This week, you better buckle up, because this is going to be a wild ride.

This article coverage of the NCAA division II semifinals.

Part 1 included the NCAA Division I quarterfinal match between Saint Mary’s College at North Carolina.

Just a reminder, this year, I’m concentrating on just a few players at each game.

Pensacola, Florida – In the opening match of the NCAA division 2 semifinals, Lynn beat Franklin Pierce 1-0 to advance to the championship match on a crisp evening that got marginally colder as the evening progressed.

Lynn was the better side throughout. While Franklin Pierce was atrocious in the first half, they played much better in the second half, making this match contested. This was not a well played game.

Starting Line-ups:

Lynn: 4-4-1-1

F: Harald Gracholski
W/D F: Julian Halder
M: Youcef Oudjidane, Roberto Cadihle, Johnny Mertl, Martin Wehlert
D: James Aldred, A.B. Magnusson, Jason Sangha, Michael Kutscher
GK: Matt DiCerbo

Franklin Pierce: 4-1-4-1

F: Amory Houghton
M: Paul Latif, Diego Tabares, Tom Wampler, Victor Goncalves
DM: Jefferson Rojas
D: Tom Leaver, Tom Reilly, Daniel Donaldson, Tyler Rosa
GK: Vinny Papageorgiou

Lynn Observations:

The winning goal was scored by senior Youcef Oudjidane in the 84th minute. The play started with senior Johnny Mertl losing the ball in the corner to junior Amory Houghton. However, senior Michael Kutscher dispossessed Houghton and the ball popped out to Mertl near the end line. Mertl took 2 touches along the end line before crossing the ball back to the center and Oudjidane hit the shot first time into the far post.

Mertl made several long runs but he couldn’t bring his shot onto goal.

Senior Harald Gracholski is a quick forward who fired a laser in the 47th minute that required a superlative effort by senior goalkeeper Vinny Papageorgiou to keep it out.

Junior Martin Wehlert had several open shots but he kept striking it right at the goalkeeper.

Senior James Aldred provides good service on his crosses. But, he can play like a punk. His antics in the second half, faking contact, little kicks and pushes wore thin on me.

Kutscher combines well out of the back. I like his game.

Franklin Pierce Observations:

Seniors Tom Reilly and Daniel Donaldson are the core foundation of the defense that solidified this team. Donaldson moved up top when Franklin Pierce went down a goal. He’s a good athlete. Reilly is taller and he was impossible to beat in the air. He was Mr. Dependable. While they didn’t win, these 2 players deserve recognition for keeping this team in the game when the attackers couldn’t hold the ball or pass it to their teammates.

I was impressed with Reilly’s feet and timing of his tackles. He’s a solid player.

There are three interesting ball handlers for Franklin Pierce with differing responsibilities. All three are fairly small with good skill. The best of the three is sophomore Jefferson Rojas. He patrols at the defensive midfield, making plays and tackles. His play enables the center backs to have a better chance to have the attackers off balanced. He’s a smart player. I like the way he calmly starts transition which is the only thing that Franklin Pierce had going in the first half.

The second player is senior Diego Tabares. His primary responsibility is to use his quickness and guile to get behind the defense. While he’s competent on the ball and combining with others, given that Franklin Pierce didn’t score, he was unsuccessful at some degree.

The third interesting ball handler was senior Victor Goncalves. He is dynamic, but he takes too many risks and he tries to be too flashy rather than just being a steady player (like the other two) and combining. Goncalves obviously has skill, but he thinks the game is more about him than about the team.

Kudos to senior goalkeeper Vinny Papageorgiou without his efforts, the game was over early.

Pensacola, Florida – In the second semi-final as the night continues to go from crisp to cold, Fort Lewis destroyed Millersville 3-0. 

If this game were the made-for TV movie, “The Burning Bed”, Millersville was Farrah Fawcett. Millersville not only didn’t take a shot in the first half, they were so infrequent in their attacking third that Fort Lewis installed a toll-booth.

Without a doubt, Fort Lewis deserved the victory.

