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(09/19/19 10:03am)
Cross country
By JORDAN HOWELL
The Middlebury cross country team competed in the Bates Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 14. The women finished in third place, while the men captured fourth place.
“The men's and women's cross country teams are excited now that the season is underway!” Talia Ruxin ’20 said. “It was awesome to lace up with the first-years this weekend, and we are feeling lots of positive energy.”
On the women’s side, Ruxin was able to capture seventh place with a time of 18:44.5, while Cassie Kearney ’22 came in 10th place with a time of 19:07.8. For the men, Quinlan McGaugh ’22 came in 10th place with a time of 26:34.4, while a time of 26:44.0 propelled Jack Litowitz ’20 to a 13th place finish.
“The Bates Invitational was a fun race and a great opportunity to run against some strong NESCAC competition early in the season,” McCaugh said.
Regarding the upcoming Aldrich Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 21, Litowitz was optimistic.
“A combination of the experience fresh off of a meet this past weekend, spiking up and running on our home course should allow the team to improve this week over last, and carry the positive momentum forward onto the bigger meets where it counts," he said.
Football
By LAUREN BOYD
The Panther football team kicked off their season with a 17–13 win against the Williams Ephs on Saturday, Sept. 14, scoring the game-winning touchdown with less than a minute on the clock.
The start of the second quarter opened up the scoring game. Carter Massengill ’20 put the first points of the game on the board, scoring a field goal from 25 yards out.
Later in the second quarter, the Panthers scored an 18–yard touchdown, gaining a 10–0 lead. The rest of the second quarter, however, was commanded by the Williams offense. Between the second and third quarters, the Ephs scored 13 unanswered points.
With just one minute and 30 seconds left in the game, the Panthers marched down the field behind Jernigan. A series of short passes and 10-yard gains led the Panthers to the 2-yard line, where Jernigan punched in the game-winning touchdown. Massengill tapped in the extra point, making the final score 17–13.
Men’s golf
By JACK KAGAN
The men’s golf team finished at the podium for this past weekend’s Duke Nelson Invitational. The Invitational took place at Middlebury’s Ralph Myhre Golf Course and featured 23 teams from around the region. After a strong start atop the standings at the end of day one, the Panthers finished the tournament in third place, just one stroke behind Williams.
Jordan Bessalel ’21 and co-captain Jeffrey Giguere ’20 shined on day one, coming in at sixth and third place respectively. Giguere finished out day two in first place by one stroke ahead of Williams’ Will Kannegieser. Giguere earned a combined score of 142. Neither Bessalel nor Giguere’s heroics were quite enough to lift the Panthers into second place as a team. New York University finished first.
After a strong showing, the Panthers will have little time to rest before heading down to their rivals’ turf in Williamstown for the Williams Fall Invitational.
Women’s golf
By MICHAEL SEGEL
The Panthers outdid last year’s performance at the St. Lawrence Invitational, this year coming in second place out of nine teams. On Sept. 7–8, five players from the women’s golf team came together to accomplish this feat. Their impressive performance can largely be attributed to the work of Blake Yaccino ’20, who finished third overall out of 47 participants. Classmate Chloe Levins ’20 wasn’t far behind, finishing in a tie for seventh overall.
Coming off the strong showing at the St. Lawrence Invitational, the women then competed in the Ann S. Batchelder Invitational on Sept. 14–15. They came in third overall behind Williams College and Wellesley College. Katie Murphy ’23 finished tied for second overall out of 42 golfers, shooting a two-over par 146 (74–72). Yaccino finished tied for fifth at 154 (76–78), while Levins finished tied for 18th with a 164 (84–80). Elizabeth Kenter ’23 finished tied for 27th, shooting a 169 (85–84), and Kayla Li ’23 finished in 29th with a 170 (85–85). The Panthers will be swinging back in action next week at the Mount Holyoke Invitational.
Men’s tennis
By JACK KAGAN
The men’s tennis team fell just short of divisional titles in four of four singles brackets this past weekend at the Middlebury Invitational on the Proctor Tennis Courts.
Though the squad is currently beginning a rebuilding process after losing its top two players to graduation, a bright future might not be so far away. The top singles flight saw unseeded Stan Morris ’22 blaze through to the finals, taking out the No. 3 and No. 2 seeds in the process.
