Box Score BRUNSWICK, ME -- On Sunday afternoon the Williams College men's soccer team (7-3-0, NESCAC 4-3-0) visited Bowdoin College (5-2-3, NESCAC 3-2-2) at Pickard Soccer Field, where the Polar Bears handed the Ephs their first regular time loss of the season by a score of 1-0.
The lone goal of the game came in the 27th minute of the first half when a good buildup out of the midfield led to a shot by sophomore Andrew Jones, whose shot caromed off the crossbar of senior Eph keeper Peter Morrell's goal. The deflection could not have fallen more perfectly for the Polar Bears as it went directly towards the head of freshman Cedric Charlier, who made no mistake nodding the ball into the back of the net.
In spite of the early goal, the Ephs maintained a good amount of the possession, especially in the second half.
Only five minutes into the restart, the Ephs created a great chance to equalize. The combination of sophomore Mohammed Rashid and junior Andres Burbank-Crump down the left wing earned the Ephs a corner. Junior Matt Muralles took the corner, lofting the ball toward the back post, where the ball was headed over the bar by a Polar Bear defender for another corner, this time on the right side. Burbank-Crump took this corner, swinging the ball onto the near post, where junior Chris Seitz's head met the ball, but a well placed Polar Bear defender on the near post ensured that the Polar Bears maintained their 1-0 lead.
In the 73rd minute, the Ephs created another good chance for equalizing when Muralles was fouled in the center of midfield. Burbank-Crump floated the ensuing free kick into the Polar Bear penalty area, where it was cleared out to the right wing. Eph freshman Patrick Gordon managed to run the ball down before it went out of play, allowing him to then drive down the touchline toward the goal. When he was about 10 yards from goal, Gordon slid the ball across the face of the goal, but the Polar Bear defensive line cleared the ball mere moments before Eph senior Matt Kastner could smash home the equalizer.
More pressure on the Polar Bear penalty area came just two minutes later when freshman Malcolm Moutenot tossed a long throw-in into the box, which rattled around the box for several breathless moments before the ball was fired over the crossbar for a goal kick.
The Polar Bears completely deflated whatever momentum the Ephs had built up with their increased pressure by maintaining intelligent possession in the Ephs' defensive third either in the corners or through corner kicks.
The Ephs finally were able to recover possession and make some frantic efforts to equalize, but the damage had been done.
Williams outshot Bowdoin 12 to 11, but Williams had only 1 shot on goal to Bowdoin's 5. Bowdoin had 8 corners to Williams' 7.
The Ephs play again next Saturday at home against Tufts at noon. The Polar Bears also play next Saturday but away against Connecticut College at 2 PM.
