Men's Sectional Previews: Central

By D3soccer.com Contributor

Third Round - Friday

Quarterfinals - Monday

Sectional Final, 2:00 pm CT

How they reached the Sweet 16

2015 Statistical Overview

Loras Season Review

The fact that the Duhawks were disappointed last year with only a Sweet 16 run is a measure of the accomplishments (and expectations) in Loras-ville. A very fast start put Loras in the conversation as perhaps the No. 1 in the country, following an initial 4-0-1 record with strong wins over the likes of UW-Oshkosh, St. Olaf, Wheaton (Ill.) and Chicago. Beating Wheaton is always big, but eyes really turned after the Duhawks pasted an undefeated Chicago team 4-0. The only blip in that stretch was a draw with St. John’s. An away loss at DePauw temporarily derailed Loras’ momentum, and that was followed immediately by a loss to Division 1 Western Illinois. The early mid-season swoon was not over until a home Rock Bowl loss to a very good UW-Whitewater team 2-1. At that juncture the Duhawks found themselves with a very un-Loras-like 5-3-1 (counting the Div. I loss). A few rumblings emerged about an overly direct style and possible decline in overall talent compared to recent seasons. What a difference six weeks make. Loras has rattled off 10 wins out of 11 games, including the last five, and they are sitting exactly where they expect to be. Specifically, that means Loras won the IIAC regular season and tournament, received a first round bye in the NCAA tournament, and are hosting two consecutive weekends. The Duhawks opened NCAA play after their bye with a convincing 3-1 win over Carthage.

Led by now seven-time IIAC Coach of the Year, Dan Rothert, Loras wears down opponents with a smothering approach called “the swarm” and an innovative substitution system where 20 or more players will see the field. The Duhawks often win comfortably and are almost never out of a game. Their chances of winning any close game late are seriously enhanced by their aggressive style and usually fresher legs. Loras has the highest goal scoring average in the sectional, along with a sectional-best goal differential of +1.73. Key offensive players include IIAC Defensive Player of the Year, Jorge Simon, a senior midfielder, who also is the team’s points leader (8g, 3a), Alex Bradley, a junior attacking midfielder (6g, 5a), Johnny Rummelhart, a senior forward returning from injury (5g, 4a), and Richard Lenke, a senior forward (3g, 5a). More than 10 Loras players have two or more goals. Top defenders include seniors Kevin Higgins, Sam Koenig, Justin Giacotto, Tyler Cruikshank and junior Sam Miller. The Loras goalkeeper is Jacob Peterson, a sophomore (.77 GAA, .825 Sv. Pct., 8 ShO).

DePauw Season Review

DePauw was a NCAA-worthy squad in 2013 but did not get a bid, due largely to a home loss to Oberlin. The Tigers then underperformed in 2014 with a disappointing 10-8-1 campaign. DePauw also lost All-American Andy Morrison to graduation but otherwise returned most of its starting line-up, eager to make a return to national relevance. The Tigers were strong out of the gate with a 5-0-1 start capped by a program-affirming 2-0 defeat of Loras at home. Just four days later they could not consolidate the huge victory with a home win against Rose-Hulman, losing 3-2 to what we now know was an under-appreciated Engineers side. DePauw rebounded with an important home win against Oberlin and then went on the road to gain a 2-2 draw with high-flying Thomas More. Next came the win to consolidate the Loras outcome, albeit delayed, going on the road to defeat newly #1 ranked Kenyon. With the Kenyon win in their pocket and a 4-0 conference record, the Tigers were in the driver’s seat in the NCAC until a mid-October away draw with an anemic Wooster outfit that finished 3-13-2. They were perhaps looking ahead to a pivotal home fixture with Ohio Wesleyan, and the Wooster draw certainly did not provide an optimal mind-set for hosting the Battling Bishops. OWU walked out of Greencastle with a fairly dominant 3-2 win. DePauw responded by grinding out a 2-2 away tie with a Denison team looking to build its own case for an at-large bid, followed by two ho-hum NCAC wins to close the season. Finishing third in the NCAC sent DePauw to OWU for a NCAC tourney semifinal, and the Tigers provided little resistance in what proved to be a rather pedestrian loss. Based on what seemed like an almost disinterested performance, many picked the at-large tournament entrant as ripe for an early exit and yet here they are in the Sweet 16 after beating a 17-2-0 Westminster (Mo.) team and outlasting host Washington U. in penalty kicks 9-8 in the wake of a 1-1 tie.

