Midwest Roundup - Week 8

By D3soccer.com Contributor

The postseason is almost here! Let’s check in around the Midwest states and take a deeper look at the conference races for these teams.

ILLINOIS

Knox (13-3-1 / 7-0-1) are at the top of the Midwest Conference standings heading into the final week of play. The Prairie Fire are undefeated in their last twelve games, posting seven shutouts during that stretch that leaves them on the brink of another conference championship. Coach Tyler Sheik’s team will need to knock off second place St. Norbert to secure the title in their last regular season game.

In one of the few conferences with no tournament, Chicago (15-0-0 / 4-0-0) remains atop the UAA with their perfect season still intact. With three conference games remaining, Coach Mike Babst and the Maroons must beat Case Western Reserve, Carnegie Mellon, and Washington U. to complete their unblemished regular season and secure an automatic berth to the national tournament.

Dominican (12-2-2 / 9-0-0) has won their last twelve games and leads the NACC with a perfect record after nine games. But to clinch the regular season title, Coach Erick Baumann and the Stars will need at least a tie in their final game against Benedictine (12-4-1 / 8-1-0). Both teams have put together impressive seasons thus far and, with everything to play for, the regular season finale should be a highly competitive match.

North Park (9-5-1 / 5-1-0) is in second place in the CCIW with just two games remaining on the schedule. To have a shot at sneaking in for the conference title and #1 seed in the tournament, the Vikings must first win versus North Central (Ill.) and Elmhurst this week. But Coach John Born’s side must also get help from current leader Carthage, who need to slip up at least once for the door to open. Having lost their last two games to non-conference opponents and fighting for a Pool C bid, North Park will want to finish the season strong after their recent setbacks.

INDIANA

Wabash (10-4-2 / 5-1-1) has gotten stronger and stronger as the season has progressed, winning nine of their last eleven games, and are sitting in second place in the NCAC, one of the region’s toughest conferences. Coach Chris Keller and the Little Giants finish with two games at home in Crawfordsville against DePauw and Kenyon, two other teams fighting for the top spot. Tournament hosting rights will be on the line as all these teams go to battle.

Rose-Hulman (11-5-0 / 7-0-0) leads the HCAC with their perfect record, earning wins over Mt. St. Joseph and Bluffton this past week. Coach Sean Helliwell’s team is battling in-state rival Hanover (13-3-0 / 6-1-0) for the conference championship. The Panthers have dropped only one conference game and beat Earlham and Defiance over the past seven days. RHIT and Hanover meet on the final day of their regular seasons, which should dictate this year’s champion and #1 seed.

OHIO

After suffering losses in two straight games, Kenyon (13-2-0 / 6-1-0) has rebounded with five straight wins to put them back at the top of the standings in the North Coast. Their final two games against Ohio Wesleyan and Wabash will dictate whether they win another conference crown. While the two tests this week will be difficult, expect Coach Chris Brown’s team to battle as they push towards the finish line and the outright conference championship.

John Carroll (9-5-2 / 6-0-1) is sitting alone at the top of the OAC. While Ohio Northern also remains unbeaten, the JC Blue Streaks control their own destiny, having tied one less game. If Coach Hector Marinaro’s team can knock off Mount Union midweek, you would expect them to wrap-up the #1 seed at Muskingum on the final day.

TENNESSEE

With wins this past week over North Carolina Wesleyan and Methodist, Maryville (Tenn.) (15-2-0 / 9-1-0) has officially earned the USA South regular season title and #1 seed for their upcoming conference tournament. Forward Andrew Sullivan was the hero for the Scots in their overtime win against second-place N.C. Wesleyan, scoring both goals, including the sudden-death game-winner. Coach Pepe Fernandez’s team looks primed for the conference tournament, which starts this coming weekend.

KENTUCKY

Spalding (9-6-0 / 7-0-0) is on the brink of their first-ever SLIAC regular season title after knocking off Greenville and MacMurray this past week. Freshman Osman Hussein tallied four goals in the two games to lead them to their seventh and eighth straight wins. Coach Adam Boyer and the Golden Eagles need one win in their final two games—away at Webster and at home to Iowa Wesleyan—to clinch the regular season crown and #1 seed.

MISSOURI

Fontbonne (7-9-1 / 6-1-0) have won seven of their last eight games and are alone in second place in the SLIAC, with two games remaining in their conference schedule. The Griffins went winless in their first nine games of the regular season, but have picked up steam since conference play began. Coach Ricky Andrews and his team will need a big performance on Tuesday against Westminster (Mo.) to keep their regular season title hopes alive.

For lots of teams, the 2016 season wraps up in the next seven days. For the rest, November means the journey has just begun and the postseason is officially getting started. There will be lots of action to report as we look forward to previewing conference tournaments and final pushes next week.

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