Robby Ward ’23 also made a run to the finals in the B singles draw, knocking off No. 1 seed Brandeis sophomore Jeff Chen. David Vilys ’22 and Zach Hilty ’22 also made it to the finals in their respective C and D singles draws, and will look to use the momentum to propel themselves into a consistent starting role come spring time.
Surprisingly, the two doubles draws were devoid of Middlebury teams past the quarterfinals, likely owing to sets of entirely new doubles pairings.
The tournament featured teams such as Tufts University and Brandeis College, with whom the Panthers will have to contend if they want to stay at the top of DIII tennis.
Men’s soccer
By ERIK ARVIDSSON
After starting the NESCAC season with a scoreless double overtime tie, the Panthers traveled last weekend to Brunswick, Maine to take on the Bowdoin Polar Bears. For the second week in a row, the Panthers struggled connecting with the back of the net. The team finished with six shots on goal compared to Bowdoin’s 15 and neither were able to score. The game ended at 0–0.
The man of the match was goalkeeper Ryan Grady ’23. Grady made six saves to complete his second shutout of the year. The Panthers remain positive despite not scoring in two consecutive games.
“We have been doing all the right things,” Jack Spiridellis ’21 said. “We just need to put the ball into the back of the net, then we will win games.”
Up next, the Panthers played their home opener against Mt. St. Mary of New York on Sept. 17 (which occured after this issue was sent to print). The Panthers will round out the week with a home double-header this weekend against Hamilton on Saturday and Castleton on Sunday, Sept. 22.
Women’s tennis
By DAN MIGUEL ESPINOSA
The Middlebury women’s tennis team journeyed down Route 7 this past weekend for the Lindsay Morehouse Invitational at Williams College. The invitational followed a round-robin format in which the Panthers competed against three other teams in a full weekend of doubles and singles. No individual team was awarded champion.
On Friday, Sept. 13, three of four doubles pairs picked up victories against Skidmore. The following day, Middlebury swept RPI in three doubles matches, but only took two of three doubles matches against Williams. For singles, Middlebury swept RPI in all five contests.
Middlebury faced Skidmore again on Sunday for singles and won four of six matches. Against Williams, the Panthers won all three singles matches and won their only doubles contest.
The women will use this weekend to prepare for the ITA Regional Championships that kick off at home on Sept. 27.
Women’s soccer
By JENNY LANGERMAN
Women’s soccer had another successful week, winning both of this week’s games to put them at five total wins and zero losses.
The Panthers first faced SUNY Plattsburgh on the road. Despite solid play from their opponents, Middlebury was ultimately able to shut them out two-zip with goals from captain Jinx Charman ’20 and Leah Salzman ’21, and the help of strong defensive play.
Middlebury then hit the road once again to play the Bowdoin Polar Bears, having to put up a tougher fight in their second game of the week. The Bears got an early lead, scoring within the first eight minutes of play. The Panthers matched them with a goal from Salzman, but were unable to pull ahead until the very end. With just a minute and a half of game time left, captain Ellie Greenberg ’20 was able to hook one into the side of the net, securing the win.
The Panthers now have a week to regroup and prepare before their next match against conference-opponent, Hamilton College, on their home turf this Saturday, Sept. 21.
Volleyball
By HEATHER BOEHM
Middlebury Women’s Volleyball fell to an undefeated Clarkson on an unlucky Friday, Sept. 13, and split their weekend contests with a win over Potsdam and a loss to St. Lawrence on Saturday, Sept. 14.
In their first battle of the weekend against Clarkson, the Panthers came out expecting a war. Although they put some numbers on the board, they ultimately fell in straight sets to the 23rd-ranked team in the country. Gigi Alper ’20 led the Panther defense, picking up 13 digs for the night. Jane Nelson ’22 built on her teammates’ efforts and led the offense with six kills.
After a hard loss, Middlebury got back to work. The women triumphed over Potsdam with a decisive 3–0 victory. This time around it was Maggie Wise ’22, who took control of the Panther offense tallying 11 kills.
Although the Panthers were hungry for more, the women fell just short of a victory over St. Lawrence. Middlebury rolled through the first two sets before St. Lawrence stole the next two right back. Middlebury was then defeated by the Saints in the fifth set 15–12.
The Panthers will journey to Maine over the weekend, where they will compete against Colby on Friday, Sept. 20 and Bates on Saturday, Sept. 21.
