Big Dance 2022 - Let's Go!

[Kuiper]

Some of you may be deciding which of the two late games [involving teams from the West region] to watch tonight and defaulting to Willamette-Chicago because of Chicago's pedigree.  Although that should be a good game, I wanted to offer a preview of the Pacific Lutheran - St. Thomas game since fewer people know anything about either of these teams.   

Both teams score goals.  It would be a shocker if this ended up a 0-0 tie heading into OT.  It's not in either team's DNA to park the bus or to even drive it slowly through the neighborhood.

Pacific Lutheran - 61 goals this year (3.05/game).  Never shut out.
St. Thomas - 61 goals this year (yes, the identical number) (3.21/game).  Never shut out.

They are both average defensively.  They both have plenty of shutouts (5 for Pac Lutheran and 6 for St. Thomas), but that's because the gap between the top and bottom of their respective leagues is pretty big.  They each should have about double that number but tend to sub out liberally when up 4-5 goals and therefore have some 4-1, 5-1, 7-2-type scores.

They don't tie much (if at all):

Pacific Lutheran had ZERO ties this year.  They are the anti-Williams. 
St. Thomas had three ties this year.  When they did tie, St. Thomas was usually the one on the front foot and the other teams was holding on for the tie.  They had at least double or more the shots of their opponents in two of their three ties and let in a goal in the last few minutes in the third.

Common opponents:

Colorado College - Pacific Lutheran beat them 3-1 in Tacoma; St. Thomas tied them 1-1 in Colorado Springs
Mary Hardin-Baylor - Pacific Lutheran just beat them in the first round 4-2; St. Thomas beat them early in the season 4-1

Players to Watch:

St. Thomas - Taty Aleman (#7) has 18 goals and 5 assists in 19 games.  Scored a brace v. Chapman last night
                    Daniel Castro (#10) has 17 goals and 5 assists in 19 games.

Pacific Lutheran - Craig Johnson (#17) has 13 goals and 6 assists in 20 games. Had an assist v. Mary Hardin-Baylor
                          Trevor Thompson (#16) has 12 goals and 10 assists in 20 games.  Had a goal and an assist v. MHB

Fun facts:

St.Thomas was officially admitted as a member of NCAA DIII (moving from NAIA) on Aug. 15, 2022 (after a three year reclassification process).  So, this is their first year of eligibility for the NCAA tournament. 

Pacific Lutheran has qualified for the NCAA tournament 5 teams and this is the second year in a row that they have made it to the second round.

[PaulNewman]

Hey, Kuiper, I meant to comment on this earlier but GAC's field looked really nice and more like the Texas/West Coast fields.  How do they do that in St Peter, MN?

[PaulNewman]

Hoboken, not Baltimore, most likely.

Yeah that's probably true unfortunately for me. Will sweet sixteen likely be played on Saturday?
Also thanks @Ejay, appreciate it.

Yes...everybody should be Sat/Sun.

[camosfan]

Just returned from Oneonta where the Bo got beaten, missed all the excitement here, how about Williams ?

[PaulNewman]

Kuiper, great stuff above.  The third game in that time slot might be the best...St Olaf at N Central.

[Kuiper]

Hey, Kuiper, I meant to comment on this earlier but GAC's field looked really nice and more like the Texas/West Coast fields.  How do they do that in St Peter, MN?

No idea.  I know that other schools in Minnesota have pretty nice grass fields, such as Carleton but schools like Macalester and St. Olaf have installed artificial turf fields.

[Kuiper]

Kuiper, great stuff above.  The third game in that time slot might be the best...St Olaf at N Central.

Good point.  I should clarify that I was referring to the two late games involving teams from the vast, unknown, DIII men's soccer wilderness known as Region X!

[PaulNewman]

Hey, Kuiper, I meant to comment on this earlier but GAC's field looked really nice and more like the Texas/West Coast fields.  How do they do that in St Peter, MN?

No idea.  I know that other schools in Minnesota have pretty nice grass fields, such as Carleton but schools like Macalester and St. Olaf have installed artificial turf fields.

Yeah, I love the look of the St Olaf field.

[SimpleCoach]

Have to say, very impressed with this Hopkins team.  Aggressive moving the ball forward.  Still being loyal to ball possession, just playing with more urgency and more direct.  Might have to come up with something to do for next weekend from Stevens.

SC.

[PaulNewman]

Hop92...I agree with you...they look different or at least they are doing what they do at a far more accelerated pace and with more intentionality.  I haven't seen anyone make JCU look like they were more just holding on and unable to keep the ball at all.  Hopkins is giving them no chances and pressing both offensively and defensively.  And I don't think Hopkins ever really fell off the radar. 

*** Didn't see SC post before hit send on this but ditto to all that.

[oacalum]

I give Hopkins credit for their play. They've totally stunted any of JCU's offense... but I can't stand the flopping they do all game and continue to get rewarded for it by the ref.

[MNBob]

Was surpsied how nice the field was at GAC. It was so green for this time of year that I assumed it had to be turf yesterday.
Also just noticed that GAC had 22 fouls today. UWEC 14.

[LetteroftheLaw]

Hopkins looks really good on the ball, JC is not a bad squad but Hopkins really in control and look very comfortable.

[Hopkins92]

I give Hopkins credit for their play. They've totally stunted any of JCU's offense... but I can't stand the flopping they do all game and continue to get rewarded for it by the ref.

Wow.

That's an interesting take.

[Hopkins92]

Hop92...I agree with you...they look different or at least they are doing what they do at a far more accelerated pace and with more intentionality.  I haven't seen anyone make JCU look like they were more just holding on and unable to keep the ball at all.  Hopkins is giving them no chances and pressing both offensively and defensively.  And I don't think Hopkins ever really fell off the radar. 

*** Didn't see SC post before hit send on this but ditto to all that.

1) Yeah, I've been fairly annoying over the years about Coach A and sticking with a certain style, even when the situation called for adjustments. The Messiah loss in 2019 (I think) really bugged me. But this team, the last 5 or 6 games... They are just OK spraying it around and being direct. It's almost jarring for someone that watches them a lot.

2) I've been saying all year, if Hopkins had a finisher, they would move from a really good team, to a great team. Well, FR winger/striker Scotty Coleman is emerging as "that guy." He scored the dagger goal last night to pretty much finish the game with the second goal. Tonight. Wow. Pulls down a brace and they were the kind of goals Hopkins needs. When you open up the opposition so consistently, you just need a guy to put the ball in the back of the net when obvious chances emerge. This kid is doing that. I said to my wife early in the second... This Coleman kid is a problem. (He had only scored 2 goals on the season... Not like this is coming out of nowhere... It's kind of coming out of nowhere.)

3) I don't want to get too chippy, but I'd be shocked if neutrals watching that game thought Hopkins was flopping all night. JCU clearly knew they couldn't let Hopkins break out and they fouled constantly. I mentioned it at half time. Ian Whamond is not a flopper, he just gets chopped down a lot. Saying "I give credit to" and then calling Hopkins floppers is the rough equivalent of the southern "bless his heart" before you say something nasty. Whatevs. Happy Hopkins House tonight.