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| Big outings by both Molly Musland and Maya Metcalf not only helped Concordia hold off Hamline yesterday and officially clinch a MIAC Playoff spot but also allow the Cobbers to firmly hang onto the top spot in my latest Power Rankings. |
As we edge closer to the end of the regular season, the playoff picture is becoming a bit more clearer although we still have a mess just under the top two teams and some things still need to play themselves out yet. But let's take a look at how I see things on this Super Bowl Sunday (that my Los Angeles Rams SHOULD be in):
1. Concordia
2. SMU
3. Bethel
4. (tie) St. Scholastica & GAC
5. Hamline
6. CSB
7. St. Kate's
8. Carleton
9. Augsburg
10. Macalester
11. St. Olaf
Concordia remains entrenched at the top spot as they took care of business at home this last week, swamping Carleton this last Wednesday night and then holding off Hamline yesterday which we kind of knew was going to be a tough game. But before the Cobbers can start to feel too giddy about their prospects, they must remember a very tricky game awaits them this coming Wednesday night as they must venture down US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline to the Twin Cities to play St. Kate's at Butler Center - a venue that has definitely not been kind to them over the last few years before returning home to face Macalester this coming Saturday........And the Cardinals are firmly holding onto the second spot on this Super Bowl Sunday with impressive wins this last week - getting revenge on said St. Kate's team this last Wednesday night at home before unceremoniously dumping St. Olaf in Northfield yesterday. A trip up US Highway 61 and the CPKC River Sub mainline to the Cities is in the offing for SMU this coming Wednesday evening as they play Augsburg at Si Melby Hall and while that particular game looks more than doable on paper, they'll have a much tougher test this coming Saturday when St. Scholastica comes calling.
Bethel meanwhile got two wins at home as expected and while the game this last Wednesday night against St. Olaf didn't require much in the way of a pep talk, the battle yesterday against St. Scholastica forced the Royals to bring their "A" game in the second half which helped them to ultimately prevail. And this coming Wednesday night could be a dangerous game for the Royals as they'll be hosting a desperate an equally dangerous Hamline team before running down to Northfield this coming Saturday to play at Carleton. One might argue that I should've had Bethel in a tie for second place in my Power Rankings on this day but I can't fully forgive and forget the beatdown they suffered at the hands of SMU the previous weekend just yet.
Now, where we continue to have a mess and a debate is in the fourth spot which is shared on this day. The Saints handled the first part of their Twin Cities road trip this last Wednesday evening just fine in rolling past Macalester but yesterday's tilt at Bethel proved to be a bridge too far when it counted. But this regular season stretch home stretch for St. Scholastica is going to be a doozy to say the least. It starts out innocently enough with a home game against St. Olaf on Wednesday night but then a long roadie down to Winona this coming Saturday to face SMU is the beginning of a brutal three-game stretch.........The Gusties meanwhile absolutely had to hold serve at home this last Wednesday night against CSB and although they had to fight their way out of a hole, they found a way to get the job done and then routinely took care of business over at Macalester yesterday. This coming week looks to be a week where GAC will again take care of business - although they can't take anyone lightly - as they'll run over to Carleton on Wednesday night before hosting St. Kate's this coming Saturday.
With that fun ten-game win streak now in the rearview mirror, the Pipers have now fallen on hard times and even though they were able to bag a relatively easy win at Augsburg this last Wednesday night, they faltered down the stretch at Concordia yesterday and by this juncture, they have to realize that from here on out, everything could be on the line for them. And things really don't get any easier for Hamline this week either as they have to make a quick run up Snelling Avenue to face Bethel on Wednesday night before another desperate and dangerous team - CSB - pays a visit to venerable Hutton Arena this coming Saturday........So let's talk about those Bennies for a bit. They had seemingly everything going their way down at GAC this last Wednesday night but again were unable to close the deal when it counted which has seemed to be a recurring theme for this team far too often this season. True, they recovered just enough yesterday to hold off Carleton at home in Claire Lynch but when you see the teams above them in the standings and what's on their plate this coming week, you get the feeling that CSB absolutely has to make their stand here or it's going to be all over for them. It starts with a home game against Macalester on Wednesday night before a trip down to the Cities to take on aforementioned Hamline team this coming Saturday.
So that's how things look on this Super Bowl Sunday. As always, please feel free to fire away with thoughts.
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