Box Score WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – A goal in each half saw Williams beat Bowdoin 2-0 on Senior Day at Cole Field. JC Bahr-de Stefano and Zach Grady scored for the Ephs (7-4-1, 5-2 NESCAC), who also got a shutout performance from goalkeeper Christian Alcorn to see off the Polar Bears (7-4, 3-4 NESCAC).
Williams's starting lineup featured all nine of the team's seniors, who have won nearly 50 games and appeared in two Final Fours during their time together in the Purple Valley. Sophomore goalie Alcorn and junior defender Geoff Danilack were the only non-seniors in the lineup, which included reserve goalkeeper Andrew Bravo, who played in the outfield and harried Bowdoin well through the first few minutes of play.
It was Bowdoin, however, who got the game's first chance. Six minutes in, the referee allowed a play on after a Williams foul, and a Bowdoin ball into the box was poorly cleared. It fell to Polar Bear captain Thomas Henshall, who forced a diving save out of Christian Alcorn with a shot to the right side of the goal.
The teams traded chances a few minutes later. Williams got its first when Noah Grumman won a header to the midfield and senior Matt Muralles won the ball from a scrum, made a nice move to win space, and fired a shot wide right. Bowdoin soon responded. After winning their seventh corner of the game in only the 16th minute, the Bears served the ball in for Sam White, whose point-blank header was stopped by an excellent save from Alcorn. The game quieted down in the middle of the half, as the teams battled in midfield but produce few chances.
About two-thirds of the way through the half, the Ephs' offense began to pick up, with a Grady header forcing a save out of Bowdoin's Stevie van Siclen in the 28th minute. A few minutes later, the Ephs got their first goal. Senior co-captain Luke Pierce won the ball in the back, and substitute Tom Young took on possession near the halfway line. Young made an impressive run down the left side, slipping Bowdoin tackles and eventually crossing hard and low from the byline. His ball ricocheted off a couple defenders and fell to Bahr-de Stefano, who pounced on the chance and slotted the ball home in the far corner to give the Ephs a 1-0 lead. Williams looked dangerous for the rest of the half, but the visitors saw out the first 45 without further damage.
At halftime, Williams made a slight change in formation, bringing on Troy Ritter as a second deep-lying midfielder next to Noah Grumman. The formation relieved some mild Bowdoin pressure in the first few minutes before the Ephs got a pair of long-range shots from Grady and senior Chris Conder.
Bowdoin nearly tied the game midway through the half. A long ball from the right-hand side found a streaking Nick DiStefano, who fired a header on goal. It took another incredible save from Alcorn to preserve the Ephs' lead. The sophomore finished the game with four saves and a well-deserved third shutout of the year. Coach Mike Russo called the performance "fantastic" after the game. He was helped by solid performance from a veteran back line that included seniors Pierce, Andres Burbank-Crump, and Chris Seitz. The midfield, as well, saw active games from seniors Conder, Muralles, Michael Madding, and Nathan Miller that kept the Polar Bear offense from getting into a rhythm.
The Ephs iced the game with a goal in the 83rd. Malcolm Moutenot played an excellent long ball to Conder on the left, who charged towards the box and delivered an incisive ball to the back post. Bahr-de Stefano was there after an explosive run and looked ready to score a second, but he was hauled down in the box for a Williams penalty. Grady stepped up and calmed slotted the ball home for his NESCAC-leading ninth goal of the season.
With the win, Williams finishes the regular season with a 5-1-1 home record, including a perfect 5-0 in NESCAC play. Russo was pleased with the Ephs' effort on the weekend: "Those are two very, very good opponents, and we got two wins, and that obviously helps us in the NESCAC." The Ephs will finish up the regular season with three NESCAC road games vital to the playoff picture. Their first test comes this Saturday, with a 2:30 PM road game against Tufts.
