You can't deny that this fall was a giant step in the right direction for the Tufts men's soccer program.
How bad had the Jumbos been?
The team hadn't finished in the top half of the conference since 2003, hadn't gone undefeated in non-conference matches since 2002 and hadn't had a regular season with a winning conference record since 2001.
Just two seasons ago, the Jumbos went 0-8-1 in the NESCAC and 2-10-2 overall. They were outscored 25-11 and outshot 205-133. Against lowly Suffolk, a team that the 2011 Jumbos crushed 6-1 on Oct. 19, the 2009 Jumbos needed a golden goal from then-senior forward Dan Schoening to squeak out a 2-1 overtime win.
This season, Tufts finished fifth in the NESCAC, posted a 9-4-2 overall record, including a perfect 4-0-0 mark against non-conference opponents, and reached No. 5 in the Oct. 18 National Soccer Coaches Association of America's New England rankings.
In other words, the Jumbos appear to be back, and unless 2011 was a fluke, they now need to be taken seriously as one of the top programs in the NESCAC and throughout New England.
"The team made a lot of progress this season, earning the highest win total since 2001," sophomore defender Luke Booth said. "We finished in the top half of the league and were barely edged out of a home playoff game."
"My first season with the new coach was incredible," added junior midfielder Rafael Ramos-Meyer, who did not play last fall. "I had very few expectations and was completely blown away at the organization and competence of our coaching staff. I was also extremely impressed with the quality of play and the incoming players."
Tufts' improved skill and confidence were evident from its first match of the season. After surrendering a goal in the 72nd minute to visiting Middlebury, the team rallied back in electrifying fashion, as sophomore forward Jono Edelman scored the equalizer just seven minutes later. The Jumbos dominated the final half hour of play, which included 20 minutes of sudden death overtime, but could not score a game-winning goal.
Still, thanks to the hard-fought 1-1 draw, Tufts recorded its first point against the Panthers since 2002 and, more importantly, made a strong statement to the rest of the NESCAC of its intentions to compete with the conference's powerhouses. It's hard to imagine a recent Jumbos team having the skill and toughness to come back late in a game against a traditionally stout Middlebury defense.
"That match proved that we can compete with top teams," Booth said. "It gave us confidence early on in the season."
Riding this wave of momentum, the Jumbos cemented their place in the middle of the NESCAC table by going 4-2-1 in their next seven matches. Tufts took care of business with dominant wins over non-conference foes Plymouth State and Endicott, but the Jumbos fell to Amherst and Wesleyan, who ultimately finished first and second in the NESCAC.
These four matches, however, weren't a great indication of things to come because the results were predictable. Few thought that Tufts could upset the Lord Jeffs or would not beat Plymouth State or Endicott. The Jumbos' other three NESCAC matches during this span — against Colby, Trinity and Conn. College — better exemplified the success that this team could have if it became more efficient on offense.
Besides a 3-0 road loss to the Lord Jeffs, the Jumbos only allowed five goals in the six matches after Middlebury, showing their clear improvement technically and athletically along the back line. Head coach Josh Shapiro utilized a slew of defenders in critical situations this season, including senior Jesse Poon, juniors Pat Bauer and Michael Walker, sophomores Ben Ewing and Booth and freshmen Sam Williams and Peter Lee-Kramer. Senior tri-captain Alan Bernstein was also steady as the team's goalkeeper, allowing just over one goal per game and averaging 4.75 saves — the highest mark in the conference.
It was important that the defense played well in the first half of the season because the offense struggled mightily: The Jumbos only scored four goals in their first six conference matches. Considering the inexperience of their attacking players, however, growing pains were probably to be expected.
"We got more confident as the season went along and converted on more of our chances," Booth said. "Since we have so many freshmen, we needed to get used to playing together, develop a playing style and improve as team."
Sitting at 4-2-2, the Jumbos faced UMass Dartmouth on Oct. 11 in the team's most difficult non-conference test of the season. After conceding two early tallies to the visiting Corsairs, Tufts' attack kicked it into gear at exactly the right moment, exploding for three goals, including a game-winner from opportunistic freshman midfielder Gus Santos in the 102nd minute.It was the first time in almost a month that the Jumbos had scored three goals in a game and marked the awakening of what became a dynamic offensive unit. This group helped lead the Jumbos to three wins in five days in mid-October. In those matches, seven Tufts players, including three freshmen, scored a combined 11 goals to elevate the Jumbos to third place in the conference standings and a No. 5 ranking in New England.
