By D3soccer.com Contributor
Conference season has arrived! As we push into the fourth full week of NCAA DIII soccer action, many teams are wrapping-up non-conference action and shifting into the bulk of their seasons. Here’s a look around the Midwest region at some of the teams who are trending upward at this critical time of year.
INDIANA
DePauw (6-1-1 / 0-0-1) has put together a string of positive results, beating Centre (6-3-0 / 0-1-0), Manchester (2-5-1), and Rose-Hulman (2-4-1) before tying Wooster (3-3-2 /. 0-0-1) and Thomas More (4-4-2). Fourteen players have tallied points for the Tigers, whose success has come from a balanced approach.
MICHIGAN
Hope (7-0-0) grinded out a 1-0 win over Carthage (4-4-0 / 1-0-0) to maintain their perfect start to the season. The Flying Dutchmen still have four non-conference games to play and look set to be a strong Pool C candidate. It is shaping up to be a battle with Calvin (7-1-0) in the MIAA.
KENTUCKY
Thomas More (4-4-2) has played an incredibly tough schedule so far this year. While the Saints overall, record sits at .500, they have wins over Otterbein (3-3-0) and Rose-Hulman (2-4-1) and ties against Transylvania (2-3-2) and DePauw. In their final season as D3 members, the Saints look like a team destined for success in their only year in the ACAA.
OHIO
After two losses in their opening four games, Ohio Northern (6-2-1) has picked up five straight wins, including strong results over Ohio Wesleyan (5-2-0 / 1-0-0), Thomas More, and Rose-Hulman. The Polar Bears have been led offensively by Beelal Hasan’s 8 goals and Levi King’s 6 goals. OAC play begins this coming weekend.
Kenyon (7-0-1 / 1-0-0)) have won six straight. The Lords have beat Wilmington (4-3-0), Adrian (3-4-0), Marietta (5-3-0), Thomas More, Centre (6-3-0 / 0-0-1), and Wittenberg (4-5-0 / 0-0-1), their first NCAC win of the year. David Anderson leads the team in goals, while the defense has posted five shutouts in eight games.
ILLINOIS
Greenville (7-1-0) lost their season opener but have now won seven straight games, including shutout wins over Millsaps (2-6-1 / 0-0-1) and Franklin (2-6-0). Head Coach Chris Swift and the Panthers have a big game versus Washington U. (4-2-0). this week before beginning play in the SLIAC.
North Park (6-1-0 /1-0-0)) picked up a 4-0 win in their CCIW opener and now have won six of seven games to start the season. In those games, they’ve only allowed a total of four goals. Coach John Born and the Vikings are ready for a run at a conference title.
IOWA
Simpson (6-2-1 / 1-0-0)) are unbeaten in their last five games, which includes a three-match winning streak against Grinnell (4-3-0 / 1-0-0), Central (3-6-0 / 0-1-0), and Westminster (Mo.) (1-7-0). The Storm have a final, non-divisional tune-up before beginning ARC action this weekend.
It’s almost October! There’s nothing more exciting than this time of year. Stay tuned for more developments in the Midwest region as conference play heats up across the area.
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