| Messiah College Falcons (No. 6 NSCAA / No. 5 D3Soccer.com) |
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Location: Grantham, PA
Coach: Scott Frey (17th season, 359-19-20 at Messiah entering the weekend)
2016 Record: 19-2-0, 8-0 MAC Commonwealth
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 17th (58-8-6 all-time record entering the weekend)
2015 First Round: 4-0 win over College of Staten Island
2015 Second Round: 2-0 win over Montclair State University
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Messiah as a Team in Top-40 National Statistics: The Falcons are fifth in assists (64), sixth in assists per game (3.05), seventh in shutout percentage (0.762), eighth in points (202) and won-lost-tied percentage (0.905), 9th in points per game (9.62), 10th in goals (69), 12th in GAA (0.33), and 15th in scoring offense (3.29 goals per game).
Messiah Players in Top-40 National Statistics: Marisa Weaver is sixth in total goals (23), seventh in shots on goal per game (3.14), ninth in total points (53), 10th in goals per game (1.10), 12th in points per game (2.52), 17th in game-winning goals (6), and 23rd in shots per game (5.10). Sara Yunez is 13th in GAA (0.337) and 23rd in goalie minutes played (186 6:41).
How the Falcons got here: Messiah College won the MAC Commonwealth Championship for both the second-straight season and the 15th time in 17 seasons to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. The start to the season was a little rocky as the Falcons gave up five goals and went 2-2 in their first four games, but since that point Messiah has won 17-straight games and earned 15 shutouts, including clean sheets against Staten Island and Montclair State in the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Scouting the Falcons: Marisa Weaver (22g, 7a) leads seven double-digit scorers with 51 points and a team-high six game-winners, and she was named the MAC Commonwealth Offensive MVP for the season. First-year midfielder Sunny Gelnovatch, the conference Rookie of the Year, is second on the team with eight goals and 22 points, and she is one of four Falcons—Weaver (7), Olivia Snare (7), and Erin Sollenberger (6)—to have at least six helpers this season. Sollenberger and Snare have scored five goals and four goals, respectively, while Megan Mansfield (5g, 4a), Ellie Lengacher (5g), and Julia Kyne (4g, 2a) have also hit double-digit points.
The MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Year, DJ Cole, the midfield and supports a defensive effort that ranks No. 12 in the nation in GAA (0.33). As has been their calling card, the Falcons have another formidable and stingy defensive unit, with Kayla Deckert and Summerly Merson at the center of the effort.
Keeper Sara Yunez has played all but 47 minutes for the Falcons and holds a 0.33 GAA and .829 save percentage to along with 14 shutouts.
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| Middlebury College Panthers (RV NSCAA / RV D3Soccer.com) |
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Location: Middlebury, VT
Coach: Peter Kim (13th season, 151-55-26 at Middlebury entering the weekend)
2016 Record: 15-4, 7-3 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 9th (17-8 all-time record entering the weekend)
2016 First Round: 1-0 win over Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2016 Second Round: 2-0 win over Stevens Institute of Technology
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Middlebury as a Team in Top-40 National Statistics: The Panthers are 35th in won-lost-tied percentage (0.789).
How the Panthers got here: Middlebury received an at-large bid into the Tournament after falling 2-0 to Amherst in the NESCAC Semifinals. The Panthers have actually lost two of their past games, the other being a 1-0 decision to Williams near the end of the conference regular-season. Middlebury posted two shutouts in the first two games of the NCAA Tournament, including a 2-0 win over No. 9 Stevens Institute in the Second Round. The numbers from that win are of note as the teams were even in shots (15-15) while Stevens earned more corners than the Panthers (5-4).
Scouting the Panthers: Middlebury has scored just 36 goals this season, and they've scored more than two goals in just seven of 19 games. Nevertheless, the Panthers have proven effective at limiting their opponents (14 goals allowed) and winning close games; of Middlebury's 15 wins, eight have come by a single tally. Adriana Gildner (8g, 6a) leads four double-digit scorers with 22 points, with Katherine Hobbs (6g, 1a), Amy Martin (2g, 8a), and Emma Shumway (5g, 1a) all behind her. Each of those players also have multiple game-winners this year, with Hobbs' four winners leading the way. Of the many other players to watch, Virginia Chapman sticks out as she tallied her two goals of the season in the Panthers' 2-0 win over Stevens.