The most critical victory during this three-match span came on Homecoming, when forward Maxime Hoppenot, who finished his rookie campaign with six goals, struck in the 24th and 41st minutes to give Tufts a 2-0 first half lead over Williams. For the first time in years, an overflowing, energetic Kraft Field crowd had plenty to cheer about as the Jumbos held on to best the Ephs, 2-1, for just their second win over Williams in the teams' last 13 meetings.
"The crowd was great all match," said sophomore midfielder Scott Blumenthal in an interview immediately after the win. "We really feed off of them, and they helped us hold on for a crucial win."
The Jumbos entered their Oct. 22 match at Hamilton unbeaten in their previous six matches, the program's longest streak since 1999. After Santos netted the match's first tally in the 27th minute, it appeared likely that Tufts would finish off Hamilton, which scored only six total goals in 10 conference matches.
But the Jumbos' defenders suffered a momentary lapse, and the Continentals came to life late in the match. Freshman forward Griffin Abbot scored twice — the latter a golden goal in the 102nd minute — to shock the Jumbos and send them home in fifth place in the conference. It was the first overtime loss of the season for Tufts, and the first time that they were unable to hold on to a lead late in the match.
"We have not done anything specific in practice about playing with a lead. I think there is nothing you really can do except to continue to play the way we were playing," Ramos-Meyer said. "Coach Shapiro had definitely stressed to maintain composure and focus, multiple times, as we had been in that situation before."
On the final day of the regular season, Tufts needed a win at Bowdoin and a loss from either Trinity or Williams to secure its first home playoff match since 2001.
While the Jumbos took care of business with a 2-1 overtime win over the Polar Bears, Trinity blanked Wesleyan, 2-0, and Williams held on for a scoreless draw with Middlebury, leaving Tufts in fifth place entering the conference tournament. Had the Jumbos just held on for a draw against lowly Hamilton, they would have finished fourth and hosted the Ephs in the NESCAC quarterfinals.
However, Tufts was forced to travel to face Williamstown, Mass., on Saturday in heavy snow and freezing rain. The Jumbos took an early 1-0 lead after freshman defenseman Peter Lee-Kramer found the back of the net with a header in the 21st minute.
But once again, the Jumbos' defense, likely hindered by the extreme weather conditions, unraveled in the second half. The Ephs, after outplaying Tufts for the entire match, finally equalized in the 81st minute. Less than two minutes later, Williams junior Doug Weinrib scored what would be the game-winning goal to bring the Jumbos' encouraging 2011 season to a devastating end.
"It was a good season and we accomplished a lot, but the way it ended was pretty disappointing," Edelman said. "I think everyone thought we could make a run in the tournament."
One of the keys for Tufts' success in 2011 was the play of its tremendously talented freshman class. Over the course of the season, six freshmen started at least once for the Jumbos, and the team's top three point scorers — Santos, Hoppenot and midfielder Kyle Volpe — were all first-years. Overall, the freshman class scored 18 of the team's 26 goals and contributed 10 of the Jumbos' 21 assists. According to Edelman, the class's maturation was quicker than expected.
"They're obviously very talented, and you could see them get used to the college game," he said. "In the NESCAC, it's a really physical game and there's a lot of long balls and bigger players. They adjusted pretty quickly, and they should be very confident going into next year."
"The freshman class was stellar. No other way to put it," Ramos-Meyer added. "From day one, I knew these kids had come to play. This paved the way for a successful season with a bright future."
With the loss of only five seniors, including just one that started against Williams, Tufts should return loads of talent at every position next season. In addition, Shapiro plans to bring in another talented freshman class that should push current starters for playing time.
While this season proved that the Jumbos can compete with the best teams in the conference, the team will work toward beating those teams next season and qualifying for the NCAA tournament. The squad knows how good it was this year but also expects to be even better in 2012.
"We have extremely high expectations because I think we are capable of being the best team in the NESCAC," Ramos-Meyer said. "It is hard to put a number on a specific record, but I believe we could realistically win every game."
Next season, the Jumbos will need to score more consistently and suffer fewer defensive lapses, especially late in matches. Specifically, the Jumbos need their backup goalkeepers — sophomore Wyatt Zeller and firstNick Woolf — to fill the void left by Bernstein and must find another scorer, possibly in the center of the midfield, to complement Santos and Hoppenot. If this happens, expect Tufts to make even more noise in 2012.
Regardless, after the 2011 season, the program can take comfort in knowing that its worst days — the days of a 2-10-2 finish in 2009 — seem to be firmly in the past.