Guided by Coach Brad Hauter, a DePauw alum and former four-year starting goalkeeper who was inducted into the DePauw Hall of Fame, the Tigers feature a unique style of play that combines a high level of team athleticism with a disciplined defensive philosophy. They are very at good at absorbing pressure and controlling the tempo of games, and as teams become frustrated trying to break the Tigers down, they become even more dangerous on the counter where speed on the flanks and lethal finishing up top can stun and confuse an opponent who has been dominating play. The style is less effective if DePauw is playing from behind, but the Tigers will stay true to their style as long as they remain within a goal. The most dangerous Tiger is All-NCAC and All-American candidate Julian Gonzalez (9g, 4a) who can strike from anywhere within 30 yards of the cage. Strong offensive support comes from fellow All-NCAC selection senior Adrian Ables (6g, 7a), a talented winger with good speed, seniors Mitch Reavis (4g, 4a) and Alieu Musa (3g, 6a), and juniors Zach Hoffman (6g, 3a), another striker, and E.J Moore (4g, 3a), a central midfielder who keeps the whole operation in control. Senior Chris Schoenfeld leads a defense anchored by senior goalkeeper Chris Yount (1.13 GAA, .770 Sv. Pct., 7 ShO).

St. Olaf Season Review

A very promising 2014 season that saw St. Olaf win the MIAC regular season with a NCAA bid within reach came to a crashing thud with a loss to crosstown rival Carleton and a MIAC tournament semifinal defeat to St. John’s. This year began with an impressive 4-0 thumping of Luther, only to be followed by four straight losses. The silver lining is that three of those losses came at the hands of highly regarded Loras, UW-Whitewater and Chicago. The Oles then won four in a row before an early October loss to an undefeated Macalester squad that would remain unbeaten through regular season conference play. St. Olaf very quietly finished the season with an 8-1-1 streak. However, as the fourth seed in the MIAC tournament, the Oles had to win three games in a row: an opening round affair with Hamline, a payback win in the MIAC semifinals on the road against St. John’s, and an AQ-winning effort in the final versus St. Thomas (who had upset Macalester). Making their first NCAA appearance since 2011, the Oles easily could have been satisfied with seemingly coming out of nowhere to grab a tournament berth. Instead, they have been perhaps the biggest surprise of the NCAA tournament thus far, knocking off very good UW-Oshkosh and Macalester sides in consecutive outings. The overall record of 15-7-1 (which was 10-7-1 just five games ago) is deceiving. St. Olaf is a hot team that has yet to concede a goal in five post-season contests.

Kurt Anderson, one of the longest tenured coaches in the nation, runs an inclusive and apparently popular program. An astounding 52 players are on the St. Olaf roster. And perhaps that roster number helps explain what must be a record eight—yes, eight—assistant coaches. The Oles employ a balanced approach, averaging about two goals and yielding just less than one per game. In the second round tilt with fellow MIAC member Macalester, St. Olaf matched the Scots’ very stout defense stride for stride, and the building tension finally was broken as Jens Undlin scored the game winner with only 3:36 left on the clock. St. Olaf’s offense is sparked by All-MIAC selection, senior Kevin Skrip (14g, 5a) and fellow seniors Undlin (9g, 4a), Aaron Stets (6g, 5a), and Brenden Johnson (4g, 8a). Senior All-MIAC Claudio Barboza leads the defense and initiates offensive forays out of the midfield. Other defensive leaders are senior Sam Kaplan, junior Eric Frank, and junior goalkeeper Ben Braman (.93 GAA, .805 Sv. Pct., 7 ShO).

Wheaton (Ill.) Season Review

On the heels of losing the national title game to Tufts last year, Wheaton came into this season as arguably the favorite to take the 2015 crown. Most of the starters from last year’s juggernaut were returning, and the transition in coaching from Mike Giuliano to Wheaton alum Jake DeClute was expected to be fairly seamless. After all, DeClute was a three-time All-CCIW performer and co-captain of Wheaton’s 1997 national championship team and served a number of years as an assistant to the legendary Joe Bean. His credentials also included several years as Scouting Director for the MLS Vancouver Whitecaps, and he had a stint as an assistant at Navy just before accepting the Wheaton post. Nevertheless, The Thunder started out 1-2, losing at home to Washington U. and away at Loras. The ship appeared to be back on course after a 5-0-1 run with the only blemish in that stretch coming from a 2-2 home draw with Rose-Hulman. Early October raised doubts again as Wheaton dropped a game to Elmhurst and tied UW-Oshkosh. The Thunder circled the wagons and down the stretch looked more like the Wheaton we expected all along, closing with six straight wins, including a 4-1 demolition of rival North Park. A draw with North Central in the CCIW semis (and failure to advance on PKs) seemed more a fluke than a worry, and the Thunder dispatched Lake Forest and UW-Whitewater in first and second round NCAA games where the tight scorelines betray how well the Thunder are playing. In the end, Wheaton is right where we expected them to be all along.

