Anyone happen to catch Hope's games over the weekend? They won 2, beating Goshen 2-0 and clobbering MSOE 9-1! MSOE usually has a good defense but losing 9-1? Wow! What happened? 

MAC is the top team in the North Region at the moment therefore they will be getting a top 8 inclusion, #7 works I suppose... Although, there is a better chance of MAC finishing 7th in the conference this season then 7th in the nation.  It should be a very competitive MIAC regular season this year.  There has to be no clear favorite at this point.

Hasty -- yes I'd have to agree. But what is up with the NSCAA. Their web page continues to talk about the NSCAA rankings -- rather the NSCAA-Hendricks Car Rankings.... but they are simply posting the NCAA rankings under the head NCAA. Using just a single set of rankings makes sense...  but their web page is confusing on this point.

Preseason predictions are, as Boise State Headcoach Chris Petersen puts it, a beauty pageant, so i wont try and jump in the mix.  However, the leauge will probly shakedown SOMEWHAT like this

The TOP Amherst, Bowdoin, Trinity: AMherst has probly the best or second best goalie in the league, a hyper intense coach who exhibits APPALLING behavior but gets his kids ready to play week in week out.  Cant beat the poise either.  Bowdoin always solid but never great, i think they break through this year.  Trinity loses a lot of leadership (Doran Wisner Graves Etc) but the back five (Stupay, Buckley, Riely and Kulik? (if he comes back)) in front of keeper Shoneberg is tough to ignore.  If Shoneberg stays healthy i dont see a lot of goals on this team.  Also pete marlette - nuff said

Vying for the Top Wesleyan Midd Williams: Midd and williams are always good but not like in yeras past but i would nt be surprised if either won the league, theyre always good.  Weslyan has a great coach and a great goalie, which is the foundation for any team, but can they run teams around like they used to without Redpath and Whipple?

The bracket busters Conn Bates: you never know with these two.  Bates has some young firepower and Conn is on the up and up, the play everybody tough and could pull a Weslyan a la '05

the Bottom Tufts and Colby: never been impressed by either squad, theyre just all wrong from colors (Brown and Baby Blue??) to nicknames (Mules??) tough going for these two in '10

-the Cityzen

Mac ranked #7... in the country?! I will take it but it seems a bit hasty

My Picks for 2010:

1.Williams- Still have alot of talent. They lose D Smith and the striker Pierre and the starting K Graham.  Vella can replace Smith and be a vocal leader in the back. I believe with Romero coming back he can replace goals from Pierre. The biggest question mark for Williams will be in goal. I liked Graham as he was a tough kid who was steady in net and a vocal keeper. They are supposed to have a good freshman coming in so we shall see....

2. Amherst- Rumors are abound that they have a great freshman class coming in.  They have enough talent coming back to make a run. I like the striker Noone and their midfield is as solid as any in Nescac.

3. Bowdoin- I really really liked this team at the end of last year.  They played hard and have some good talent all over the field.  My problem with them last year was their goalkeeper I thought he was one of bottom keepers in Nescac.  Could have won that nescac semi aganist Williams last year and got a raw deal by being sent up to Plattsburg in the middle of the week for NCAA's. 

4.Midd- They are always there even if the coach doesnt want to be.  Rumors were that he wanted the Brown job badly. Didnt get it maybe cause hes over 55..just a hunch. Always can replace talent at Midd with more talent.  Missing out on NCAA's will be good motivator.

5. Wes- The Rodney Dangerfield of Nescac. Never get any respect and are always there at the end.  Made a good run in NCAA's last year and could have beaten Rochester. They have best keeper in Nescac and are very organized defensively. They lose D KAhan M Whipple and striker Brooks plus that hardworking M woody redpath.  They lose alot but with that keeper they figure to play alot of 1-1 or 1-0 games.

6. Trinity- Lose Wisner.still return alot with Marlette and see if Mynerick can turn into the dangerous goal scorer he was thought to be.I didnt like their keeper when I saw this team play last year but thought the team was solid.They fell apart at the end of last year and their NCAA chances were sunk in by 2 losses to Bowdoin. From a distance the coach seems disorganized and goofy but I have never met the man so who knows. Maybe with a little more structure this team could move up.

7. Conn- Great story of 2009. This coach def has structure and got this team on the right path. Some big victories lats year and with the 2nd best striker in Nescac and more talent coming in do not take the day off aganist this team.

8. Bates- The one team I did not see in 2009 but according to others they were decimated by injuries.  Im willing to give then 8 b/c they always seem to have a decent year after a bad year.  Historically do well aganist Tufts and Wesleyan and sprinkle in another W or 2 and they are right there.\

9. Colby- Saw this team a bunch last year and was not impressed. They had one great year in 1991 under this head coach when they had a superb striker and that was it. 

