Women's Sectional Previews: American

By D3soccer.com Contributor

Third Round - Saturday

Quarterfinals - Sunday

Sectional Final, 1:00 pm ET

How they reached the Sweet 16

2019 Statistical Overview

Messiah Season Review

Messiah comes into the weekend at No. 1 in the D3Soccer.com Top 25 poll at 20-1-1 and the champion and automatic qualifier of the MAC Commonwealth. The Falcons hosted for the opening weekend of the tournament, taking on the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Champion Lesley Lynx out of Cambridge, MA. They defeated the Lynx 5-0 Saturday morning, earning the right to face Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Champion and lone remaining unbeaten team in the Tournament, Randolph-Macon. The Falcons controlled play from the onset and beat the Yellow Jackets by a 4-0 final to advance to their 16th consecutive NCAA Sectional.

The Falcons once again have one of the most balanced units in the country, ranking in the top ten in most offensive and defensive categories, one of the few remaining teams in the tournament to do so. The Falcon offense is ranked 1st in the nation in shots per game (25.91), 4th in total goals (83), 4th in total points (228), 4th in points per game (10.36), 5th in total assists (62), 5th in shots on goal per game (13.45), and 7th in the country in scoring offense (3.77 goals-per-game). The Falcon defense has recorded 17 shutouts on the season, which is good for 4th in the nation. The Falcon defense allows only 6.5 shots per game, with only 2.7 of those being on goal. The defense has allowed six goals on the year for a 0.297 goals-against average, good for 4th in the nation. This unit has faced more attacks than years past, with their keepers needing to make 53 saves, over 20 more than Messiah keepers had to make last season. While that may sound detrimental, it has given this unit confidence when things get a little tense in their end, as they have seen it before and weathered the storm just fine.

The Falcons began the year at No. 2 in our preseason poll and fell to No. 7 in our first poll of the season after an early season loss to then-No. 3 William Smith. The Falcons made their first appearance at No. 1 in our Week 4 poll, falling out for one week before reclaiming the No. 1 rank in Week 8. The Falcons held the No. 1 ranking for the rest of the season and a total of seven of the ten weeks that D3Soccer.com had a Top 25 poll. As stated above, the Falcons lone blemish was a 2-0 loss at then-No. 3 William Smith, but had victories against the other eight teams that they faced that made the NCAA Tournament this season. Counting last weekend’s games, the Falcons have played eleven contests against teams that made this year’s NCAA Tournament with a 10-1-1 record in those games. The Falcons have victories this season over then-No.14 Stevens, No. 9 Johns Hopkins, No. 12 Dickinson, No. 15 Arcadia, No. 22 Misericordia, No. 14 Randolph-Macon, and Carnegie Mellon, who was receiving votes in our Top 25 poll.

Trinity (Texas) Season Review

Trinity comes into the sectional weekend at No. 21 in our D3Soccer.com Top 25 poll with a record of 17-3-1. The Tigers made the NCAA Tournament as an at-large qualifier out of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference after falling in the SCAC scoreless conference championship game in a penalty shootout with Southwestern. The Tigers traveled to Hardin-Simmons for opening weekend, first taking on Pacific Lutheran in the opening round, defeating the Lutes 2-1 in double overtime. The Tigers then took on host Hardin-Simmons and beat their nemesis 2-0, garnering some measure of revenge after the Cowgirls had eliminated the Tigers in three of the last four postseasons.

Trinity boasts strong units on both sides of the ball, with their defense ranked nationally in the top 15 in several categories, and their offense ranked in the top 25 in several areas. The Tiger offense is ranked 14th in total assists (53), 20th in total points (179), 22nd in total goals (63), 23rd in the country in scoring offense (3.00 goals-per-game), 21st in points per game (8.52), and just outside the top 30 in the nation in shots per game (20.1). The Tiger defense has recorded 15 shutouts on the season, which is good for 9th in the country. They’ve allowed nine goals on the year for a 0.445 goals-against average, good for 13th in the nation.

Trinity started the season at No. 17 in our preseason poll, moved as high as No. 12 and as low as No. 25 before settling in at No. 21 in our current poll. The Tigers’ losses this season came at the hands of perennial powers Christopher Newport, Cal Lutheran, and Puget Sound, and their draw was in the conference championship game to tournament qualifier Southwestern. Their victories last weekend against the Lutes, who have been receiving votes throughout the year in our poll, and the No. 19 Cowgirls, were their first victories against ranked opponents this season.

Williams Season Review

Williams comes into the sectional weekend at 10-5-3 and unranked for the first time this season, having dropped out of our Top 25 poll after falling in the NESCAC semifinal match with Middlebury 2-0. The Ephs might have been a little nervous on Selection Monday but were chosen for an at-large berth to defend their title. The reigning National Champions and winners of three of the last four didn’t host this year on opening weekend but didn’t have to travel far, making the short drive to Cambridge, MA, to face Gettysburg. The Ephs took care of the Bullets 2-0 on Saturday, earning the right to meet host and nationally ranked No. 6 MIT. The Engineers were in the midst of a historic season, winning 20 games, scoring 80 goals, and only giving up four goals on the year. The Ephs and Engineers battled to a 1-1 double overtime draw, and the Ephs once again prevailed in penalty kicks. The Ephs have made a habit out of advancing on penalty kick shootouts, doing it three times during their 2018 Championship run, including twice on sectional weekend and even during the National Championship game last year to win the title.

