Men's soccer falls to Stevens in sectionals

Author: Kevin Carpenter

Despite a valiant run in the NCAA Division III tournament, the men's soccer team was denied a win by Stevens Institute on Nov. 23, dropping the Sectional finals match in penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 tie in regulation.

Each game prior to the matchup was nothing short of riveting. The team's run included three wins - one via penalty kicks and two resulting from late goals. The Panthers finish their season with a 15-2-4 record, racking up the second-most wins in school history.

As the team has learned, a run to a back-to-back national championship is an extremely challenging endeavor. "I don't think there is much we could have done better," said tri-captain Baer Fisher '09. "We learned last year that you need to be both really good and lucky in order to win an NCAA Championship, and unfortunately we weren't lucky on Sunday night."

The Panthers found a lucky strike in the foot of Otis Pitney '12, whose penalty kick clinched the first match against Framingham State on Nov. 15. Middlebury led in shots 25-4 in regulation but sealed the victory in PKs with the kick from Pitney, who made his first collegiate start in the game.

The Panthers' defensive line was ravaged by injury throughout the tournament. "The team did an incredible job of overcoming our injuries," said tri-captain Brian Bush '09. "Nolan [Lincoln '09], Otis and Brooks did an outstanding job and we did not allow the change of players to alter our confidence or our game plan. The consistency of our defense, particularly given the injuries, speaks to the depth of our team."

In the regional final against Norwich on Nov. 16 Middlebury was a paradigm of superior offensive production, holding an 11-1 advantage in shots and 13-0 in corner kicks. The win ultimately resulted from the persistent effort of first-year midfielder Robbie Redmond '12, who muscled his way for a goal in the 83rd minute.

The Nov. 22 Carleton game saw the Panther squad in top form. A late goal from Tyler Macnee '12 iced a match in which Middlebury ruled the field offensively and shut down Carleton defensively.

"I think beating Carleton was the best part of the tournament," said tri-captain Allen Bourdon '08.5. "It was a time when the team played well and really showed that we were better than them. We really came together and had all the confidence in the world."

The Panthers ultimately fell with a 4-3 loss in penalty kicks to Stevens Institute. The Middlebury squad dominated much of the play with solid two-touch movement throughout the field.

An unfortunate goal came early on for Stevens and kept the Panthers on their toes going into the second half.

"The team stepped up and definitely held our own, especially after giving up a soft goal," said Bourdon. "I think we could have been a little more creative offensively and kept the ball a little more, but overall it was a decent performance."

Fisher scored the equalizer in the 64th minute with a well-placed shot to the lower 90, while the rest of regulation and two overtimes resulted in a stalemate.

"We've been quite successful over the past two years in PKs because of both our ability to bury our shots and Brian's fantastic reflexes," said Fisher. "As a result, we felt ready for PKs once the games ended in ties." Unfortunately, luck was not with the Panthers and Stevens keeper Zach Carr made two clutch saves to send his team to the semifinals.

Despite the rough loss, the captains are both proud of the successful season and optimistic for the future of the squad.

"As a senior this year, it was a surreal feeling to approach each tournament game knowing it could be our last," said Bush. "The strong performances by all of the underclassmen say volumes about the future of the program. The success we had in the tournament this year should give the team great confidence heading into next season."