Women’s Soccer Power Rankings #2

One Month Down, One to Go: Penultimate Women’s Soccer Power Rankings

  1. Middlebury (10-0-0, 5-0-0)

Despite Williams being the #3 team in the country, I have no problem putting the Panthers at the top of my list. They’re the only undefeated team left in the NESCAC and have won four of their five conference games by two goals or more. It’s the best start in Middlebury program history, and it’s clear this team has the capability to go toe-to-toe with Williams.  Leah Salzman ’21 and Sabrina Glaser ’20 continue to headline the offensive front, while Olivia Miller ’20 has registered three assists. In fact, the Panthers have the most assists in NESCAC games, signifying this team knows how to move the ball around the pitch and create scoring chances for one another. The defense has been superb, and this weekend’s home date with a struggling Jumbos squad looks like a much easier task than previously thought.

  1. Williams (8-0-1, 5-0-1)

Williams is still recognized by the D3 soccer community as the one of the top teams in the country, and technically sit atop the conference standings (albeit they have played an extra NESCAC game than Middlebury). After a defensive stalemate with Amherst ended their perfect start, the Ephs has since rebounded with victories against Bates and Conn College. Goalkeeper Olivia Barnhill ’19 commands a virtually impenetrable defensive unit who have allowed a mere two goals to date (including none in their last four conference games). Sydney Jones ’21 remains a one-person wrecking crew on offense, ranking first in goals scored and points (goals + assists) in conference play.  If Williams can get the offense churning on a consistent basis, they’d be almost impossible to defeat. The Ephs are the only NESCAC team that does not play a fellow conference opponent this weekend.

  1. Amherst (7-1-1, 3-1-1)

The Mammoths parlayed their 0-0 deadlock against Williams with dominating performances against Tufts and Bates, vaulting them into the third spot in this week’s power rankings. The offense is starting to catch fire, tallying fifteen goals in their past three games; in particular,  Alexa Juarez ’22 has been the star of the show, finding the net five times and cementing herself as a clear frontrunner for rookie of the year. Goalie Antonia Tammaro ‘21 has seen an increase in playing time since the Middlebury loss and has played superbly, allowing just a single goal. Amherst has a tricky date with Hamilton on Saturday, as the Continentals are technically in third place at the moment (although Amherst has played two less games). Securing three points would allow the Mammoths to leapfrog Hamilton with a relatively manageable back portion of the schedule (Conn, Colby, @Wesleyan, and Trinity).

  1. Tufts (6-2-1, 3-1-1)

The Jumbos had a tough go of it last weekend: on Saturday, they were blitzed by Amherst to a tune of 3-0, and then barely held on for a 1-1 draw against Hamilton.  The good news is the Jumbos have found a compliment to goal-scoring machine Sophie Lloyd ‘21 – Liz Reed ‘21 leads the NESCAC in assists and has netted three goals of her own to date.  These two must continue to lead the offense if Tufts wants to keep pace with Amherst in the quest for the third seed come playoff time. Up next is a trip to Middlebury, where even a point would be a nice result for a Jumbo team who is 1-2-1 in their last four games.

  1. Hamilton (3-2-3, 3-2-2)
Alex Fontana ’20 notched her 1st goal of the season in Hamilton’s 1-1 draw against Tufts (Hamilton Athletics)

The Continentals were inches away from leaving Medford with a 2-1 victory, but Olivia Rodrigues’s ’21 shot bounced off the crossbar deep in the second period of overtime. Nonetheless, a draw is a nice result for a team trying to sneak their way into the top four of the conference standings. As I previously mentioned, Hamilton currently rounds out the top three; however, they have played seven games, while many teams below them have played either four or five. While they most likely won’t occupy that third spot in the actual standings for much longer, they do have remaining games against lower-tier teams (Bowdoin and Colby), so they can still pick up valuable points. While the offense isn’t producing a ton of goals, the defense continues to stymie opponents, as they’ve allowed less than a goal per game in NESCAC games. The Continentals are hoping their defense travels to Amherst when they take on the Mammoths this Saturday.