The casual observer might dismiss this Williams team when they look at their record and national rankings in offensive and defensive categories, but that would be a mistake. The offense ranks 190th in total points, 192nd in points per game, 200th in scoring offense, and 200th in total goals. The defense ranks 128th in goals-against average (having given up 19 goals) and with only seven shutouts on the season, ranks 146th in shutout percentage. What can’t be ranked is heart and determination. Williams proved last season that you can never count them out. As they were last year, the Ephs are defending champions and determined to do anything to defend that title. Go ahead, look at the numbers, and casually dismiss this team – that is precisely what they want you to do.

Williams began the season at No. 1 in our preseason poll and held there for a couple of weeks, but quickly tumbled through the rankings due to early season losses. They hovered around No. 25 for a few polls before finally falling out of the rankings at the last regular season poll. The Ephs have played as many ranked teams and tournament teams as anyone in the national tournament, having faced Tufts, Middlebury, Amherst, Connecticut College, Farmingdale State, MIT, and Gettysburg, all teams that have at one point been in our Top 25 during the season. The Ephs played a few of the above-listed teams twice during this season and compiled a 7-3-2 record against ranked teams.

Tufts Season Review

Tufts comes into the sectional weekend at No. 17 in our Top 25 poll at 14-3-2 having earned an at-large berth out of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). The Jumbos won the regular season title and the #1 seed for their conference playoffs but fell in the semifinal game to eventual champion Amherst. Tufts hit the road for the first weekend, traveling to New Jersey to compete at TCNJ. On Saturday, the Jumbos faced off against Cortland State, beating the Red Dragons 3-1. Sunday, the Jumbos faced off against an old NCAA Tournament foe in TCNJ, a team that had twice knocked them from the tournament, including the 2000 National Championship game. This year was a different story, with Tufts coming away with a 2-0 win on two late second-half goals.

Tufts is another team whose stats are a little deceiving, having played the season in one of the toughest conferences in the nation against quality competition. The Jumbos, like their conference foe Williams, rank outside the top 40 nationally in most offensive and defensive categories. Their offense ranks 21st in shots per game, 45th in assists per game, 49th in total assists, and 97th in scoring offense. The defense lingers around the same area, ranking 44th in goals-against average, 50th in save percentage, and 84th in shutout percentage. Again, don’t let these numbers fool you, as these less-than-stellar rankings are indicative of competitive conference play.

Tufts began the year at No. 25 in our preseason poll, climbing to No. 12 after some impressive early season wins. They held steady just outside the top ten before a few late season losses dropped them to their current ranking of No. 17. The Jumbos held a “Record versus Ranked” opponents of 6-3-2 and a “Strength of Schedule” of 0.631, among the best in the nation. They faced Williams, MIT, Amherst, Connecticut College, WPI, Middlebury, Cortland State, and TCNJ, all teams that were ranked or receiving votes in our poll this season, so they know what it is to face a quality opponent.

Head Coaches

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

Players to Watch

Messiah: #25 F Brooke Firestone (Sr.) – 19g, 5a, 8gwg (2x MAC-C OffPOY, 3x 1st team) | #9 F Ellie Lengacher (Sr.) – 10g, 15a, 2gwg (MAC-C 1st team) | #22 M Sunny Gelnovatch (Sr.) – 6g, 8a, 1gwg(MAC-C 4x 1st team) | #11 M Kayla Herr (So.) – 4g, 1a(MAC-C 1st team) | #17 D Emily D'Amico (Sr.) – 2a (MAC-C 1st team) | #23 D Barb Foster (Sr.) – 1g, 1gwg (MAC-C 3x 1st team)

Trinity (Texas): #27 D Kristen Canepa (Sr.) – 5g, 2a, 2gwg (SCAC 2x DefPOY, 3x 1st team) | #15 M Camryn Beall (So.) – 9g, 1a, 3gwg (SCAC 1st team) | #4 M Kaity Ward (So.) – 7g, 7a, 2gwg (SCAC 1st team) | # D Nyah Shepherd (Fr.) – 2g, 13a (SCAC 1st team) | #5 M Abby Blackwood (Jr.) – 3g, 2a, 1gwg (SCAC 1st team)

Williams: #8 M Victoria Laino (Jr.) – 8g, 2a, 2gwg (NESCAC PlayerOY, 1st team) | #15 B Nkem Iregbulem (Sr.) – (NESCAC 1st team)

Tufts: # 7 D Sarah Maloney (Sr.)1g, 1a (2x NESCAC 1st team) | #3 F Liz Reed (Jr.) – 9g, 9a, 2gwg (NESCAC 1st team) |#19 F Sophie Lloyd (Jr.) – 9g, 6a, 3gwg (NESCAC 1st team) |#13 M Jenna Troccoli (Sr.) – 3g, 1a, 1gwg (NESCAC 2nd team)

Tournament Re-Matches

Although not relevant to the current matchup, Messiah and Trinity (Texas) have played three times, twice in the NCAA tournament, both 0-0 ties with Messiah advancing on PK's. The most recent was 14 years ago in 2005 in an Elite 8 match on the way to the Falcons' first national title. It was the only game that Messiah did not win and the only time they were shutout in an otherwise near-perfect season.

