Panthers toss Conn. College in scrappy win

Author: Tom McCann

Just as it did last year, the Middlebury men's soccer team opened its campaign with a victory over Connecticut College. This year however, the Panthers played hosts to their NESCAC rivals and doubled their margin of victory, overcoming the Camels 3-1 on the day.

Whereas last year the Panthers needed a second half goal to decide the game, Middlebury pulled ahead for good in this one just before the half-time break. Sophomore Alex Elias slipped a pass to John Sales, enabling the junior to open Middlebury's account for the season. Sales latched on to the pass and fired a shot into the far corner, past the Camels' goalkeeper, Jon Knights.

The Panthers showed some signs of early-season rust, struggling throughout the game to find their rhythm. Junior Winston Rains commented, "not everything was clicking, but the defending, besides the one breakdown, was very good. There are some things we need to work on, but we've only been playing together for two weeks."

With just one goal separating the teams, Middlebury needed an insurance goal to calm any nerves that might have appeared as the game drew to a close. Thankfully, the goal came on the hour, with Baer Fisher '09, on his Middlebury debut, laying on a goal for junior Billy Brennan. The first-year drew the goalkeeper out and laid a pass across for Brennan to slot into the empty net. Fisher is one of several new members of a young Panther squad, although Rains does not believe this will hinder the team in its march to the post-season. He said, "We lost an All-American last year, and that would hurt any team, but a lot of guys will step up and I think this team is as good, if not better than the one we had last year."

At 2-0, one might have thought the game was over, but suddenly it was game-on again when Rob Paniccia pulled one back for the visitors with little more than 15 minutes on the clock. The Panthers issued the perfect repost however, when Vandy Shanholt '07 finished off a smooth move for the Panthers, restoring the two-goal cushion just 16 seconds after the restart.

Middlebury's goalkeeper, Zack Toth '07 was not to be beaten again, ensuring that the Panthers ran out 3-1 victors on the day. He made two saves from just the five shots that Conn. College sent his way, while the Panthers mustered 16 attempts, and forced a combination of two Camel goalkeepers into seven saves, despite never truly hitting full stride.

The Panthers take on Castleton next, hoping to extend their perfect start to the season. Last year, after an opening day victory over Connecticut College, Middlebury dismantled Castleton 4-0 in a phenomenal display of dominance. While Rains is quick to take a cautious tone, he recognizes that this is a chance for the Panthers to make their rivals and the league itself sit up and take notice. He commented, "it's not a game we can take lightly, although historically we've tended to have success against them. We need to make a statement to the NCAA because we beat them 4-0 last year and while they won their division, we didn't get the at-large bid." He added, "We need to bury this team to show the league that we deserve to be there." Coach Saward's men will be hoping history repeats itself when the two teams lock horns with more than just the score at stake.