2023 D3 Men's Soccer National Perspective

[SierraFD3soccer]

W&L v. VA Wesleyan  Did not see the first half, but VA has been shelling W&L the second half. Many good opportunities for VA. W&L had only in the last 15 min and scored a nice goal.  6 min left and W&L up 1-0

Don't know if W&L is just flat or this is their new normal. Or maybe VA Wesleyan is legit.  FYI, this their first ODAC game.  So game means even more.

JHU got their goal.

[Another Mom]

Final score W&L 1 - 0 VA Wesleyan.

I thought VW had some talented players.  Fortunately for W&L they struggled to get the ball in the net despite some very dangerous chances.

I don't know what's going on with W&L. I am disappointed in their continual giving the ball away and failing to win 50-50 balls. I don't think it's a lack of talent,  I think it's a lack of "try". Which, to me, is the worst thing a team/player can be. I don't care if you win or lose as long as you've given it your all and done your best. So, even though my team won, I am pretty disappointed in them.

ETA the camera operator was the worst I've  come across too. Literally didn't follow the ball half the time. Most of the scoring opportunities went unseen because the camera  was trained on the opposite side of the field . . .

[SierraFD3soccer]

Hahaha, I think camera guy was the announcer or just a work study kid. Really, really bad. At least he got the W&L goal.

Yeah, I think W&L's coach is probably in fits right now. He is probably seeing a lot of potential, but nothing seems to work right now which you could say has been the case for most of the season so far. Sometimes, though you play badly all game, you can get that goal. They were very, very fortunate, but a wins a win.

That Christopher Newport game is really going to be looming if they continue to do what they are doing. They might have to sweep if they don't win the ODAC to go to the NCAAs.  Fortunately, there is a lot of soccer left. All the ODAC teams will definitely be gunning for W&L.

[GenerallyInterested]

I think it is time for the W&L discussion to be taken to a regional or conference specific thread, as they don't look to be the team they have been - and probably not representing a side that is part of the national perspective...

[Another Mom]

Ooooh, mean! It takes only 7 games to be relegated??

[GenerallyInterested]

Not mean, pragmatic. They have had a wonderful past few years, lost several players - and will simply have to build back.  They have a great coaching staff - and all the makings pf a program that can and will come back.  However, they aren't at a level where they can/will sustain year over year- some of that due to the high academic setting which makes recruitment a narrower road for them. No harm meant - but I think the reality of what their year will yield.

[PaulNewman]

I watched almost all of Denison vs John Carroll and what a fascinating contest.  Denison ended up winning 2-1 after scoring two late goals (the second a JCU own goal) 61 seconds apart.  The Big Red had trailed almost the entire game, and while Denison certainly looked like belonged out there, JCU was pummeling Denison and should have been ahead by 2 and probably 3 goals.  JCU has a cadre of offensive threats that all can really hit a ball and score anywhere inside 30 yards.  They had a bevy of clean chances inside the 18.  At any rate, I marveling at how good JCU was(is) and was thinking Denison just needs a few games like this one at that level and then might be truly competitive.  JCU appeared to start time wasting with 8 min left, and then after Denison scored, and especially the own goal to take the lead, JCU looked like a different team and could not turn things around.  They had been moving through Denison's defense into the box area repeatedly, but suddenly could not come close.  Maybe this will be good for JCU as a possible Achilles heel is getting too confident and then imploding a bit in adverse situations.  I'm mindful that they have Calvin next, who lost today to the surprising Firebirds, and I wonder how long its been since Calvin lost 2 in a row, much less 3 in a row.  At any rate, if JCU is going to make the FInal Four or win the title they're gonna have to figure how to resist getting chippy and losing focus.  Their talent is amazing, and the weird thing is the whole time Denison could not handle them   JCU looked so intentional and surgical with what they were doing.  As for Denison, Bianco and the players will not care one single bit that JCU dominated most of the game.  Huge win for the Big Red...the only top NCAC team to edge JCU this year.

