Soccer team extends winning streak

The men's soccer team is on another winning streak, as it beat up on the Garnet Tide of Swarthmore 4-0 yesterday at Kraft Field. In wrapping up their third consecutive victory, the men seem to have fully rebounded from their mid-season slump, as they recorded the season's first shut-out.

Facing the 5-7-1 Garnet Tide, the Jumbos expected to dominate their opponents. Going into the game, they looked to get their scoring back on track in order to carry momentum into their next NESCAC match-up against Williams.

Scoring did not pose a problem for the team this time, as both senior co-captain Matt MacGregor and freshmen Todd Gilbert amassed two goals each and now stand with four and six goals respectively on the season.

With nine goals in their last three games, the team seems to be back into a scoring grove.

"We're definitely finishing our opportunities better," senior co-captain Mike Blea said.

Leading the way for the Jumbos over this recent winning streak is Gilbert, who scored two goals against Trinity on Saturday along with his two yesterday afternoon. Now that he has settled into college competition, Gilbert has become an integral part of the Jumbos offense.

"I had heard before he came here that he could score. He goes straight for the goal and that's what you want your striker to do," coach Ralph Ferringo said. "We've brought him along and he's doing a great job."

"It's really no big surprise," Blea said. "We've had high expectations for him all season and he's been stepping it up."

Gilbert finished the day with five points in the game, recording an assist along with his two goals. Gilbert's assist led to the Jumbos' game winning goal, as Tufts scored within the game's 13th minute on a header from MacGregor. Later in the first half, Gilbert scored a goal of his own on an assist from his freshmen counterpart Mike Guigli.

The Jumbos took a 2-0 lead into the half, but their intensity did not let up in the second half. Holding down the Swarthmore offense, the Jumbos scored again in the 80th minute on MacGregor's second goal of the game on a pass from freshmen Dan Backman. Five minutes later, Guigli set up Gilbert for another goal to put the Jumbos up 4-0.

Guigli "made it really easy for me to score both times," Gilbert said.

The scoring outburst was not the Jumbos only positive of the day as the Jumbos also recorded their season's first shut out. The Jumbos defense held Swarthmore to only four shots, putting sophomore Scott Conroy in position for only one save on the day.

Despite the successes of the day, the Jumbos are not over joyous.

"Today's team wasn't the best competition of our season so we can't be too happy about this," MacGregor said "We've gotta win in the NESCAC to get excited."

The men have a much more difficult opponent in their sights in Williams this Saturday. Though Williams is traditionally among the NESCAC's strongest teams, the Jumbos believe that the Purple Cows can be beaten this year.

"Williams is a little bit suspect this year. They've been on a roller coaster season just like us," Blea said.

Coming off of three consecutive NESCAC wins, the 7-2 Purple Cows are on a roll and will present the Jumbos with a test to their scoring ability.

Now that they're back on the winning track, the Jumbos believe that this year they'll be able to take down Williams.

"It'll take a whole-hearted effort but we can do it," MacGregor said.

Despite their past struggles against NESCAC opponents, the Jumbos believe that their recent performances will continue throughout the rest of the season.

"I think it was just a bad spell and this is the real Tufts team we're seeing," Gilbert said.