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WILLIAMSTOWN, MA - The stage was different but
the result was the same as the Williams College men's soccer team
defeated Connecticut College 3-0 in the opening round of the NESCAC
tournament Sunday at Cole Field. Williams previously collected a
4-0 victory against the Camels in their regular season meeting on
Sept. 19 in Williamstown.
The second seeded Ephs (12-2-1) are the 14th ranked team in the
latest NSCAA National Poll and advance to the semifinals where they
will play fourth seeded Bowdoin on November 7th at
Wesleyan College. The Camels end their first season under head
coach Kenny Murphy their first appearance in the postseason since
2007 and a record of 8-6-1 (5-4 NESCAC).
Williams forward Charles Romero was the catalyst for the Eph
attack as he notched the game-winner in the 25th minute
and assisted on the games other two scores.
"The defense wasn't giving them anything and that really helped
open up the offense in the second half." remarked Romero, "We
definitely have a different mindset and attitude this season which
has allowed us to be successful."
Williams pressured the visitors throughout, blasting the Camel
net with 27 shots while only allowing five.
All those shots translated into a score at the 24:07 mark of the
first half when Nick Pugiliese volleyed the ball into the box where
it connected with the heads of Will Whiston and Pierre
Meloty-Kapella before Romero redirected it midflight past Camel
keeper Alex Martland (8 saves) to put the Ephs up 1-0.
Despite several chances on both sides, the score would remain
the same for the remainder of the first half.
Williams added to their advantage ten minutes into the
2nd half, this time after Martland made an excellent
diving stop to turn aside an Eph shot only to see the deflection
hang in the air in the box. The Ephs Gaston Kelly was right there
and used a dive of his own to head the ball into the net, giving
Williams the 2-0 lead.
The Ephs would add another insurance score off of a corner kick
set piece 12 minutes later. Kelly ripped an excellent line drive
from the corner which barely grazed the head of Romero on the near
post giving it just the boost to clear the Camel defense and find
the head of Will Whiston on the far post who knocked it home,
making it 3-0 with 23 minutes to play.
Conn. College had some late opportunities but Eph keeper Andrew
Graham (1 save) and the Williams defense held true and delivered
Williams the victory.
