The men's soccer team hosts the Conn. College Camels tomorrow at 2 p.m. in its regular season finale - otherwise known as a tune-up match for the NESCAC Tournament. While the game is important for both teams' conference records, unless the Jumbos (9-3, 5-3) completely flop, the end result should be Tufts' sixth NESCAC win of the season.
"I expect it to be a good game," junior defender Rupak Datta said. "They are going to be trying to play for some respect in the NESCAC. Last year they gave us a good game, and we didn't win it until the last few minutes."
Despite being heavy favorites, Tufts is determined to go at the Camels as if they are the best team in the league.
"We are just going to come out hard, as usual," Datta said. "We will be looking to play a bit more cautiously because we have the NESCAC tournament on Sunday, but we are still going to play hard. Losing the game will probably stop us from playing as well as we could on Sunday."
Regardless of the outcome of Saturday's game, Tufts will move on to the NESCAC tournament beginning Sunday afternoon, while Conn. College will throw its cleats and shin guards into the closet and begin preparing for next season. But though Tufts has already clinched a spot in the tournament, its seeding is still up in the air. Additionally, a potential at-large bid to the NCAA tournament could be at stake, and a loss to the Camels would take the Jumbos out of the running for that spot.
"Every game at this state is important for a few reasons," senior tri-captain and midfielder Brad Stitchberry said. "You want to go into the postseason having won, and there is still a possibility of an at-large bid in the NCAA."
Currently, four teams have a chance to clinch the second spot in the conference. The Jumbos could conceivably finish anywhere between number two and number five.
"It's a mess right now," Stitchberry said. "Let whatever happens with the other teams happen. Right now our focus is on Conn. College. It looks like we will be playing Amherst [in the first round], but we are not sure. We don't want to look too far ahead. Saturday's game is really important."
Interestingly, both Conn. College and Tufts are coming off 4-1 losses to conference opponents last weekend. Bates, which handed Tufts its most recent NESCAC loss prior to last Saturday, whipped Conn. College in Maine, and the Jumbos fell to Williams in Williamstown.
"[The match with Conn. College] is a NESCAC game, so its never gonna be easy," Stitchberry said. "The Williams team was just too good that day. If we meet again, will it be 4-1 again? I don't think so. It's a NESCAC game so it's going to be hard, but its not Williams."
Statistically speaking, the Camels are not a formidable opponent. Their goals allowed to goals scored ratio, against NESCAC opponents is nearly 8-1, as they have given up a whopping 23 goals while scoring a mere three. The team's 23 goals allowed is six more than the Trinity, number two in the NESCAC in that category.
While Tufts, which has knotted 12 goals on the season, may have a field day against a porous Camels defense, injuries could play a factor in the final score. Numerous Jumbos on both offense and defense are currently ailing.
Senior tri-captain and sweeper Mike Prindiville pulled his hamstring in Tuesday's non-conference game against Gordon. Also hurting are senior Pat Brophy, who got cut above his eye during Tuesday's game and may need stitches; junior tri-captain Matt MacGregor, who has been playing with an injured toe all season; sophomore Brian Mikel, who has a pulled quad; and Datta, who has been battling an ankle injury.
"There are some good players that have been in and out," Stitchberry said. "One good thing about the team is that we have some depth. Some guys haven't played [much this season] but they stepped in and did a good job. We can be confident that our bench players will do just as good a job."
The Jumbos will kickoff at 2 pm on Kraft Field.
