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IUP is fall Round of 32 bound. / Photo courtesy IUP Scooters Rugby
Women’s DII college conferences are contesting league playoffs and narrowing down the pool of potential representatives for the regional post-season. Below is a review of the knockout games occurring this weekend as well as an update on leagues that name their champs by season-end standings. Conferences have three more weekends to name their fall Round of 32 reps.
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ALLEGHENY … IUP will represent the conference at the DII fall Round of 32 after going undefeated against fellow DII teams West Virginia and Slippery Rock. Team is playing DI Kent State this weekend.
GREAT LAKES … has three more weeks of league play but Grand Valley State is undefeated so far. Saturday the Lakers take on Bowling Green, one of the former DI Mid-American conference teams.
GREAT WATERS … has two more weeks of conference games before the semifinals on Nov. 4 and finals Nov. 5. See standings below:
ILLINOIS … Illinois State went 3-0 and got its biggest push from Western Illinois (26-7 win). Conference playoffs occur Oct. 28.
MARC … two more weeks of play before Nov. 4-5 final four. There’s an issue here that concerns the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regional playoffs and speaks to why the fall Round of 32 bracket has not yet been released. We won’t detail it here, but it revolves around Kutztown as a regional playoff host and the possibility of not playing at home should the Bears advance to the fall Round of 16 phase.
USA Rugby indicated that it needed a little more time to find a solution, but let’s hope that occurs before the MARC championship, which plays out the weekend prior to the fall Round of 32.
NEW ENGLAND SMALL COLLEGE … The deciding game will occur Oct. 28 between Colby and Univ. Maine Orono.
NEW ENGLAND WIDE … two more weeks of Tier 1 play, and this weekend is highlighted by standings leaders Coast Guard and New Hampshire. If USCGA wins, then it will repeat as conference champion and head directly to the fall Round of 32. Second place will also advance, and New Hampshire, New Haven and Vermont all have a shot in the standings.
NORTHERN LIGHTS … Both of Winona’s and North Dakota’s semifinal opponents forfeited, so the duo will contest the title next weekend, Oct. 29. Both are likely to head to the fall Round of 32.
OHIO VALLEY … is into crossover playoffs, but two of this weekend’s quarterfinals have been forfeits. Semifinals follow Oct. 28 and finals Nov. 4.
Oct. 22 Quarterfinals
Q1: Western Kentucky forfeit to Ball State
Q2: Cedarville forfeit to Cincinnati
Q3: Kentucky v Ohio University
Q4: Eastern Kentucky v Miami of Ohio
Oct. 28 Semifinals
Ball State v Q4 winner
Cincinnati v Q3 winner
ROCKY MOUNTAIN … Colorado Mesa plays Idaho State in the final league match, and although a bonus-point win would tie Colorado Mines in standings points, Mines has a pretty intimidating lead in point differential. The top two teams will likely advance to the fall Round of 32.
RUGBY NORTHEAST … The six teams play through Nov. 4 and standings will name the post-season reps. Reigning champ St. Michael’s is 1-2 in league, while 2-0 Providence leads. Bryant and Roger Williams are also viable options for the post-season, making the last few weeks tense.
TRI-STATE … Full playoffs start this weekend and move right into the fall Round of 32:
Oct. 22 Quarterfinals
Q1: Vassar (North 1) v New Paltz
Q2: Siena (North 4) v RPI
Q3: Marist (North 3) v Binghamton
Q4: Albany (North 2) v Fairfield
Oct. 29 Semifinals
Q1 winner v Q2 winner
Q3 winner v Q4 winner
Nov. 4 Finals
UPSTATE NEW YORK … Undefeated teams Buffalo State and Cortland face off this weekend in what is a likely preview of the conference championship, which will occur Nov. 4. Both teams should advance to the fall Round of 32.