  1. Wesleyan (5-2-2, 2-1-2)

Liz Young ’19 found an equalizer late in the second half against Hamilton, allowing the Cardinals to snatch a point and bolster their chances of securing a playoff spot. She’s received help on the offensive end from a surprise source in defender Gianna Argentino ’21, who scored twice against Bates earlier this season. Wesleyan was supposed to play Trinity Tuesday, but it was rescheduled for Wednesday night and ended in a draw. The Cardinals couldn’t come away with three points and missed a big opportunity to join Amherst and Tufts with ten points apiece.

  1. Connecticut College (6-3, 1-3)

The Camels have struggled out of the gate, albeit the losses have come against the top three teams in the NESCAC. Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Williams was a strong showing despite the result, as the Camels had multiple chances to equalize but failed to score on Barnhill. The schedule eases up for a brief moment when the Camels face Bates on Saturday, but this is a must win for Conn if they have any hope of snatching a top-five seed come tournament time. The trio of Kat Norton ‘21 (5 goals and 3 assists), Alex Baltazar ’19 and Tori Kretzmer ’21 should continue to pace the Camel attack, but the offense as a whole needs to perform better in conference games; Conn is converting a league-worst 4.5% of shots into goals, and is tied for last with Bates in goals scored with three.

  1. Bowdoin (5-3-1, 1-3)
Can Morgen Gallagher lead the Polar Bears to the postseason? (Bowdoin Athletics)

Not much has changed with the Polar Bears, as they’ve picked up three non-conference wins to improve their overall record, but were defeated soundly by Middlebury in a game of much higher importance. Bowdoin wasn’t expected to win by any means, but they were thoroughly dominated right from the get-go. Their two leading goal scorers (Morgen Gallagher ’20 and Julia Adelmann ‘22) have failed to score in any of their NESCAC games, and they’ll be needed to produce against Trinity, a game the Polar Bears should look at as a must win. Not to be overlooked, the following day’s rivalry matchup with Colby could be a de-facto 8th place game. Since the back end of Bowdoin’s schedule includes Hamilton, Williams, Conn and Tufts, the Polar Bears desperately need positive results this weekend.

  1. Colby (4-4, 1-4)

Just when it looked like the Mules were out for the count, they mounted a furious comeback in the final five minutes and snatched three points right from Trinity’s claws. Charlotte White ’22 scored in the 85th minute and later assisted on Catherine Fraser’s ’19 absolute peach of a winner, bringing life back into Colby’s season (I’m ignoring their following losses to Conn and Middlebury for the sake of the moment). Similarly to Bowdoin, Colby’s playoff hunt will basically be decided this weekend: with home games against Wesleyan and the Polar Bears, the Mules need points in order to jump into the top eight. Amherst, Hamilton and Bates remain on the back end of the schedule, but the first two appear (on paper) as losses.  A win against the Bobcats, while important, probably won’t matter if the Mules lose both contests against the Cardinals and Polar Bears.

  1. Trinity (3-4-2, 1-3-1)

The Bantams aren’t officially out of the picture, but their collapse against Colby has them on the outside looking in. I was curious to see how the Bantams would respond after such a heartbreaking defeat, and they bounced back nicely with a 2-1 victory against Bates. Colleen Lux ’22 leveled the score at 1-1 halfway through the second half, and Duun O’Hara ‘22 broke the deadlock in the 88th minute. Trinity kept their momentum going with a big tie against Wesleyan on Wednesday night and now head north to take on the Polar Bears.

  1. Bates (2-7, 0-7)

While no team is technically eliminated from playoff contention, the Bobcats are oh-so-close to being the first NESCAC team to claim that honor (or lack thereof). Saturday’s game against Trinity needed to end with some sort of positive result, and Riley Turcotte ’20 got things started with a goal in the 16th minute; however, the Bobcats squandered the lead late in the second half, leaving them 0-7 in conference play. While there’s no magic number for qualification, Bates will probably have to earn at least seven points from their remaining three matches (two wins and a tie), and even then the number might be too low.  To make things more complicated, one of those games is a road trip to undefeated Middlebury. Ouch. But first, the Bobcats must take one game at a time, starting with a home date against the Camels. 

