Saturday, Nov. 6 Match Day!

Updates: Region X Conference Tournament Preview is here. We have teams going to the dance today! National links are below.

TLU leading Trinity early in set one. Nationally, a lot of underdogs are winning their first set, too.

Trinity comes back and takes set one. And, now they have a set two win. Nationally, Cedar Crest is 2-0 but the other noon matches are all 1-1.

Trinity with the sweep. TLU will play in a third place match tomorrow.

Denison just lost in the semifinals. They were the #1 seed. An at-large bid will open up (kind of) if Wittenberg beats Ohio Wesleyan and then takes their title. My mocks had Denison winning the conference and Wittenberg getting an at-large. Of course, Denison could get that spot now and probably will.

Rivier just lost in the final to JWU (RI). They were regionally ranked but too low for them to get an at-large bid.

Southwestern/CC is starting…

Stevens beat DeSales. That’s good from an at-large point of view. Stevens had a good chance. DeSales does not.

Something happened in the Southwestern/CC match but I’m not going to talk about it. Might jinx things.

Region IV will have 5 Pool A bids. That will be the most of any region. Happened because NYU wins the UAA and they are out of that region.

UMHB and UTD are tied 1-1.

Something happened in the Southwestern/CC match but I’m not going to talk about it. Might jinx things.

One of the better tournament finals you’ll see. CNU beats Salisbury. Reverse sweep and 21-19 in the fifth. Kind of a big result for those wanting more at-large bids. Chris Newport was a bubble team. Salisbury wasn’t ranked.

UTD is up 2-1. UMHB is in trouble. Remember, I don’t think they can get an at-large.

CC with the third set win. Southwestern leads 2-1.

UTD beats UMHB 3-1. Cru is a very unlikely bubble team now. I think they should pass Pomona-Pitzer in the regional rankings so they are in a position to get one if Southwestern gets selected. But, their low SOS is a killer.

CC wins set four and are looking for the reverse sweep. Basically two different matches have been played. SU dominated the first two sets and CC dominated the next two.

So happy. Southwestern with the win over Colorado College in 5-sets. Weird match because I don’t feel either team played their best at the same time. Trinity will host Southwestern tomorrow.

SUNY Cortland win their title on a foot fault from the other team. Crazy.

Had to go through some detox there.

CMS takes set one but Chapman is up big in set two.

Undefeated Wartburg is losing to Coe. This would be another at-large bid lost if this result holds.

Chapman takes set two. Tied 1-1 with CMS.

I’m watching Calvin/Hope. Two of the best teams in the nation. Wittenberg is winning 2-0 in their match. Juniata about to go up 2-0. Wartburg tied at 17 in the fourth but are losing 2-1.

Wartburg is going to a fifth set. You want them to win if you want more at-large bids.

Chapman has just won set three and are now up 2-1.

Wartburg comes back to win the match and an at-large bid is saved.

Hope announcer, “She’s a 5th year Covid senior.” I’ve never heard that phrase. I both like it and cringe at the same time.

CMS is taking control in the 4th set. Crowd is getting vocal.

Calvin wins in 5-sets over Hope in front of 1750 fans. Hope will be the first team selected for an at-large bid. Easy for me to say because no one will tell us that, but just trust me on this.

30 tournament so far and 20 have been won by the #1 seed. That seems low to me. 10 upsets so far.

Gustavus Adolphus has a huge bench. 24 on the roster. As my (hot) wife says, “That’s three teams!” She figured it out.

Just the NWC left to finish us off tonight.

PLU and Pacific go 5. Great last rally but PLU takes the win.

Another great crowd that came across on the stream was Gustavus Adolphus. They had almost 900 in attendance.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Teams with an AQ (Pool A Bid) are:

I Maine Maritime, JWU (RI), UMass Boston II Endicott, Framingham St. III Clarkson, St. John Fisher, Cortland, Merchant Marine IV Brooklyn, Rowan, Stevens, NYU, Gallaudet V Cedar Crest, Eastern, Cabrini, Juniata VI Chris Newport, Southern Va. VII Ohio Northern, Westminster (PA), Wittenberg, Calvin VIII IWU, Greenville, Aurora, UW-Eau Claire IX Cornell, Northwestern, Wartburg, Gust. Adolphus X Whitworth, UT-Dallas, CMS

Conference Finals Today:

Maine Maritime (North Atlantic Champion)Cedar Crest (CSAC Champion)JWU (RI) (Great Northeast Champion)Endicott (CCC Champion)UMass Boston (Little East Champion)Ohio Northern (OAC Champion)St John Fisher (Empire 8 Champion)Clarkson (Liberty Champion)Rowan (NJAC Champion)Stevens (Freedom Champion)Cornell (Midwest Champion)NYU (UAA Champion)Gallaudet (United East Champion)Chris Newport(C2C Champion)IWU (CCIW Champion)Southern Va. (USA South Champion)Eastern (Commonwealth Champion)Northwestern (UMAC Champion)Cabrini (Atlantic East Champion)Westminster (PA) (PAC Champion)Cortland (SUNYAC Champion)Framingham St. (MASCA Champion)Wittenberg (NCAC Champion)Wartburg(American Rivers Champion)Juniata (Landmark Champion)Greenville (SLIC Champion)Merchant Marine (Skyline Champion)Calvin (MIAA Champion)Gust. Adolphus (MIAC Champion)Aurora (NACC Champion)UW-Eau Claire (WIAC Champion)

Random Thoughts: Tonight we say goodbye to the NWC until next season although Whitworth gets to continue playing. We have the finals in the ASC and the SCIAC today with the semifinals in the SCAC.

Tournament Predictions (Current Record 7-1)

UTD/UMHB – Give me UMHB in this one. I really think it could go either way. The Comets won in the last meeting at UMHB with the Cru winning the first meeting. I just think the home court will factor in this one. Pick -> UMHB.

TLU/Trinity – I don’t think anyone is beating Trinity in this tournament but TLU has an outside chance. Pick -> Trinity.

Southwestern/Colorado College – This is a tough one. CC won both meetings and I was pretty impressed with their effort in the last one. I really think CC wins this but my heart has a vote so…Pick-> Southwestern.

Chapman/CMS – I didn’t see Cal Lutheran giving such a good match to CMS on Thursday. It can only help the Athenas in this one as they have to realize that the level of play has been elevated. CMS went undefeated in conference and are the national leaders in Points/Set so, of course, I’m going with them in this one. Chapman did look really good against Pomona-Pitzer. They had a good block up and leaned on their MVP (Sophie Srivastava). More of the same will make this close. Pick-> CMS.