10.Tufts- New coach-same players.....last place

heeesssss baaaaaacccckkkk

Its all about the D this year can anyone really stack up to 4 returning STUDS like the bantams can?

(obligatory love for pete marlette here)

- the Cityzen

Augs 3  Pac Luth 0   Wexler with a brace and Gilmer with the final tally.  Gobana had two assists

Stats from http://golutes.com/sports/msoc/2010-11/files/aug-plu.htm .  Wonder what the Red Card was for; happened in the 21st min

Mac v. Loras was a hard-fought game as I think both teams sensed it would be a one-goal game....but whether it was Loras's midfield or strikers, there was not much offense generated there. Mac's defense looks very solid this year. Nice to see Moose get the goal -- though I was hoping Reid U. would make it 3 for 3 and as soon as I mentioned that he had a shot saved on the line by a defender. EJ looked good on the wing and that paid off with the one perfect cross for the goal. I believe this was the 4th meeting between these teams with Loras 3-0 going in.

I wouldn't say that Augustana outplayed Coe.  The shot count would indicate that, but it was pretty even overall.  We had about at 10 minute bombardment in the second half that was scary, but the defense held well.  I was pretty disappointed with Augustana's cheap fouls after the ball was played away and the ref wasn't paying attention.  They got pretty chippy after we scored and they weren't able to respond. 

I didn't make the Monmouth game, but I understand the 2-0 score could have easily been more.

Overall, the Kohawks are looking a lot more together than last year.  Still holding optimistic for a good season.  Off on the right foot.  Still work to do though.

 Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin scrimmaged each other up at Colby today.  Three 0-0 draws.  Colby looked lost and couldn't even connect basic passes.  Bowdoin seemed to be back to their usual effective long ball tactics though less effective without their two starting centerbacks playing.  Bates looked like a hungry team with something to prove and dominated Bowdoin for large parts of their scrimmage.  Looks to be an interesting season.

 Tough weekend for the Iowa boys! Hope it's just early season jitters for some. This is what I heard, so please correct me if I'm wrong!

1) Coe beat Augustana, but were fortunate with the result. Augustana outplayed them but it's the score that counts. Didn't get much feedback on the games itself.

2) Macalaster outplayed Loras and it could've been worse than 1-0. Macalaster looks like a legit Regional contender.

3) Simpson got outplayed once again, but this time actually lost to Grinnell, unlike the Nebraska Wesleyan game.

4) Central dominated Milliken but couldn't finish in front of goal once again. Game was on Central's practice field and missed their top goalscorer through suspension.

5) Wartburg played well and deserved their result.

6) Luther got outplayed once again, this time by St. Thomas. Two tough matches for them, but heard they're struggling to find their form.

--That's what I got for now! Please chime in if you were at one of the games. Best of luck to all Iowa teams this coming week.

 Bonilla does seem lost without Santi there to draw attention and make those pin point passes to him, they played together since they were kids.  Mids definitely needs to start gelling or it could be a long season.  Expecting big things from Oswald this year, little immature with his challenges and decisions, but he is only a sophomore.   I have seen them play sure great soccer in spurts, just need to get the flow going again.

I think the thing missing was the colombian that graduated. the midfield seemed especially incohesive. some of the subs were also a bit of a letdown in comparison to previous years

agreed, Loras looked is if they just didn't have any sense of urgency.  No build up no shots that challenged, so frustrating to see them play like this.  Congrats to MAC on the win, they clearly wanted it more.

1-0 to mac. loras was completely uninspired. the game was very chippy towards the end, although the double yellow/red was one of the least harsh of the many fouls.

St.  Scholastica wins it 2 0 over GAC, both goals off of headers on corners, first at 7 minute mark and the second at 6 minutes into second half.  Other than corners SS didn't generate much offense at all, GAC a little more and had the ball in SS's end quite a bit, but seldom dangerous. A pretty lackluster game for both sides.  Both headers looked unmarked right in front of goal, camera was so far away couldn't tell if keeper should have caught or punched either or both corners.  GAC defense looked solid except for corners, GAC offense looks to be lacking a scorer.  But the season is young . . . .     

Carroll shouldn't be anything special this year because they lost so much through graduation.  The MWC will be a wide open race it seems.  Beloit looks to be the favorites from what I've heard, followed by St. Norberts and Grinnell.  Lake Forest got a first place vote in the preseason poll I saw, so I don't know where that puts them.  Should be a fun year in the MWC finally

Never seem to start well.  2nd half is usually when they decide to play organized soccer.

loras seems a shadow of the team they were last year through the first half. 0-0 at the break