Notre Dame beats Louisville 1-0 to seal its place in the ACC tournament along with FSU, UNC and UVa. Should be a great weekend of soccer!
Wow, if I didn't have something to do that weekend, I would be at the ACC tournament. This should be awesome.
what is the reasoning behind the ACC teams not playing every team in the conference. Why have a tournament with only 4 teams? all 4 are in the NCAA tournament already ?
I also wish I knew the answer to this question. Long gone are the days when the tournament was just the conference winners. While the conference winners are still awarded a spot in the tournament, that fact in modern times is only truly relevant for the weaker conferences. Since expanding to 64 teams (which, in rough numbers, is 1/5 of all of the D-I teams) the use of the rpi has pretty much guaranteed that the top 50 teams will be in the tournament regardless of their final standing in their conferences. Consequently, conference tournaments only seem to make sense for the weaker conferences in that the current hot team could go to the NCAAs as the conference's best representative (while, presumably, the regular season winner who might have built up an early lead before recent injuries, etc. might actually be weaker at tournament time.) For the strong conferences, conference tournaments only serve to weaken the rpi numbers for at least half of the teams participating and risk injury and fatigue. So the only real excuse for the strong conferences to have tournaments is that they make money and are showcases. While this remains true for Men's basketball (serious money is made) I doubt that is is worth it for the minor sports....But I could be wrong about this in these days of more TV coverage.
My guess: Give each coach more scheduling flexibility. If they played all the other 13 women's soccer teams in the conference, that would leave only 7 open games. If they opted to play 2 exhibitions pre-season, they'd be down to 5 open regular-season games. Is that enough, if a team wants to travel all over the US for recruiting purposes and/or playing challenges? Is that enough, if a team needs to balance an expectation of lots in in-conferences losses with some out-of-conference wins? Is that enough, if a goal is to reduce travel expenses?
One possible justification: When the teams don't play the same opponents, you can never be sure if the final standings are influenced by that fact. So, if the goal is to identify the single best team in the conference, it makes sense to gather a subset of the teams near the top and let them compete head-to-head for the title on a neutral field.
I also think the current ACC format is useful for the ACC teams for NCAA Tournament seeding purposes. For the teams that lose games, the losses may do some damage to their seeding aspirations. But for the two finalists, the runner up will have added a very good win to its profile and the winner will have added two very good wins to its profile. These good wins will be important, especially in this case in the competition for #1 seeds. Of course, if Florida State and North Carolina both were to lose and in the first round of the tournament, they could drop from potential #1 seeds. At this point, neither Virginia nor Notre Dame is looking like a likely #1 seed, and it's doubtful excellent results in the tournament would propel them into contention. So, the tournament could have a negative seed effect on the conference. But, ordinarily, I think it could be helpful.
Another reason to limit the tournament to 4 teams is to virtually eliminate the possibility of a 7 or 8 seed entering the tournament with 0.500 records and being eliminated from NCAA consideration with a first round loss. For example, if Duke ties against Florida St. they would now qualify for consideration to the NCAA tournament. If the ACC tournament were expanded back to say 8 teams, Duke would qualify and would earn a chance to go back under 0.500.
Question: BC has lost a lot of games recently and I note that last years big scorer Meehan is not playing. Is she injured? If so will she be back for the NCAAs?
Partially torn Achilles http://www.providencejournal.com/sp...-on-mckenzie-meehan-s-junior-season-at-bc.ece
Slashed her Achilles' in a bizarre falling mirror accident before the U20 World Cup (I'm not kidding). Medical redshirt this season.
I'm not a numbers geek, but I don't see how UVA is not in contention for a #1 seed. According to the Oct 27 RPI, they are 8th with one loss to FSU in a tightly contested game where UVA had a little bit better of the run of play. Meanwhile there are 4 teams ranked above them with 2 losses each and 3 of them also have 2 ties. SOS, SOS, SOS. If I had to bet money on a UVA game, the only game I would bet against them would be UCLA. Stanford and FSU would be a tossup IMO. All the others would favor UVA. NOte: I'm a NOle fan. I just really appreciate great soccer.
IF the ACC had a larger tournament, like the SEC for example, then after Duke loses to FSU, they would have the opposite opportunity to play there way back INTO the NCAA Tournament...right? It will be interesting to compare how Conf Tournament results influence bubble teams in the 10-team tournament SEC vs the 4-team ACC, whose teams 5 and below sit at home. AND my argument against the ACC arrogance and gaming of the system was made back on page 1 of this thread. Wonder when Duke loses to FSU, if Church will want the larger tournament back?? The incomplete round-robin is another argument altogether and another example of teams scheduling for RPI instead of having a more legitimate and meaningful regular season... Too bad we won't see if Duke or Va Tech can make a run and win the ACC tournament. And too bad teams like Louisville/Wake/BC have nothing to play for the last weekend (like a chance to get into an 8-team tournament). Frankly, I like the ACC a lot less for this kind of gamesmanship.