One apology...While sharing some of his literary forays along with a little shade,  I realized tonight that Gianluca DiGiacomo who often does the website recaps is also the play by play guy on their broadcasts.  I've listened to him multiple times and both he and his color man are excellent....and you wouldn't necessarily think that he is the same person.  Comments and even the credit thrown Denison's way were spot on.  He actually had expressed some nervousness when JCU had great chance after great chance without getting a second.  A draw seemed conceivable.  It was inconceivable watching the first 82-83 minutes that Denison would win.  And I guess I'm asking if Denison might have something JCU doesn't have to the same degree...something in their mentality.

Btw, while i agree with some of Generallyinterested observations about W&L losing a lot and being down a little, I don't think they belong off the national stage.  Why else was this considered such a huge, possibly breakthrough match for VWU?  I think of W&L, Hopkins, Kenyon, and St Olaf as all teams that have struggled to some degree but are far from dead yet.  And of course W&L WON the game...a game that had some hype around it on the road.

[PaulNewman]

St Olaf btw beat Luther by a touchdown and extra point.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park still has not gotten out of its funk, but the Vikings did manage to pull off a road win down at Francis Olympic Field in the Gateway City, 3-2, on a late tally by Josse Blindheim off of an asleep-at-the-switch throw-in coverage mistake by Wash U that was the kind of thing that the quick-tossing Bears themselves usually pull off on a distracted opponent.

A bit of the luster was gone from what is typically an annual battle between two programs that have designs upon getting deep into November. Neither NPU nor Wash U is playing anywhere near their standards right now. Wash U simply does not have the same level of personnel it's had in recent years, although the three Bears who impressed me the most today were all freshmen off of the bench. And, of course, NPU is really young (and plays like it), but the Vikings also don't really have the All-American-caliber players like Peder Olsen, Gustav Ericsson, and Angel Barriga that they've had in the recent past. It's a team of (potentially) very good players rather than great players.

[WUPHF]

I think Washington University has the talent to be 6-0-0 today (with a decent schedule) but the Bears keep snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. 

I think they were the better team in every game they have played, but they continue to shoot themselves in the foot. 

The Bears were so out of position on that third goal, it beggars belief.  That after defending so well for the rest of the game.

The first North Park tally was scored after a long throw by the GK to the Bears defender who was seriously 20-25 feet up field and surrounded by Vikings.  The ball ricocheted off his shins to a Viking forward who had numbers.  Terrible decision making.

I think the Bears need to settle on a starting keeper and go with it for the rest of the season, but what do I know?

[Freddyfud]

Btw, while i agree with some of Generallyinterested observations about W&L losing a lot and being down a little, I don't think they belong off the national stage.  Why else was this considered such a huge, possibly breakthrough match for VWU?  I think of W&L, Hopkins, Kenyon, and St Olaf as all teams that have struggled to some degree but are far from dead yet.  And of course W&L WON the game...a game that had some hype around it on the road.

Why was this was considered a breakthrough match for VWU?  Based on polls at least weren't they the favorites?  Staying in the ODAC I watched Lynchburg dismantle a decent Hampden Sydney team tonight.  Not sure about the qualifications for a national stage but seems like they should earn a spot.

[Kuiper]

A couple of games of possible national interest in the SCIAC tonight

Occidental 5 - Pomona-Pitzer 3

This is a game that really typifies Oxy.  They score 3 goals in the first 22 minutes and are dominating Pomona-Pitzer with a swarming attack.  Then, a few minutes after the third goal, they give up a goal to P-P.  Still, they are up 3-1.  P-P lost to Cal Tech 1-0, who lost to Oxy 8-0, so no problem, right?  Coach probably yells at them a little at halftime to not turn off like that and they come out with renewed vigor at halftime and score a fourth goal in the 63rd minute.  So, they're up 4-1 and figure they can cruise.  Turn off again and promptly give up a second goal to P-P four minutes later.  Then, P-P scores another goal in the 76th minute and it's a ball game at 4-3.  Things are tight again until Oxy puts them away in the 85th minute with their fifth goal to win 5-3.  I don't know what it is, but it's hard to put a lot of faith in Oxy as a championship contender when they turn it on and off so easily.  On the one hand, they have a lot of firepower.  On the other hand, they have an off switch during games.  It isn't because the coach brings in a lot of subs and the quality drops either.  If anything, he doesn't trust his bench enough and may be running his favorites into the ground.  Either way, Oxy is 5-1 and 2-0 in the SCIAC, but it needs to be more consistent both in games and from game to game.  I will have a lot more belief in them if they can beat Redlands away on Saturday.

