Men's Sectional Previews: Atlantic

By Matthew Zinner

Third Round - Saturday

Quarterfinals - Sunday

Sectional Final, 3:00 pm ET

How they reached the Sweet 16

2019 Statistical Overview

Connecticut College Season Review

Connecticut College has historically been a mid-tier NESCAC program. I thought that had ended my freshmen year, when as the 8 seed they upset Tufts on Kraft field in the NESCAC quarters. That defeat initiated a rivalry that has continued to grow as both sides have moved up the NESCAC totem pole and could reach its zenith in a potential Elite 8 match up this weekend. First year coach Ruben Burk has done an incredible job of taking over the reins from long-time head coach Ken Murphy. The program seemed poised for a drop off after losing the majority of its midfield and front three to graduation last year. Instead they have moved from strength to strength improving on last year’s historic season. This team is built on a solid defense allowing 0.64 GAA. But they have also been able to hit the key 2 goals per game benchmark that is more than respectable in NESCAC play.

Obviously, most of the attention goes to Junior goalkeeper AJ Marcucci, and rightly so. After rumored flirtations with transferring to a D-I program, the Pennsylvania native returned to campus and continued his elite level play. I am sure he will be fired up for this homecoming and the chance to lead the Camels to their first ever Final Four. But be careful this team is far more than Marcucci and is more than capable of springing the upsets to reach Greensboro.

Swarthmore Season Review

Swarthmore started the season on fire jumping out to a 5-0-0 record. The rest of the season was a bit of stop and start with the 4-0 loss to Dickinson a low point. They did however show they were capable of hanging with the big guns as demonstrated in a 2-2 tie with Johns Hopkins and a tight 1-0 loss to Franklin and Marshall. Unfortunately, the final day defeat to Haverford eliminated the Phoenix from Centennial Conference playoff contention and threatened to end their season. Luckily for Swarthmore, the selection committee looked favorably upon their strength of schedule and granted them a second opportunity, one they have made the most of. Traveling down to Virginia they were able to defeat two Southern stalwarts, Roanoke and Christopher Newport. Both games saw Swarthmore go the full 110 minutes before finally emerging victorious in penalties. In the 0-0 tie (victory) over Christopher Newport, Swarthmore were outshot significantly but that is a reality they will have to live with to pull off two more upsets.

Tufts Season Review

Coming off an undefeated National Championship run, Tufts entered the season with impossible expectations. The early season results were impressive as the team played some of the best soccer of the Josh Shapiro era. Toward the end of September, the team begin to experience a wobble in form. A tie against Wesleyan and a surprisingly narrow victory over Trinity (Conn.) were harbingers of the successive defeats to come. After dropping points in three straight, and four of five, games, Tufts rebounded with a solid homecoming victory over Conn College. This proved a turning point for the team as they ran off six consecutive victories through the most difficult portion of their schedule en route to a second ever NESCAC championship. The results last weekend were not entirely convincing as the game against SUNY-Maritime was in the balance until Tufts depth pulled away with 15 minutes to go. On Sunday the Jumbos displayed incredible belief to come from behind against RPI, the best defensive side in the country. That victory was earned in the last 30 seconds on a header by senior captain Tanner Jameson, the first goal of his career. Now Tufts will head on the road for the first time in three years, hoping to reach yet another Final Four.

Washington and Lee Season Review

Washington and Lee got off to a hot start to the season with two victories in Massachusetts at the Brandeis Classic. But they were soon brought crashing back to earth with a humbling road defeat, 5-2, to Johns Hopkins. With a sense of the standards required to challenge in the post season, the Generals got back to work not conceding multiple goals again the rest of the season. With a Pool C bid likely, but not guaranteed, Washington and Lee won five straight games to Clinch the ODAC championship and automatic bid. They began their tournament run with a narrow 1-0 win over North Carolina Wesleyan in a match where neither team provided a constant goal threat. The next day their season seemed to be heading for an abrupt end after two early goals ended their impressive defensive streak. But the team showed incredible belief and rallied from two-nil down to win 3-2 in regulation. This team will show up to Pennsylvania with nothing to lose and all the belief in the world that they can pull off the upset against Tufts.

Head Coaches

Seniors' 4-year Record (through Nov. 17)

Players to Watch

Connecticut Col.: #1 GK AJ Marcucci (Jr.) – 0.48 GAA, .879 Sv% (2018 D3soccer.com GKOY, 2x NESCAC 1st team) | #11 D Liam Donelan (Jr.) – 4g, 2a 2gwg (NESCAC 1st team) | #14 M Augie Djerdjaj (So.) – 9g, 4a, 3gwg (NESCAC 1st team) | #3 M Matt Butera (Sr.) – 4g, 6a, 2gwg (NESCAC 2nd team)

Swarthmore: #5 M Trevor Homstad (Sr.) – 5g, 3a, 2gwg (Centennial 2nd team) | #4 D Harry Nevins (So.) – 2g, 1gwg (Centennial 2nd team) | #2 D Ben Lau (So.) – 1g, 3a, 1gwg (Centennial 2nd team) | #22 F Joe Barile (Jr.) – 6g, 5a, 2gwg (Garnet goals and points leader)

Tufts: #5 F Joe Braun (Sr.) – 6g, 5a, 4gwg (NESCAC 2x 1st team) | #2 M Gavin Tasker (Sr.) – 3g, 7a (NESCAC 2x 1st team) | M Calvin Aroh (Jr.) – 2g, 1a (NESCAC 1st team) | D Biagio Paoletta (Jr.) – 2g, 1a, 1gwg (NESCAC 1st team) | M Travis Van Brewer (Jr.) – 3g, 5a, 1gwg (NESCAC 2nd team)