 

Anyone Besides Williams?: NESCAC Women’s Soccer Power Rankings

NESCAC Women’s Soccer Power Rankings

Sydney Jones ‘21 torching Trinity defenders
  1. Williams: 5-0 (3-0)

The Ephs not only sit atop our inaugural NESCAC Women’s Soccer Power Rankings, but also claim the #1 ranking in the entire country. Even with the graduation of three First Team All-NESCAC honorees, Williams returns the bulk of their roster with expectations to repeat as national champions.  Last year’s leading goal scorer Alison Lu ’20 has yet to play this season (due to an injury?), but forward Sydney Jones ’21 has single-handily carried the offense in her absence, accounting for more than half of the team’s goals. Despite the perfect start, however, the Ephs have had close encounters in some of their earlier conference games; for example, a 1-0 home victory over lowly Colby is a pretty disappointing result considering the talent discrepancy between the two schools. While Williams may not be necessarily dominating its opponents, this is the most talented team in the ‘CAC and certainly the favorite to repeat as NESCAC/NCAA Champions.

Up Next: The Ephs begin a four-game road trip this Saturday, starting in Amherst to take on the Mammoths in what should present a nice challenge for Williams.  The following day, they travel north to face weaker opponent in Bates; however, the Bobcats were able to escape Williamstown with a draw last year, so the Ephs cannot afford to take them lightly.

  1. Middlebury: 5-0 (2-0)

The Panthers kicked off their 2018 NESCAC campaign in impressive fashion, shutting out Conn College on the road before heading home and snagging a hard-fought 3-1 win against Amherst.  In my book, that’s two wins against teams that will finish in the top half of the standings when it’s all said and done. Middlebury features a balanced offense attack, headlined by Leah Salzman ’21 and Sabrina Glaser ’20. Glaser was particularly affective against the Mammoths, finding the net twice after the Mammoths took a 1-0 lead early in the first half. Goalkeeper Ursula Alwang ’20 has been phenomenal in their two conference games, saving 19/20 shots on goal.

Up Next: Middlebury has a home date with Bowdoin on Saturday, followed by a short road trip to Hamilton on Sunday. A sweep of their weekend matches would bode extremely well in hopes of keeping pace with Williams, as the hunt for the regular season title intensifies in the coming weeks.

  1. Tufts: 5-0 (3-0)

Coach Martha Whiting couldn’t have scripted a better start for the Jumbos. An undefeated start to the season is impressive enough, but to be the only team in the ‘CAC thus far to not allow a single goal is a remarkable achievement. Last year’s First Team All-NESCAC goalkeeper Emily Bowers ’19 headlines the Jumbo’s impenetrable back wall, which has shut out the likes of Colby, Wesleyan and Bates.  Granted, these three teams aren’t exactly the cream of the crop in the NESCAC, but 3-0 is 3-0. Sophie Lloyd ’21 has tallied six goals in her first three games, but missed the last two against Wesleyan and Bates (once again assuming an injury here).

Up Next: The Jumbos are off this week in terms of conference games, with a match against Brandeis on Sunday. Hopefully Lloyd will be deemed fit for next weekend’s date with Amherst, as this will be Tufts’ first real test in conference play.

  1. Amherst: 4-1 (1-1)

The Mammoths check in at number four on this week’s power rankings due to an offense that has weapons all across the pitch; headlined by forward Rubii Tamen ’20, Amherst has six players who have registered two goals or more this season. Even in their 3-1 loss to Middlebury, the Mammoths outshot the Ephs, signifying a closer game between the two than the final score indicated. Amherst has the toughest schedule in September, with contests against the three top teams in the league (Williams and Tufts remain, as they already played Middlebury).

