Men's Sectional Previews: Transcontinental

By Ryan Harmanis

Third Round - Saturday

Quarterfinals - Sunday

Sectional Final, 1:00 pm ET

How they reached the Sweet 16

2016 Statistical Overview

Tufts Season Review

Tufts was difficult to gauge coming into the 2016 season. The 2014 national champions followed up with an inconsistent 2015 season, but righted the ship in time to make a strong run to the Sweet Sixteen. 2016 was new era, however, as most of the 2014 core graduated to the real world. The Jumbos did return stellar goalkeeper Scott Greenwood and leading scorer Nathan Majumder, but question marks surrounded the rest of the squad. A 0-2-1 start to the season sounded the alarm bells, and the only real bright spot in September was a double-overtime win in a street fight against Brandeis.

When the calendar turned to October, however, Tufts shifted gears. The catalyst was an eye-opening 3-0 blanking of defending champ Amherst, and the Jumbos followed up with solid wins over the NESCAC’s other top teams in Middlebury and Williams. Tufts wasn’t blowing anyone out, but they were finding the big-game form that propelled their recent NCAA runs. But inconsistency reared its ugly head again, and Tufts lost twice to Bowdoin by identical 2-1 scorelines just four days apart. Ranked wins were enough to secure an at-large bid to the tournament, but after a third straight NESCAC quarterfinal exit, Tufts was far from a sure thing heading into the opening weekend.

A first-round matchup with No. 18 Springfield promised a tight, physical contest, and sure enough, the game was a cagey affair that entered the half 0-0. Early in the second half, senior Gaston Becherano answered the call, nodding home a free kick for his fifth game-winner of the year. Tufts added a second and settled into their favorite role as underdog against No. 8 Rowan. Early on, Majumder, who has fallen victim to an injury-plagued senior season, stepped up to give the Jumbos the lead. The game tilted back and forth, and Rowan stepped up the pressure late, but Greenwood stood tall in net and the Jumbos saw out another big NCAA win. Geography means Tufts, who entered the tournament with a pedestrian 9-5-2 record, now only needs two home wins to return to the Final Four.

Mass-Boston Season Review

2016 promised to be the culmination of years of hard work for Mass-Boston. The Beacons won their first two Little East Conference tournaments in 2014 and 2015, but flamed out in the NCAA first round both times. With the entire back four and midfield returning for 2016, the Beacons were poised to make the jump.

Did they ever. Mass-Boston opened with ten straight wins and nine shutouts, entering the national conversation in the process. They failed to beat Babson in early October, but the stats—a 34-7 shot and 19-1 corner advantage—flashed the Beacons’ potential. They rely on a devastating attack, registering at least 15 shots in every regular season game save one, and a 2-0 win over rival Rhode Island College clinched home field for the Little East tournament. A 2-1 setback against Eastern Connecticut forced the Beacons to share the title with RIC, but they left no doubt as to the league’s best team by thumping Eastern Connecticut 7-2 in the conference semifinal before collecting a second win over Rhode Island in the championship match. The Beacons were on upset alert against a dangerous Kean team in the opening round, but point leader Mohamed Kenawy broke the ice in the 31st minute and Mass-Boston cruised to a 3-0 win and a matchup with host Haverford.

That’s where things took a dark turn. In one of the most contentious games D-III has ever seen—56 fouls, seven yellow cards, and two red cards—Mass-Boston went down 1-0 early. A Beacon was sent off for punting the ball into an opposing player’s face midway through the second half, but Haverford didn’t put the game away—even missing a penalty kick—and Mass-Boston rallied with a late goal. After more extracurriculars not only resulted in another dismissal but threatened to end the game early, Mass-Boston’s nine players survived a barrage from Haverford in overtime and advanced on penalty kicks. While few covered themselves in glory, freshman goalkeeper Omar Castro-Dreher was the star, recording 11 saves and stopping two Haverford penalties. The game came at a high price, however, as the Beacons will be without both their leading scorer and one of their midfield stalwarts this weekend.

