Following a slow start in its Oct. 3 home match against NESCAC foe Trinity, the men's soccer team was saved in the 98th minute when freshman midfielder Kyle Volpe found a wide−open Gus Santos on the left wing.
Santos, also a first year midfielder, corralled the pass, took a couple of quick touches and beat Trinity senior goalkeeper Grant Schonberg at the near post to give the Jumbos a 1−0 sudden−death victory and a much−needed momentum boost after a 3−0 loss the day before against No. 4 Amherst.
Faced with the same situation on Saturday — as neither the Jumbos nor visiting Conn. College could even muster a first−half shot on goal — Tufts could find no answer in the second frame and subsequent overtime periods.
After 110 minutes of uninspiring offense, extremely physical defense and six yellow cards on a beat up Kraft Field, the Jumbos and Camels were forced to settle for a 0−0 draw.
"I think we were definitely disappointed with the outcome," senior tri−captain midfielder Matt Blumenthal said. "We felt that we were the better team, but I think that's also a good thing because last year after a game like that, I think we might have felt satisfied with how we played. This year, we know that we can really win every game, so we certainly could have had a better result."
One of the Jumbos' biggest problems thus far has been their inability to create and finish chances in the attacking third. Tufts currently ranks seventh in the NESCAC with 13.38 shots per game and ninth in scoring with just nine goals overall.
In six conference matches, the Jumbos have scored only four goals, while powerhouses Wesleyan, Amherst and Williams have netted 14, 12 and 11 scoring tallies, respectively, in their NESCAC fixtures.
If the Jumbos want to join these teams at the top of the table and secure a bid to the conference tournament, they will have to find a way to be more dynamic offensively and capitalize on their limited opportunities.
"You've got to be a little more cold−blooded," head coach Josh Shapiro said. "Sometimes you're not going to get 10 chances, you're going to get four, and you've got to find a way to take one of those and make a play."
Another concern for Tufts is a continuing trend of slow starts. The Jumbos haven't scored a first−half goal in their last four matches and have only gone into halftime with a lead twice this season.
In the first 45 minutes against Conn. College, the Jumbos failed to record a shot on goal, as they spent too much time battling for possession with the physical Camels in the center of the field.
"I was very frustrated with our start," Shapiro said. "I thought we were flat and lacked energy. When that happens, you're not getting the ball down as much, and you end up in a lot more physical battles. It took 60 minutes before we really got going, and that makes it a lot harder towards the end."
Once the Jumbos started holding the ball offensively, they were able to find seams in the Camels' defense.
Tufts' best chance came midway through the second half when freshman midfielder Kento Nakamura gave Volpe a chance to set up a play. Volpe sent the ball deep in the box to junior John Lewis, who had a good shooting opportunity, but the right−winger sent the ball high, leaving Tufts frustrated once more.
On a positive note, the Jumbos' defense is beginning to establish itself as one of the best in the conference, recording its fourth shutout of the season.
Tufts has typically gone with a five−man rotation on the back line, made up of freshmen Peter Lee−Kramer and Sam Williams, sophomore Ben Ewing and juniors Michael Walker and tri−captain Pat Bauer.
After starting Saturday's game on the bench, Williams, typically a center back, showed off his versatility by playing the rest of the match at right back to counter the Camels' most explosive offensive threat, senior midfielder Oscar Brown. Williams neutralized Brown and again earned high praise from teammates.
"He did a great job," Blumenthal said. "It was obviously a shutout, but [Brown] didn't have any chances whatsoever, and Sam's been playing absolutely great this season. He can do a lot at both outside back and center back."
The Jumbos, who are now 4−2−2 overall, return to action today with a non−conference home match against UMass Dartmouth. Last season, the Corsairs scored three times against Tufts — the last goal coming in overtime — to hand the Jumbos a tough 3−2 loss.
Unlike the Camels, the Corsairs prefer a more open offensive style, which will put the emphasis on Tufts' play at the back.
"Coach has said that they're very good offensively," Blumenthal said, "So our defense will have to be on their game again if we want to come away with the win."
