NCAA FINALS ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
With the tomorrow’s finals being an all NE affair, I’ll have a full preview later tonight where I can ramble on and on and on. However, some of the other writers wanted to offer their thoughts on the matchup. If you have any questions you’d like answered, feel free to ask us in the comments, or on Twitter as we’ll glued to our computer screens just like everybody else. Who knows, one or two of us might even be there in person…
First thing’s first, share your thoughts on today’s semifinals in 5 words or fewer.
AS: Welcome to the NCAA Tournament.
NE: REGIONAL BIAS FOR THE WIN
Regional: Wow wow wow wow wow.
West: The UAA may be overrated.
Guru: Shocked that Emory lost.
Which team will be more affected by the “fatigue factor?” Do you think it will play a difference in the match?
AS: I don’t think either team will be more affected, perse, but individuals in the match could definitely be affected bigtime. Palmer Campbell is the first guy that comes to mind as he has a huge match against Luke Trinka tomorrow. If he gets a bit tired, that’s a match that the Polar Bears could have a nice advantage. Second that comes to mind is the Tercek/Farrell matchup. I mention this as the match Middlebury has to have. Farrell was battling today against Chua and Tercek against Rafe. Tough matches, and Bowdoin is going to have a real uphill battle in that one. Also, watch out for Jerry Jiang – that’s two tough matches for him in two days. If I had to guess, I’d guess Bowdoin, but we just don’t know. I know 100% it will have an effect, though.
NE: I think both teams will be tired, but I think that a couple Bowdoin individuals will be more tired than the rest. Jiang and Wolfe have played a lot of tennis over the past 48 hours, and Wolfe still being out of the doubles is not a good sign.
Regional: Maybe Bowdoin, because they’ve had two straight 5-4 matches, but it’s the championship match, I think they’ll be fine. Trying to overcome the doubles sweep from the NESCAC finals is a much bigger deal.
Guru: I can see Bowdoin being affected if singles gets tight and the Polar Bears get behind and need to win a bunch of second sets. They have played two long and emotionally draining matches. But, it is the national title match so I have no doubt both teams will leave everything on the court. If Bowdoin somehow wins tomorrow, it will be the best three day stretch of tennis and mental toughness that I have ever seen in D3 tennis.
Pick one spot that you think Middlebury has to win if they are going to win the match?
AS: Weird question because they would have to take one of their guaranteed spots. That to me is #1 singles, where they can’t afford a loss by Farrell to Tercek.
NE: If Wolfe is out of the doubles, then #2 doubles.
Regional: #2 doubles and #1 singles.
West: I don’t think that there’s really any one spot in particular where they have to win. In their two previous victories over Bowdoin, they won at 2 doubles, 1 singles, and 5 singles. They won at 2 and 3 the first time around and lead there the second time around. Obviously, if Bowdoin is going to win, they’ll have to flip at least one of those matches. The match that would be most damaging to lose I think would be #2 doubles, where Bowdoin has not been strong.
Guru: I wouldn’t say there’s any one spot they “need” to win, but I think they will take a huge step toward a win with another quick match from Will DeQuant. I like Midd in doubles and at the top of the lineup, so Bowdoin needs to attack 3-6. If DeQuant can give Midd a quick point for the third day in a row, they will be really tough to beat.
Pick one spot that you think Bowdoin has to win if they are going to win the match?
AS: I’d say #6 singles if I had to, but I think the NCAA Tournament has shown us to throw out previous results. It’s a true “pickup game” as D3West loves to say.
NE: Most people will probably say #6 singles, but I think it’s Trinka over Campbell at #3. True toss-up, and Bowdoin will need it.
Regional: #1 doubles and #6 singles.
West: They absolutely have to have #6 singles. Urken has taken it each of the last two times out, and that’s one match that they really can’t afford to flip back to Middlebury since they need to turn the tables on a couple other matches.
Guru: #1 doubles. I think Midd is a pretty big favorite at both #2 and #3, and Bowdoin cannot get swept tomorrow.
Which individual match do you think will be the most important, and why?
AS: I agree with Regional below. I’ll let him have his glory on this one.
NE: #3 singles should be a great match, but I think #1 doubles is the most important. If Bowdoin can somehow take a doubles lead, everything changes, and the pressure is REALLY put on Midd for the first time since their CMS match.
Regional: #3 singles Luke Trinka vs. Palmer Campbell. Two seniors trying to go out on top. Trinka was up a set, but Campbell was up a break in the second in the NESCAC finals. Should be a very even match.
West: Tercek vs. Farrell. The key to Bowdoin’s win today was really Tercek’s win over Mosetick. That was really the only match that they won where they were really the underdogs heading into the match (in my mind. You could make an argument that Manji was heavily favored over Trinka, but Trinka has more historical success outside of this season). If Tercek can win another one, this thing might go the Polar Bears’ way.
Guru: I’m going to echo Northeast here. #1 doubles and #3 singles. Both huge swing matches as I believe Midd has the doubles advantage at the other two spots and Bowdoin needs to get wins in the bottom two thirds of singles.
There’s no third place match this year, but who would you have taken in an Emory vs Chicago 3rd place match and by what score?
AS: Emory. One loss in a barn burner doesn’t take away what they’ve done all year. Chicago is good, but Emory is better. I’d take them by the score of 5-3, probably.
NE: Chicago is certainly playing better now than at UAAs, but I’d still take Emory 5-2.
Regional: It really is too bad there isn’t a third place match, but I would go Emory 5-3.
West: Emory. 5-2. The only real danger for them would be if they were so deflated that they couldn’t even play (which is something we’ve seen before in a 3rd place match), where Chicago would’ve been looking to set a new high water mark for the program (though they also would’ve been deflated).
Guru: Emory in a tight one. I think the Eagles would have taken a while to get going after the loss today, but would have come together to get the job done.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, who do you think takes home the title?
AS: Middlebury. I want to pick Bowdoin, but the trends are still there. Middlebury since Hansen has steadily improved and here is the perfect opportunity for them to do it. I don’t think Midd would have beaten Emory, but Bowdoin did it for them. The championship is determined by many different things and things have fallen in Middlebury’s lap. It’s time for Bob Hansen to get that crown.
NE: See my match by match preview in a couple hours…
Regional: Middlebury 5-2, but I think the other matches are all knotted up when Midd clinches. I think Midd’s doubles will be huge.
West: I picked Midd at the beginning of the season, then again in the pool challenge. I’m going to stick with them. Bowdoin has a “Team of Destiny” feel about them right now, but I always stick with the seniors, and Middlebury has already beaten Bowdoin twice this season. It would be nice to see a new face at the top, but it’s also nice to see seniors go out with a victory.
Guru: Middlebury with similar ease to how they took the NESCAC final. I’ll say 5-2 for the Panthers. I know Bowdoin did something incredible today, but keep in mind no one on that Emory squad had ever played in an NCAA semifinal either. This Midd team is experienced and was in that position last year. I’m a believer in the team that’s been there before and I believe this is going to be a perfect example of that.
NESCAC final. Where is the UAA?