Up Next: Amherst’s date with Williams could be a defining point for both teams, but is definitely more important for the Mammoths. A win on their own turf would have this squad at 2-1 before a road trip to Tufts the following week; a loss on Saturday and the Mammoths could potentially be facing a 1-3 start in conference play.

  1. Hamilton: 2-1-1 (2-1)
When will Hamilton start converting shots into goals?

The Continentals are a usual middle-of-the-pack team that might finally break through and cause some havoc in league play. They gave the Ephs a scare in their close 2-1 loss, and followed up that performance with two wins against Bates and Trinity. More impressive, they allowed a total of nine combined shots against the Bobcats and Bantams, and fired a whopping 65 shots! I’m all about a good ratio and that’s as solid as they come. The one concern I have is not the offensive capability the Continentals possess, but whether they can cash more of those shots into goals. They’ve taken 100 shots in their five regular season games, but only five goals have come from that – a ratio that is dead last in the NESCAC.

Up Next: Hamilton has a tough conference slate this weekend; first, they host Conn College, whom they have not beaten in five years (three losses, two draws). It doesn’t get any easier the next day, when Middlebury visits Clinton with revenge on their mind after the Continentals upset the Panthers in the quarterfinals of last year’s NESCAC Tournament. A split would be a nice result, but an unbeaten weekend would send a message to the rest of the ‘CAC that Hamilton can hang with the big boys.

  1. Connecticut College: 4-1 (0-1)

Not too long ago (2015), the Camels endured a winless campaign and finished near the bottom of the league. 2016 saw a slight improvement, but not many would have expected Conn to vault into second place in 2017. The Camels are out to prove doubters in the NESCAC that their 2017 season was not a fluke. Sure they’ve lost some talent, but last season’s leading goal scorer for the Camels (Kat Norton ’21) is back along with Alex Baltazar ’19. They held firm with Middlebury until the latter stages of the game, and actually outshot the Panthers 20-19. I think the Camels can surprise some teams this season, but will need to produce actual results early on in the year in order for others to buy into the hype.

Up Next:Following a road trip to Hamilton, the Camels head back home to take on Colby. Conn understands while both games are important, the Continentals present a much (emphasis on much) tougher challenge than the Mules. A sweep of this weekend’s games would give the Camels a much-needed confidence boost before next weekend’s date with Williams.

  1. Wesleyan: 4-2 (1-1)
Liz Young ’19 will look to lead the Cardinals to the postseason

The Cardinals were bad last year; there’s no way to sugarcoat it. However, they’ve already tied their conference win total from last year with a victory over Bowdoin this past Saturday. Liz Young ’19 notched her third goal of the young season against the Polar Bears, and will look to lead her Cardinals to a potential playoff berth (something that’s alluded this program the last four years).

Up Next:The Cardinals have a very winnable game against Bates on Saturday, and if they want to take that next step in securing a playoff berth, they’ll need to leave Lewiston with a positive result. The Bobcats went into Middletown last season and came away with a 1-0 victory, so Wesleyan will want to return the favor.

  1. Bowdoin: 2-2-1 (1-2)

Bowdoin slots in at the eight hole primarily because the three teams below them are winless in conference play.  The Polar Bear’s first two games in the NESCAC went pretty well; although they fell 1-0 to Amherst, it was a tightly contested battle, and then they gave in-state rival Bates a spanking by the tune of 4-0.  The 2-0 loss to Wesleyan really took the wind out of the sail, and could be a vital result as the two teams will most certainly jockey for playoff seeding throughout the season. Morgen Gallagher ’20 has fired a team-high 20 shots so far, but only one goal has resulted from them.  She and the rest of her Polar Bears crew will look to generate more consistency on the offensive side of the ball, as Bowdoin has been shut out in three of their five games to date.

Up Next: The Polar Bears will travel to Middlebury to take on the Panthers this weekend.  Bowdoin has surprisingly owned the Panthers in recent history, winning the last four regular season matches.  They’ll look to push the streak to five with an upset on Saturday.

