

I looked at some of their box scores.  Just a few where clearly dominated and within UAA only game with real advantage was CWRU.  Pretty even stats with Hope, North Park, and Brandeis.  In 3-0 win over CMU the Tartans led shots 13-9 and corners 7-2.  Otherwise, significant stats advantage for UR, NYU, and especially Emory -- 19-8 shots and 6-1 corners -- and Chicago -- 14-4 shots and 11-0 corners.  Emory was a 0-0 game.  I understand Chicago was chasing the game after Wash U scored in 5th minute, but still, 14-4 and 11-0 seems significant.  Does Wash U get a goal and then sit in the rest of the game?  Will this approach serve them in the NCAA tournament?

And for a team so highly valued, having to probably play North Park a second time at North Park seems pretty brutal.  I think I would lean North Park in that one.

Since WUPHF and I are the only WashU partisans who regularly post here, I'll take a stab.  Problem is, I only watched (parts of) two WashU games this year, which happen to be the two games you mentioned--Emory and Chicago.  OTOH, I did watch almost every game they played in 2019.

The Emory game was kind of weird.  Emory was completely on the front foot during the first half.  When they had the ball, WashU could barely get past the center line, and on those rare occasions when they could, they were promptly dispossessed.  The second half was completely different, and while both teams had good chances, I thought that WashU's were better.  Hard to see how that game wound up goalless.

I only caught the second half of the Chicago game and they were clearly packing it in (too much so, IMO--it reminded me of an NFL that goes to a prevent defense too early and allows the other team to drive down the field in 45 seconds), but they had a one-goal lead and knew that they would win the league even with a tie.  Hard to take much away from that other than to be a little concerned about the strategy.

With that said, the strength of the team is clearly defense.  Shaw (#2), a senior CB, has been a starter since more or less the day he walked onto the campus, and for my money, Lamba (#10), was one of the two best players on that 2019 team (although my recollection is that I preferred seeing him in the midfield).  In the attack, most of the goals come from Rivas (#4, who was my other choice as one of the two best players on that 2019 team, when he used as a back) and Culver (#11), but Wolf (#14), who led the team in scoring in 2019 despite inexplicably limited playing time, and who has also missed a lot of time this year (potentially due to injury, as he did not play for about a month) is dangerous.

As I've posted elsewhere, I'm not too happy that WashU was paired with NPU.  Of course it's not the NCAA's fault that WashU has an excellent women's team and that the women get hosting priority this year, but I think that NPU is a considerably stronger opponent than the top seeds in the other regions are likely to face in the second round.

I agree with this and I'll just add, I think the Bears are more content than most to sit back and play defense.  They know they have one of the best, if not the best, defenses in the nation.

In the Chicago game, being up 1-0 was the equivalent of being up 2-0 as Chicago needed to win and the Bears needed to win or tie to get the championship.  I do believe that second half would have looked quite different if NYU and Emory had won earlier in the day.

[blooter442]

Babson up 1-0 on Cabrini on a header 5 minutes into the second. Great contact, headed down into the turf and into the far corner.

[Mr.Right]

Very good header by #8 Babson to get Babson on the board.

[Mr.Right]

MSU v Gordon in a lightning delay?

[Mr.Right]

I wonder if after yesterday OWU will be sitting in at Home against Calvin and trying to counter with that #10?  Should be one of the best games of the day at 5pm. Although some good ones b4 that as well.

[ConnAlum]

Correction SJC scored off a free kick to go up 1-0 v. NYU, NYU actually wearing the white jerseys but they initially gave credit to NYU for scoring. St Joseph's ME now up 2-0 v. NYU off a PK. Maybe I overestimated NYU a little bit, first time watching them play.

[Mr.Right]

MSU v Gordon in a lightning delay?

Game back on and 0-0 25 min in MSU v Gordon. Wind has been a big factor today all over the Northeast. This MSU team looks better than years past. #15 very legit and they can attack. More athletic in the back as well.

[Mr.Right]

Emory and Centre heading to OT.....NYU down 0-2 to St.Joe's.....Rowan gets a W for the NJAC

[Falconer]

Messiah takes care of business against a scrappy, very quick Mt Aloysius side, 2-0. Impressions: the Mounties were stymied offensively by a stifling Falcon midfield and back line. They had only one real SOG, in the final minute or two, and no shots of any type for the first 35-40 minutes. Defensively however they were very quick, overly physical (most normal fouls were not called and they got away with some cheap shots), and well organized. The Falcons earned both goals, but he first a brilliant combination on a corner in the second minute. Jake Lent-Loop scored it, and on the other side of the field he brilliantly marked a fast, skilled forward who was never allowed to become dangerous. He and RB Marlotte are the players of the game IMO. Having now seen enough games to have an opinion, I think Jake is the best CB I have seen this year. On both ends of the field. AA caliber.

[blooter442]

Babson 2-1 over Cabrini for the Beavers' first NCAA win in 10 years. I still expect Amherst to progress but I think Babson will give them a game. Looking forward to that one.

[Mr.Right]

Babson 2-1 over Cabrini for the Beavers' first NCAA win in 10 years. I still expect Amherst to progress but I think Babson will give them a game. Looking forward to that one.

I noticed Babo cut the grass real tight this week.

[Buck O.]

So Emory is playing Centre in the men's tournament ...  and simultaneously, Emory is playing Centre in the women's tournament.  That's quite a coincidence.

[Mr.Right]

So Emory is playing Centre in the men's tournament ...  and simultaneously, Emory is playing Centre in the women's tournament.  That's quite a coincidence.

Men heading to PK's. Lynchburg / Hanover get Winner.

[Buck O.]

So Emory is playing Centre in the men's tournament ...  and simultaneously, Emory is playing Centre in the women's tournament.  That's quite a coincidence.

Men heading to PK's. Lynchburg / Hanover get Winner.

And Emory goes through, after being down in PKs.  NYU down 2-1 with 28 minutes remaining.