men's Soccer Aspires to Enter D-III Elite

Author: Josh Axelrod

After defeating Williams 1-0 in sudden death overtime last October, Middlebury's men's soccer team knows it is one of the best. Led by veteran coach David Saward, the team began its journey toward the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) finals Saturday with an unfortunate 3-2 double overtime loss at West New England College.
The Panthers finished second in the NESCAC last year with a 6-1-2 record and an overall record of 9-6-2. John Rusten's '05 golden goal against Williams silenced the fans of the heavily-favored Ephs as Middlebury gained the one step it needed toward the NESCAC Championship game, which resulted in a 5-1 loss to Williams.
On the field, the Panthers are led by captains Jason Griffiths '04 and Todd Maloney '03. Both players have proven in their Middlebury careers to be excellent defensive leaders, showing great skill in winning 50-50 balls out of the air. On the field, each brings experience and a sense of leadership as they create the beginnings of each offensive strike.
Coach David Saward is returning for an 18th season with the Panthers, having accumulated the best career record in Middlebury soccer history (180-61-25). In the past, he has led the Panthers to 14 postseason appearances, which have included five appearances in the NCAA tournament (1994-1998). His experience both in the regular season and postseason should pay dividends for Middlebury soccer in 2002.
New faces to watch for on the field include Derek Cece '06 in midfield — a player with great amounts of skill and speed. Daniel diTommosso '06 on defense is, according to goal keeper Dave Lindholm '05, "solid in every area of his game," with Jake Whitted '06 playing up front adds excellent play making and shooting abilities. Returning players to watch out for are Pat Saunders '04 and Andrew Stewart '04 in midfield with Kyle Dezotell '03 at forward.
Building off its strong defense, led by captains Griffiths and Maloney, the Panthers hope that their style of building from the back and maintaining possession down the field will result in the wins they need to finish number one in the NESCAC ahead of the despised Ephs from Williams.