Field hockey
By DAN MIGUEL ESPINOSA
Field hockey fared successfully on their Sept. 14–15 road trip, defeating ninth-ranked Bowdoin College and 18th-ranked Babson College, 1–0 and 2–0, respectively. The Panthers had difficulty stirring up scoring opportunities during the first half against the Bowdoin Polar Bears. But they gained momentum in the third quarter, outshooting the Polar Bears 3–0. Finally, the Panthers scored 30 seconds into the fourth quarter. The 1–0 score remained until the end of the game.
Against Babson, Middlebury struck early twice in the first quarter. The Panthers struggled scoring for the remainder of the game, but still made some spectacular stops.
Correction: A previous version of the cross country recap included outdated information and dates.
(11/15/18 10:56am)
The Middlebury men’s soccer team had an anxious final two weeks of its season. After falling to Williams on Saturday, Oct. 27 in the NESCAC quarterfinals, the team had to wait a week while still practicing to see if its season would continue. After receiving the news that they had earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament last Monday, the Panthers’ season was extended another week.
On Saturday, Nov. 10, the Panthers headed to Amherst, Massachusetts, for a first-round NCAA tournament matchup against Saint Joseph’s of Maine. Saint Joseph’s entered the matchup with an astounding 20-0 record, having only let in one goal the entire season. Although Saint Joseph’s typical level of competition is much lower than Middlebury’s NESCAC foes, Saint Joseph’s played NESCAC rival Bowdoin during the regular season and beat them 1-0. Although facing an undefeated opponent is always intimidating, captain Peter David ’19 noted that the Panthers felt ready for the challenge, saying, “We went in feeling very prepared. They are a good team, but we matched up with them well.”
Amid freezing temperatures and howling winds, the Panthers started out by pushing the ball forward and forcing Saint Joseph’s to defend their attack. The Panthers created opportunity after opportunity, but finding the back of the net proved to be difficult, as the game ended in a 2-1 loss for Middlebury.
In the 35th minute, despite being dominated by the Panthers, Saint Joseph’s scored the first goal of the match. The Monks played the ball into the box, and Middlebury was unable to clear it immediately. After the loose ball came down in the 18, Noah Robinson of Saint Joseph’s managed to get a foot on it, volleying the ball into the bottom left corner to make the score 1-0.
The Panthers fought hard for the equalizer. They continued to dominate possession and got the majority of the chances. Middlebury took 15 shots, with eight on goal, compared to Saint Joseph’s seven, with four on goal. All throughout the second half the Panthers created opportunity after opportunity, and finally their break came. In the 79th minute, Drew Goulart ’20 played the ball through to Daniel O’Grady ’19. The St. Joe’s keeper got off of his line while O’Grady managed to loft the ball into the net from roughly 20 yards out.
The Panthers looked to have turned the tide of the match. They continued to press and create more chances. However, in the 86th minute Middlebury gave up a free kick to St. Joseph’s on the left flank. The Monks’ Quinn Hewitt headed the ball into the goal off the service from Dalton Gaumer.
At the end of the day the Monks shifted their chances, with 50 percent of their shots on goal ending up in the back of the net compared to Middlebury’s mere 12 percent.
“Effectively it came down to finishing on set pieces. We created a lot of really good opportunities. But they were able to finish theirs and we weren’t,” Kyle Moffat ’19 said. “I thought the score should’ve been 4-2. But all the credit to them, they played tough and scored when it mattered the most.”
This was a devastating way for the soccer careers of many of the seniors to come to a close. However, Peter Davis ’19 noted that the boys felt lucky to have come this far. Had the final game of the year been the NESCAC quarterfinal loss to Williams, they would have been much more distraught.
“I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet, but that’s probably the toughest part of it. You put so much into this for four years. Us, going out the way we did, losing in the NCAA tournament, is better than not being there. We know how [well] we played, and I think it would have been different had we lost to Williams,” Moffat said.
When asked about where the program is headed, both Davis and Moffat seemed optimistic. “The team had a fun, positive atmosphere this year. I think we reestablished Middlebury, by going to the NCAA tournament the last two years, as a significant player in DIII soccer. It had been since 2010 since we made the tournament. I think that my class rallied around elevating the level of play and our standing in the NESCAC,” Moffat said.
When asked about his time as a Panther as well as how the rising juniors will step in and lead the team, Captain Peter Davis ’19 seemed optimistic about the future of the program.