Redlands 2 - Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 1

CMS was up 1-0 deep into the second half and let this game slip away.  For most of the game, CMS' passing game was on point and Redlands was chasing a lot of ghosts.  Then, Redlands turned up the press and scored two goals within 6 minutes of each other (in the 71st and the 77th minutes) to win the game.  Redlands moves to 6-0 and 2-0 in the SCIAC.  They play Occidental on Saturday at home in a key game among teams in the regional rankings out west.  CMS drops to 2-2-2 and 0-2-1 in SCIAC play.

[Another Mom]

Not mean, pragmatic. They have had a wonderful past few years, lost several players - and will simply have to build back.  They have a great coaching staff - and all the makings pf a program that can and will come back.  However, they aren't at a level where they can/will sustain year over year- some of that due to the high academic setting which makes recruitment a narrower road for them. No harm meant - but I think the reality of what their year will yield.

While I agree W&L doesn't look like it did the past couple of years, I will push back a little. They've made the NCAA tournament for the last 7 years. And their high academic recruiting shouldn't be a bar. It's an issue shared by basically all of the NESCAC, the UAA, and some other schools like Vassar, Haverford,  Swarthmore etc.

As I wrote earlier,  I do not think W&L's issues stem from a lack of talent. They have players still on the team who were stars last year but who are having a harder time this year (and IMHO it's a team psychology issue).

[PaulNewman]

Btw, while i agree with some of Generallyinterested observations about W&L losing a lot and being down a little, I don't think they belong off the national stage.  Why else was this considered such a huge, possibly breakthrough match for VWU?  I think of W&L, Hopkins, Kenyon, and St Olaf as all teams that have struggled to some degree but are far from dead yet.  And of course W&L WON the game...a game that had some hype around it on the road.

Why was this was considered a breakthrough match for VWU?  Based on polls at least weren't they the favorites?  Staying in the ODAC I watched Lynchburg dismantle a decent Hampden Sydney team tonight.  Not sure about the qualifications for a national stage but seems like they should earn a spot.

A few things...

1) It pains me that anyone is paying attention at all to USC rankings where posters try to figure out and rationalize how they came up with whatever they came up with.  There is nothing to figure out.  It's a very poorly done and highly distorted deal.

2)  Lynchburg has been on the national stage for a long time, as have W&L, Emory, CNU, and now Mary Wash.  Apologies if I missed one or two.  What Lynchburg needs is a poster or two who cares to post about the Hornets. 

3)  Are you suggesting that you didn't consider W&L the favorite?  Or that if VWU had won that wouldn't have been considered big?  I had to keep checking to see who actually won the game, and when Sierra posted that VWU was shelling W&L definitely seemed like he was trying to basically post an upset alert.  So yes, W&L was the favorite...by some distance...and I would guess they'd win 8 or at least 7 times out of 10 with a couple of the others being draws.  I realize you may vote "neither" but out of the two which team is more likely to make the NCAA tourney and do some damage...W&L, or VWU?  Just the last two seasons for W&L...Final Four, Sweet 16.

4)  I have absolutely nothing against GenerallyInterested, and I hope him or her keep posting...but are you f*&&ing kidding me?  You have three posts and two are directed at Another Mom and W&L.  Takes some hutzpah to register literally 10 days ago, post ONE time, and then play traffic cop directing where posters should post their posts.  And like I said, I think most would agree with your observations except for the tone of suggesting the season's lost.  Is Calvin off the national stage?  Hopkins?  St Olaf?  If Messiah loses two in a row, are they done?  North Park?  Like what is the cutoff threshold for being mentioned or discussed in the National thread?

5)  We're getting into the heart of the season and honestly the activity level here overall is tepid at best.  We need more posting rather than less. 

[calvin_grad]

I wonder how long its been since Calvin lost 2 in a row, much less 3 in a row.

2014 for 2 losses in a row, 2013 for 3.