Alrighty MCLA fans we are getting ever closer to the coveted Championship game on Saturday. With the games on Monday and Tuesday already being played today we have got the semi- finals for both D1 and D2.
The D1 field has Colorado State vs. BYU and Arizona St. vs. Colorado. These were the 4 top seeds in the tournament and really with the exception of BYU had an easy time getting to this point.
CSU vs. BYU
CSU is the #1 team in the country right now and had a relatively easy time so far in the tournament. They thumped the first- timer Purdue 20-3 and outplayed Sonoma St. for most of the quarterfinal game that they won 9-4.
BYU had a little bit tougher time getting back to the semi-finals with an open round win over Grand Canyon 17-8 and a shootout style win over Oregon 17-14. It’s turning out that if BYU scores 17 they win in the Tournament this year.
With CSU’s defense though I don’t see BYU getting anywhere near that number of goals. CSU was able to hold a very good offense in Sonoma St. to only 4 goals in the quarterfinals. On top of the kind of defense they have one of the best offenses in the MCLA period. To me BYU has a small chance to win this game but I’ve seen crazier things happen this week, to say that they have no chance in winning.
CSU wins by 3, but if BYU scores 17+ BYU wins by 1
ASU vs. Colorado
And now to the D1 game that has the most potential to be a great game. ASU and Colorado will once again duke it out. It seems like year in and year out we see these two face off in the semi- finals. They have a pretty good rivalry at this point and that just adds flavor to an already good game.
ASU for sure had an easier time of the Tournament when looking at how the games have played out. They beat an offensive Georgia team 17-5 and then knocked out a very good UC Santa Barbara team 15-5. Although neither one of those games will be like playing Colorado, I think they should be able to handle Colorado as well as anyone could.
Colorado Had a little bit tougher time for being the #2 seed. They played a very wily Texas team and only won by 4, when many expected somewhat of a blowout, and then played a team in Michigan St. that was playing with house money 9-2, but the game was much closer than the score.
Colorado has definitely got the edge in this game, but I think it will be a nail bitter right to the very end. If it does go to overtime for me it’s a tossup on who could win it.
Colorado wins by 1, if it goes to over time who knows
Championship Game
Now if I was to be a beating man I’d say that the Final is going to be CSU vs. Colorado. This would be the third time this year that the meet and in my opinion it will Colorado’s first win against CSU this year, and their most important too.
Colorado wins by 1 in overtime
The D2 field looks exactly like the D1’s does, with all 4 of the tops seeds making it to the semi-finals. the games are actually very interesting to me this year, seeing as the team that I picked at the beginning of January to be the one team to watch this season is now in the Final Four, that would be Liberty. Unlike the D1 games I think on the outset these games are going to be much closer and highly contested.
St. Thomas vs. Liberty
St. Thomas is the defending National Champions and has played like so far in the Tournament. The beat DePaul 11-3 and then beat the US Coast Guard Academy 18-8. In both games St. Thomas had a little trouble clearing but I would attribute that to the 16 hour travel time from St. Paul.
Liberty was kind of the unknown coming into the tournament, they didn’t have an overly difficult schedule compared to most. In the Tournament though they have gone into overtime with NDSU and had to rally in the 4th to take down Grove City. I think this should actually help them in their game against St. Thomas.
Liberty by 1 in overtime, I think the Tommies will end their year here
St. Johns vs. Westminster
St. Johns is one of, of if not, the best defenses in the country, D1 or D2. They will need to rely heavily on their D in this game. St. Johns had to overcome a somewhat new rival in Western Oregon in the first round. they handled them fairly easily 15-8. Then they took on a late blooming Grand Valley team and won 10-8. This game will easily be a 1 or 2 goal game.
Westminster had a much easier first and second round. Taking on Briarcliffe and winning 16-4. and the a newer Indiana Tech team who the beat 15-6. Westminster is leaving the D2 ranks after this year and I would bet they want to go out with a championship.
St. Johns wins by wins by 1, if it goes to overtime who knows though
Championship game
In this game its essentially strength against strength, Liberty’s offense versus St. Johns defense in a battle that I see the 4-Time All-Americans Steve Johnson and Michael King winning, even if it goes to overtime.
St. Johns wins by 1 over Liberty
