Florio Fireworks Fuel Panthers

Author: Dave Freedman

The Middlebury College men's soccer team moved to 3-0 this past weekend for the first time since 1999 by routing Castleton State 6-0 and beating Trinity College 3-0. The Panthers have yet to give up a goal in their first three matches, and allowed Castleton only one shot in the full 90 minutes of play.

While Middlebury's defense has been outstanding thus far, it has been the Panthers' offensive output that has provided the impetus for such a dominant start to the season. Middlebury began the game against Castleton State confident that their offence would be too strong for the opposing defense and so it proved to be. Middlebury shared all six goals between different players due in part to regular substitutions made by Head Coach David Sawars demonstrating the depth in the current squad.

Amid the current rotation policy, Kellan Florio '05 has managed five goals in three games, opening the account for Middlebury College on each occassion. After a slightly slow start, Florio ignited the Middlebury team with the opening goal of the game. Matt Scheufele '04 found Florio with a through ball which he dispatched into the far left corner with ease, displaying a high level of confidence, especially this early in the season. Only minutes later John Sales '07 froze his defender outside the eighteen-yard box and blasted a waist high shot to make the score 2-0. From that point, the game was as good as over. The Panthers never looked back. Middlebury continued to push forward and managed to breach the Castleton defense on two more occasions before half-time.

The Panthers had little time to relax between games as they headed down to Hartford to renew an old NESCAC rivalry with Trinity. After a fairly even first 20 minutes, Andrew Stewart '04 found Sam Raymond '04 in the box, who then picked out Florio who put Middlebury up 1-0. Florio then scored again to double his and Middlebury College's tally 20 minutes into the second half after a crisp through ball from Stewart which allowed the Panthers some breathing room.

The biggest play of the game came with 12minutes remaining while Trinity was piling on the pressure in the hope of getting back into the game. The Bantams put a ball behind the Middlebury defense from a free kick, leaving a Trinity forward with a free header and only the keeper to beat. Craig Hirsch '05, however, preserved the shutout with an amazing save that brought most of the bench to their feet in appreciation.

Captain Jason Griffiths '04 has been very impressed with the team's play so far this season and commented, "this is the first time since I've been here that we've started the season 3-0 and it's exciting to be sitting where we are right now. We've clicked, which is surprising so early."

Middlebury will head back to Connecticut this Saturday to take on Wesleyan College in its second NESCAC game of the season. Expectations will be high after such a commanding start to the season but nothing can be taken for granted and the men's soccer team will need to be at its best again to take all the points from the game against Wesleyan.