In goal the Panthers deploy two different keepers, Kate Reinmuth and Ursula Alwang. Reinmuth has more games played (13-11), starts (11-7), and minutes played (956-765), but Alwang has started three of the Panthers last four games—all in the postseason. She carries a 0.47 GAA and .889 save percentage, both the better marks between the two.
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| Williams College Ephs (No. 3 NSCAA / No. 4 D3Soccer.com) |
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Location: Williamstown, MA
Coach: Michelyne Pinard (14th season, 216-43-30 at Williams entering the weekend)
2016 Record: 17-0-2, 9-0-1 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 18th (32-15-6 all-time record entering the weekend)
2016 First Round: 3-0 win over Elms College
2016 Second Round: 1-0 win over Wentworth Institute of Technology
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Williams as a Team in Top-40 National Statistics: The Ephs are fifth in won-lost-tied percentage (0.947), ninth in save percentage (0.908), 10th in GAA (0.308), 16th in shutout percentage (0.684), 30th in assists per game (2.21) and 40th in assists (42).
Williams Players in Top-40 National Statistics: Olivia Barnhill is 16th in GAA (0.355), and save percentage. Kristi Kirshe is 18th in assists per game (0.63), and assists (12).
How the Ephs got here: The defending Division III National Championships went unbeaten in both the regular-season and the conference slate, but they dropped a 1-1 (2OT, PK) decision to Trinity (Conn.) in the NESCAC Semifinals. After receiving a well-deserved at-large bid into the Tournament, they posted shutouts over Elms (3-0) and Wentworth (1-0).
Scouting the Ephs: Williams led the NESCAC with six all-conference picks, with senior Kristi Kirshe (7g, 11a) being named Player of the Year. She's one of six double-digit point scorers, with first-year forward Alison Lu (12g, 5a) leading the way with 29 points and five game-winners. Another first-year player, Sarah Scire (13g, 7a) is also top-three on the team in points scored. All that offense is imposing, but it's the Ephs' defensive prowess that is especially strong. They've allowed just six goals this season, though three of those goals have come in the past six games.
Olivia Barnhill is among the best goalies in the nation with a 0.37 GAA and .900 save percentage. She's posted nine shutouts across her 19 starts.
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| Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays (No. 12 NSCAA / No. 12 D3Soccer.com) |
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Location: Baltimore, MD
Coach: Leo Well (24th season, 357-111-35 at Johns Hopkins entering the weekend)
2016 Record: 17-2-2, 8-1 Centennial Conference
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 15th (22-13-3 all-time record entering the weekend)
2016 First Round: 3-1 win over Western Connecticut State
2016 Second Round: 4-0 win over Christopher Newport University
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Johns Hopkins as a Team in Top-40 National Statistics: The Blue Jays are 18th in won-lost-tied percentage, 36th in goals (59), and 40th in assists (42) and points (160).
Johns Hopkins Players in Top-40 National Statistics: Meg Van de Loo is first in total goals (25), second in shots per game (6.19), fourth in goals per game (1.19), fifth in points per game (2.81), sixth in total points (59), eighth in game winning goals (7), and 12th in shots on goal per game (3).
How the Blue Jays got here: The Blue Jays started the season 1-1-2 in their first four games—including a 2-1 loss at home to Messiah— but they recovered from the sluggish start to go 16-1-0 in their past 17 games. That lone loss came on the road at McDaniel (3-2) but Hopkins has been streaking otherwise. They hold a 59-19 advantage in goals scored over opponents, though it's noteworthy that opponents have scored 16 of their 19 goals in the second-half. Nevertheless, the Blue Jays captured the Centennial Championship with back-to-back 3-1 wins, including a decision over McDaniel in conference final.
Scouting the Blue Jays: With a nod to their program excellence and skill across the entire field, it may still be worth saying that 'as goes Meg Van de Loo, so go the Blue Jays.' At the very least, there needs to be a recognition of her imposing offensive presence; the senior forward has 25 goals and nine assists, and she's currently riding a 16-game goal-scoring streak. She's also tallied in 19 of 21 games this season, and she's tallied five of last seven team goals overall (and 7 of the past 13, and 12 of the last 23). Her 59 points and seven game-winners also lead the team. Ana Bengoechea (10g, 9a) is next on the team with 29 points, and three other players have double-digits points as well.
The Blue Jays have two keepers that have started at least eight games, with Clara Aranguren (13 starts) having started the past four (postseason) games and playing all but nine minutes. She carries a 1.08 GAA and a .708 save percentage. Fellow netminder Bess Kitzmiller holds a 0.52 GAA with a .833 save percentage.
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