Trinity (Texas) Season Review

#Winning. I’m not big on Twitter, but I could use that hashtag, by itself, to describe Trinity’s season. Coach Paul McGinlay has built a powerhouse program down in San Antonio, and, in top form, Trinity plays with a combination of technique and physicality that is great to watch. While Tigers have been elite for years, a Final Four drought dating to 2008 and a weak region relegate Trinity to an annual afterthought—at least until tournament time.

The schedule was limited by geography, but the Tigers set a decent schedule and rolled through it with sixteen straight wins to open the year. A hiccup against Texas Lutheran notwithstanding, Trinity put together a near-perfect season. Still, every team needs a foil, and Colorado College played Rocky to Trinity’s Apollo Creed. For the third straight season, the two teams would meet three times, with Colorado desperate to reach the top of the SCAC.

Trinity refused to cede the throne. They got the best of Colorado at home in mid-September, but were on their heels for most of the return leg. Still, Trinity knows how to win these games, and scored twice in the final ten minutes to snatch a win that was somewhat against the run of play. With an at-large bid guaranteed, Trinity had little but pride to play for in the conference championship, while Colorado knew they needed to win to reach the NCAA tournament. But the Tigers answered the bell once again, scoring an equalizer with just 61 seconds remaining and breaking Colorado hearts in overtime. Those games ensured the Tigers were battle-tested, and Trinity was simply too good for both Whitworth and Chapman last weekend. Now Trinity, despite being the highest seed, travels to the Northeast for the second straight year for another chance to reach the Final Four.

Kenyon Season Review

In no uncertain terms, I pegged Kenyon to be the best team in the country in 2016. That’s difficult to admit as a rival alum—one who graduated with a 5-1 record against the Lords, mind you—but Kenyon was title-good last year and returned 10 of 11 starters for 2016. Tony Amolo headlined the group, having gone from mercurial to dominant in 2015, and a dominant back line anchored by former D3Soccer.com Goalkeeper of the Year Sam Clougher looked ready for a dominant year.

But there was always a chance complacency would set in. When you’re that much better than most of your opponents, especially with an easy schedule, it’s difficult to play at a high level day after day. Kenyon showed signs of boredom, for lack of a better word, barely beating a weak Heidelberg team and losing a head-scratcher to Case Western. A second straight loss, this time to rival DePauw, made me wonder if I’d overestimated Kenyon. I shouldn’t have worried. The Lords remembered how to grind out wins, and they finally met my high expectations in an authoritative 2-0 win over Ohio Wesleyan. Three more solid wins, including a third straight late winner in the NCAC title game, and Kenyon was firing on all cylinders heading into the tournament. The Lords also began to show some strength in depth, a development that will be necessary to truly challenge for a title.

Kenyon was matched with unknown but dangerous No. 23 Maryville (Tenn.) last Saturday, but tournament know-how and timely finishing gave Kenyon a 3-0 win that was closer than the score suggests. The round of 32 brought a physical game between two elite teams, as Lynchburg threw everything they had at Kenyon. The Lords carried more of the play, but scoring chances were split about evenly, and the game entered overtime on a knife’s edge. With so much experience to draw on, Kenyon made its chance count, as Bret Lowry finished a chance in the first overtime to fire Kenyon to its fourth straight Sweet Sixteen.

Head Coaches

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

Tournament Experience

Tufts’s seniors won a title in 2014 and reached the Sweet Sixteen last year, and Greenwood in particular is a great presence to have in net. Mass-Boston is in unfamiliar territory, but the Beacons have reached the tournament three straight years and won’t be in awe of another New England foe. As for Trinity and Kenyon, the second weekend of the NCAA tournament is an annual stop, but neither program has been able to survive it. With plenty of experience to go around, you’d expect the players to enter relaxed and offer up quite the spectacle for the neutral viewer.