The ACC will try and bear the brunt of your dislike. This year the bottom half of the ACC is down. It is hurting our SOS and everything. That said, even last year the ACC was top to bottom the deepest and best conference in the nation by a long shot. Duke was 8-8-4 after a first round loss to FSU in the ACC tourney. By NCAA rules they barely made it in. They advanced to the elite 8 because the brutal ACC schedule prepared them for it. The ACC was cannibilizing itself and the tournament was just killing the 5-8 seeds who were top 20 caliber, but had questionable records due to said cannibilization. This year, that isn't the problem, but this year is more than likely an anomaly. The ACC made the right choice.
I've had a chance to see many of the ACC teams play this year and I believe if FSU is healthy they are the BEST team. UVA is second with UNC a close third. When I watched VA Tech earlier this year I really thought they were a Final Four contender. Then came the Wake Forest debacle and a 1-0 loss on a 35 yard CANON by a Defensive Center Mid turned Attacking-Mid. Speaking of WF I was totally buffaloed by this team. The Deacs beat #7 at the time Georgetown and #10 Va Tech but can't get out of their own way agains Wilmington,Dolly Madison and tie The Cuse? Asked around and it seems DaLuz changes line-ups and formations like changing socks. To many me vs we players. Great Freshman class if he can build confidence. As far as the Post Season tournament, it is set up so the other teams don't get knocked out of the ACC tournament. I think someone already referenced that.A lot less emphasis on the Post-T so they can rest up for the Big Daddy. Lastly, I'm not sure what anyone gets out of the Post Season Tournament other than a trip to a nice stadium away from school, a pat on the back that say you finished in the Top 4-8 and a chance to prove your best in your league.....wait a minute, wasn't that what the regular season was for. I remember Anson D. comments a couple years ago when he said "The regular season doesn't mean anything only the post season tournament means the most"! That year he lost the ACC regular league and won the post-season tournament. But the next season he lost in the Post Season and wouldn't you know it he saw things differently. IMHO, other than Football and Basketball Post-Season tournaments are a waste of time, money, potential injuries and class-time!
All three of those ACC tourney games should be classic! All 4 of these teams should make final 8 IMO. 2 or 3 making the College Cup. Maybe I'm being too unrealistic.
Just a question about the Syracuse team..... For a well established team, their roster is unusual with only one senior. Of the 25 on their roster 11 are freshmen, and 8 are sophomores, then 4 juniors (all of whom start), and a single senior who does not start. They start 5 freshmen, 2 sophomores and 4 juniors (and don't sub much.) For those who might follow Syracuse, has there been a reshuffling of the roster recently to arrive at this unusual configuration?
Yes. Recent new coach, plus the move to the ACC caused him to focus on recruits last year and beyond.
Sorry folks, a 3 game ACC tournament is not really a tournament but a 'lets take it easy on each other before next week" exhibition. Only those women's soccer coaches would actually have the stones to downsize their tournament. Would love to see the basketball folks try a 'lets game the rpi and rest this weekend" move to downsize their tournament?? I think espn would care a bit but women's soccer is in that space just getting courtesy attention from the national media and can pull this stuff. So a partial round-robin and a showcase weekend? Who is the REAL ACC champion then? The regular season points leader who didn't play everyone, or the showcase team that only won 2 games the final weekend? I used to really like the ACC a lot more when these prima donnas weren't afraid to lose. Would go out and compete.... Now watching a team like Tennessee battling for their season like they're lives depended on it today in a real 'tournament'....that was fun to watch. I guess Va Tech and Duke kids did the boring thing and went to classes today. Defenders of the Elitist ACC please continue with your regular programming...
As someone from the outside, I actually think it's a great format and will make for a spectacular couple of days.
Then why hasn't everyone done it? Why not in other sports? Why not just have a 16 team NCAA Tournament since that's about how many teams folks think can really win it? Hey coach, you mean we have a better chance of playing NEXT weekend, if we don't play THIS weekend?? Awesome! That doesn't make sense to a 10-year old or an pre-med major at Duke or Va Tech. I don't have a dog in the fight, I just think its bull.... Sorry, I know I've said too much already. Enjoy your 3 games 'showcase' weekend and trying to argue that 'less really is more'. and we'll see if more conferences follow suit in the future.