Men's Sectional Previews: East

By Ryan Harmanis

Third Round - Saturday, Nov. 22

Quarterfinals - Sunday, Nov. 23

Sectional Final, 1:00 pm ET

How they reached the Sweet 16

Kenyon: NCAC Automatic Berth (AQ) | 1st Rnd: W3-0 Heidelberg (H) | 2nd Rnd: T0-0(2ot-pks) Thomas More (H)

Ohio Wesleyan: Pool C at-large berth | 1st Rnd: W3-2(ot) PSU-Behrend (N) | 2nd Rnd: T1-1(2ot-pks) Calvin (N)

Whitworth: NWC Automatic Berth (AQ) | 1st Rnd: W1-0 Covenant (N) | 2nd Rnd: W2-0 Berry (N)

Chris. Newport: CAC Automatic Berth (AQ) | 1st Rnd: W1-0 Lynchburg (H) | 2nd Rnd: W4-2 Stevens (H)

2014 Statistical Overview

Kenyon: 18-1-2 (.905) | 2.39 GSA, 0.23 GAA (+2.16) | Avg. D-III OWP: .555 | Last Ten: 7-1-2

Ohio Wesleyan: 16-4-3 (.761) | 2.08 GSA, 0.96 GAA (+1.12) | Avg. D-III OWP: .574 | Last Ten: 7-1-2

Whitworth: 17-1-3 (.881) | 2.38 GSA, 0.82 GAA (+1.56) | Avg. D-III OWP: .530 | Last Ten: 8-0-2

Chris. Newport: 18-3-4 (.800) | 2.66 GSA, 1.12 GAA (+1.54) | Avg. D-III OWP: .580 | Last Ten: 7-2-1

Kenyon Season Review

Kenyon is enjoying one of the most successful seasons in school history, and certainly the best in recent memory, with a 18-1-2 record. The Lords, propelled by last year’s surprise Sweet Sixteen berth and a strong showing against champion Messiah, won twelve on the trot to start the season. In the process, Kenyon surrendered just three total goals and had momentum heading towards a showdown with Ohio Wesleyan. However, Kenyon dropped the ball by losing 1-0 to Wabash just days before OWU came to Gambier. Off the back of that loss, the Lords dominated territory but failed to truly threaten in a 0-0 draw that essentially gifted OWU the conference championship. Avoiding the pitfalls of years past, Kenyon dominated Wabash in a rematch and then put in its best performance by knocking off OWU on the road. Kenyon rightfully hosted in the first two rounds, and a comfortable 3-0 win over Heidelberg gave way to a street fight in the second round with Thomas More. The Lords were saved by the buzzer, as Thomas More scored as time expired in overtime, but goalkeeper Sam Clougher saved all three penalties he faced to lead the Lords to the Sweet Sixteen again.

Sophomores Tony Amolo (14g, 5a) and Jordan Glassman (7g, 5a) headline Kenyon’s attack, but the midfield duo of Jeremiah Barnes and Rei Mitsuyama provide the engine for the Lords’ best performances. Having said that, the real success of this squad rests with its defense. Led by senior Sam Justice—who has been as dominant as any center back in Division III this season—Kenyon has conceded only five goals and limited opponents to an incredible 2.8 shots on goal per game. Throw in Clougher’s astronomical 91.5% save percentage, and opponents simply cannot score on this team. This has papered over difficulties Kenyon has scoring from open play, as its midseason swoon and struggle with Thomas More stemmed from an inability to build offensive attacks effectively without set pieces. Luckily, the Lords survived and will once again play on their smaller home field, which is conducive to the high pressing, physical style that suits this team so well.

Ohio Wesleyan Season Review

Ohio Wesleyan entered 2014 in flux, with over a dozen seniors gone from last year’s undefeated and top-ranked regular season team, and the Battling Bishops took over half the season to sort out new roles. An opening weekend split at Calvin and Hope masked some personnel issues, and with senior captain Colton Bloecher suspended OWU suffered a shocking 4-1 home loss to Otterbein. The Bishops would drop another game to Capital, but performances improved heading into NCAC play. Kenyon was poised to break OWU’s streak of conference titles, but the Bishops played to a stalemate in Gambier and handled the rest of the conference with ease to secure a seventh straight conference crown. Kenyon just edged the grudge match in the conference tournament, but two matches with the Lords left OWU well prepared for a trip to Calvin. Defensive mistakes made a 3-2 win over Penn State-Behrend too close for comfort, but the Bishops then came from behind to outlast host Calvin in penalty kicks. Ohio Wesleyan enters at 16-4-3.

