NCAC 2022

[FannOLax]

Allegheny is A) a new lacrosse program and B) leaving the NCAC. Sad thing is that earlier this season Allegheny comfortably beat Hiram, a school that has had (some form of) lax for a decade or so and isn't leaving the conference.

[WhiteCarrera]

One thing that is affecting Wabash, and (I think) Allegheny is late season wear and tear, combined with small rosters. I know Wabash was without three starters this weekend, and it looks like Allegheny has had some of the same (need someone else to confirm). As guys get banged up, the drop-off with a small roster amplifies the struggle. When Wabash had healthy A/M, they scored four first half goals against Denison, but it's been a different story the last 10 days.

[Nosey Ned]

Big game in the NCAC tonight for Tournament seeding ... Kenyon v Oberlin. Winner is positioned for the #3 seed and will probably face OWU in the Semis (Kenyon and OWU have yet to play so technically they could flip seeds) while the loser gets the #4 and the second crack at Denison that comes with it in on the other side of the bracket.

Oberlin is having a nice season and should be congratulated on being in the mix but I have Kenyon winning 12-10.

Go Big Red

[WhiteCarrera]

At home, I'm gonna predict Kenyon by 6.

[Rbouthet]

Allegheny is suffering through a serious injury bug. I think the offense is down 8 guys. The D can only be expected to do so much under theses circumstances. A fully loaded Gheny team would have gotten an L against Denison. Not that big an L though

[OldWU]

Final weekend of NCAC has no real drama. Top three are set despite some intriguing match-ups. Top four get in playoffs next week, where #1 hosts #4 and #2 hosts #3.

Denison (8-0) @ Wittenberg (5-3) - Big Red rolling to undefeated season again, facing a revived Witt team that was dead a month ago but has won four in a row. Tigers could take fourth place if they pull a historic upset and Oberlin loses, but fat chance on that.

Kenyon (7-1) @ OWU (7-1) - This game decides 2nd and 3rd place and who will host the playoff game where these two will play again. Bishops score more goals, but Kenyon is better defensively. The game next week is the one that really counts.

Oberlin (5-3) @ Wooster (4-4) - Best game of the week -- Wooster could take fourth spot with a win and a Wittenberg loss. Winner gets Denison in first round. Wooster almost beat Kenyon a week ago (game was decided in the final minute) but then lost to Witt. Kenyon beats Oberlin by +7, but Yeomen beat Witt by +3 early in the season.

DePauw (2-6) @ Allegheny (2-6) - Battle for 7th and Sayonara to Gators from the NCAC as they head to PAC next season.

Wabash (0-8) @ Hiram (0-8) - The Pride Bowl....both teams have small rosters and have been shellacked by the rest of the league.

[FannOLax]

Final weekend of NCAC has no real drama. Top three are set despite some intriguing match-ups. Top four get in playoffs next week, where #1 hosts #4 and #2 hosts #3.

Denison (8-0) @ Wittenberg (5-3) - Big Red rolling to undefeated season again, facing a revived Witt team that was dead a month ago but has won four in a row. Tigers could take fourth place if they pull a historic upset and Oberlin loses, but fat chance on that.

Kenyon (7-1) @ OWU (7-1) - This game decides 2nd and 3rd place and who will host the playoff game where these two will play again. Bishops score more goals, but Kenyon is better defensively. The game next week is the one that really counts.

Oberlin (5-3) @ Wooster (4-4) - Best game of the week -- Wooster could take fourth spot with a win and a Wittenberg loss. Winner gets Denison in first round. Wooster almost beat Kenyon a week ago (game was decided in the final minute) but then lost to Witt. Kenyon beats Oberlin by +7, but Yeomen beat Witt by +3 early in the season.

DePauw (2-6) @ Allegheny (2-6) - Battle for 7th and Sayonara to Gators from the NCAC as they head to PAC next season.

Wabash (0-8) @ Hiram (0-8) - The Pride Bowl....both teams have small rosters and have been shellacked by the rest of the league.

DePauw @ Allegheny involves over 900 miles (round-trip) of travel, for a D3 game between two... well, anyway, it's just as well that Allegheny is leaving for the Presidents Athletic Conference.

