Pranksters Return to Old Self in Push to Regional Finals

Author: Andrew Zimmermann

Last weekend at the Sectional Finals in Williamstown, Mass., the Middlebury Ultimate Frisbee team played to its potential and cruised to two victories in qualifying for the Regional Finals this weekend. With a full squad for the first time in weeks, the Pranksters "played the way we know we can play," according to Captain Alden Woodrow '02.5. Now the challenge lies in being the only team to prevail from a 16-team field in the Regionals at Dartmouth on Saturday and Sunday in order to compete for the national prize.

Middlebury wasted no time in decisively qualifying for next weekend's play by doing so in the first game against the University of Vermont (UVM) on Saturday. On display was the team's tenacious D, which featured outstanding performances by Joshua Howe '02 and Peter Hennessy '03. UVM was limited in its offensive scheme all game as Howe smothered the team's best player and helped Middlebury hold its opponent to a just 7 points in a 15-7 stomping. "I think people started to realize that its crunch time," said Woodrow of the strong effort put forth by the Pranksters.

Having already qualified, Middlebury then took on friendly rival Massachusetts (UMass) in the sectional semifinals. UMass came in as the tournament's top seed having already beat Middlebury once earlier in the year. This match however, was a battle with both teams trading points for the majority of the contest. The defense again was the squad's strong suit, keeping the game knotted at 8 in the final stretch. UMass, however, proved itself as one of the nation's top 10 teams and with poise and experience, pulled away from the Pranksters in the end for a 12-9 win.

In the consolation game it was the steady play of John Oliver '04, one of the offensive MVPs of the weekend, which helped Middlebury sing the sweet redemption song against Amherst. In the 15-9 win Midd avenged an earlier loss to the Jeffs in the UMass tournament, a game the team knew it could have won. With a full complement of players and two convincing wins against beatable teams, Middlebury secured third in the Sectional finals and by virtue of a tough regular season, will be seeded 11th in the Regionals to be held in Dartmouth next weekend.

"I love being a low seed," said Woodrow who pointed out that as a seven seed last year Middlebury upset second seed Harvard in the Regionals before eventually losing to the Crimson in the game to decide who would go to Nationals. "I definitely felt better," continued the senior captain concerning the weekend's play. "It looked like the team of old out there."

In the upcoming tournament at Dartmouth, Middlebury will be among 16 of the Northeast's top teams. Play will consist of a round robin format on Saturday in which the Pranksters will match up against Yale, Wesleyan and Connecticut College. Only the top two teams from each group will make it to the playoff style format on Sunday and only one of these eight will be able to claim the title of National Qualifier. While the road ahead will be filled with obstacles such as perennial powers Harvard and UMass, Woodrow thinks the Pranksters can play with anyone. In the grueling weekend that ensues Middlebury's resolve and talent will be tested by the East's top teams.