“Being a captain, I would say, was my proudest moment of being affiliated with the program,” Davis said. “It was more than I expected going into it. You’re so in it when you’re a captain. They’re going to be so fine. A lot of the guys in the junior class stood up and took more leadership roles. They have made the NCAA tournament two years in a row. They know what it takes and are ready to step up into those senior roles. Being a fan is going to suck, but I am excited about seeing where these guys go in the future.”
Although its season ended in a tough way, the men’s soccer team provided plenty of thrills and quality play this season. With back-to-back tournament appearances under its belt, the program is progressing and looking to take it one step further next year.
(11/01/18 9:59am)
Last Tuesday, the Middlebury men’s soccer team crushed Williams 2-0 in its final regular-season game. This set up a NESCAC quarterfinal matchup in Middlebury this past Saturday, Oct. 27. The third-seeded Panthers welcomed the sixth-seeded Ephs to Vermont during treacherous nor’easter conditions. The Ephs were intent on avenging their loss four days earlier to the Panthers, and their energy was evident from the opening whistle.
Williams came out of the gate with guns blazing. The Ephs earned four corner kicks in the first 2:42 of the game, putting immense pressure on goalkeeper Matt Hyer ’21. During the remainder of the half, Williams put pressure on the goal. The Panthers struggled to gain possession and organize any sort of an offensive attack.
The Panthers fought hard on the defensive end, however, and were able to keep Williams out of the back of the net. The game headed into halftime scoreless. A few minutes after the halftime whistle blew, the red weather warning light atop the scoreboard lit up and the game was delayed to allow for the weather to clear up.
Two hours later, the game restarted. Eleven minutes into the second half, Williams was able to find the back of the net, when Scatt McDonald took a free kick from 30 yards out. Hyer managed to make the save, but was unable to maintain possession of the ball. Williams’ Eric Hirsch found the loose ball and shot it into the back of the net. The Panthers pushed and looked for the equalizer but were unable to score; the match ended in a 1-0 win for the Ephs.
“Beating a team twice in one week is not easy to do. We beat them Tuesday 2-0, which was our biggest conference win all season, so I think we expected to win on Saturday as well. Williams brought the fight to us and held us to two shots the whole game,” said Hyer. “I think we underestimated Williams’ ability to battle us on our field and never really entertained the possibility of losing. As a result, Williams was down our throats from kickoff, and we never really had an opportunity to win the game.”
Williams outshot Midd 10-2 and managed five shots on goal. The Ephs earned five corners compared to the Panthers’ one.
The future remains uncertain for the Panthers. After being knocked out of the NESCAC tournament, they will have to wait until Monday, Nov. 5 to find out if they will earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. Until then, the Panthers will maintain their normal practice schedule. After finishing third in the NESCAC regular season and drawing against the defending national champion Tufts, the Panthers have a strong case for a bid.
(10/25/18 9:57am)
The Panther men’s soccer team has not lost a game since a narrow 1-0 loss at home against Bowdoin on Saturday, Sept. 22. The team’s record is now 10-2-3.
Over Fall Break, the Panthers won a dramatic 3-2 match on the road against Trinity. The following day it was time for yet another NESCAC matchup with Wesleyan. Although only 3-8 on the season coming into the matchup, Wesleyan played strong from the start and made it hard for the Panthers to find the back of the net. Middlebury clearly dominated the matchup, and eight minutes into overtime David Oudet ’20 finally found the back of the net to give the Panthers the win.
On Oct. 17, Middlebury headed to Castleton for an out-of-conference matchup. The match was tightly contested, and the deciding goal came early in the 24th minute as Ben Potter ’20 scored on a penalty. The Panthers battled on the defensive end during the remaining 66 minutes and helped Matthew Hyer ’21 earn his fifth shutout of the season.
This past Saturday, the Panthers hosted Bates in their final home match of the regular season. The match started out even, as both teams controlled possession and missed some incredible chances. In the first half Ben Potter ’20 was taken down in the box in what looked like a clear penalty, but the referee kept his whistle in his pocket.
The Panthers finally got a break in the 78th minute as Michael McFarlane ’22 was taken down in the box and drew a penalty. For the second straight week, Potter stepped up to the penalty marker and found the back of the net.
“All of our guys played big roles in keeping the clean sheet and ultimately creating the goal,” Potter reflected after the match. “McFarlane did a great job taking on his man and drawing the penalty, and I was fortunate to be able to put it away. It was great to see all of our alumni on the sideline. We’re all a part of this program together so it felt good to be able to share that celebration.”
