Wesleyan Upsets Host Williams in Men's Soccer Semifinals
Courtesy Williams Sports Information
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass – Game plans don't always work, especially in soccer, but today the plan worked perfectly for Wesleyan (8-5-3) as they upset host Williams (13-2) 1-0 in the first semifinal contest of the 2005 NESCAC Men's Soccer Championship Saturday on Cole Field.
"We talked this week about getting an early goal and seeing how Williams would react to being behind," said Wesleyan head coach Geoff Wheeler.
Just over seven minutes into the contest Morgan Owen and Josh Stephens executed Wheeler's plan to a T. Stephens got a step on the back left side of the Williams defense and fired a crossing ball into the box where a streaking Owen was able to get just enough on the ball to re-direct it past the dive of goalie Nick Armington into the left corner of the net.
Morgan Owen has struck better balls to score goals than the one he put in the net today, but he fully understands the significance of his goal. "I just got a little piece of it, but it was great to get a goal in a game like this and beat a team like Williams."
Wesleyan mustered just three shots in the opening 45 minutes, while Williams fired off eight, but none of the Eph attempts was on the frame and Wesleyan goalie Matt Gnall had no saves in the first half. Armington also had no saves in the first half of play.
Eph head coach Mike Russo changed his lineup at the half and moved central defender Dana Leary up front to a forward position to generate more of an attack. Nathan Elwood took over for Leary on the back line.
At 51:37 Eph midfielder Josh Bolton ripped a tester from the top of the box that forced Gnall to put his body in front of. As the ball came off of Gnall's body a charging Dana Leary got a foot on the rebound, but Gnall quickly snuffed his attempt.
Four minutes later the Ephs were threatening again with Patrick Huffer coming out of the right corner along the end line and feeding John Hillman. Hillman's shot was headed for the left hand corner on the ground, but Gnall with full extension was able to push it just wide.
Moments later Gnall again made a spectacular save off a Dana Leary header as he leaped to his right to snare the attempt.
The closest Williams would come to netting the tying goal came at 78:48 when Dana Leary re-directed a 40-yard Ryan Pelletier direct kick past Gnall and off the left post and out of bounds.
"Disappointed to be sure," said Eph head coach Mike Russo. "We've had luck in the past and today we just didn't have it. I take my hat off to Wesleyan. They had a good game plan and they defended very well."
"I'm delighted that we won," said Wheeler. "We could've just as easily lost. We had a little luck today and we needed it because Williams is so dangerous."
"Our goal is to win today and win tomorrow so we can go to the NCAA Tournament," said Morgan Owen.
