Amherst Edges Middlebury 1-0 in Men's Soccer Semifinals
Courtesy Williams Sports Information
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass – For the second time this season, Amherst upset Middlebury by a one-goal margin today in the NESCAC Tournament Semifinals. In a near carbon copy of the first game of today's doubleheader between host Williams and Wesleyan, the lower-seeded team scored an early goal and managed to hold onto the 1-0 lead for the remainder of the match.
In unusually mild and beautiful weather for November in New England, both teams played a remarkably even and hard-fought game. The lone tally of the game came at 12:49 into the game. Joe Gannon took a corner kick that found the head of Ben Lavely at 8 yards out. Lavely's incredible header found the top left corner of the goal to provide the only offense the Lord Jeffs would need all day.
Middlebury outshot Amherst by a margin of 13-8 and took 7 corner kicks compared to Amherst's 5
Keeper Jeff Grover, who finished with 2 saves, and the Amherst defense effectively held off a barrage of offensive opportunities from the Panthers in the final 30 minutes of the game to secure their spot in the conference championship game tomorrow at noon against the Wesleyan Cardinals at Cole Fields.