Williams and Tufts, of course, are NESCAC adversaries. And, as mentioned previous,Tufts hasn't beaten Williams in their last 16 encounters. They have never met in the NCAA tournament. Do the Jumbos finally get this monkey off their back?

Why they will advance to the Final Four

Messiah: The Falcons will attempt to impose their will and style of play on the Tigers Saturday, possessing the ball and attacking with precision passes. This year’s squad has had success scoring early and holding leads against ranked teams, and they’ll try to do that again Saturday. This Falcon lineup has faced stretches of games this year where they were on their heels but weathered the storm and came out on top. Games against Johns Hopkins, Dickinson, Stevens, Carnegie Mellon, and Arcadia included stretches where the Falcons weren’t dominant, and they survived stretches of play where they had to defend for their lives. This team is right at home absorbing counterattacks and waiting for the tide to switch back in their favor. If Trinity isn’t able to make some productive, sustained counters, this could be a two goal or more Falcon win. Sunday, the Falcons will face a NESCAC team that they know is an elite competitor used to taking on top-flight competition. Their Sunday foe won’t be intimidated or fazed by the Messiah mystique and will come at the Falcons with aggressive, hard-nosed pressure. This Falcon team doesn’t shy away from physical play and once again weather the storm and score at least once while keeping a clean sheet to punch their ticket to Greensboro. The Falcons have not lost an NCAA Tournament game since 2013, despite being in the tournament every year and not winning a title. The Falcons are 21-0-5 over that time, failing to advance each time during a penalty kick shootout.

Trinity (Texas): The Tigers know that they will probably be outshot, out possessed, and trail in corner kicks on Saturday when they face No. 1 Messiah, but that shouldn’t concern them much. They won twice last weekend, despite trailing in shots and corner kicks. They pulled out victories by playing tough defense, being patient, and capitalizing on limited opportunities. They will play their usual hard-nosed, pressing defense and force Messiah into rushed, off-target shots. The frustration will grow the longer it takes for the Falcons to score, and the Tigers take advantage, countering after a gamble by Messiah and win 1-0. Or, the Tigers don’t score, but force the Falcons to a 0-0 double overtime draw, forcing the Falcons to penalty kicks, a place Messiah does not like to be. Sunday, the Tigers once again deploy their defensive survival strategy, able to make more counters against their quarterfinal opponent than the day before, slowly taking control of the game and eventually putting in a goal for the 1-0 win and a trip to the semifinals.

Williams: The Ephs are newly energized after opening weekend and may feel that this is a team of destiny, meant to win the title for Coach Pinard in her last season. Williams has been here before, winning three of the last four national championships and looking to make it three in a row and four of five. They are very familiar with their first opponent for the weekend, conference foe Tufts. The two met earlier in the season, when Williams came away with a 2-1 victory, as they have repeatedly done in recent memory. Since 2006, the two teams have met 15 times with Williams holding a 13-0-2 record over that span. This time is no different, with the Ephs weathering the Jumbo attacks until they can break through themselves. They know that they may very well be in a place where past years’ teams might be unfamiliar - on the low side of shots, shots on goal, and corner kicks, but able to pull out the win by taking advantage of limited opportunities. They get it done against the Jumbos on Saturday, winning a close one that may go beyond regulation. They would then love to spoil Messiah’s quest for another championship drive on their home field, returning the favor for the Falcons’ 4-1 victory at Williams in 2016 that knocked the Ephs from the tournament and the only reason they don’t have four consecutive titles. The Pinard-Frey matchup is one everyone is wanting to see, a chess game between two of the masters of the game and holders of eight National Championships between them.

Tufts: The Jumbos come in confident in their ability to beat top-flight competition, having earned the regular season title and number one seed for the NESCAC postseason tournament. The Jumbos fell to Williams back in early September by the score of 2-1, but during that contest they outshot the Ephs 24-9 (9-6 SOG) and held a 6-1 advantage in corner kicks. This time, the Jumbos control play on the field once again, but the outcome is different, with Tufts getting the 2-1 victory, possibly in extra time. In the quarterfinals, if the Jumbos face Trinity (Texas), they’ll force their game on the Tigers and control possession and pace to force their way into the semifinals. If they face Messiah, they’ll more than likely incorporate the same strategy they used against TCNJ, pressing high and forcing mistakes. The Jumbos frustrate the Falcons on their home pitch, holding them scoreless and sending the game to penalty kicks, where Tufts prevails and pack their bags to Greensboro.

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