Williams Offense Too Much for Men's Soccer

Author: Josh Axelrod

The Middlebury men's soccer team had hoped for a better result this weekend when it faced the Williams Ephs in a showdown of New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) foes. But the day was not Middlebury's to win as it fell 3-0 to the always-competitive Ephs. Nonetheless, Middlebury remains tied in fourth place with Trinity, and its outlook is more positive than ever as it heads into the final weeks of this season.
The game started with even play, each team putting together offensive drives that resulted in no goals. Twenty minutes into the first half, however, the ghost of poor officiating again reared its ugly head, and Williams was awarded a "dubious" free kick just outside the Panthers' penalty box. Williams' Khari Stevenson — who also plays for the Jamaican Junior National Team — completed a beautiful shot around the Panthers' defensive wall and into the back of the net.
Undaunted by Williams' first goal, Middlebury continued to play with vigor in its quest for a big win. The Ephs were unable to translate their goal into momentum against the stiff Panther defense and solidify a win with another goal.
However, breakdowns happen, and with one minute left to play, Middlebury's doom was sealed when the ball was deflected past the defense and Williams' Alex Blake, last year's Division III Player of the Year, beat everyone to the ball, faked out the goalkeeper and scored on an open net.
Frustrated and demoralized, Head Coach David Saward brought his team off the field at halftime and talked them into playing with everything they had.
Play opened with a newly revitalized Middlebury team that dominated down to the final seconds. With only 30 seconds to play, Middlebury got its chance to avoid the shut out with a corner kick attempt.
Pushing every player up except one defender, the ball sailed into the chaos around the goal and was deflected out into the empty field. Alex Blake again collected the ball, faked around the defense and scored on a breakaway with 11 seconds left on the clock.
"We deserved at least the 2-0 loss," said Middlebury goalkeeper Dave Lindholm '05, adding that the last goal didn't reflect the quality of play that the Panthers had put forth throughout the game.
And yet, this game may act as a catalyst for greater success and a playoff berth. "Our goal for the rest of the season is to win every game, and after this game, that goal seems very possible," said Lindholm. And so, the intrepid Panthers will take to the field this Wednesday at home against Norwich in a game that should certainly move them into one of the top three spots in the NESCAC standings. Their hopes to ascend to the top of the NESCAC rankings begin this weekend when the Panthers battle Bates at home on Saturday. After that, games against Tufts University and Connecticut College offer the Panthers ample opportunity to continue those hopes of rising to the top of the NESCAC.