After the successful 9-0 run, the boys had set themselves up for an important showdown against Williams this past Tuesday, Oct. 23. The match against Williams started with the Ephs getting the first chance off of a corner in just the seventh minute. However, five minutes later the Panthers got on the scoreboard themselves. Ben Potter ’20 scored in his third straight match off a volley assisted by Kyle Moffatt ’19. The match was even, with the Panthers taking nine shots compared to Williams’ seven. Middlebury earned four corners opposed to Williams’ three. The difference was the Panthers ability to score their shots on goal. The Panthers only had two shots on goal but they both managed to find the back of the net. In the 92nd minute the Panthers converted their second shot on goal as Shams Mohajerani ’20 found Henry Wilhelm ’20 wide open in front of the net to push the score to 2-0.
Matt Hyer ’21 has now gone 443 minutes without allowing a goal. After the win he commented on the team’s gutsy performance.
“Today was a huge win,” Hyer said. “The mentality going into kickoff was that of a playoff game and it showed in our play. We only allowed one shot on goal which is a result of the entire team defending with their lives, we won balls in the air and managed to put two up on a very good team. The back four make my job very easy, I wouldn’t trade [my teammates] for anybody else in the country. We will likely face Williams again on Saturday, so we need to find a way to stay sharp and bring the fight again.”
This coming Saturday, Oct. 27, the men’s team will host a quarter final matchup, playing sixth-seed Williams at 12 p.m. at home.
(10/11/18 9:59am)
The undefeated Tufts team rolled into Middlebury for a conference clash against the Panthers last weekend. The Jumbos were welcomed by a classic Vermont day, grey skies and cold temperatures that made the Panthers feel right at home. A crowd of parents, siblings and alumni made for an exciting atmosphere. From the minute the opening whistle blew, it was clear Middlebury was in for a battle against the team which has won two of the last four national titles.
The Panthers started the match off by putting major pressure on the Tufts defense. No more than 120 seconds had passed when Middlebury struck first. Ben Potter ’20 was taken down in the box, and the Panthers were awarded a penalty. Captain Daniel O’Grady ’19 stepped up cool and collected to the penalty marker, hitting a confident shot past the keeper into the bottom right corner of the goal.
“Getting the first goal so quickly was important because it gave us the belief that our game plan works and that we had every ability to win the game,” O’Grady said.
The Panthers kept up the pressure, but it didn’t take long for the Jumbos to equalize. In the 26th minute they found the back of the net on a set piece. Brett Rojas served a free kick into the penalty box, and Sterling Weatherbie managed to head it into the goal. The next 20 minutes saw possession being controlled by both sides. After 45 minutes the teams headed to the locker room all square at 1–1.
The second half started quickly. Both sides had many chances, but neither team managed to find the net. At the end of regulation, Middlebury earned back-to-back corner kicks. This fired up the people in the crowd, many of whom were running back and forth between the men’s and women’s matches trying to will the Panthers to victory. However, it wasn’t enough, and at the end of 90 minutes the score remained tied at 1–1.
In overtime, Middlebury kept up its physical style of play, disrupting Tufts’ chances to find the winning goal. Overtime matches can be long and grueling, but O’Grady again noted the importance of that first goal.
“Even after conceding, the fact that we had been able to break them down so early helped us sustain our enthusiasm and energy for the full match,” he said.
The match ended with Tufts outshooting the Panthers 16–8 and earning nine corners as opposed to the Panthers’ four. As is typical for its physical style, Middlebury was called for 26 fouls, seven more than Tufts.
Despite tying the number-three team in the country, the Panthers were disappointed.
“As a group we were pretty unsatisfied with the result,” Potter said. “Tufts is a good team, but we were disappointed to concede a set-piece goal after taking the lead so early on. Overall, it was a solid performance that we hope to build on moving forward. We want to be playing our best soccer at the end of the season, and I think we’re on the road to doing that.”
This past Monday, Oct. 8, the Panthers traveled to Utica, New York, for a non-conference matchup with Utica College. Middlebury outshot Utica 27–1 and earned 10 corner kicks to Utica’s zero. Goals from O’Grady, Brendan Barry ’22, Kye Moffatt ’19, Jacob LaBranche ’22 and two from Aidan Robinson ’20 led the Panthers to a whopping 6–0 win.
On the horizon, the Panthers have a home match and an away doubleheader against NESCAC foes Trinity and Wesleyan, on Saturday and Sunday respectively. With the season coming to an end, every match at this point is important to helping the Panthers qualify for the postseason, and Drew Goulart ’19 thinks the guys have what it takes.
