Entering the 2009 season with high hopes, the Tufts men's soccer team took the field for its first game this weekend facing a formidable foe in the Middlebury Panthers. And despite suffering a 1-0 defeat, the Jumbos nonetheless emerged from the contest with confidence.
Middlebury — ranked sixth nationally in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America preseason poll — has been a thorn in Tufts' side for the past decade, as Tufts has gone 0-12-2 against the Panthers since 1999. The winless streak continued Saturday afternoon, but the Jumbos left Vermont knowing that the score wasn't the whole story.
The game was a defensive struggle, as both teams' potent attacks were stymied for most of the 90 minutes. The teams combined for just six total shots — five by Middlebury, one by Tufts — though the three that were on target all belonged to the Panthers.
"Both teams had very few chances," junior midfielder Chris Flaherty said. "It could've gone either way, and we're pretty encouraged even with the 1-0 decision going against us."
In fact, it was the Jumbos who started strong and controlled the ball for much of the first half, even though the only scoring opportunity of the first 45 minutes belonged to the hosts, on a close range shot from freshman forward Adam Batista. But Tufts' keeper, senior tri-captain Pat Tonelli, denied the attempt to earn one of his two saves in the match.
Unfortunately, the Panthers were able to find the back of the Jumbos' net just five minutes after halftime ended. Sophomore forward Tyler Macnee — the 2008 NESCAC Rookie of the Year who scored for Middlebury in a 2-0 win over Tufts last season — broke away from the defense and powered a shot over Tonelli's shoulder from just inside the penalty box to post the game's only tally in the 50th minute.
The Jumbos attempted to battle back, but Middlebury's stiff defense ensured that chances to equalize were few and far between. Tufts managed to earn only a single corner kick in the last 45 minutes of play, but the Jumbos' success in other areas of play illustrated just how differently the game played out than was indicated by the final score.
"The stat sheet can only tell you so much — there are other things in soccer, like blocked shots and deflected crosses, and at times in this game, we dominated play," junior defender Josh Molofsky said.
Tufts did finally break through with a shot later in the second period, which came off the foot of freshman midfielder Kameron Jaff. However, the game-tying bid missed the goal, allowing Middlebury's netminder, sophomore Tim Cahill, to collect a shutout in his first collegiate start without having to make a save.
Though the opening setback was a disappointment, the Jumbos came out of the game still focused on their season goal of placing in the top-four in the NESCAC standings, a feat that would enable Tufts to host a first round NESCAC tournament game. Saturday's effort represented a marked improvement over last year's game against Middlebury, when Tufts was noticeably overmatched.
By forcing Middlebury to attack only off the wings, the Jumbos limited the Panthers' possessions and opportunities. That was a stark contrast from last year's contest, when Middlebury was able to weave through the Tufts defense with relative ease.
"We were able to control the game and force Middlebury to really work for their chances," Flaherty said.
The Jumbos will have plenty of opportunities to revive their season, the next coming on Tuesday night in a tough non-conference battle at Eastern Conn. State. They will return home to continue conference play in an afternoon tilt with last year's NESCAC Tournament champion Amherst — which defeated Tufts 3-0 last season — on Saturday.
"Amherst is another tough team, but we held our own on Saturday against Middlebury, and we can beat any team on the schedule, including these next two," Molofsky said.
