| |
PNCLL
Playoffs will commence this coming weekend April 30-May 1st in Burnaby, B.C.
hosted by Simon Fraser University. Simon Fraser hosts the tourney at
the Burnaby Lake fields making this show, extra special!
Saturday
will draw the semi-final matches between the top four seeds in each
division, and Sunday will present the championships for a trip to nationals
in Blaine, Minnesota May 10th-14th. Here is where things get
interesting. Oregon has almost locked in their spot to go to
nationals, without even winning the PNCLL title based on the latest MDIA
poll. Now, before everyone gets upset, UW and Simon Fraser still have
a shot at going, but will have perform miraculously to do so being so far
away from the top 12 ranked teams- They will have to win the title to become
the automatic qualifier for Nationals. Looking at the latest MDIA A
Division poll, only Oregon maintains a top 10 status. This may change
however, with a lackluster performance this coming weekend against either UW
or Gonzaga to start. One possibility may be that if Oregon does lose,
two PNCLL teams will go, both the PNCLL champion and possibly the Ducks as
well. However, in that scenario, a higher seeded team from another division
may
go instead. Seems strange to any of you? Depends, really.
If each division were equal, sure the league Champion should attend nationals.
However, there is a huge disparity in talent across the board, and the
ranking system supports the process for selection for teams other than the
Title-bearers, or leagues that do not get an automatic qualifier for their
title.
Dan
Wishengrad contributed a little insight to the playoff picture...
The PNCLL
has an automatic qualifier, which goes to Nationals. Any of the four teams
-- Oregon, Washington, Simon Fraser or Gonzaga -- earns the Automatic
Qualifier (AQ) by winning on Saturday and Sunday. If Oregon loses, however,
the Ducks (currently ranked #7) have a chance to also go as one of the eight
at-large teams. Eight leagues have AQs, including the PNCLL. One, the RMLC,
has only five "A" teams so gets no AQ in 2005. The eight at-large teams
picked will be the eight highest ranked teams that don't win an AQ. One
league, the
LSA, has no ranked teams, so the "Bubble teams" are those currently ranked
12-18 who may or may not get to go as at-large teams...
Similarly,
the new B tournament has eight leagues sending an AQ. The Pioneer
League doesn't have enough B teams for an AQ, so they don't send a
representative...
University
of Washington is hungry though. Coming off a close win in exhibition against
Gonzaga, some may say their destiny lays in the hands of Oregon, I would
say differently. With two solid wins through the weekend, the PNCLL
title is very attainable for the Huskies. The same can be said
for SFU- neither of these two teams are ranked in the top 20, but stellar
performances may make a last minute date for the dance.
Let's put
first things first- one of the most exciting semis in recent history will
pit UW against the Clansman in a contest against virtual equals. Home
field advantage not withstanding, this should be the game of the weekend to
watch.
B league
play will see rivals Linfield and PLU do battle in what some are predicting
to be an upset. This should also be a great game to watch.
Montana uncontested for most of the season, should have no problem with
Whitman and will play the #2/#3 seed victor in all likelihood. Look
for a show from the late-blooming Lutes, they may have the post-season
magic.
Join the Lax
fans around the Northwest in your support this weekend, and go see the
Tourney in Burnaby, B.C!
A Division MDIA
Top 25
B Division MDIA Top 25
1. Colorado State (29 1st place votes) � 749 pts
2. Sonoma State (1 1st place vote) � 720 pts
3. Brigham Young University � 679 pts
4. Michigan � 659 pts
5. Univ. of California, Santa Barbara � 642 pts
6. Colorado � 593 pts
7. Oregon � 522 pts
8. Univ. of California, San Diego � 496 pts
9. Florida State � 480 pts
10. Arizona � 455 pts
11. Virginia Tech � 430 pts
12. Oakland University � 409 pts
13. Utah � 403 pts
14. Boston College � 392 pts
15. Lindenwood University � 332 pts
16. Georgia Tech � 305 pts
17. Chico State � 292 pts
18. New Hampshire � 195 pts
19. Cal Poly SLO � 186 pts
20. Chapman University � 180 pts
21. Minnesota-Duluth � 171 pts
22. Pittsburgh � 119 pts
23. Michigan State � 107 pts
24. Washington � 71 pts
25. Minnesota � 52 pts |
1. San Diego (13 First Place Votes) � 397 pts
2. Utah Valley State College (1 First Vote) � 368 pts
3. Claremont College � 349 pts
4. Montana � 326 pts
5. Appalachian State University � 311 pts
6. Saint Johns University (1 First Place Vote) - 303 pts
7. Davidson College � 284 pts
8. Pacific Lutheran University - 261 pts
9. Creighton University � 220 pts
10. Emory University � 217 pts
11. Calvin College (1 First Place Vote) - 211 pts
12. Indiana University of Pennsylvania - 205 pts
13. Harding University � 197 pts
14. Linfield College � 191 pts
15. Puget Sound - 187 pts
16. Montana State University � 181 pts
17. Pepperdine University � 163 pts
18. Univ. of California, Irvine � 138 pts
19. Liberty University � 117 pts
20. Western Washington University � 97 pts
21. Saint Thomas � 79 pts
22. Southwestern University � 61 pts
23. Western Illinois University � 42 pts
24. Dordt College � 37 pts
25. US Coast Guard Academy � 34 pts |
Schedule-
PNCLL PLAYOFFS
Sat, Apr 30th
10:00AM #1B Montana (8-0, 10-1) vs #4B Whitman (5-3, 8-4)
10:30AM #2B Linfield (8-0, 10-3) vs #3B Pacific Lutheran (6-2, 8-9)
2:00PM #1 Oregon (4-1, 9-4) vs #4 Gonzaga (2-3, 6-5)
2:30PM #2 Washington (4-1, 10-3) vs #3 Simon Fraser (4-1, 9-4)
Sun, May 1st
10:00AM PNCLL B Division Finals
2:00PM PNCLL Championship (A Finals)
|
