Big Dance 2022 - Let's Go!

[Kuiper]

Kenyon in White and Greenville in Black
Raining and foggy but the field looks real good.
And Greenville makes a silly tackle in the box and have conceded a penalty kick 7 minutes in.
No arguing so assume he knew he fouled them.
Goes to the Keeper's right.   Keeper got a hand on it, but it goes in.
Kenyon 1, Greenville 0
Kenyon, in fairness has been controlling much of the play.  Greenville has been absorbing the pressure.  Forcing Greenville to chase
Like the announcer.
The Lords own the ball.  And slowly keep pushing Greenville deeper into their half.
And 15 minutes in, Kenyon goes up another with a ball that is centered into the middle that is headed into the back of the net for a goal.  Ball was taken from a Greenville defender who failed to clear the ball.
Kenyon 2, Greenville 0
I don't see Greenville having anything in their tool box that will help them recover here.  I think this game was over after the first goal.
They really havent been able to break down Kenyon that would get them close to goal.
Kenyon is closer to a 3rd than Greenville is to getting a throw  in in Kenyon's half.
Kenyon eating the outside backs alive.
I don't know if it is Greenville #20.  The left CDM.   I like him.  Think he can play and has ideas.   Plays the ball to the correct foot. Just not working for Greenville right now.
16 left.
13 minutes left in the half and Greenville commits a foul about 26/7 yards from the goal.  Four man wall just inside the 18.  Kenyon player hits the ball... through the wall? And goes to the Keeper's right.... Probably because he expected his wall to do it's job.
Kenyon 3, Greenville 0
Hey, Greenville got a throw in in Kenyon's half.
Game is over
Greenville just doesn't react.  Would have expected someone to get crushed on a tackle.  Something.
9 minutes left.
Thinking @PaulNewman must be feeling good right now.  Or is it the prescription meds his son gave him to get "through" the tournament.
And Kenyon gets a fourth.  Ball slotted to the side net to the Keeper's left.
Kenyon 4, Greenville 0
Serious, what is the record for most goals scored in an NCAA tournament game?
8 minutes left.
I am out of this one.  Seen what I needed to see.
Kenyon looks good and not allowing this to become a game.

Yup, this one is all over.  But I will say, Greenville's keeper is keeping this from being 10-0.  He guessed right on the PK and got a piece.  Just not enough he can do to stop everything Kenyon has thrown at him.

Meanwhile, W. Conn and Montclair are at home thinking they could have given Kenyon a game.

I'm sure there are a bunch of schools that missed out on Pool C bids that could beat many of the automatic qualifiers from individual leagues.  That's common in these type of tournaments.  Same thing for UEFA's Champions League, the Olympics, and all NCAA Tournaments.  They have what the International Sports governing bodies call a "universality" feature.  In swimming, for example, FINA lets one male and one female in from a country with no swimmers who met the qualifying time as long as they meet a lower standard.  FINA also limits a country to two swimmers per event, even if the third best swimmer in the world in an event from a country would be a shoe-in for the Bronze Medal behind his two country mates.  In the Champions League, the top league in every country gets a spot to ensure representation, even if a bottom team in the English Premier League would crush the top team in a country with a lesser top league (although they do play-in rounds to weed those teams out before there are blowouts).  In NCAA tournaments, the top team in every league gets an automatic invite even if everyone acknowledges that it will exclude some of the best teams.  In DIII soccer, it's even less purely merit-based because the emphasis on regional rankings gives some teams a chance at a Pool C bid when they would have virtually no chance from a stronger region.  That means it is NOT a tournament of the best teams by design, not because of poor selections. 

[Gregory Sager]

Better late, than never . . .

November 11, 2022
2022 NCAA Tournament Field Factoids
By Christan Shirk

Who knows, this just may be my last offering on D3soccer.com.

I hate to see those words. Say it ain't so, Christan!

[jdfranklin23]

Calvin is up 2-0 with 24 minutes left in the first half.  I felt like CM has had some of the better possession;  but, Calvin has capitalized on their chances.  Mason Smith and Colin Iverson have combined for 1g, 1a each. And man, Mason Smith's goal was a rocket off the middle of the cross bar from in close. 

