As Autumn, or Canwapekasna Wi (The Moon When the Wind Shakes off Leaves, to use one of the Lakota ways to describe this season of change), falls upon us in the Upper Midwest, we are far enough away from the Preseason polls at the regional and conference levels to assess who is performing well and who is underperforming.
Women
Conference play is 3 weeks away and three more United Soccer Coaches polls are under the belt.
First off, take a bow ORU. The preseason #1 pick in the conference poll is nationally unranked, but sits fourth in this week's West regional poll, and they are firing on all cylinders in the stage-managed schedules of non-conference play, with 5 wins and 2 draws from their 7 matches so far.
Also performing to their expectations are South Dakota State, the #2 pick also have the second best record amongst the Summit teams so far, at 4-1-1, their lone loss being to Kansas State - who are 9th in the Midwest region and a perfect 4-0-0 on the season.
The middle of the poll is where reality has shaken things up, with both North Dakota schools outperforming the poll. Originally picked #6, the Fighting Hawks flew to the fifth-best record: 2 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses. The draw was an epic 2-2 tie against the West region's #6 team, California, Santa Barbara. The fourth-best record belongs to preseason #7 North Dakota State, who also played the Gauchos in Santa Barbara to a lively draw. They have two wins, three draws and three losses. South Dakota are also outperforming their ranking, with a third place contrasting nicely with a preseason ranking of fourth.
Conversely, the teams that have underperformed the poll have done so with a sizeable effect. Omaha (#3 in the poll) are sixth with a 1-3-2 record of one win, three losses and two draws. KC, who only have one draw to show from 6 matches, have slipped from pre-season #4 to the seventh best record.
Finally, and unfortunately, St Thomas was picked to finish bottom of the conference, and they currently have the same record as KC at 0-1-4 (W-D-L) and are living down to the predictions.
Matches to watch out for
South Region #9 Tulsa hosting Oral Roberts on Thursday 10th September.
South Region #10 Florida Atlantic on the road at North Dakota State (also this Thursday) and North Dakota (on Sunday 13th)
Creighton hosting Omaha in a derby on Weds 16th
Men
Conference play begins on October 3rd, and we have two surveys from USC to digest.
The preseason #1 and West #3 KC Roos have only the 5th best record amongst the six schools that make up the conference at 2-1-1, but things are extremely tight. At the top of the pile at present are St Thomas, with 3 wins, two draws and a sole loss - to Detroit Mercy. This is despite a preseason ranking, tied for last place in the conference.
Second are West #7 Omaha with 2 wins and 2 draws. Third are Delaware, West #4 and preseason #2 with a record of 2-1-1. Next comes Massachusetts, ranked #3 in preseason and currently #5 in the West with the same record as KC at 2-1-1.
Finally, ORU have only a 1-2-2 record despite being picked #4 in preseason. They are ranked #9 in the West.
Matches to watch out for
Tonight: Massachusetts v National #23 Princeton
KC v National #8 Michigan State on Friday Sept 11.
Omaha v National #23 Creighton (there are two national #23s) on Tuesday 29th.
Scoreboard
Women
Westmont 0-2 North Dakota State
Kansas 3-0 Kansas City
South Dakota State 1-1 Colorado College
South Dakota 0-1 Idaho
Cal, Santa Barbara 2-2 North Dakota
Men
Utah Valley 1-1 Omaha
Fri:
M: Maryland 4-3 Delaware
W: Southern Methodist 1-1 Kansas City
Central Arkansas 2-1 Oral Roberts
Sat:
W: St Thomas 1-2 Butler
Little Rock 0-5 Oral Roberts
M: Milwaukee 0-1 St Thomas
Sun - Women's:
Cal, Riverside 2-1 North Dakota
Cal, Santa Barbara 3-3 North Dakota State
Sun - Men's:
Cal, Los Angeles 2-1 Omaha