“I feel confident going into the our last five games of the regular season,” Goulart said. “Throughout the season we have become a much stronger team and have begun to find our footing. The important part now is maintaining a fighting mentality and imposing our game onto any opponent we face.”
(10/04/18 9:52am)
On Sept. 29 and 30, the men’s soccer team headed to Maine for a doubleheader against rival Colby College on Saturday, and then with University of Maine Farmington on Sunday. Against Colby, the Panthers struck first on a penalty by Daniel O’Grady ’19 in the 22nd minute. The rest of the half remained scoreless and the Panthers headed into the locker room holding onto a slim lead. In the 56th minute, Colby found the back of the net, equalizing the score. Lucas Pereira assisted Cam Cloude as the Mules managed to even the score at 1.
At the end of 90 minutes, the match remained tied and the teams headed into overtime. Middlebury was the dominant team throughout, outshooting Colby 16-8, and earning 13 corners as opposed to the Mules’ lone two. Colby’s goalkeeper was busy in the net, making nine saves while Midd’s Matt Hyer ’21 only made three. Midd kept pressing for the go ahead goal and they almost found it. As Midfielder Michael O’Herron ’19 recalls, the Panthers really deserved the win, except a missed call cost them a penalty.
“We had one play where Donski (Brandon Reid ’21) had a one on one with the keeper and he touched it around the keeper and got tripped, the ref fully missed the call.”
Regardless of the pressure from Middlebury, Colby wasn’t going to drop the game just yet. Deep in the second half, they had a close chance, but the ball hit the crossbar. Had the shot been a few inches lower, the Mules would have stolen 3 points from the Panthers. Middlebury and Colby would eventually tie, 1-1. Raffi Barsamian ’21 noted “It’s one of those games were the better team didn’t end up coming out on top.”
Moving on from the disappointment, the Panthers competed in a non-conference matchup with U-Maine Farmington on the following day. The Panthers were a level above their opponents from the start. Brandon Reid ’21, one of the Panthers most prolific goal scorers, tallied on a breakaway assisted by Drew Goulart ’20 in the 10th minute. Goulart was in a giving mood; in the 21st minute, Goulart assisted Ben Potter ’20, who scored on a header. In the 38th minute, Shams Mohajerani ’20 gave the Panthers a 3-0 cushion. The Panthers went up 4-0 just before the half when a player from UMaine Farmington scored on his own goal. With a four goal lead heading into the second half, the Panthers distributed playing time for every single member of the team.
Michael O’Herron ’19 noted that these fresh faces stood up to the challenge. “Everyone on the team played so it was nice to get the freshman out there,” said O’Herron. “It was a tough surface, and not an easy place to play, so it was nice to see them play well.” The Panthers rounded out the goal fest by finding the back of the net two more times. Henry Wilhelm ‘20 and Brendan Berry ’22 scored in the 50th and 81st minutes respectively. The final score was 6-0 in favor of the Panthers.
Coming up this weekend the Panthers face their biggest test of the season yet: a home matchup against third-ranked Tufts. “Tufts is the team to beat in the NESCAC” said Kyle Moffat ’19. “You get that honor from winning two national titles in four years.”
O’Herron also noted that Tufts brings a high level of quality to their game in contrast to the typically physical NESCAC style.
“They play a possession oriented, ball on the ground style, they are high quality and technically very sound,” O’Herron said.
The Panthers will look to disrupt that style, but they also think they can play along with the style of the Tufts team when necessary.
“It will be important to affect their style given that one of our strengths is the physicality of our game,” O’Herron said. “That being said, we have some really technical players who can match that style as well.”
The match this weekend should be an exciting one. Bring your family out and show your Panther Pride!
(09/27/18 10:00am)
The Panthers just wrapped up a successful yet brutal week, both at home and on the road. Last Tuesday, Sept. 18 the men’s soccer team traveled over four hours to Newburgh, NY for an out-of-conference matchup with Mt. Saint Mary College. Middlebury had a hot start with Raffi Barsamian ’21 scoring his first career goal in style. Barsamian hit a spectacular 40-yard shot in the ninth minute after an assist from Drew Goulart ’20. Ben Potter ’20 scored back-to-back goals in the 12th and 40th minutes. Fazl Shaikh ’20 rounded out the half by finding the net in the 44th minute. The Panthers cruised through the second half and Matthew Hyer ’21 recorded yet another shutout. After the game, the boys hopped right back on the bus, returning to Midd at 2 a.m. the following morning.