Washington & Lee: #3 D Oliver Dolberg (Sr.) – 4g, 2a, 4gwg (ODAC 3x 1st team) | #13 D Jack Rawlins (So.) – 3g, 2a, 2gwg (ODAC 2x 1st team) | #17 D Seth Chapman (So.) – 3g (ODAC 1st team) | #22 M Samuel Bass (Fr.) – 6g, 5a, 2gwg (ODAC 1st team) | #1 GK Michael Nyc (So.) – 0.59 GAA, .812 Sv%(ODAC 1st team)

Tournament Re-Matches

Swarthmore has faced each of the other three sectional teams once but only a Sep. 2017 0-4 road defeat by Conn. College is relevant. From the archives, the Garnet fell by the same 0-4 score line at Tufts in 2002 and downed the Generals 3-0 way back in 1978.

Tufts and Conn. College, as NESCAC members meet at least annually. Earlier this year, the Jumbos broke out of their mid-season funk in a 2-0 home win over the Camels. Tufts seniors hold a 2-0-2 edge over their counterparts; the two sides have managed only a grand total of three tallies over the four years. Washington and Lee has never played either of these teams.

Why they will advance to the Final Four

Connecticut Col.: Despite having to face host Swarthmore, Conn is able to score two early first half goals and coast to a victory on Saturday. This sets up their dream rematch with Tufts with a berth to the Final Four on the line. The game settles into a familiar pattern with Tufts in possession and Conn content to stay compact in the back. Just before half-time a quick turnover sees Matt Butera racing into space where he finds Liam Noonan with a cutback ball and a shock 1-0 lead. In the second half, the Camels fall into a deeper and deeper shell but Marcucci gobbles up all the aerial service intended for Joe Braun. In the last-minute Tufts sends everyone into the box for a corner and Stokes makes the goal line clearance to preserve the 1-0 victory.

Swarthmore: Much to the consternation of many Tufts fans, Swarthmore has been given the opportunity to host this season. We have seen in past years, Tufts in 2016 comes to mind, that lower seeded teams are capable of using home field advantage to propel themselves to deep title runs. Coach Wagner had a photo in his office of a packed Clothier Field Stadium when the team last hosted a NCAA Game in 2008. He will be hoping the students come out to support again and create a massive home field advantage. This Swarthmore team plays physical and is not afraid of crossing the line. They committed 37 fouls and earned 10 yellow cards in their two games last weekend, including two against the bench. They will be hoping to draw their opposition into an emotional error and then take advantage. On Saturday, they are able to sneak a goal early on a set piece and then hold on for dear life, committing 25 fouls in the process against a Conn College team not built to chase games. On Sunday, they immediately set out to defend and frustrate Washington and Lee who are riding high after their upset of Tufts. The game soon devolves into a stalemate as the weather takes a turn for the worst. At the end of the first half only one shot on goal has been recorded. In the second half, both teams start to tire after a long weekend of soccer. The game is destined for overtime when Woojin Shin, brother of Tufts’ Woovin, buries a free kick to send the home fans into delirium. The goal holds up and the Phoenix rise from the dead to reach the Final Four.

Tufts: With the surprise early elimination of Johns Hopkins, Tufts is the clear favorite on paper to emerge from this sectional. Unfortunately, it is 2019 and paper is pretty much only useful in straws now. Instead this team is going to have to rely on their extraordinary experience and depth to overcome three very talented teams. The Tufts senior class was the first Tufts class recruited post national championship, and they have helped to elevate the program to whole new levels. All they have known is NCAA success, with the last second loss to Brandeis the only time this group has felt tournament defeat. Beyond that, this Tufts team is capable of bringing players off the bench that would start for any other D-III program in the country. You may be as talented as their starting 11. But you’re not as talented as their top 22. Alex Ratzan is tied for the team lead in goals but is nominally the team’s third striker. Look for Tufts to keep possession early, before pulling away from their opponents in the latter half of games as teams begin to tire. They will have to shore up the backline in the absence of All-conference center back Biagio Paoletta but expect Tufts to produce two solid performances as they grow into the tournament.

Washington & Lee: Three of Washington and Lee’s top four scorers are First Years, and that youthful naivety will serve them well. I remember my Freshmen year, no one on our team knew what it was like to win in the tournament and we simply wanted to play an extra week. That making it up as you go, allows you to play loose and without fear. This team knows that they have made everyone back in Virginia proud and will enjoy the moment They also have the balanced scoring that is essential for tournament success. Finally, this Tufts team has had lapses in the tournament and the Generals are primed to pull off the coup. The defense regains its mojo after last week’s disastrous first half and goalkeeper Michael Nyc is able to keep the Tufts team off the board. The Generals grab a goal off a moment of individual magic from John Peterson off the bench. Tufts sends wave after wave at the Generals goal and manages to snag an equalizer with six minutes left on a corner. The Jumbos seem destined for the win and flood forward for the decisive the goal, leaving themselves exposed in the back. With a minute left, Washington and Lee strikes on the counter eliminating the champs and giving reason to rejoice to the D-III world. The next day the Generals emerge to find a Swarthmore team down two starters from red card suspensions. Suddenly the favorites to emerge, Washington and Lee put together their best performance of the season, racing out to a 3-0 lead within 25 minutes, before coasting to victory.

PS… I’ll be at the games this weekend, so please come say hello. Unless you hate my writing, then you can reach out to my father and bond over that.

Comments or feedback for the author?  E-mail Matthew Zinner.