  1. Trinity: 2-3 (0-2)

After starting the season 0-3, the Bantams picked up two non-conference wins by a combined score of 7-0. Don’t let that goose egg fool you, however, because the Bantam defense was downright atrocious in its first two conference games. I understand giving up 25 shots to Williams in a 3-1 defeat, but they gave up 37 shots against Hamilton IN A SINGLE GAME. That has to be some sort of typo, because if it isn’t, the Bantams will have some problems later in the year.  On the bright side, goalie Taylor O’Conner ’21 has been remarkable, leading the ‘CAC with 30 saves and doing her best to keep her team in the game.

Up Next: Trinity’s favorable early schedule now features four straight games against teams expected to finish in the bottom half of the conference.  The first one up is a home game against Colby; the Bantams need a victory here if they want to move up from the cellar of the conference. More so, they need a solid defensive performance on Saturday to instill confidence in a unit that has been struggling mightily and will be needed as the season goes by.

  1. Colby: 2-2 (0-2)

There are few sports that Colby is better at than Bates. I’m not saying Colby women’s soccer is better than this Bates team, but at this early point in the season, I am slotting the Mules just ahead of the Bobcats because they’ve played better in their conference losses. Relatively close losses to Tufts and Williams are still losses at the end of the day, but can be used as vital experience when it comes time to playing weaker conference foes. The trio of Catherine Fraser ’19, Olivia Greif ’21 and Juliette Nadeau ’22 have carried the Mule offense to date, but these three will need to have a bigger impact in their remaining conference games in order for Colby to snag a playoff spot.

Up Next: Colby has two games this weekend, both in the state of Connecticut. First, they have a date with Trinity; with the way the Trinity defense is playing (this can’t be stressed enough), the Mules have a real opportunity to win this game. The following day, they have a tougher opponent in Conn College, but a split from this weekend series would be a nice result.

  1. Bates: 2-3 (0-3)

The Bobcats have played three conference games: they’ve given up eight goals and haven’t scored any of their own. These kinds of numbers typically don’t result in a recipe for success. Bates is in dire need of offense, as they sit dead last in the NESCAC for goals scored and shots taken, and second-to-last in assists. Olivia Amdur ’19 ended her 2017 campaign tied for fifth in goals, yet hasn’t found the net this season. The Bobcats desperately need her to wake up from her slump and find players to get her the ball; otherwise they have a long season ahead.

Up Next: Bates has two home games this weekend, with the first being Wesleyan. As mentioned above, the ‘Cats can definitely win this game, but Wesleyan will be well prepared after losing to Bates a season ago. The following game features Williams, a team that Bates hasn’t defeated since 2010. I’d expect that trend to continue, but hey, crazier things have happened in sports.

The Play(off)’s the Thing: Women’s Soccer Power Rankings 10/11

As we trudge through midterms and think about the glorious prospects of Fall break, NESCAC Women’s Soccer nears the end of its regular season with only two weekends left of conference play. Williams and Connecticut College sit atop the division, while Wesleyan and Colby round out the bottom. Tufts and Middlebury look to finish the regular season strong, and build momentum going into the playoff season.

Here are my mid-season power rankings:

1). Williams College Ephs

It’s hard to argue that any other team is more deserving of the number one spot in the power rankings. The Ephs have yet to lose a game all year, including conference and nonconference play. The Ephs are like the Patriots. When New England trailed Atlanta by twenty-five points, Falcons WR Taylor Gabriel told an arrogant Mohamed Sanu, “But they have Tom Brady, though” when Sanu stated the Patriots couldn’t come back. Two weeks ago, the Ephs edged the flaming hot Camels to break their hopes of an undefeated season on a seemingly harmless corner kick in OT. No matter how many goals the Ephs are down by, they are that team that always finds a way to come back. The most staggering statistic to point to the Ephs’ success is their goals against, which is a mere four goals (the next best GA team is Conn with six). Liz Webber ‘20 has come back this season from an injury that kept her out the entire 2016 campaign, and has been an integral part of the Ephs’ offensive and defensive prowess. The rest of the regular season schedule isn’t too challenging for the Ephs, but in all likelihood, they will have to beat the Camels if they want to fulfill their quest for a national championship.

