Games To Watch This Week

[Kuiper]

Cross-Posting from the GO WEST thread.  The first game is available free on Trinity's website.  The second will be on FloSports.

Friday 10/11

Texas Lutheran @ Trinity 5 pm central

TLU had a disappointing 0-0 tie against Austin over the weekend and continues to have trouble scoring against all but the weakest of teams (like its 5-0 win over University of Dallas last Friday).  Trinity overcame two bunkering teams - McMurry and Concordia TX - to secure wins.  Both teams remain undefeated overall and in the SCAC, but TLU is probably the stubbornest defense Trinity has faced and Trinity is probably the strongest offense TLU has faced.  TLU has only scored 12 goals all season (5 against UoD), but only given up 3 goals all season and the last one was on 9/8 at Otterbein (when they won 2-1).  Trinity has scored 2 goals or more in every game since opening weekend and has scored 34 goals and only given up 4.  I expect Trinity to win this game, but I doubt they will be able to generate a ton of offense simply because TLU's defense and style of play doesn't really allow it.  Because it's the first game of the weekend for the two teams and this is probably the shortest road trip in the SCAC for TLU (about 40 miles), I expect we'll get both teams' best efforts.

Colorado College @ Concordia (TX) 7 pm central

Concordia is coming off a tough loss to Trinity, getting beat 2-1 after being up 1-0 for most of the game.  Colorado College had an efficient, if unspectacular, weekend of 2-0 wins over Ozarks and Centenary.  My guess is Concordia might try the same tactics as they did against Trinity, pressing until they get a goal and then parking the bus (or the pickup truck?).  Either way, Colorado College's offense has not been as prolific as Trinity, so this might be a better game in which to employ it.

[SierraFD3soccer]

Also Wednesday

Hope-Calvin
Kenyon-OWU
W&L- CNU

Other:
F&M-LH Valley
Hop-Salisbury
JCU-Mt Union
MSU-Alvernia

Few weeks ago, this might have a been a great game - today 4:00 F&M v. Leb Valley on Leb Valley's deep grass. I'm guessing that the coach loves the grass height.

[SKUD]

Don't you think a good grass surface is far superior any synthetic?

[SierraFD3soccer]

Don't you think a good grass surface is far superior any synthetic?

Problem I see as to grass which has always been a problem, is the quality.  McDaniel, imo, has had the best grass much like a pro field and plays like turf to certain extent as in everything you can do on turf, you can do on McD's field. Other fields like Haverford and Muhls (old field) were atrocious. You can't pass on the ground without the ball popping up or going in another direction.

Some fields like Lebanon Valley's always seem high so its like passing the ball into a puddle. It just dies. In turn you have to slightly lift the ball to get it going to your player.  Thereby giving teams advantages until a possession team adjusts. Ultimately, it can be slight advantage initially until each team has to deal with all the inconsistencies.

[Hopkins92]

Respectfully, I guess some folks haven't watched games in CONCACAF (I'm looking at you everyone not Mexico and Canada) and witnessed some of the worst grass fields on the planet.

Slow grass is much MUCH worse than playing on a half-decent pellet field.

[SierraFD3soccer]

By contrast check out these two games. JHU v. Salisbury. Salisbury's grass is awesome v. Leb. Valley's

https://team1sports.com/suseagulls/

https://godutchmen.com/watch/?Live=1440&type=Live

[Hopkins92]

Down in Salisbury, we have another situation where the camera location means you can't see a huge chunk of both nearside corners. It's pretty wild. Like, figure something out.

[SierraFD3soccer]

Down in Salisbury, we have another situation where the camera location means you can't see a huge chunk of both nearside corners. It's pretty wild. Like, figure something out.

The Leb. Valley field is the worst. The commentator has to be a volunteer older man whose done HS football. He is such a homer. He hasn't even tried to learn F&Ms names. He gets almost every call wrong. 1-1 at the half.  Nice early goal by F&M and then had a nice combination that hit the inside of the post. LVC got a goal with about a min left. Nice goal with poor marking by F&M.  They unfortunately are down at least three regular starters this game. They'll just have to work harder in second half

[paclassic89]

Ends 2-2.  Most teams are dealing with injuries at this point in the season. When you play the style that F&M does, you have to expect that you're going to get banged up.  Lots of excuses from the Dips...

[SierraFD3soccer]

Ends 2-2.  Most teams are dealing with injuries at this point in the season. When you play the style that F&M does, you have to expect that you're going to get banged up.  Lots of excuses from the Dips...

No excuses given and more explanation, but potato potato. Kids who filled in did reasonably well which helps since they have consistently played all year. They had their chances, but couldn't finish. Still haven't lost. Turn the page. 

[Little Giant 89]

Wabash at DePauw this evening.  Expect a full display of the dark arts when these two bitter rivals meet.

My prediction: 2-1 Wabash.

Ended 2-2 with enough cards shown to run a small Hallmark store.

[Ron Boerger]

Ended 2-2 with enough cards shown to run a small Hallmark store.

Somehow with those two facing off that's not a surprise. 

[LibbyMoore]

This week...

NYU v Wash U

Tufts v Amherst

Tufts v Middlebury

And I like a good battle of the brains, RPI v RIT!

[Kuiper]

I'll have more detail about these later in the week on the Go WEST thread, but here are some to look forward to this week in Region X

Wednesday 10/16

Occidental @ Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 7 pm Pacific

Friday 10/18

Colorado College @ Southwestern 7:30 pm Central

Sunday 10/19

Colorado College @ Texas Lutheran 12 pm Central

[CC United]

Friday 5:00 CST — St. Thomas at Texas Lutheran. Last year this game was a blood bath. Six red cards and ten yellow cards. Head butting, a broken broken leg, the ref lost control of the game early. Not a good look for either team. This year, both teams are fighting for a place in the conference tournament. It will be interesting to see if the teams can keep their emotions under control and still play with high energy. It will be a tough game to ref. I'm not making any predictions for this game, but I predict there will be two yellow cards in the first 10 minutes. The players will get the message.  No red cards. The game will be relatively tame, and rather boring, which I think we all will appreciate. St. Thomas will win 1-0.