Players to Watch

Tufts: F Gaston Becherano (Sr.) – 12g, 1a | D Daniel Sullivan (Sr.) – 1g, 1a, 10 shutouts | M Zach Halliday (Sr.) – 0g, 2a | GK Scott Greenwood (Sr.) – 9 shutouts, 0.867 Sv.Pct.

Mass-Boston: M/F Mohamed Kenawy (So.) – 17g, 9a | F Daniel Morales (Jr.) – 10g, 5a | D Marcelo Cunha (Jr.) – 3g, 1a, 11 shutouts | M Denis Martinez (So.) – 1g, 1a

Trinity (Texas): F Austin Michaelis (So.) – 11g, 9a | D Laurence Wyke (So.) – 7g, 2a, 14 shutouts | M Christian Sakshaug (So.) – 2g, 9a | F Ryan Hunter (So.) – 9g, 2a

Kenyon: F Tony Amolo (Sr.) – 7g, 3a | M Henry Myers (Jr.) – 6g, 5a | D Oliver Wynn (Jr.) – 6g, 3a, 10 shutouts | M Woo Jeon (Jr.) – 2g, 8a

Tournament Re-Matches

None of these teams met in the regular season, but we have the potential for a Tufts-Kenyon rematch in the Elite Eight. These two met in a fantastic Sweet Sixteen game last year, with Kenyon just edging a 3-2 game by scoring with 20 seconds left. Both games Saturday and any other matchup Sunday will feature unfamiliar foes.

Why they will advance to the Final Four

Tufts: Tufts gets the benefit of playing at home against a short-handed Mass-Boston side, and the NESCAC prepared them well for a physical game that the Jumbos control from start to finish. In the Elite Eight, a rematch with Kenyon goes to the home side once again, with Majumder capping a triumphant return by firing Tufts to the Final Four. One other thing to keep in mind: trilogies follow a familiar pattern. In Act 1, an unknown hero comes from nowhere to triumph against all odds—the 2014 title. In Act 2, the hero faces adversity and suffers a heavy setback—2015’s Sweet Sixteen exit. In Act 3, the new-look hero conquers all. If the Jumbos follow the script, Sunday will see a return to the Final Four.

Mass-Boston: As in the last round, the Beacons are underdogs on the road, and this time they’re down two starters. Despite the whirlwind off the field, Mass-Boston circles the wagons and attacks with reckless abandon, pulling off a wild 3-2 win over the hosts. Trinity and Kenyon go the distance, leaving both teams worn out and unprepared for the intensity the Beacons bring to Sunday’s game. An early surge leads to an early goal from Kenawy, and Mass-Boston holds on just long enough to reach an improbable Final Four.

Trinity (Texas): The Tigers have been to three straight Elite Eights, they’re loaded with talent, and they beat a Sweet Sixteen-quality side in Colorado College three straight times. They have experience traveling the second weekend, they’re the most consistent team in the Sectional, and you get the feeling they have a sense of belief that might not have been there the last few years. Plus, simple math suggests that one of these runs will result in a Final Four. The Tigers prevail on points in a heavyweight bout with Kenyon, as Michaelis is the difference in a close 2-1 win. Coach McGinlay’s team then ramps up the intensity and puts in a dominant performance, winning 3-0 on Sunday to earn a much-deserved return to the Final Four.

Kenyon: Kenyon is playing its best soccer at the perfect time and will get a boost from a vocal alumni contingent in Massachusetts. A match-up with Trinity is better suited for the national championship than the Sweet Sixteen, but the Lords have played the more difficult schedule and now have game-winners all over the field. With Amolo misfiring at times but still drawing attention, the “other guys” score both goals in a 2-1 win. Kenyon’s depth shows on Sunday, as Tufts and Mass-Boston are ill-prepared and unable to handle the Lords’ midfield pressure, led by the tireless pair of Woo Jeon and Josh Lee. Kenyon was good enough to make the Final Four in 2014 and 2015. They get there in 2016.

Comments or feedback for the author?  E-mail Ryan Harmanis.