It’s been nothing but smiles for Williams so far this season.

2). Connecticut College Camels

The Camels didn’t disappoint the alumni at homecoming last weekend. They trounced the Bates Bobcats 3-0. I predicted the game would’ve been a tighter one; nevertheless, the Camels showed to the rest of the conference that they’re a special team. Before the season, many people believed that the conference hierarchy was the Ephs at the top, a fifty-foot drop, and then the next team, which wasn’t even comparable to the Ephs. The Camels replied to this statement, “No, not this year. There’s a new sheriff in town.” That sheriff is none other than Kat Norton ‘21. The freshman sensation is second in the conference in goals—notching two in the decisive win over Bates. Most teams rely on veteran players being the difference makers in conference games, so the unrelenting production from Norton has propelled Conn to one of the best teams in the conference. GK Bryanna Montalvo ‘18 has been one of the best in the NESCAC all year—giving her team a chance in tightly competitive games. A NESCAC championship between Conn and Williams would be a thriller, and the victor has a great shot at securing a national championship.

3). Middlebury College Panthers

The Panthers currently rank fourth in the NESCAC. They’re a very good team that excels on both sides of the field. A late goal in a 2-1 OT win over Wesleyan on Sunday showed the team’s tenacity. The conditions were brutal with a humid rain. With ten seconds left in the first overtime period, Eliza Van Voorhis ‘21 scored on a beautiful cross just outside the box from one of her Panther teammates. Wesleyan was just coming off a big win against Colby, and looked like they possessed all the momentum in the world. However, the persistence Middlebury showed by not giving up with only ten seconds to play in the overtime period illustrates that they’re going to be a good team down the stretch. If I were Conn or Williams, I would be worried in a 0-0 playoff game in the second-half against Midd.

Caitlin Magruder ’20 scored her first goal of the season, and Middlebury persevered in OT against Wesleyan.

4). Tufts University Jumbos

The Jumbos must be feeling left out. With all the noise Conn has made, Tufts hasn’t been giving the spotlight they deserve. They’ve put together a very good season thus far, ranking third in the NESCAC. GK Emily Bowers ‘19 has played quite impressively all season with her name in the top five of saves and save percentage. Sophie Lloyd ‘21 leads the team with an impressive five goals. The ‘Bos only have Bates and Bowdoin left on their schedule, which are winnable games. If they can do that, the ‘Bos will enough momentum to possibly knock off the league’s top dogs come playoff time.

5). Trinity College Bantams

After a mediocre start to the season, the Bantams are 2-0 in their past two conference games. Albeit the wins are against Wesleyan and Bowdoin, wins are wins no matter who they come against. The Bantams should be feeling good about themselves after those two conference wins. I predict, however, that those smiles will go away after they travel to both Middlebury and Connecticut College for their next two conference games. Rhone O’Hara ‘20 leads her team in points, and has been a force on defense throughout the year. Right now, the Bantams sit in the middle of the pack in the standings, but look for a fall after a ominous weekend.

6). Hamilton College Continentals

At this point in the season, the Continentals are trying to win out to avoid playing Williams or Conn in the first round. Therefore, these next two games are critical for them. This last weekend didn’t treat Hamilton too well with a loss against the Jumbos and a tie against Amherst. A win in both games would’ve propelled Hamilton up into the upper-tier of the standings. Now, they don’t carry much momentum from earlier in the season anymore. GK Emily Dumont ‘18 has been a stud in net, however. She has won the Continentals some games that could’ve gone either way. The goal scoring went dry last weekend, and that must change if Hamilton wants to have a deep playoff run.

