Macnee’s last-minute goal advances Panthers

The men’s soccer team has a flair for the dramatic, to say the least. Coming off a gripping shootout win in the NESCAC tournament final against Bowdoin, the Panthers eliminated their first two opponents in the Division III NCAA Tournament with game-winning goals coming inside the last 15 minutes of regulation.
Jon Portman’s ’13 top-corner blast sent Daniel Webster packing in the first round on Saturday, while on Sunday Tyler Macnee ’12 stunned William Paterson when he buried a cross from Brett Brazier ’13 with 55 seconds left in one of the most memorable moments in recent Middlebury soccer history. The team now advances to play Babson in the Sweet 16 this weekend, which will be hosted by Bowdoin College. While the late finishes certainly instilled a nervous feeling in the crowd of almost 500 that turned out for both games, coach Dave Saward said that the team handled the pressure well.
“My feeling has always been to try and take that ‘do or die’ mentality out of the equation in NCAA games and look upon it as another opportunity to play the game,” said Saward. “Obviously at the back of your mind is the fear of the season ending, but that cannot be the overriding mentality of the players.”
The squad was playing from behind in both of the games this weekend, with Saturday’s match proving to be a real wake-up call for the NESCAC champs.
Daniel Webster junior midfielder Alex Jackson shocked the Panthers with a shot from forty yards out just over a minute into the first-round game. The Eagles had a close chance to make it 2-0 15 minutes later, which would have dug the Panthers into a big hole early on.
“We were poor for 20 minutes of that game and Daniel Webster deserved what they got, albeit from a strike that would make the highlight reel for any pro league,” said Saward. “We were tentative and static, but getting the goal just before half time was a big emotional lift.”
Portman scored his first of two goals in the match in the 44th minute, as his shot deflected off a Daniel Webster defender past the diving goalkeeper. This much-needed emotional lift seemed to dictate the team’s play in the second half. The Panthers dominated time of possession and chances on goal, with Daniel Webster barely controlling the ball. Middlebury poured on 11 shots, but couldn’t find the back of the net.
“It is always frustrating to create chances yet be unable to find the final touch,” said Saward of the team’s persistent attack throughout the second half.
The Panthers finally thwarted Daniel Webster’s defensive tactic of keeping nine players behind ball when Portman launched an absolute rocket into the top-left corner from about 25 yards out for the go-ahead tally. Middlebury ended the game with a 20-4 shots advantage, and also a trip to the second round against William Paterson.
Paterson broke the scoreless deadlock with a goal from Ryan Miller coming late in the first half, at the 41st minute mark. The team was once again outplayed for much of the opening frame.
“Paterson was better than us in the first half and I thought they deserved the lead, although we had a couple of golden opportunities ourselves,” said Saward. “They were skilful going forward and we had a crucial injury to Tyler Smith ’14, which meant we had to adjust the center of our defense with Matt Martin ’12.5 coming back into the contest.” Martin played a steady game in back as the squad shut down Paterson for the remainder of the day.
The Panthers scored early in the second half, as Brazier scored an opportunistic goal to tie the game at 1-1 in the 53rd minute. The team held the advantage of play for the majority of the second half, surviving a few scares from a dangerous counter-attacking Paterson squad.
With only a few minutes left, the two teams looked destined for an extra-time finish. However, just as the one-minute warning was announced, Brazier drove to the net from the right side and slotted a cross to Macnee, who sealed the game with 55 seconds left.
“Winning a match like that so late in the game is very exhilarating for everyone,” said Saward. “Credit must go to the two players who created and scored that goal. First, Brazier’s move on the end line to split two defenders, and then the timing of Macnee’s run and emphatic finish. A great goal that will be remembered for a long time.”
The Panthers look to continue their winning ways against a talented Babson squad this Saturday at Bowdoin, with a trip to the elite eight on the line.