A core group of Fort Lewis fans were obnoxious saying disparaging and hurtful comments about the Millersville players. But, they weren’t saying anything that was actionable – cursing, racist, sexist, etc. Some of the Millersville parents took umbrage with the comments and became more frustrated as the match progressed into the second half and a father tried to physically confront the hecklers. It was not an effective approach. Enjoy your son’s accomplishments, cheer him on and ignore the idiots. On a brighter side, the confrontation was more competitive than the match.

Starting Line-ups:

Fort Lewis: 4-4-2

F: Kosta Kordistos, Thomas Hoang
M: Joey Madigan, Cory Dean, Alberto Capdepon-Rodriguez, Casey Dean
D: Berekk Blackwell, Johannes Sander, Fabian King, Artur Piperkov
GK: Ryan Wirth

Millersville: 4-1-4-1

F: Andrew Dukes
M: Aaron Roland, Eric Pepper, Pat Baffuto, Ryan Rohrer
DM: Ethan Daubert
D: Colby Zeger, Jordan Brubaker, John Claffey, Austin Hoke
GK: Brad Benzing

Fort Lewis Observations:

Fort Lewis scored on a contentious penalty kick in the 39th minute that was converted by senior Fabian King. It was iffy if Alberto Rodriquez was in the box when freshman Austin Hoke tripped him. Most referees would hedge and give a free kick outside of the box of a semi-final match where the foul was so close.

The next 2 goals were far less contentious. In the 62nd minute, senior Joey Madigan served in another delectable cross that freshman Kosta Kordistos banged in the header.

The last goal came in the 89th minute with Millersville 2 players down from ejection. Sophomore Jordan Alexander crossed the ball to junior Derek Freeman who pirouetted outside the box waiting for a defender to challenge him. Freeman slotted the ball past 2 defenders and the goalkeeper.

Fort Lewis is much better. Lynn versus Fort Lewis should be a battle. I expect that Fort Lewis will win.

Rodriquez is a smart ball player. He sits back moving the ball wide and side to side. He’s a terrific passer who doesn’t give up the ball easily or often.

Madigan is fast, with quick feet and a terrific crosser. He beat Hoke so often that I was surprised that Hoke didn’t fake an injury to avoid the beating that he received throughout the game. Madigan is a slick dribbler. He has professional skills.

Senior Berekk Blackwell overlapped effectively to combine with Madigan to cause havoc down the left side. Blackwell has an outstanding left foot.

Senior Thomas Hoang plays both ways. He’s confident in his abilities, taking a left foot shot in the 47th minute forcing freshman Brad Benzing to make a sensational play. Hoang missed a header in the 57th minute from a tight play from sophomore Casey Dean and freshman Artur Piperkov from a Madigan cross to Hoang’s head. After Hoang made a poor pass in the 12th minute, he questioned his teammates, when he should have executed better.

Ryan Wirth’s mother was more active cheering on the sideline than he was given the limited activity required.

Millersville Observations:

Millersville were simply out-classed. They couldn’t hold possession and barely could defend against Fort Lewis.

Hoke was provided and he needed defensive support.

Sophomore Ryan Rohrer was not very good with the ball – or without the ball. He runs hard, but he was overmatched by the more technical Fort Lewis players.

Sophomore Andrew Dukes didn’t provide an attacking option up top and he was replaced by Senior Aaron Roland who at least provided a physical challenge if not a technical goal scoring challenge.

Senior Ethan Daubert was ejected in the 83rd minute on a non-contact foul. It seems Daubert said something that the referee didn’t care to hear. It seems like a drastic decision in a semi-final match.

Senior Pat Baffuto is a short smart technical player, but he just didn’t have enough support. I could see that against many other teams, he could be quite productive. Baffuto was ejected on a tackle that could best be called a foul, but a second yellow card was too severe.

Over the last two months, I’ve seen referee Chris Penso call some very good games. This wasn’t one of them. He didn’t cause Millersville to lose, but he deleteriously impacted this match. It’s too bad.