Oberlin @ Wooster involves less than 100 miles round-trip, and yes, it would be the game of the week. An Oberlin win gets the Yeomen into the conference tourney for the first time. The fourth team in is probably destined to lose at Denison, but Oberlin seems to be a program moving in the right direction, making the NCAC tourney might give a bump-up to recruiting and the NCAC can certainly do with an improving Oberlin. On paper, Kenyon @ OWU looks like a good game, but as mentioned above, these two will play again soon in a game that matters a lot more.

[Nosey Ned]

Wow! Had to check the Kenyon athletic website to make sure Inside Lacrosse hadn’t reversed a final score as they have been known to do! Sure enough the Lords beat OWU 11-10 for their first win in this tilt since 2012.

Now the result only costs the Bishops home field the the NCAC Semi’s against the Lords in the rematch so I don’t want to make too much of this one game result, but boy this sure is a wake up call I imagine and perhaps a reason for concern for the OWU faithful … Is OWU slipping this much or has Kenyon now advanced such that the conference will actually be a 3 horse race for years to come?

I guess the rematch will go a long way to answering this question. But we’ve all said on this thread it would be good for the conference to have the 2nd tier teams step up their game!

[Nosey Ned]

NCAC Tournament is set. #1 Denison hosting #4 Oberlin and #2 Kenyon hosting #3 OWU.

The Big Red better be ready for a fired up Yeoman squad that is making their first NCAC Tournament appearance. Oberlin will certainly be girding themselves for the game knowing that in the regular season game, they played the Big Red even after giving up the first 7 goals so Denison will need to match their intensity from the opening whistle.

Kenyon and OWU just played a fantastic 1 goal game… a back and forth affair. The rematch will be one to watch.

Congratulations to all 4 squads and best of luck to all in the Tournament.

Go Big Red!

https://northcoast.org/sports/mlax/Tournaments/2022

[WhiteCarrera]

Is OWU slipping this much or has Kenyon now advanced such that the conference will actually be a 3 horse race for years to come?

This is not the first time in 30 years OWO or DU has lost a conference game, and I don’t think this is the game that initiates a 3 horse race for years to come (IMHO)

[lordslaxfan]

I watched the Kenyon OWU game yesterday. While I believe that Kenyon played better than OWU, I would not make a huge deal out of one game. Over the past 10-15 years, Kenyon has slowly but surely improved its program. Kenyon went from being the 5th best program in the NCAC to the 3rd best, but Denison and OWU are the two best programs in the conference. The lords have closed the gap, but the gap is still pretty large. If the Lords want to enter the top echelon of the NCAC, they have to start being OWU and Denison with some regularity and start playing a harder out of conference schedule. It is good for the conference that a very strong team for Kenyon can beat a weaker team for OWU.

[OldWU]

Nothing would be better for the conference then other teams to emerge and challenge Denison and OWU for the conference championship. I was impressed with Kenyon yesterday --- they had the lead much of the game and physically took it to the Bishops on the defensive end, causing 20 turnovers. I also like what I see with the new coach at Oberlin and the strides they have made. I also think Wooster will be OK after the coaching change. They have some good pieces. Wittenberg also came on on as the season progressed, and they have a very young team with potential.

One factor for OWU yesterday was the loss of two first line middies, freshman Joey Wiseman (26 goals, 3rd on the team) and senior jack Damon (13 goals, 7 assists) who were both out with stomach flu. Plantholt had to juggle his lines and change many of their sets. If both are available on Wednesday, I think you will see the Bishops more in sync.

[Nosey Ned]

Is OWU slipping this much or has Kenyon now advanced such that the conference will actually be a 3 horse race for years to come?

This is not the first time in 30 years OWO or DU has lost a conference game, and I don’t think this is the game that initiates a 3 horse race for years to come (IMHO)

It’s the first time in at least 10 years one of them have lost in conference not to to the other! So yeah, IT IS NEWS! Denison last lost in conference to a team not named OWU in 2011.

You may not want to recognize the accomplishment but I would like to.

[Nosey Ned]

Nothing would be better for the conference then other teams to emerge and challenge Denison and OWU for the conference championship. I was impressed with Kenyon yesterday --- they had the lead much of the game and physically took it to the Bishops on the defensive end, causing 20 turnovers. I also like what I see with the new coach at Oberlin and the strides they have made. I also think Wooster will be OK after the coaching change. They have some good pieces. Wittenberg also came on on as the season progressed, and they have a very young team with potential.

