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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass - The Williams College men's soccer team
dominated NESCAC conference rival Trinity for 87 minutes Saturday,
however three minutes was all the Bantams needed as an off shooting
day by the Ephs and a conversely efficient shooting performance by
Trinity equaled a stunning 3-0 victory for the visitors at Cole
Field.
For Williams, the loss snaps an eight game winning streak and
hands them their first loss of the season as the NCSAA New England
#1 and National #7 ranked team falls to 8-1-1 (4-1-1 NESCAC). With
the win Trinity matches the Ephs record at 8-1-1 (4-1-1 NESCAC) and
extends their win streak to three games.
The Ephs simply controlled the Bantams for large swaths of the
game. Dictating pace, possession, and field position they recorded
massive advantages in shots (Williams: 32; Trinity: 8) and corners
(Williams: 8; Trinity: 3) while ensuring that, for the most part,
the game was played in the Trinity end. However, a very
uncharacteristic shooting performance, wherein the Ephs didn't
convert golden opportunity after golden opportunity, doomed
Williams.
"It's very disappointing but I can't fault the kid's effort."
Remarked Eph coach Mike Russo, "We just could not finish and they
had a few guys rise to the occasion when they needed them too, and
that was the difference."
The Williams offense produced throughout with Charles Romero
reeling off nine shots, Pierre Meloty-Kapella unloading seven
shots, and Gaston Kelly and Matt Ratajczak contributing four shots
each. Unfortunately, harassment by the Trinity defense and plain
misfiring by Williams kept the Ephs off of the board.
Trinity was led by a herculean effort in the net by goalkeeper
Grant Schonberg (9 saves) who often found himself in one-on-one
situations with Eph attackers and always came out on top.
Offensively, the Bantams were led by Adam Lanza who, coming off the
bench, notched a goal and assist.
Williams burst out of the blocks from the get-go, as
Trinity found themselves on the defensive almost instantly. The
Bantams survived several very near misses in the game's opening
moments, most notably when the increasingly dangerous pairing of
Romero and Meloty-Kapella nearly hooked up for a score in the
10th minute. After shedding a defender in the box and
forcing Schonberg to commit, Romero dumped a quick pass off to
Meloty-Kapella right in front of the net. However, Meloty-Kapella
pushed the shot just wide of the open net and the game remained
0-0.
Trinity settled in midway through the half and play balanced out
considerably - the only point in the game when play appeared to be
even. However, despite Trinity's effort to curtail the Williams
pressure, the Ephs once again nearly got on board before the half
was through. This time in the 33 minute, when Joe Vella caught the
Trinity goalkeeper out of position and used his head to redirect a
Gaston Kelly corner kick onto the net. However, a Bantam defender
materialized at the last moment and used his chest to stop the ball
at the line and prevent the score - ensuring that the two teams
would be locked at 0-0 at intermission.
The Ephs started the 2nd half much as they began the
first, making sure that play settled almost exclusively around the
Trinity net with only brief occasionally forays by the Bantam
offense out of their end.
In this climate the Ephs once again appeared to be creating at
will. Williams' best chance of the game came in the 59th
minute, when Romero found himself alone with the ball streaking
towards the Trinity net. After eluding Trinity goalkeeper Grant
Schonberg with a quick side step, Romero appeared poised to cash in
and put the Ephs up; however, another sensational diving play by a
Bantam defender once again turned a sure goal aside at the last
second and preserved the stalemate.
After spending the vast majority of the game on the defensive
deep in their own territory, Trinity turned the game on its head
with 28 minutes remaining. In a rare excursion into the Williams
end Adam Lanza, with his back to the Eph net and the ball at his
feet, turned and fired an absolute lazer from 25 yards out that
traveled on a line splitting Eph goalkeeper Andrew Graham's hands
(3 saves) and into the top shelf of the net giving the Bantams the
improbable 1-0 lead.
The against the run of play score seemed to galvanize the
Bantams, who would add to their lead seven minutes later. This time
after a miscue between Graham and the Eph defense gave Trinity a
corner kick, which John Graves knocked home at the tail end of
determined run giving the Bantams a 2-0 lead.
Trinity was not done yet, as they would add to the lead two
minutes later. This time as the Ephs, who were throwing more into
the offense, were caught out of position and paid for it when Peter
Marlette broke away and made a converted an excellent flick shot
over the top of Graham to make it 3-0 with 19 minutes to
play.
The Ephs would respond with renewed pressure, but their shooting
woes remained and they could not make a comeback.
The Ephs will look to get back into the win column Wednesday,
October 14th, when they host Springfield at Cole Field.
That game is scheduled for a 3:30 kickoff.
