looking back (oct. 26 - nov. 1) | women's soccer: bates 2, tufts 1 (OT)
This rivalry's got roots.
In the fifth straight one-goal decision between the two teams, with three coming in overtime, the Bates Bobcats ended the Jumbos' hopes of a NESCAC crown for the second consecutive year, bouncing them from the NESCAC Tournament with a 2-1 overtime win. The Bobcats got two goals from senior Mary Bucci to down Tufts in a heart-stopping overtime thriller at Bello Field that was eerily similar to the 2005 postseason meeting between the two, in which the Bobcats topped the Jumbos 2-1 in overtime in the NESCAC Championship game.
Before Sunday, the last two wins in this storied rivalry had gone to the Jumbos, who ended Bates' 2005 season in the NCAA Tournament and beat the Bobcats on Homecoming Weekend 2006.
On Saturday, 45 mph winds dictated play. With the wind at their backs, the Bobcats had the clear advantage in corner kicks (8-3) and shots (10-2) in the first frame. And they were rewarded when Bucci notched her first goal only eight minutes into the half. The reverse was true for Tufts in the second half, as they got a goal from sophomore Lauren Fedore late in the game after controlling the half in shots (15-0) and corners (6-0).
Yet, Bates won the coin toss in the overtime period, and with the help of the winds, Bucci lofted a shot to the corner to beat goalie Annie Ross and give Bates the victory.
Now Tufts must wait for the right scenarios and a little sympathy from the NCAA selection committee to see if it gets an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Bates moves on to face top-seeded Amherst (11-1-1, 7-0-1 NESCAC), which had a first-round bye and will bring rested legs to Saturday's semifinal match-up.
looking ahead (nov. 2 - nov. 9) | nfl: new england vs. indianapolis
The two top quarterbacks in the NFL will do battle this Sunday night in Foxboro as Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts visit hostile territory once again to take on the Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
Manning and the 7-0 Colts come into town once again touted as the best team in football after putting up 34 points on the league's best defense last weekend in Denver. Manning threw for 345 yards, completing 32 of 39 attempts with three touchdowns. He is the highest-rated passer in the NFL with a 108.0 rating and is second in passing yards.
Brady is also having a strong season, even after losing Deion Branch to the Seahawks. Since a frustrating Week 3 loss to Denver, the Pats have won four straight, the latest being Monday's 31-7 drudging of the Vikings in the Metrodome. Brady bested Manning, throwing for 372 yards and four touchdowns on 29-of-43 passing. Tom Terrific's quarterback rating has picked up each week to 92.2, despite inexperienced receivers Chad Jackson and Doug Gabriel.
Manning got the best of Brady last season, as the Colts came into Foxboro and threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns, winning 40-21. But while the Colts are perfect this season, they are without running back Edgerrin James this season and find their run defense weakened after losing defensive end Corey Simon. The Patriots still have running back Corey Dillon and have found a star in the making in Laurence Maroney. The two backs could be the difference makers in a battle of quarterbacks on Sunday under the lights.
