Men's Soccer | Tufts surrenders early lead to Plymouth St.

    Sometimes a game can turn on a dime. In the Tufts men's soccer team's Wednesday match against the non-conference Plymouth St. Panthers, reversal took only fifteen minutes.
    Though the 1-5-2 Jumbos held a first-half lead, their one-goal edge quickly dissolved in the final fifteen minutes of second-half play and the Jumbos fell 2-1. With the loss to the 7-4-0 Panthers, the Tufts squad moves to 1-2-1 against non-conference opponents.
    A combination of Panthers penalty shot opportunities and a breakdown on defense spelled disaster for the Jumbos' halftime lead. With 12:24 to play, Panther senior forward Semir Mehmedovic found the back of the net to tie the game 1-1 on the first in a set of two penalty kicks. The kicks were awarded after a Tufts defender was called for pulling Mehmedovic down during his offensive drive.
    With just over 3 minutes remaining, a rare slip-up by Tufts' defense set up the second penalty kick, which Mehmedovic capitalized on once again. Mehmedovic is three-for-three on penalty kicks this season and leads the Little East Conference in scoring with eleven goals.
    "It was one of our best-played games," senior tri-captain Bear Duker said. "Our defense played very well all game and our one breakdown unfortunately led to a penalty kick. We've been unlucky; one or two mistakes and we get punished."
    It was an unfortunate end to a game that Tufts controlled throughout much of the first half, maintaining almost exclusive possession of the ball through the first twenty minutes of play. At 26:39 the Jumbos' offensive pressure proved successful as Duker headed the ball into the right side of the net off a feed by sophomore defenseman Rafael Ramos-Meyer 40 yards outside the box. This goal marked the end of scoring chances for either team in the opening 45 minutes.
    In the second half, the Panthers picked up their play to match the momentum of the Jumbos. With 25:00 to go, Mehmedovic was denied his first scoring opportunity of the game when Tufts' senior goalkeeper Pat Tonelli made a diving save to deflect a free kick shot over the cross bar.
    Six minutes later, the Jumbos almost extended their lead as senior forward Dan Schoening took the ball down the left, eluding the Panther defense only to hit the goal post on a crossing shot. The drive displayed both the Jumbos' offensive talent and unfortunate luck.
    "So far in the season, the ball just hasn't bounced our way," sophomore midfielder Matt Blumenthal said. "Reffing decisions haven't gone our way and with shots hitting the crossbar and posts we haven't been able to find the back of the net as much as we should have. I think with a little luck we could go on a roll because we definitely have the talent."
    Even with the game tied and time running out, Tufts' offense went on the attack again. Junior forward Alex Lach got a head on the team's fifth and final corner kick with just over seven minutes left. Panthers freshman goalkeeper Bjorn Ohlsson made a diving save to deny the last significant opportunity for Tufts in the game. In all, Ohlsson was forced to make four saves in the match and saw shots on goal from five different Tufts players, a testament to the Jumbos' offensive potential.
    Overall, the Jumbos finished with two more corner kicks than the Panthers but were out-shot 15 to 11. Tonelli had five saves on the day.
    "If we buried one or two of our multiple chances they wouldn't have had a chance," said Duker, referring to the team's offensive frustrations. "We've had trouble scoring, but with one little spark that will change."
    In what could be the light at the end of the tunnel for the struggling Tufts squad, this Saturday's Homecoming match pits the Jumbos against the lowly 0-4-1 Colby Mules, a NESCAC squad that sits at the bottom of the conference standings. If that's not enough, the possibility of a NESCAC postseason is dependent on a decisive win. With the top eight teams qualifying and Tufts locked in eighth with Bates, which the team tied this past Saturday, the Jumbos must prove their strength over the ninth-place Mules.
    However, the match is not a sure win. Colby ranks above Tufts in conference standings on overall goals and goals per game, and sits second only to Williams in shots for the season — a stat in which Tufts ranks lowest in the NESCAC. In order to win, Tufts will have to avoide slip-ups like off-sides and yellow cards, two categories in which they lead the conference.
    Still, the Jumbos are confident about tomorrow's showdown.
    "We have the skills," Blumenthal says. "And it being our Homecoming in front of our fans, us wanting it more and knowing how big a game it is will give us the edge."