7). Wesleyan University Cardinals

I avoid as much bias as I can in my writing, so choosing the one win Cardinals as the seventh team in my power rankings may be a shocker to some. Look, the Cardinals had some really tough breaks on Sunday. After a decisive win against Colby on Saturday, the team almost beat Middlebury on Sunday. One of the team’s best players, Liz Young ‘19, went down with an injury during the game. Another Cardinal injury only plagued them more. Even though the Cardinals haven’t looked great all year, Emily Ribatt ‘21 and Carly Bechtloff ‘21 have been key freshman contributors. Bechtloff’s hustle and keeping a play alive in the corner led to a nifty Ribatt cross, which tallied the only Cardinal goal in the Middlebury game. It is premature to say, however, that the Cardinals have a good chance at making the playoffs since Williams comes to Middletown on Saturday. Sports are weird, though. Anything can happen.

Wesleyan battles, which is a trait that could serve them well if they can sneak into the playoffs.

8). Bates College Bobcats

A week ago, I would’ve put the Bobcats at least top five in these rankings. An upset loss to Bowdoin last Wednesday and a loss to Conn on Saturday have really turned the Bobcats’ season upside down. I know that Conn was going to be a really hard game to win, but Bowdoin represented a winnable game. Losses like that hurt down the stretch because as a lower seed in the playoffs, the Bobcats will likely face the Ephs or Camels. The Bobcats have depended way too much on GK Sarah McCarthy ‘18. She leads the league in saves, and has shown she’s one of the best in the conference. Bates’ fall from the top of the league has been surprising, but their season isn’t over. The toughest games are out of their way, and winning out is a must to avoid Williams and Conn in the early rounds of the playoffs.

9). Bowdoin College Polar Bears

Bowdoin, unlike Bates, must’ve felt really good about themselves after Wednesday’s game. Any win against a Maine NESCAC opponent is significant. Right now, Bowdoin’s on the outside looking in regarding the playoff picture. They aren’t a hot team, so facing Hamilton and Conn next week will be tough. Picking up a win against Hamilton would be huge, but I don’t see that happening. Look for the Polar Bears to stay around #9 in the power rankings through the rest of the regular season.

10). Amherst College Mammoths

To say this season has been a disappointment for Amherst is an understatement. Normally, Amherst is really good. Like really good in just about everything— sound familiar, Williams? Therefore, a single win in conference play so far is quite shocking for an Amherst team. They’re scoring goals, but simultaneously they’re letting way too many in. They’re tied with Bates for the league’s worst in goals against. With only a few weeks left in the season and without much playoff hope, it’s now all about pride for Amherst.

11). Colby College Mules

In my high school’s athletic conference, there were numerous awards. The top team award was obviously the league championship. Nevertheless, all the awards were great, except one: the sportsmanship award. In New England prep school athletics, sportsmanship was code for ‘we feel bad for you’. In watching Colby play, they’re not a bad team, they’re really not. They don’t deserve the ‘sportsmanship’ award. A lot of the games they’ve lost were close. Obviously someone has to be last in the power rankings, but I will make excuses for Colby. They’re much better than their record. Look for a turnaround in the 2018 season because Colby truthfully has nowhere to go but up.

 

Here Come the Camels: Women’s Soccer Weekend Preview 9/29

Friday, 9/29

Wesleyan vs Hamilton (Clinton, N.Y., 4:15 PM)

Following 1-0 defeats this past weekend, both Wesleyan and Hamilton look to get off the snide this Friday. Against Bates on Saturday, Wesleyan still exhibited signs of great defense, but limited execution on the offensive end. As I predicted last weekend, the game was determined by a bounce one way or another. Unsuccessful Wesleyan corners in the first-half opened the door for Bates to put one into the back of the net later on in the game. Similarly, Hamilton’s loss to the undefeated Camels proved to be a tightly competitive game, but a bounce here and there led to the Continental’s defeat. Cat Gambino ‘18 leads the team in goals thus far, and will be the difference maker if Hamilton wants to ascend in the NESCAC standings. However, look for a sense of assertiveness in the eyes of the Cards as they look for their first league win. This will be a defensive-minded game, but I think Wes will be playing for their lives.

Predicted Score: Wesleyan 1-0.

