Men's soccer blows late lead to tie Middlebury

Although this was not a hockey game, the men's soccer team did skate to a 1-1 tie, on a windy, rainy Saturday afternoon in Vermont against Middlebury. The tie ensures that Tufts, 8-4-1 overall, and 3-4-1 in the NESCAC, make the playoffs.

"Unfortunately we couldn't get the win yesterday, we outplayed them for 80 minutes of the game," senior tri-captain Matt MacGregor said.

Tufts and Middlebury played 68 minutes before either team could net a goal. This scoreless drought was ended thanks to formidable teamwork from junior Brian Mikel and senior David DeLuca. Mikel sent a pass to DeLuca who sent the ball screaming past Middlebury goaltender David Lindholm. The assist was Mikel's third of the season and the goal was DeLuca's second.

This was Tufts first viable scoring possibility since MacGregor sent a shot off the post 11 minutes into the contest.

"I was at the top of the box and received the ball off a throw in right around the 18 and I chested it down and turned," MacGregor said. "I had a little space in front of me and ripped it with my right foot. From where I was standing it looked like it was going to go in, but it bounced on the front of the post and back out."

With DeLuca's goal, the Jumbos were riding on cloud nine. Then after one misdirected shot, with 1:30 left in regulation, from Todd Maloney the Jumbos' ride ended.

"In the last ten minutes they kind of took it over," MacGregor said. "We were trying to preserve the win by playing defensively, they crossed the ball and we lost our man at the back post and they just snuck it in."

Overtime was a waste of time. After playing two fifteen minute halves, the score remained 1-1 and the game ended in a tie.

Sophomore keeper Scott Conroy had six saves over the 120 minutes of soccer. While a double overtime game is mentally and physically fatiguing, the tie clinched a playoff spot for the Jumbos. With just one conference game left against last place Colby, neither Bates nor Connecticut College can catch Tufts as they are up by one and a half games.

"We're pretty excited we got a playoff spot, now we need to win the game on Saturday," MacGregor said. "Hopefully with a win and a couple other teams losing we could move up in the standings before the playoffs. Either Williams and Bowdoin will take the two spot, so if we can get out of the seventh spot we don't have to play either of them in the first round."

Before the playoffs start, the Jumbos have to fight through a scrappy Colby team that has nothing to lose. The While Mules only have one conference victory and reside in the basement of the NESCAC.

"They are going to be a decent team, they are playing for pride at this point," MacGregor said. "We are expecting them to come out strong, and we need to use the momentum on Saturday to come out with a victory."

Whether or not the team wins on Saturday, the health of players is paramount. In order to have a shot at running the playoffs, the squad needs all key players healthy. Many players are beat up from the rigors of a long season and freshman standout Todd Gilbert is currently out with a bad ankle sprain.

"He's one of our good attackers," MacGregor said. "With him out we have less of an attack so we would like to see him get back in there next week if possible."

With a loss on Saturday, the Jumbos will either head to Bowdoin, who they lost to 2-1 in overtime earlier in the season, or Williams, who defeated Tufts 2-0. With a win, they have the chance of playing Amherst or Middlebury. The playoffs are single elimination, so the team must play at its highest level.

"We're looking forward to the game on Saturday," MacGregor said. "And hopefully if everyone's healthy we can start making our run for the playoffs."