D-III Women’s West Week 17 Review: It’s Conference Playoffs Time!

The place has the season gone? For many coaches, the season most likely appeared to take eternally at instances relying on their respective workforce’s efficiency, however for followers, the season appears to have flown by as soon as once more. We’ve entered the convention playoffs and are set for an additional nice late February/March string of video games!

MIAC

The defending nationwide champions Gustavus wrapped up the MIAC for the nineteenth time with a near-perfect convention report of 17-1-0 and general report of 20-4-0. Three of the Gustie losses got here by the hands of #1 UW-River Falls who went an ideal 25-0-0 this 12 months, the lone MIAC loss got here in opposition to the Auggies of Augsburg who completed their season fairly sturdy contemplating how the primary half went.

Most lately, Gustavus shutout St. Olaf twice this previous weekend, profitable 5-0 & 3-0. Goaltender Katie McCoy has picked up just a few extra data this season, most lately, she set the report for many profession wins in NCAA D3 (W) with 78 (now has 80).

The Gusties clearly enter the convention playoffs as the favourite, however Augsburg, Saint Mary’s, & Hamline are trying shut behind. The workforce that’s proven they’ll give Gustavus the largest problem is Augsburg, contemplating they had been the one workforce to knock them off in convention play, however the different two had shut video games with the Gusties.

The playoffs characteristic some intriguing matchups, some could not notice how powerful the MIAC playoffs are to qualify for in comparison with different conferences the place practically all however two or three groups make it, solely the top-five qualify within the MIAC.

We’ve acquired:

First Spherical:

Bethel @ Hamline on Wednesday 2/21 within the quarterfinals which is an intriguing recreation as these two simply completed up taking part in one another within the closing weekend, the Pipers took these two video games 3-1 & 4-1. The Royals have had a powerful 12 months for this system, let’s see if they’ll knock off Hamline who’s additionally had a stellar season. The winner of this recreation faces #1 Gustavus within the quarterfinals. Gustavus swept each groups in the course of the common season.

Quarterfinal:

The predetermined quarterfinal matchup is a wildcard. Augsburg and Saint Mary’s, each having spectacular seasons, Saint Mary’s essentially the most shocking out of the MIAC, Head Coach Chad Davis, who’s in his first 12 months with this system, has the Cardinals rolling alongside. Through the common season, SMU swept the Auggies, profitable 3-2 & 2-1. Nevertheless, after that individual weekend, Augsburg completed the season 16-2-0, their two losses coming to Gustavus & UW-Eau Claire. This recreation is a toss-up, each might be poised to remove the Gusties’ crown, assuming they make it to the ultimate.

NCHA

Adrian has owned the NCHA regular-season for years now, they’ve now gained their Tenth-straight regular-season title. Head Coach Shawn Skelly has performed it in all six years of his Adrian teaching tenure, racking up a profession report of 137-21-7, profitable 20+ video games in all six seasons now (report through USCHO).

The Bulldogs have gained the final eight of 9 convention playoffs as properly, placing themselves within the NCAA match through auto-bid near-annually, the lone 12 months was in 2022 when Aurora shocked everybody and headed to the NCAA match for the primary time within the early program’s historical past.

This 12 months, Adrian went undefeated within the convention, an ideal 16-0-0, their losses had been to Utica within the Utica College Kickoff Match 2-1 in OT, and UW-River Falls 7-5.

The NCHA convention match started this previous weekend, taking part in two quarterfinal matchups, a kind of matchups requiring the enjoyable “mini recreation” tiebreaker, which despatched Lake Forest to Adrian.

#1 Adrian swept #8 Lawrence, 4-1 & 4-0, they’ll stay house to face the visiting #4 Foresters of Lake Forest who, as talked about, gained the mini recreation 2-0 vs Concordia (Wis.) after splitting the 2 video games 3-1 & 4-2.

#2 St. Norbert swept #7 Trine, profitable a really slim 3-2 & 3-2 OT, they’ll play host within the semifinals to #3 Aurora. Aurora defeated Marian, profitable 5-1 & tying 1-1.

Semifinals:

Though Lake Forest gave Adrian their suits final season, together with practically knocking off the Bulldogs within the convention playoffs, these are two very totally different groups, and I feel Adrian takes this one and stays house to face the winner of Norbert & Aurora. Adrian swept LFC, profitable 5-0 & 2-1 in the course of the common season, however hey, something can occur.

St. Norbert vs Aurora is intriguing, Norbert virtually knocking off Adrian in recreation certainly one of their collection this season, falling 2-1 resulting from a last-minute Maya Roy powerplay purpose, then a collapse in recreation two shedding 7-1. Within the common season, Norbert defeated Aurora 5-0 & tied 2-2… I like Norbert’s possibilities as they’ve been the far-more constant workforce, however the Spartans could also be pondering in a different way…

WIAC

The WIAC was a frequent spotlight in D-III Ladies’s hockey this season, practically being mentioned each week resulting from UW-River Falls and their continued success. The Falcons completed the common season an ideal 25-0-0, they’ve gained no less than 24+ video games prior to now three seasons, which is lucky for them, as a result of with out the auto-bid, that’s primarily the one means they’ll make the dance. They will’t lose/tie practically half their video games and be frontrunners for the NCAA match through at-large, that solely occurs out east…

With UW-River Falls being a lock for the NCAA match, the Blugolds of Eau Claire completed a strong 19-6-0. Like Gustavus, three of these losses got here to UW-River Falls: 2-5, 3-4 OT, & 1-4. Since they can’t obtain an auto-bid, they’ll must hope that River Falls advances to the finals (99.9% likelihood), and so they [Eau Claire] get the prospect to play them once more and probably beat them. That’s the one route they’ve acquired, no ensures and it’s seemingly round a 40/60% likelihood they get in versus don’t get in with all of the upsets occurring out east and the few at-large positions.

Quarterfinal:

The #5 Jills of Northland go to #4 UW-Stevens Level for the lone QF matchup, winner visiting #1 River Falls. The Pointers swept Northland, profitable all three regular-season matchups. Search for Stevens Level to advance right here.

Semifinal:

The decided semifinal recreation is #3 UW-Superior vs #2 UW-Eau Claire, the Blugolds swept the season collection, however the Jackets had been the one workforce to be main River Falls at any level this season till UWEC did it of their 2nd recreation vs the Falcons. Superior will give the Blugolds an excellent run, however in the end, I see it but once more, one other Falcons vs Blugolds WIAC finals rematch.