Only three days later, the 2-3 Bowdoin Polar Bears rolled into Middlebury looking to inch back to .500 on the season. Bowdoin took the early lead, as Drake Byrd scored in the 11th minute. The Panthers spent the remaining 80 minutes trying to equalize, but fell short.
“Just look at the number of shots we had to theirs. [Middlebury 12 vs. Bowdoin 5],” said Kye Moffat ’19. “We had the better of the chances. They scored on a nice free kick and we just weren’t able to get it back.”
After the match, the Panthers made their way to New York again for an away game against Hamilton.
The match against Hamilton started slowly. At halftime the scoreline remained at 0-0. Four minutes into the second half, Hamilton’s Jefri Schmidt scored after an assist from Jeff Plump on a free kick. The following 34 minutes remained scoreless, and it looked as if the Panthers were heading for a devastating weekend of back-to-back 1-0 losses. However, the Panthers proved their resiliency once again as Barsamian assisted and Henry Wilhelm ’20 shot an equalizing goal in the 84th minute.
At 90 minutes, the game remained tied at 1-1 and the match went into overtime. The first OT went by scoreless. With time running out, Middlebury was able to convert one of their 22 shots into a goal. Shaikh assisted Davis Oudet ’20, who scored his first career goal for Middlebury during the most critical seconds, with only 1:37 remaining on the clock. The Panthers locked down on defense for the remaining minute and a half to get the win.
“The two goals against Hamilton came because the entire team was fighting for the man next to him,” Hyer said about the win from behind. “Henry and Davis both came off the bench and put their bodies on the line to get the ball in the back of the net. The message for the game was essentially to grind until you can’t anymore, then trust the guys who come on after you. In the end, it worked.”
The Panthers have a more relaxing week ahead of them without a midweek game. On Saturday, Sept. 29 the team will head to Colby before wrapping up the weekend against the University of Maine at Farmington. Hyer said the Panthers have been looking forward to Saturday’s matchup for some time now.
“Colby beat us last year so we’ve had their name marked on the calendar for a long time,” Hyer said. “Like every NESCAC game, getting three points is essential and if we bring the fight we had at Hamilton, I think we can beat anybody.”
(09/20/18 10:01am)
The Middlebury men’s soccer team headed into their September 15 game against Amherst, ranked 10th in the nation, with a winless record. The Panthers and the Mammoths battled it out for a tough 90 minutes with Middlebury coming out of the match with 14 shots compared to the Amherst’s 13. The match was physical from the start, and each team committed over 15 fouls; the referee dished out a whopping six yellow cards, four to Midd and two to Amherst. The tussle finally paid off when junior defender Henry Wilhelm brought the Panthers to glory with an unassisted goal in the 72nd minute. The Panthers locked down the defensive side of the field for the next 18 minutes, leading goalkeeper Matt Hyer ’21 his second shutout on the season after making four saves during the match.
With three games in a six day span coming up this week, a win was vital for the team atmosphere under its new coaching staff.
“This game meant everything for the direction of this program,” Raffi Barsamian ’21 emphasized. “It gave us a snapshot of what we can be -- which is the best team in the country.”
Barsamian noted that the Panthers were able to handle the Mammoths by outperforming them at their own style of play, while still maintaining their own flair.
“Typically Amherst is the team that comes in and is going to bully you and play in the air -- a really scrappy team,” Barsamian said. “We did that to them. We outfought them, [and] outworked them, while still conforming to our style.”
Alex Elias, first year head coach ‘08, said he could not have been more proud of the Panthers after the win. Barsamian noted that when the match was over, Coach Elias approached them in the huddle and applauded them for their dedication and effort to the team.
“[He said], ‘do you feel that energy? Do you feel this? This is what every game should feel like. You guys battled, and you won the fight,” Barsamian recalls.
As previously mentioned, Panthers have started a busy week. On Tuesday, September 18 the men headed to New York to face Mt. St. Mary at 7 p.m.. This weekend, September 22-23, the Panthers will play a NESCAC doubleheader with a home game against Bowdoin on Saturday, followed by an away game against Hamilton on Sunday.
As usual, the NESCAC battles will not be easy. When asked about how the Panthers can keep up the same energy that propelled them to the win against Amherst, Fazl Shaikh ’20 noted that it comes down to focus.