[jdfranklin23]

BTW can we talk about umbrellas obstructing the view of the live feed?! 

[Maine Soccer Fan]

Calvin is up 3-0 and are obviously playing well but I'm not sure they've put it in their top gear yet.

[Kuiper]

One of the few times I've seen a corner kick play like that involving a pass on the ground, a dummy, and a one-time shot to the top corner of the goal work out.  CMU's defense was awful on that one, with multiple players biting on the dummy and no one covering the player behind him, but the Calvin players executed it to perfection.  Calvin up 3-0 with a few minutes left in the first half.  CMU's coach might have to break out the same speech that Greenville's coach gave at half time v. Kenyon.

[Saint of Old]

"Parallel  park the bus boys, let's try to get out of here somewhat respectable".

[Hopkins92]

Agree with the sentiment, having spot-checked the first half. CMU really should've pulled things to 2-1 with about 20 minutes to go in the half. Nice combo passing sprung a FWD 1v1 on the goalie, but he made a nice save.

Shaw(Shah?) on Calvin's right wing is a terror and a problem for the opposition. Nightmare trying to defend him 1v1.

With that said, this is a weird 3-0 score line. Tartans aren't playing poorly by any stretch of the imagination. Calving has been filthy on set pieces and super efficient on offense. CMU has shown some pretty nice passing and spacing. They certainly haven't thrown in the the towel, which is probably going to lead to another Knights goal.

[Hopkins92]

One of the few times I've seen a corner kick play like that involving a pass on the ground, a dummy, and a one-time shot to the top corner of the goal work out.  CMU's defense was awful on that one, with multiple players biting on the dummy and no one covering the player behind him, but the Calvin players executed it to perfection.  Calvin up 3-0 with a few minutes left in the first half.  CMU's coach might have to break out the same speech that Greenville's coach gave at half time v. Kenyon.

We had moderate success on the turf, which obviously helped settle the ball.

We also had a guy that sold the dummy better than anyone I've seen since. Good enough he often dummied his own team.

[Saint of Old]

That Dummy for goal 3 reminded me of the Rivaldo dummy for Ronaldo's goal against Germany in 2002 WC final for the old heads here. Plays likenthat should really get assists.

[calvin_grad]

Shaw(Shah?) on Calvin's right wing is a terror and a problem for the opposition. Nightmare trying to defend him 1v1.

Kadin Shaban.  Transfer from Michigan State

[Hopkins92]

This ref must have rabbit ears or something... Seems very worried about dissent (I guess) and he's given out a card to CMU already that looked like for dissent and now he's barking at the keeper. Like... They aren't wasting time, what could he possibly be getting into it with the goalie for there?

Lighten up, Francis.

[Hopkins92]

Shaw(Shah?) on Calvin's right wing is a terror and a problem for the opposition. Nightmare trying to defend him 1v1.

Kadin Shaban.  Transfer from Michigan State

And there you go. Dude is gnar.

[Hopkins92]

And for those not watching, the Calvin keeper made a beautiful diving save to keep a shot from about 25 yards that was destined for U90.

Easily could've been 3-1 with barely 2 minutes off the clock.

[PaulNewman]

SC....prescription filled.

Cannot believe two top 6 teams and two of the 8-10 teams that could win the whole thing are playing in 2nd round.

Calvin is just so smart.  Brilliant, really.  They allowed CMU tons of possession because they knew CMU really couldn't hurt them...which prevented CMU from playing a more defensive, solid game that might keep the game tight.  Rope-a-dope strategy.  Calvin is lethal and knows they only need a handful of chances.  Knights also much bigger than I thought and as I type Calvin GK who is ginormous makes a nice save.  Don't see any weaknesses.  And tomorrow they will likely play a completely different kind of strategy. 

No clue what will happen tomorrow (other than a great game and likely one of the best of the whole tournament) but Calvin is definitely capable of beating Messiah and Chicago.  And btw, Akintade and Schau are as good anyone at their positions in the country.