D3Soccer.com All-American Bloecher (17g, 4a) and junior Brian Schaefer (10g, 5a) form OWU’s two-headed attacking monster, but it was the emergence of a host of younger players that got this team back on track. The back line has settled down after midseason shuffling, and junior Evan Lee’s move from up top to center back has helped solidify the group and give OWU a rare attacking central defender. Despite the reputation, this OWU team is not as flashy or polished as years past, but perhaps they don’t need to be, as they keep finding ways to win. One major area of concern is mental lapses defensively: both goals surrendered against PSU-Behrend were of the “extremely soft” variety, and marking on set pieces has been consistently lax. That said, OWU has the pedigree and the know-how to survive the weekend.

Whitworth Season Review

Whitworth received less attention than it warranted in a 2014 season where it finished with a 17-1-3 record. The Pirates opened at Wheaton (Ill.), and a 3-2 victory opened some eyes and put Whitworth in the national spotlight. From there, a return to playing mostly West Coast competition put the Pirates “out of sight, out of mind” for a couple months. Whitworth picked up impressive wins over UC Santa Cruz and Willamette, but nearly missed out on the NWC’s automatic bid after dropping a tough game to Puget Sound. A 6-0-2 streak to end the regular season was enough to take advantage of Willamette’s slip against Whitman, and the Pirates’ regular season title earned a spot in the NCAA field and a trip to Atlanta to face Covenant. Micheal Ramos scored late to advance, and the Pirates then submitted a statement performance, dominating start-to-finish to beat Berry 2-0.

Whitworth has four players with six goals or more, but the undisputed leader is senior Micheal Ramos (14g, 12a). The Pirates will have been thrilled to see Ramos grab the winner last weekend, as he began 2014 on a tear but had gone scoreless in four before the Covenant match. Keeper Timmy Costas made the keeper jersey his own, and the Whitworth defense has been airtight of late with five straight shutouts. Despite the win over Wheaton, the Pirates went just 1-1-2 against the other top teams in the NWC, so one wonders how the Pirates will handle the increased talent of CNU, Kenyon, or Ohio Wesleyan. Regardless, Whitworth is unbeaten in its last 10 and has already survived a grueling weekend of travel, making the trip to Gambier nothing new.

Christopher Newport Season Review

Christopher Newport picked the right time to peak in a topsy-turvy 2014 season, as the Captains come to Gambier boasting an 18-3-4 record. The Captains sailed through their early season tests and traveled to San Antonio for a measuring stick game against Trinity (Texas). The Tigers came out on top in a back-and-forth affair, but three times Newport cut into three-goal deficits, showing the fight in this team. A win over Rutgers-Camden and a 5-1 demolition of Lynchburg emphasized the Captains’ potential, but CNU then produced an inexplicable string of performances. Newport went 1-2-2 during a five-game stretch in late October, and at one point the Captains were danger of missing not just the NCAA tournament, but the conference tournament as well. Luckily, the Captains righted the ship and avenged three blemishes, putting in a great performance at Salisbury in the conference semifinals, to capture the CAC tournament. A tight rematch against Lynchburg last weekend was settled courtesy of a half-volley by Jimmy Grace than can only be described as a bomb, but inconsistency reared its head again in the second round. CNU found itself in a 2-0 hole against Stevens at the half, but a second-half barrage was enough to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

Christopher Newport has its own attacking duo with the thunder-and-lighting pair of Patrick Burns (12g, 12a) and Jalon Brown (19g, 7a). Newport brings Burns off the bench for instant offense, and it paid off as the sophomore provided a goal and an assist in the comeback against Stevens. Brown has been one of Division III’s best players over the past few seasons, and the senior’s deft touch and burst of speed has a tendency to leave defenders behind. The biggest question mark is in the back, as the Captains have conceded 29 goals, by far the most in the sectional. The problem is highlighted by goalkeeper Sam Lesko’s save percentage of 54.1%, well below his counterparts this weekend. This percentage illustrates CNU’s tendency to concede not just goals, but numerous high-quality scoring opportunities as well. On the other hand, the Captains have scored 17 more goals than any other team, making them more equipped to come from behind than anyone else.

