W. Soccer starts off on the right foot

Author: Dan Stevens

In a home doubleheader this weekend, the Middlebury women's soccer team split two games with NESCAC opponents Colby and Bowdoin.

The Panthers shut down Colby on Sept. 29 for a 2-0 win, but fell to the Polar Bears from Maine 4-2 on Sept. 30.

The weekend home stand marks the Panthers' transition to a slew of NESCAC games as the brunt of conference play begins. Coming into the weekend the team had a three-game winning streak it hoped to extend.

On Saturday, Middlebury looked in top form as it scored two quick goals in the first half to jump ahead. The Panthers' played stalwart defense and held the lead for the final 70 minutes of the game.

Goalie Adele Plunkett '09 played the full 90 minutes, thwarting three shots in the shutout.

Lindsay Walker '10 netted her first and second goals on the year just 2:28 apart.

Head Coach Peter Kim noted the talent on the field that had already brought the team to a 4-1-1 start.

"We had some nice play, connected six or seven passes and played Lindsay through as she slotted her second goal on the day," said Kim.

Sunday though, brought a rough first half for the Panthers. Bowdoin scored early when Tiernan Cutler netted a goal in the seventh minute by slipping the ball just over Plunkett's head.

The Panthers responded shortly after when Anne Ford '10 tied the game with a one-timer shot in the 12th minute off an arcing cross from Caitlin Parker '08.

Momentum seemed to desert Middlebury after Bowdoin answered back with two unanswered goals in the 18th and 19th minutes.

The Polar Bears continued to control the ball throughout the first half and went into the break with a strong lead. Bowdoin definitely came to Middlebury determined not to drop two straight conference games and head back to Maine empty handed.

"Full credit to the Bowdoin team, they were very prepared," said Kim. "They were very hungry after they got hit pretty hard by Amherst [on Sept. 29], so they were determined not to have a double loss over the weekend. Unfortunately we gave up some tough ones in the penalty area."

The second half, though, brought a rejuvenated Middlebury team, and the Panthers changed their dynamic and showed some of the dominance they had displayed over the last several games.

The Panthers delivered several shots on goal and controlled the game's tempo in the final 45 minutes.

Nora Tomlinson-Weintraub '10 successfully drained one in the 71st minute but only after Bowdoin had scored again.

Kim acknowledged the improvement in the second half and expected it to help the team prepare for Amherst next week.

"We know we can play," said Kim. "There are few very teams in this league that can be beaten twice in a row. Amherst is where we won the NESCAC last year - on Amherst's field against Amherst. We know we can play there and we'll come out firing."

The loss drops the Panthers to 5-2-1 heading into the matchup at Amherst on Oct. 6. They currently stand in fifth place in the league standings, tied with Bowdoin. Amherst, on the other hand is in third, while Williams, who comes to town on Oct. 13 stands in first.