One factor for OWU yesterday was the loss of two first line middies, freshman Joey Wiseman (26 goals, 3rd on the team) and senior jack Damon (13 goals, 7 assists) who were both out with stomach flu. Plantholt had to juggle his lines and change many of their sets. If both are available on Wednesday, I think you will see the Bishops more in sync.

Thanks for the info re OWUs reduced middle situation … would certainly make the job a bit tougher for them. I expect the Bishops to handle business on Wednesday and find their way to the Final. That said, Kenyon is definitely making progress. They only lost by 2 to Denison in last year’s Final .. though the score was greatly influenced by a huge game by Kenyon’s keeper … they are making strides and that is good for all involved here. Well done both Kenyon and Oberlin.

[WhiteCarrera]

Don’t put words in my mouth. No lack of recognition of the accomplishment. I just tried to give my opinion and answer your question.

[Nosey Ned]

Don’t put words in my mouth. No lack of recognition of the accomplishment. I just tried to give my opinion and answer your question.

Your full post response was … “This is not the first time in 30 years OWO or DU has lost a conference game, and I don’t think this is the game that initiates a 3 horse race for years to come (IMHO)”.

So truth be told, there was a COMPLETE lack recognition of the accomplishment (you actually tried to minimize it by implying it was just another in conference loss) and I simply pointed that out. Don’t try to put words in your post that don’t exist.

[ah23]

FWIW I thought their post was a pretty neutral answer to a direct question in your comment. You asked "Is OWU slipping this much or has Kenyon now advanced such that the conference will actually be a 3 horse race for years to come?" and they answered "I don’t think this is the game that initiates a 3 horse race for years to come (IMHO)". Doesn't read as trying to minimize anything, just sounds like an answer to a question.

[Nosey Ned]

FWIW I thought their post was a pretty neutral answer to a direct question in your comment. You asked "Is OWU slipping this much or has Kenyon now advanced such that the conference will actually be a 3 horse race for years to come?" and they answered "I don’t think this is the game that initiates a 3 horse race for years to come (IMHO)". Doesn't read as trying to minimize anything, just sounds like an answer to a question.

I had no problem with White’s reply about Kenyon’s advance. In fact I too think Kenyon does need to prove themselves Wednesday and beyond to signal a true emergence. What I was reacting to however originally was how the response included a preamble that in my interpretation minimized the accomplishment. So I mentioned it lacking same. White then scolds me for putting “words in his mouth” … and even claims “there was no lack of recognition to the accomplishment”. Point that recognition out to me and I’ll stand corrected. I don’t see it.

Nothing to see here… just a couple NCAC fans discussing the present and future of the conference.

[WhiteCarrera]

I guess technically you're right that I didn't recognize the accomplishment (nor did I diminish it). I just answered your question.

But if you want to get that technical, then look at what YOU said:

"You may not want to recognize the accomplishment but I would like to."

How do you know what I want or don't want? (That might me putting words in my mouth) I'm happy to recognize the accomplishment. It was a good win, and not at all a shocker to me. Having seen both of these teams in the last two weeks, I expected it to be a good game. In fact, I had this conversation with some OWU fathers this past week, and they too acknowledged that Kenyon's speed and quickness might give them some troubles.

ah23 - thank you for some reason and for recognizing an extremely neutral comment for what it was.

[OldWU]

Special Kudos to the Oberlin lacrosse program, Coach Ryan Polack and his staff, and the upperclassmen on the team. The Yeomen had their best season in over sixty years, going 12-4 overall, 6-3 in the NCAC and are entering the NCAC lacrosse championship tournament for the first time. This is really extraordinary considering Oberlin barely competed the last two COVID seasons, playing just three games last year and avoiding the NCAC division schedule due to school policy, and only four in 2020. In my opinion, Polak deserves to be NCAC Coach of the Year, though Coach Koch of Denison will probably get it due to the great season the Big Red have had, and the tough task of replacing a legendary coach in Mike Caravana.

https://goyeo.com/news/2022/4/30/mens-l ... oster.aspx