Seniors' 4-year Record (through Nov. 16)

Kenyon: 50-20-10 (.688) overall | NCAA's ('13-'14): 3-1-1, Sweet 16 - '13-'14

Ohio Wesleyan: 71-10-11 (.832) overall | NCAA's ('11-'12-'13-'14): 6-2-1, Sweet 16 - '11-'14, Elite 8 - '11, Final Four - '11, Champion - '11

Whitworth: 56-10-10 (.803) overall | NCAA's ('12-'14): 2-1-0, Sweet 16 - '14

Chris. Newport: 63-13-9 (.794) overall | NCAA's ('11-'12-'14): 2-2-0, Sweet 16 - '14

Tournament Experience

Kenyon only has last year to draw upon, but the Lords return nine starters from that Sweet Sixteen game against Messiah, so they should be well prepared. Despite OWU’s reputation and success, only Bloecher contributed to the 2011 title team, so the rest of the squad had been winless in NCAA play until this year. Christopher Newport enters in a similar position: the Captains were 17-1-1 in 2011 before being upset by Randolph in the first round, and they fell again in 2012 to RPI before missing the tournament altogether in 2013. Whitworth’s seniors have made a single appearance in the tournament, falling in 2012 in the first round, but they proved inexperience often matters little last weekend.

Tournament Re-Matches

Kenyon and Ohio Wesleyan have been almost even through two matches, the first a 0-0 draw and the second won by Kenyon in double overtime. The last NCAA meeting between these programs was in 2010, when a glaring goalkeeping error and the Wall brothers gave OWU a 2-0 decision over the Lords. Whitworth has never played any of its potential opponents, nor have Kenyon and CNU met, but Ohio Wesleyan and CNU played a home-and-home in 2012 and 2013. Two entertaining, attacking matches saw OWU escape Virginia with a draw after a missed penalty, while OWU won last year’s meeting late in Ohio.

Why they will advance to the Final Four

Kenyon: Through two games and over three hours of play, Kenyon has been stronger than Ohio Wesleyan. Winning the NCAC championship, which was the Lords’ first and snapped an 11-game winless streak against OWU, laid the blueprint and belief for another win, this time at home. Kenyon capitalizes on its numerous set-piece opportunities, and a healthier defense handles Bloecher and Co. to put the Lords in the Elite Eight. Playing at home, with that defense, and with the consistency Kenyon has displayed, is more than enough to handle either CNU or Whitworth. Kenyon plays to its potential to earn a spot in Kansas City.

Ohio Wesleyan: Despite the statistics showing the weakest team in the sectional, OWU tends to struggle with weaker team and play its best against stronger ones, and Kenyon remains OWU’s strongest opposition. A worrying stat for the Lords: in almost 40 seasons under Dr. Jay Martin, Ohio Wesleyan has never—let’s repeat that, never—lost to the same team twice in one season. Add in Kenyon’s injuries, and third time proves a charm, as OWU gets the lucky bounce this time to knock off the Lords when it matters. The Bishops play their best against quality sides, and riding momentum they come out on top in a shootout with the Whitworth-CNU survivor via another game winning goal from Bloecher to get back to the Final Four.

Whitworth: Despite its “weaker” schedule, the Pirates also have the most impressive win of the group by beating Wheaton (Ill.) on the road. That experience, combined with last weekend’s excursion to Emory, has readied Whitworth for this weekend. The Pirates defense has been airtight of late, and they shut out an inconsistent CNU while burying their chances before facing a weakened opponent in the Elite Eight. Whoever survives between Kenyon and OWU will be battered, bruised, and emotionally exhausted, and Whitworth takes advantage by shutting down either team’s predictable offense to advance to the Final Four

Christopher Newport: Newport has played the toughest schedule in the Sectional, has the most potent offense, and in Jalon Brown has perhaps the most dynamic player in Gambier this weekend. Whitworth’s strength of schedule and opening weekend indicate this will be a major step up in competition, and when you throw in traveling across the country for the second time in a week it’s simply too much for the Pirates. The Captains have been ever so close before, falling in the Elite Eight to Williams (2009, penalties) and Messiah (2008, led for almost entire match), but this time CNU leaves nothing to chance and rides its offensive firepower to Kansas City.

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