Heavy rain has made finding fields a challenge.
May 4, 2016 by Charlie Eisenhood in News with 12 comments
Metro East D-I and D-III Men’s Regionals had bracket play postponed last weekend due to a rainout. Despite an effort to try to relocate to Amherst, MA — the site of New England Regionals — for Sunday play, teams ultimately voted down the idea due to the distance and some teams being unable to extend the contracts for chartered buses.
Now the hunt is on for fields for this weekend. Sources tell Ultiworld that fields have not yet been secured due to heavy rain in the region over the last week. Middletown’s polo fields — the site of last weekend’s games — are off the table. Some universities have offered up their school’s fields, but none can accommodate the full slate of teams. It seems likely that DI and DIII events will be split onto two field sites.
Some teams have also dropped from both DI and DIII events, which could create some issues with unmatched byes in the quarterfinal round. Depending on how many teams ultimately decide not to attend, it could require a reformulation of the bracket to avoid giving certain teams an unfair advantage with extra rest.
We will continue to follow this story as the weekend approaches.