The men's soccer team's 1-0 lead and chance to upset the visiting Williams Ephs was blown away with the stiff October wind late in the second half on Saturday afternoon. After holding Williams scoreless for nearly 78 minutes, the Jumbos surrendered two goals to lose their Parents Weekend match, 2-1.
"Obviously it was disappointing to lose," freshman Greg O'Connell said. "We held them off for so long. Our season has just been that way: we have a few unlucky bounces and then we come up on the short side of the stick."
With the wind in their faces to start the game, the Jumbos faced a barrage of Williams shots in the first half. The Ephs outshot the Jumbos 14-5 in the first forty-five minutes, but failed to find the back of the net. Tufts' defense consistently cleared the ball and senior keeper Matt Sullivan thwarted several dangerous Williams chances.
"We were just trying to stay defensively sound," O'Connell said. "You have to give credit to our back four and especially Sullivan. It wasn't always the prettiest, but we got the job done in the first half."
With the score still tied 0-0 at the halftime intermission, Tufts knew it had a chance against a powerful Williams squad that won the NESCAC in 2003 and currently sits atop the league this year.
"As a team, we were pretty happy with the way we played in the first half," O'Connell said. "Williams is a perennial powerhouse in the NESCAC."
After the break, Tufts took the field with the wind at its back and momentum on its side. The Jumbos took it to the Ephs for the first 30 minutes of the second half. The defense, anchored by sophomore Jon Glass and freshmen Matt Maloney, Andrew Drucker, and Derek Engelking, pushed up to catch Williams off-sides on several occasions. The back four also protected the net in front of Sullivan, clearing the ball out to the midfielders and up to the forwards.
"In the second, Sullivan was able to put his goal kicks and punts further up the field with the wind.," O'Connell said. "We kept playing our game and went right at them. I think we took them by surprise."
After several opportunities, O'Connell made the most of a throw-in from junior Mike Lingenfelter, scoring the first goal of the match to put Tufts up 1-0 in the 53rd minute. O'Connell received a loose ball out of the air and sent a line-drive shot into the right side of the goal past sprawling Williams junior goalie Nicholas Armington.
"The throw-in went into the box and was a fifty-fifty ball in the air," O'Connell said. "I was right behind when the ball hit the ground and so I just hit it with my left on the volley. There wasn't too much space, so I just snuck it in there."
Junior forward Todd Gilbert and freshman forward Dan Jozwiak had breakaway opportunities after O'Connell's goal. Gilbert's shot sailed just over the goal, while Jozwiak's attempt hit Armington as he dove to the ground.
Tufts held Williams scoreless, and even on its heels, for the next 25 minutes. The Jumbos controlled the middle of the pitch and took quality shots on goal. It looked as though the Ephs had evened the score at the 70 minute mark, but the goal was disallowed because the Williams forward was off-sides.
The Jumbos had the upset in their sights as the clock continued to run late in the second half. A lot can happen in 12 minutes, however, and it finally rained on the Ephs' scoring drought in the 78th minute. Williams sophomore forward Dana Leary received a pass from junior Josh Bolton, eluded the Tufts defense, and poked the ball past Sullivan to even the score at 1-1.
With the momentum shifted in Williams' direction, Tufts began to play desperate soccer. The team had less control over the middle than it did earlier in the half and was also giving more opportune chances to the Ephs.
In the 85th minute, Williams capitalized on its new-found drive and scored the final goal of the game to put the Ephs up 2-1. Sophomore Patrick Huffer nailed a shot into the upper corner of Sullivan's net after a pass from classmate Brett Olson. The goal sealed the match for Williams and sent Tufts off its own field empty handed.
With the win, Williams takes sole possession of first place in the NESCAC with a 9-2-2 (6-1-1 NESCAC) mark. The Jumbos remain in seventh place, just barely eligible for a playoff spot, at 6-5-1 overall and 2-5 in the league.
Tufts will play out its season against NESCAC opponents on Tuesday at home against Wesleyan and then again at home against Conn. College on Saturday. This week's games will determine the Jumbos' fate in the postseason as it clings to seventh place.
"We just have to look forward to the next game and go game by game from there," O'Connell said. "We need to stay focused and play the way we can."
