Big Dance 2022 - Let's Go!

[Kuiper]

Mary Washington (at least on the second chance) certainly showing how to beat Amherst's press!  Up 1-0 in the 2d minute

I am watching on a phone but looks like the Amherst Keeper did not cover himself in glory.

SC

White tried to cut off the cross across the box on the ground, failed to get anything on it, and Kirkland on the back post had the open goal.  At 6'5", you would think he could cut it off more comfortably, but it was hard to see the distance from the end line or the pace at which it was crossed.  That's one of the weaknesses for many tall keepers.  They are slow to get down on something like that, although they should have the length to cover more space once they are there.  Not sure I fault White on the decision to try to cut it off though.  If he let it go across the box he would have had to move across the entire goal to cover the shot.  Plus, if he had tipped the ball he would have been left exposed too.  The defensive breakdown was more the Amherst defender who allowed the MW player to get around him on the left side and the central and opposite outside back who allowed MW players to run the channels and be available for the cross.

[Kuiper]

Mary Washington up 2-0.  Amherst's keeper definitely could have done better on that one.  Maybe he doesn't get to the initial free kick into the box (although a shorter faster keeper might have), but then he definitely should have been able to get there for the looped header back across the goal to the other post. He was caught in no man's land and therefore didn't get to any of the balls.  Making it worse is that the goal wasn't off a header from the other post, but a ball on the ground.  A GK has to sell out their body for that one and the Amherst keeper was pretty flat-footed. 

Incidentally, Mary Washington's Gk is also 6'5" and he's showing how to use that height, catching several crosses in traffic in the box.

UPDATE:  To give Amherst's keeper credit, he did a good job blocking a shot on a  breakaway.

[Kuiper]

Amherst pulls one back 2-1.  Their goal was similar to Mary Washington's second goal, with the MW GK drawn to the back post on a cross and then a one time volley across the box for the tap in.

This has the making of a barn burner.  Still a few minutes to halftime.

[Hopkins Walk-On]

2-1 at half. Very entertaining game. Amherst has looked slow to the ball, IMO, but man they are big.

[nescac1]

Williams and Ohio Northern, as expected, 0-0 in a defensive struggle.  Neither team with a good look at the goal.  Williams was overall the slightly more dangerous team in that half, controlling close to 2/3 of the possession and had a few possessions that almost led to a good opportunity, but neither team came anywhere close to scoring.  The heavy wind is not helping either offense keep possession. 

[PaulNewman]

As happens so often MW had an ideal chance to go up 3-0 but didn't bury a shot from inside the 18 and 30 secs later it's 2-1 instead.  MW needed as much breathing room as possible.  Amherst feeling pretty good now after that start.  You have to figure on Mammoths getting at least one and probably two off set pieces/corners over the course of 90 minutes.

Game started almost exactly as SLU game but with radically different outcome.  Amherst goes to Okorogheye off kickoff he tries to turn corner on left side towards the box, looks like he might have drawn a foul (but wasn't as desperate or blatant as SLU foul in same spot) and 20 secs later MW's Kirkland puts one in the back of the net.

Overall, MW has shown really well having never played Amherst before....but now at 2-1 instead of 2-0 or 3-0 would still favor Mammoths to pull this out...3-2, 4-3, or 4-2.

[Kuiper]

Despite it being mid November Amherst's field looks like its in the best condition I've ever seen.

The field looks awesome and it seems to play fast enough to suit Mary Washington's game, which often involves quick dribbles and passes on the ground.  MW's center midfield (Castillo) is thriving on it and that's basically his game.  Frankly, it seems like a surface better suited for MW than Amherst right now.

[Hopkins92]

Wow. St. Thomas with an absolute laser top open the scoring inside of 5 minutes.

[blooter442]

As happens so often MW had an ideal chance to go up 3-0 but didn't bury a shot from inside the 18 and 30 secs later it's 2-1 instead.  MW needed as much breathing room as possible.

This. I would love to know how many games Amherst has come from behind in, sometimes from 2-0 down. Opine what you want about the sideline antics, but that mental strength must be commended.

[CC United]

St Thomas is very good. You will now see them manage the game. They will make Chicago come at them and will look to score on the counter. If Chicago scores, St Thomas will not overreact. They will step it up again. Lot's of time left, but St Thomas has been my dark horse this tournament.

[Saint of Old]

This dude name Castillo from Mary Washington is not a Joke.

[Kuiper]

Wow. St. Thomas with an absolute laser top open the scoring inside of 5 minutes.

That's exactly what Taty Aleman can do and the kind of shot where Chicago's keeper is entirely average.  He's not going to make that kind of save most of the time.  St. Thomas has way too much skill to leave anyone open at the top of the box. 

[blooter442]

Based on the first 10 minutes of the half, I think Amherst buries one sooner or later, but the good thing for MW is they are creating chances themselves on the counter. A lot of teams against Amherst just seem to accept their fate when they get up a head of steam, but these guys are not.

[Coach Jeff]

Looking for clarification on a NCAA rule.  Noise makers are not allowed at NCAA tournament games.  One game I attended in person, a middle schooler before the game run by the stands ringing a cow bell and an NCAA official told the boy that he was not allowed noise maker at the game.  I have been watching the Amherst v Mary Washington game and I can hear a cow bell almost every time Amherst does something right in the fans eyes!  So is it a rule or not?

[Another Mom]

Williams scores!