Saturday, 9/30

Olivia Greif
Olivia Greif ’21 (Courtesy of Colby Athletics)

Colby vs Middlebury (Middlebury, VT, 11:00)

The Mules will leave Waterville with some desperation in their eyes as they look to pick up that ever elusive first conference win. Olivia Greif ‘21 still stands tall in all three of the NESCAC major statistical offensive categories. She is in the top five in goals, assists and points. Mostly because of Greif, the Mules have proven that they can generate some offense with an above average GFA, but also have a less than stellar GAA. Middlebury, in contrast, plays a defensive-minded game. Keeper Ursula Alwang ‘20 has done a solid job between the pipes, and the Panthers have several strong defenders. Like Wesleyan, I think Colby will go on the road with a similar mentality with the goal to pick up their first conference win. Look for Greif to be a difference maker on the offensive end on the pitch.

Predicted Score: 1-0 Colby

Bates plays a gritty, defensive game that allows them to win close games.
(Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Trinity vs Bates (Lewiston, ME, 11:00 AM)

The Bantams and Bobcats are riding high after squeaking out 1-0 victories, respectively, this past weekend. In any sport, the strength of a team is measured in its mental toughness. Grinding out a 1-0 win illustrates this mental toughness. Bates made that long drive to Middletown to defeat the Cardinals in a nail-bitter. Caroline Bogue’s (‘21) goal provided the offense, while clutch defense against some dangerous Wesleyan corner-kicks sealed the game. In even bigger news, the Bobcats tied the undefeated Ephs on Sunday. It’s not just Williams and Amherst at the top of the pack this year; Bates has shown that they can truly compete with anybody. The Bantams look to stay hot coming off a 1-0 win against Colby. Like Bates, Trinity won a close game on the road–the sign of a good team. Led to victory by a goal from Tricia Pollock ‘20, Trinity looks to seize another road win. However, Bates will ride the momentum from the Wesleyan win and the Williams tie to victory. I’m taking Bates.

Predicted Score: 2-0 Bates

Tufts vs Amherst (Amherst, MA, 12:00 PM)

Hannah Guzzi
Hannah Guzzi ’18 has seven goals already this season. (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

Amherst has to be kicking themselves after how close its defeat was to Williams. A win at a Williams homecoming would’ve proved to be incredibly sweet in front of all the Eph alumni. As an eighth seed right now in the NESCAC, this game is almost a must-win for Amherst. Hannah Guzzi ‘18 leads the entire league in goals; she’s the best offensive weapon in the league, and needs to put the team on her back like Greg Jennings did. Coming into the season with high expectations, a win here would push the Mammoths in the right direction. The Jumbos are undefeated–albeit with two ties. Emily Bowers ’19 has come into her own, and she has shown the league that she’s one of its best keepers. The Needham, MA, native (the best town in the country– no prejudice), ranks second in save percentage. Even though she’s a rock in net, Amherst will come out on top in this must-win game:

Predicted Score: 2-1 Amherst.

GAME OF THE WEEK: Connecticut College vs Williams (Williamstown, MA, 12:00 PM)

Williams dominant offense has been a true team effort this season.

Alas, we’ve finally come to the best game of the week: the Conn Camels vs the Williams Ephs. Conn’s performance this year has been incredible. A sleeper to begin the year, the Camels simply keep winning games. Much of their success can be attributed to their wealth of assets. Kat Norton ‘21 and Mackenzie Kingston ‘18 cannot be stopped on the offensive end. Norton is top three in the league in goals, and Kingston is top five in assists. Tieing Bates after a great win against Amherst has to be a wakeup call for the Ephs that there are many competitive teams in the NESCAC. Alison Lu ‘20 leads the Ephs offense. She is one of the best players in Division III soccer–ranking third in the NESCAC in goals. However, the most impressive Eph feat is that they rank first in all of the offensive major metrical categories. And by all I mean ALL; points, goals, assists, GFA, they’re dominant. However, the Camels have opened eyes all season and won’t stop here. Look for Conn to pull off the shocker:

Predicted Score: Camels 3-2.

Standings as of 9/26
(Courtesy of NESCAC.com)