Williams Eyes Fifth Crown This Weekend
Semifinal Action Begins Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
HADLEY, Mass. - Williams College, winner of the last four NESCAC Men’s Soccer Championships, will attempt to defend its 2004 title at home when the 2005 NESCAC Men’s Soccer Championship takes place this weekend at Cole Field in Williamstown, Mass. The semifinals begin on Saturday, November 5, with seventh-seed Wesleyan taking on top-seed Williams at 11:00 a.m., followed at 1:30 p.m. by fourth-seeded Amherst against third-seed Middlebury. The 2005 NESCAC Men’s Soccer Championship will conclude with the final on Sunday, November 6, at 12:00 p.m.
The Ephs (13-1-0, 9-0-0 NESCAC) locked up the top seed in the tournament for the third-straight year almost two weeks ago. Since tournament play was established in the 2000 season, Williams has garnered hosting duties five times, making an appearance in each of the five previous championship games. The Ephs hold a 10-1-0 record in NESCAC postseason competition, with their only loss coming during the inaugural 2000 tournament, a 1-0 quadruple-overtime loss to Middlebury. Leading the way offensively this season for Williams has been junior forward Patrick Huffer (Boulder, Colo.), collecting nine goals and three assists for 21 points. His seven goals in conference play puts Huffer in a two-way tie for first in the category with another member of the championship field, Amherst junior Mike Wohl (Northampton, Mass.).
It will be the third-straight year that Wesleyan (7-4-3, 3-4-2 NESCAC) will meet Williams in the semifinals, and the fourth year in a row that the two teams will clash in tournament play. The Ephs knocked the Cardinals out of the tournament last year by a slim 1-0 margin. In the lone meeting between the two clubs at the start of the season on September 10, Williams netted three goals and used solid defense to obtain a 3-0 shutout win. Wesleyan, the seventh-seed in this year’s tournament field, reached the semifinals by defeating second-seeded Bowdoin on Sunday 4-1, after falling to the Polar Bears the day before, 1-0, to close out the regular season. Scoring has been a team effort for the Cardinals this season, as ten players have goals but only three have more than one. Sophomore Brandon Smith (Montclair, N.J.) leads his squad in scoring this season, tallying six goals and four assists.
Third-seed Middlebury (10-3-1, 6-2-1 NESCAC) is one of only two teams to reach the semifinals each of the six years the tournament has been held, the other team being Williams. The Panthers fell just short in the 2004 tournament, as host Williams dealt Middlebury a 1-0 loss in the championship game. Middlebury was at the head of the NESCAC pack for most of the season, finishing the regular season in third place. Junior goalkeeper Zack Toth (Carlile, Mass.) provides the defensive backbone for the Panthers, as he leads the NESCAC in goals against average (0.58) and save percentage (.875), and so far has collected eight shutouts this season.
Fourth-seed Amherst (8-4-3, 4-3-2 NESCAC) needed double overtime to make its way past fifth-seed Bates on Sunday, as senior Joe Gannon (Hanson, Mass.) connected on a penalty kick with four seconds remaining in the second extra session for a 2-1 victory. The Jeffs return to the semifinals for the first time since 2002, the same season that saw the then fourth-seeded Amherst make its only championship game appearance before falling to Williams, 3-0. Saturday’s matchup with the Panthers may prove to be an exciting rematch of their October 20 meeting, as the Jeffs mounted a come-from-behind victory thanks to two goals from Mike Wohl for a 2-1 win. All of Wohl’s team-leading seven goals have come in conference play this year. Amazingly, the meeting between Amherst and Middlebury on Saturday will be the first between the two squads in NESCAC Tournament play.
2005 NESCAC MEN’S
SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round - Sunday, Oct. 30 at Higher Seeds
No. 7
Wesleyan 4, at No. 2 Bowdoin 1
at No.
3 Middlebury 1, No. 6 Tufts 0
at No.
4 Amherst 2, No. 5 Bates 1 - 2OT
Semifinals - Saturday, Nov.
5 at Williams
No. 7 Wesleyan at No. 1 Williams - 11:00 a.m.
No. 4 Amherst vs. No. 3 Middlebury - 1:30 p.m.
Championship - Sunday, Nov.
6 at Williams
Semifinal winners - 12:00 p.m.
