Final Wednesday preview: Tampa/Wingate

[RedFromMI]

final South game:

#4 Tampa Spartans (14-5) hosting #5 Wingate Bulldogs (13-3)

Tampa got here either the hard way or by great scheduling of 2 non-region losses...(so they ended up with a 14-3 region record). Not really, but it helped. The main thing about Tampa is they had one of the hardest schedules in the country. But it did not start well, as they opened the season 3-4 with losses to Belmont Abbey 13-9, Adelphi 19-11, Assumption 11-10 in OT, and Lindenwood 10-9. Probably Andrew Kew being out early was a huge factor. But an 11-1 finish (only a loss to Lynn 11-10) and a Sunshine State Conference tournament championship got them all the way to the #4 seed in spite of the losses.

Wingate put together a fine 13-3 season to get to the dance for the second time in three years under the tutelage of Tim Boyle (who has a National championship under his belt from his prior position a the late Dowling College). Only losses were to Mercyhurst 14-8, Catawba 13-9, and Mount Olive 11-10. Not quite the SOS of Tampa, but they did get into the #5 spot in the tournament.

Tampa's O (#12T at 15.00 GPG) and D (#34 at 11.11 GPG) are not some of the numbers we have seen from them in the recent past, but their FO specialist Ross Dickerson is #3 at 75.7%, so they have a lot of possessions. Andrew Kew is one of the more dominant scorers over his career for Tampa at (57,34) this year, leading a stable of eight 10+ GPG players, including Matt Vetter (32, 35) and Colin White (49, 10). In goal is B. J. Borowski at 10.87 GPG and 46% save percentage. Man-up O is #10 at 39.4%.

Wingate has an O at #27 at 13.38 GPG, and the #6 ranked D at 8.44 GPG. Six players are at 10+ (actually all are 22+), led by Bobby Padden at (27, 27), Alex Llerandi at (39, 11) and Conor Gronback at (31, 17). Wyatt Weiseman (65.8%) and James Cotcamp (56.9%) split the FO duties. Goalie is Alex Cordero (8.32 GPG, 53.7%). Man down D is #13 at 74.5%...

Computer ratings: Fanlax - Tampa is #13 with the #5 SOS, Wingate is #10 with the #12 SOS. Masseyratings.com says Tampa is #11 at #5 SOS, and Wingate is #12 at #16 SOS. KRACH has Wingate at #8 and Tampa at #15, and if played like the season has been played Wingate with a 72.9% chance of victory.

Both coaches have a ton of experience. Stats/ratings say Wingate, but some of Tampa's numbers are depressed due to an early season injury to Kew, who is one of the hardest players in DII to stop. Tampa also has this one at home, so maybe this one is too close to call...

Next up for the winner: #1 Limestone in Gaffney on Saturday

[Laxwarrior]

Sportsmerics.com has this as Tampa win 12-11

[admin]

12-11? I'll take the over.

[RedFromMI]

Tampa dominating the first half 7-1.

[RedFromMI]

Final 13-6 after a Tampa built a 7-0 lead into the second quarter that proved unsurmountable. Kew held to just a pair of goals, but Vetter was (4, 1).

Tampa story: https://www.tampaspartans.com/sports/ml ... 0508ygjhge

Wingate: https://wingatebulldogs.com/news/2019/5 ... pener.aspx