Coach DeClute inherited a squad with boatloads of talent. Wheaton boasts two All-Americans from 2014, D3soccer.com Midfielder of the Year Marshall Hollingsworth (18g, 5a, 6 GWG, 5-5 PKs) and bruising forward Stephen Golz (6g, 2a). Those two are seniors accompanied by a slew of would-be offensive stars for almost any other D-III team, like senior midfielder Elliot Borge (2g, 5a), senior winger Jon Clark (2g, 4a), and freshman Tyler Robbins (4g, 4a). Opponents breathe a sigh of relief watching the 6’4, 195 lbs Golz trot off to be subbed, only to see man-mountain Noah Gulley (3g, 6a), a junior, trot on in a must-do-a double-take package measuring 6’5”, 240 lbs. A fast, physical and attacking defensive corps is headlined by junior Reed Bartley (3g, 2a), sophomores Ben Bakke and Marshall West, and freshman Jason Hulse. Senior GK Matt Paprocki (.81 GAA, .754 Sv. Pct., 10 ShO) returned as the Thunder netminder. Stylistically, Wheaton attacks and defends with speed and passion as though there is always under a minute left to play in a tie game. Most opponents simply cannot cope with that kind of frenetic energy for 90 minutes.

Head Coaches

Seniors' 4-year Record (through Nov. 15)

Tournament Experience

Wheaton (Ill.), with its 36th NCAA appearance, second only to Ohio Wesleyan, boasts both historical and recent tournament pedigree. The Thunder have made six trips to the Final Four, winning national titles in 1984 and 1997, and finishing as runner-up in 1999, 2006 and 2014. The current senior-heavy group responded to the sting of a second round home loss to Kenyon in 2013 with last year’s stellar campaign that saw the Thunder roll all the way to the championship game. Loras has reached the NCAA tournament for the 11th consecutive season, with the Duhawks’ first appearance coming in 2005. One of the true powerhouse programs over the last decade, Loras has four Final Four trips to its credit (2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013), but has yet to reach the title game, failing to advance after PKs on one occasion and losing twice in overtime. DePauw is also in the midst of its 11th appearance, but the Tigers’ visits have been spread out over almost 40 years dating back to 1977. DePauw had a 10 year drought that began after a 2000 appearance ended by consecutive trips in 2011 and 2012. This year is the very first time the Tigers have reached the Sweet 16. St. Olaf is in the tournament for the seventh time, and the Oles also have never before advanced beyond the second round. St. Olaf last appeared in 2011.

Players to Watch

Loras: M Jorge Simon (Sr.) – 8g, 3a (IIAC Defender of Year) | M Alex Bradley (Jr.) – 6g, 5a (1st Team All-IIAC, 2014 NSCAA 3rd Team All-Region) | F Johnny Rummelhart (Sr.) – 5g, 4a (2x 1st Team All-IIAC, 2013 NSCAA 2nd Team All-Region) | F Richard Lenke (Sr.) – 3g, 5a

DePauw: F Julian Gonzalez (Jr.) – 9g, 4a (2x 1st Team All-NCAC) | M Adrian Ables (Sr.) – 6g, 7a (1st Team All-NCAC) | M Mitch Reavis (Sr.) – 4g, 4a (2nd Team All-NCAC) | M E.J. Moore (Jr.) – 4g, 3a

St. Olaf: M Brenden Johnson (Sr.) – 4g, 8a (Hon. Ment. All-MIAC, 2x All-MIAC, 2013 NSCAA 1st Team All-Region) | F Kevin Skrip (Sr.) – 14g, 5a (3x All-MIAC) | F Jens Undlin (Sr.) – 9g, 4a (2014 NSCAA 2nd All-Region) | M Claudio Barboza (Sr.) – 0g, 2a (2x All-MIAC) | D Eric Frank (Jr.) (Hon. Ment. All-MIAC)

Wheaton (Ill.): M Marshall Hollingsworth (Sr.) – 18g, 5a (2x CCIW POY, 4x 1st Team All-CCIW, 2014 D3soccer.com MOY, 2x D3soccer.com and NSCAA All-American) | M Elliot Borge (Sr.) – 2g, 5a (4x 1st Team All-CCIW, 2014 NSCAA 2nd Team All-American) | F Stephen Golz (Sr.) – 6g, 2a (3x 1st Team All-CCIW, 2014 D3soccer.com and NSCAA All-American) | D Reed Bartley (Jr.) – 3g, 2a (1st Team All-CCIW)