“We have the capabilities to do that game in and game out, [but] we need to focus on battling for 90 minutes,” Shaikh said. “‘It’s easy to say but harder to do. The games we lost, we had 50-60 good minutes. We need 90 good minutes every game.”
Greg Conrad ’17, first year assistant coach, is prepared to help the men find this focus.
“This upcoming week will be a good test for the group as mental preparation will be the biggest key to our success,” Conrad said. “We put together a great 90 minutes on Saturday and will need to continue to find that type of attention to detail throughout the year. Training this week will be very deliberate, and we hope to capture the intensity of the weekend and make it the standard.”
The players aren’t the ones who should be delivering intensity for those 90 minutes every game. To all fans, you are encouraged to come out and support the Panthers this weekend. The team's energy is electric and contagious; let's show them we have their backs.
(09/13/18 10:00am)
There’s a new man in charge of the Middlebury men’s soccer team. Last season’s assistant coach Alex Elias ’08 is taking over the program from David Saward, who retired after an illustrious 33-year career coaching the Panthers. During his time, Saward amassed a whopping 347 wins, as well as 10 NCAA tournament appearances and the program’s first NCAA title in 2007.
Saward’s last season was a special one for the Panthers, despite ending with a loss in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Kye Moffat ’19 noted that last year the boys rallied around the energy of shutdown goalkeeper and senior tri-captain Jeremy Yeager.
“[We] were fired up to be playing with [Yeager] and to extend coach’s last season,” Moffat said.
Moffat also referenced many special moments for the 2017 team. Moffat described one weekend when senior tri-captain Jed Sass scored an exciting winning goal against Amherst and then another one at home against Hamilton. In reference to the final 2017 captain Enzo Weiner ’18, Moffat said he will miss how “Enzo tackled harder than anyone in the league.”
This year, sophomore Matt Hyer looks to fill Yeager’s goalkeeper shoes on the field and in the locker room. Moffat, stepping in at center back for Weiner, hopes to carry on Weiner’s tradition of tough-nosed play. Moffat will additionally continue the legacy of his oldest brother Corey Moffat ’08, who played center back on Saward’s 2007 NCAA Championship team.
Elias, who also played for Saward’s 2007 team, looks to continue the legacy left behind by his former coach. Moffat describes Elias’s coaching style as more low-key than his predecessor. According to Moffat, Elias puts major emphasis on old-fashioned hard work.
“Elias demands hard work, and he wants the results to speak for themselves,” Moffat said.
Although he was an assistant last year, Elias is preparing to bring his own flavor to the men’s soccer program. Moffat noted that it has taken some time to get used to the new team formations and tactics. The transition has led to a slow start for the Panthers. Already the Panther’s record includes an overtime tie at home to Norwich University on September 4 and a devastating last minute 1-0 loss to Connecticut College on September 8.
The Panther’s next game is Saturday, September 15 at home against Amherst at 12:00 p.m. Moffat urges the student body to turn out regardless of the slow start.
“I am not worrying about the results so far and neither should you guys,” Moffat said. “So come out to the game this Saturday.”
(09/11/08 12:00am)
Author: Emma Gardner After capturing its first-ever NCAA Championship last year and a school record of 18 wins against two losses and two ties, the men's soccer team is gearing up for what promises to be another dazzling season. David Saward is back for his 24th season as Head Coach, this time with the additional title of NSCAA/Adidas National Coach of the Year. While the team has a number of new accolades to proudly display in Kenyon's trophy case, the graduation of several star players last spring has left room for improvement on both the offensive and defensive sides. The men will strive to reinforce their attack strategy, relying on solid defense and midfield players along with the addition of fresh talent on the field.First-years to look out for include Robbie Redmond '12 and Vermont's own Tyler Macnee '12 - two young players who will surely light up the field this fall. As tri-captains Brian Bush '09, Allen Bourdon '08.5 and Baer Fisher '09 return for their final season, the team will receive direction from three veteran Middlebury soccer players with high hopes for the year. "We've lost a really talented group of five seniors," admits Fisher. "But with the addition of the freshmen, new players should step into new roles and we should be alright. We're just as talented - if not more so - than we have been in other years."The men play Amherst at home on Sept. 13 in a battle that will likely display the capabilities of the new lineup as well as introduce the crowd to some new faces.On the heels of the most successful season in the program's history, the men hope to dribble their way to another pair of NESCAC and NCAA victories.