UPA 2003 COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
MIT
How they got here:
1st in New England Region
Scouting Report #1
Let's review a little history. 2002 Nationals in Spokane, 6th seeded and little known MIT shocks Stanford handily in pool play on their road to semis where they lose to eventual champions UCSD. 2003 seems to have set the stage for a similar sequence of events. Simply put, MIT is better than their #5 seeding would suggest.
After the long winter, MIT faced a number of early spring losses. During the month of April, MIT woke up from its long winters nap to roll through sectionals and regionals on its way to Austin. MIT has a strong and talented veteran core. Junior Nancy Sun leads the team with smooth throws and the ability to get the disc whenever her team needs it. She is joined by the "twins" in seniors Kathy and Chrissy Dobson who combine solid break mark throws with relentless defense. Around the main handlers, MIT fields a number of fast receivers with great hands. All together they run a tight stack offense that was untouched by any defense in New England. Those same athletes that run defenses into the ground on offense, turn around and play tough defense that teams will find difficult to score on.
Last year, MIT proved they have the talent to win a national championship. Their weakness was numbers and the ability to keep their best players fresh against a deeper UCSD team. This year they may have solved that problem. Though they still rely heavily on a few key players, a larger, improved supporting cast adds fuel to a team with the fire and discipline to win it all. If their big guns stay fresh, watch for MIT to make it to late Saturday and maybe even Sunday. If they make it to Sunday, it will be tough to stop MIT Smite once they're rolling.
Scouting Report #2
Their main handlers are Nancy Sun #21 and Kathy Dobson #6. Like Brown, they play a highly calculated and scripted offense. The two offenses MIT runs are an isolation and a horizontal. On their isolation, they work the disc to a sideline with a handler and pull the stack to the opposite sideline. They have a dump back and a cutter isolated in front of the handler. Their two favorite throws to the isolated cutter are either a huck or a down the line, wrap-around break, which they execute beautifully, but they'll take a regular in-cut just as easily. They flow from there.
MIT is incurably calm on offense and they'll use their dump all day to reset until they have a throw they like. Their horizontal offense is a horizontal stack across the field with 3 handlers back. As they are called, two cutters cut in and long. Again, their favorite look is deep, but shutting down their deep game won't stop them for long. Their short game is relaxed and pretty and tends to open up options for them deep as well.
On D, they generally go man. And while not overly aggressive, they force teams to play their highest possible level of offense, as any turnover will likely cost them the point.
Self-reported stats
Big season wins:
None reported.
Big season losses:
None reported.
Players to watch on offense:
None reported.
Players to watch on defense:
None reported.