Tournament Re-Matches

DePauw, in a home game for the Tigers in mid-September, upset Loras 2-0. DePauw scored early on one of its characteristic counter-attacks and then tallied late as the Duhawks pressed for an equalizer. That was the first and only meeting ever between the two programs. Loras also played the other two sectional participants, winning back-to-back games against St. Olaf and Wheaton at the Rock Bowl by identical 2-0 scorelines. DePauw and Wheaton used to play with great frequency, with the Thunder enjoying an overwhelming 19-3-1 advantage, but surprisingly they have not faced off since 2003. Wheaton last played St. Olaf also in 2003, owning a 4-0 slate all-time versus the Oles. Loras and Wheaton have developed a strong rivalry over the past decade, with Loras leading the series 7-3-1. The Thunder and Duhawks have met twice previously in NCAA action, with Loras winning 1-0 in overtime both time: a second round affair in 2007 and an Elite 8 classic in 2012. Loras and St. Olaf have tangled three times before, with Loras owning the series 3-0. DePauw and St. Olaf have never played.

Why they will advance to the Final Four

Loras: Loras could not ask for a better set-up. The Duhawks are hosting at the Rock Bowl, one of the biggest home field advantages in Division III soccer, and they get a revenge game with their first opponent in DePauw. Buzzing with electricity, Loras will overwhelm the Tigers and score first, forcing DePauw to come out of its counter-attacking style. A second Duhawks strike will deflate the Tigers, resulting in a fairly comfortable Loras win. In the Elite 8 game, Loras would be too much for a St. Olaf side exhausted from the physical and emotional energy expended in an exhilarating upset of Wheaton. If the opponent is the Thunder, Loras will know that anything less than a stellar performance will make Kansas City just a dream that slipped out of its grasp. In an instant classic, the Rock Bowl crowd will help the Duhawks slot in an overtime winner.

DePauw: DePauw isn’t quite Cinderella, and that’s a good thing. DePauw is used to playing good teams in hostile environments, and the Tigers already know they can play with (and beat) Loras. The spoiler role will suit DePauw quite well, and the squad’s characteristic defensive shape will help the Tigers withstand the initial Duhawks storm. As the seas are calming, Gonzalez or Reavis will deliver a Taser shock to the Rock Bowl faithful and DePauw will ride the game out just like in September. DePauw will relish its chances straight up against St. Olaf, and even if it’s Wheaton, the Tigers will be buoyed by another win over heavyweight Loras. DePauw will again bide its time, rope-a-dope, and let Wheaton punch itself out, and again, like a Tiger, pounce late with a game winner. The Tigers, plural, will rip off their jerseys in smug, vindicated unison as they run off the pitch all the way to Kansas City.

St. Olaf: St. Olaf is Cinderella, and that’s a good thing. Prevailing over two very solid teams in UW-Oshkosh and Macalester, the Oles come to Dubuque riding higher than high and with nothing to lose. The key for St. Olaf is staying loose combined with high energy, which will contrast with the pressure the favorites feel to advance. If St. Olaf can knock off Wheaton in the first one, Loras or DePauw will likely be primed for complacency because of the favored Thunder being knocked out. The 15-7-1 Oles’ record, mediocre for a NCAA team, will lull their opponents into overlooking their 8-1-1 ledger over the last ten, and their foothold in the games will be too dug in by the time their foes wake up. After a huge win over Wheaton, the Oles will sense what just one more win would mean for their program and their school.

Wheaton (Ill.): After seeming to start with a national runner-up hangover—and even dropping just off the national radar for a bit—Wheaton began looking more like the team we expected around midseason. A minor blip against an inferior opponent in the CCIW tournament notwithstanding, the Thunder gathered momentum down the stretch and appear primed for a serious title run. Wheaton will simply have too much overall talent (and size) for a St. Olaf side that will compete valiantly but also is just happy to be here. It’s difficult to see DePauw shutting out the Thunder, and the Tigers just won’t be able to generate enough offense to upend Wheaton. The Thunder also will come to Dubuque expecting that Loras will be standing in the way of another trip to Kansas City. Wheaton will be very comfortable with the fast surface, and, after already getting a look at the Duhawks earlier in the year, the Thunder will more than match their athleticism and then win the battle of titans with just a touch better skill and a couple of flashes of magic.

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