Big Dance 2022 - Let's Go!

[Buck O.]

(And that's what I meant about staggering these games... That was nucking futs to follow. )

I had four windows open.  Easy peasy.

[Buck O.]

So, 6 of 11 games today decided in PKs.  We still have four games left.

[Saint of Old]

So Tufts and Messiah are out in one fell swoop 2nd round of the NCAA 15 of the last 20 titles in history gone in the span of 90 minutes (add SLU and OWU then 17 of the last 21)
This is why we love the game.
No defending Champ
No Messiah
No Tufts
Wide open

[Hopkins92]

(And that's what I meant about staggering these games... That was nucking futs to follow. )

I had four windows open.  Easy peasy.

Yeah, me too. Would've been nice not to have to fly around so much to get a grip of the proceedings.

The battle of the Blues kicking off in Baltimore here in a minute. Got the HDMI hooked up to my back-up large screen, got the USWNT on the mothership.

My wife is incredibly patient. (But also a JHU alum and loves soccer, so... Not exactly Mother Theresa... Except for just having to deal with my nonsense in general... She WAS quick to make fun of the Blue Streaks as a mascot, so... Keeper!)

[Kuiper]

Couple of thoughts on Williams-Messiah

1. NESCAC play helped Williams prepare for Messiah more than Commonwealth play helped Messiah prepare for Williams.  I haven't watched Williams a ton this season, but I did watch them lose in PKs in the NESCAC tournament against Conn College.  Conn is a team that has some similarities with Messiah in terms of playing out of the back and through some strong, technical, midfielders.  Defending that kind of team is very different from a long ball team and the fact that Williams can do it well against both kinds of teams is significant.  I saw Messiah play against Lebanon Valley Colleg and that was a different kind of parking the bus that didn't challenge the Messiah players at midfield as much as Williams did.  Based on Messiah's results this year, it looked like no other conference opponent either played this defensively or had the players to do so successfully.

2.  Williams' strategy is more tactical than desperation.   Weaker teams often play really defensively because it's their only chance.  Williams, however, has some good technical players. They often played nicely with the ball out of the back and they held possession in Messiah's half for some stretches. They don't have the dangerous offensive players to bother Messiah, but it seems like they have the players to be a different kind of team and they would win some games if they did so.  They simply chose this approach before the season started to maximize their strengths.  That is to be distinguished from teams that play one way and try to alter their approach when they face a stronger opponent, which usually doesn't go well because the inferior team isn't used to playing that way.

[PaulNewman]

Williams just closed an NLI deal with the convenience store giant, 7/11.

I wonder if today already set a record for PK matches....and as someone said, still 4 games to go.

[EnmoreCat]

St Lawrence 2 Amherst 4

Sadly work interfered with my viewing in part, but I came away with nothing but respect for the way Saints play and the pro-Saints posters have every reason to be proud of their team. Nevertheless, it's not the first time Amherst has started hot and on the first goal, there were two other players who were ready to score.  The 3-0 scoreline was as much about momentum and Saints really took over about 30 minutes in and at 3-1, I felt nervous, knowing the potency of their attack. The 4th Amherst goal calmed the nerves, but everyone knew it wasn't going to finish 4-1.

4-2 not long into the second half and the Saints' tails were up and the Mammoths were pushed back.  It wasn't always pretty, but ultimately in my clearly biased view it felt like there wasn't lots of dangerous play in Amherst's area.  But of course, it only takes a moment to change that and Saints clearly have players who can unlock that particular door.  Amherst did create chances too and ultimately were rewarded for the ones they did take

Not sure what comes next and it's hard to believe we have seen the last of the upsets. 

Foul count was 26/12 and 4/3 in yellows, well above pace for Amherst.

[Ejay]

Committee looking genius with their at large bid selections....

Amen to that.  Congrats to your Cardinals. Way to represent the Landmark.

[Hopkins92]

It's not like Hopkins has been under the radar this year, but... The way the season ended probably dropped them off of a lot ppl's radar. I get that.

This version of Hopkins is dangerous. They aren't going to force an approach of playing out of the back if that's not available. They are skipping the defense in their build-up and taking it to the Blue Streaks. I haven't seen Hopkins be this direct all year, BUT I have noted that coming down the stretch, they are very much taking an approach that pings the ball around, and launches more direct balls than they were willing to do in September.

They should probably be up 2 goals, but I really like how they're continuing to press the play. They've had a tendency to relax after scoring that first goal this season, but they pretty quickly turned it back up after that goal.

[SimpleCoach]

It's not like Hopkins has been under the radar this year, but... The way the season ended probably dropped them off of a lot ppl's radar. I get that.

This version of Hopkins is dangerous. They aren't going to force an approach of playing out of the back if that's not available. They are skipping the defense in their build-up and taking it to the Blue Streaks. I haven't seen Hopkins be this direct all year, BUT I have noted that coming down the stretch, they are very much taking an approach that pings the ball around, and launches more direct balls than they were willing to do in September.

They should probably be up 2 goals, but I really like how they're continuing to press the play. They've had a tendency to relax after scoring that first goal this season, but they pretty quickly turned it back up after that goal.

Probably the best half I've seen the play against a quality opponent.  They have John Carroll on the ropes.

SC.

[Hopkins92]

I'm not trying to say the Blue Streaks are a dirty team... They are not.

But 13-5 in fouls. Ref carded Centennial DPOY Treinen very early and it took him until almost the end of the half to card JCU. He needs to keep an eye on that... Persistent fouling should lead to cards. Should not reward the BS's for stopping Hopkins from breaking out on the attack.

[LetteroftheLaw]

It's not like Hopkins has been under the radar this year, but... The way the season ended probably dropped them off of a lot ppl's radar. I get that.

This version of Hopkins is dangerous. They aren't going to force an approach of playing out of the back if that's not available. They are skipping the defense in their build-up and taking it to the Blue Streaks. I haven't seen Hopkins be this direct all year, BUT I have noted that coming down the stretch, they are very much taking an approach that pings the ball around, and launches more direct balls than they were willing to do in September.

They should probably be up 2 goals, but I really like how they're continuing to press the play. They've had a tendency to relax after scoring that first goal this season, but they pretty quickly turned it back up after that goal.

Hoping they hang on...... I know Catholic won't be intimidated by them given how frequently we get to play them in preseason scrimmages in recent years, I also personally wouldn't mind the 20 minute drive to Baltimore next weekend...

[PaulNewman]

Hoboken, not Baltimore, most likely.

[PaulNewman]

Obviously the fans are on the video side but it's an odd look and a little disconcerting to be staring at a pretty large football stadium that looks empty while a NCAA tourney game is being played.

[LetteroftheLaw]

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.