Ephs Blank Kenyon, Dance Their Way Into Final Four

GAMBIER, Ohio -- In the NCAA Division III Tournament Elite Eight matchup between Williams College (9-1-11) and the Kenyon College Owls (19-2-1), the Ephs emerged victorious, 1-0, thanks to a late goal from David Wang and sending the Ephs to the Final Four.

The Ephs started the game strong and generally dominated the first half, having most of the ball, denying the Owls any real opportunities to score. This pressure culminated in the last few minutes of the period, when the ball hardly left the Owls' half after the 40', and the Ephs worked their way into more and more dangerous positions.

With 40 seconds left in the half, the Ephs were awarded a free-kick, a dangerous set-piece opportunity. The ball, as it so often does, found the head of Nick Boardman and was rocketed towards the goal, but Owls' keeper Jack Pedreschi made a stunning, one-handed, reflex save to maintain, for the moment, his clean sheet. The half, thanks to his efforts, ended 0-0.

Kenyon started the second half with a bit more fire in their bellies, and looked, at times, threatening on offense. In the 50' Scott Upton found his way through the Ephs' defense and fired a shot, low and to the right, that beat Ben Diffley–an accomplishment in its own right–and rolled on towards the goal. It was not to be for the Owls, though, as the indefatigable, omnipresent Nick Boardman was there, at the goal line, to clear it away.

The Owls kept up the pressure, and in the 57' Sam Carson used his remarkable pace, on the fast break, to create a one on one opportunity against the keeper. His effort was tame, though, and Ben Diffley was able to get down, save it. 

Those were the Owls' only two shots on target for the game, but they maintained their aggression, having five other attempts miss the frame, and even found the back of the net, although Sebastian Gaese was deemed to have been offside and the goal was overturned.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 82'. Brady Foehl, the last man back, played a ball into the Owls' crowded box; it bounced around a little, exchanging heads. Eph back Nick Boardman headed the ball to David Wang, who narrowly beat the goalie to the ball, and found the back of the net.

Elation ensued, as the Ephs bench cleared and congregated at the corner flag, and Wang was utterly engulfed, at the bottom of a 30-man dog pile.

From that point on, the Owls had a chance or two, but the Ephs never relented. The win, is the Ephs fourth shutout of the postseason, and their ticket to the Final Four.

The Owls, as their record suggests, were a formidable foe, and had scored 75 goals as a team this season (compared to the Ephs'  24), good enough for third-most all time. The Ephs' stalwart back line, headed by Eamon Gara Grady and the oft aforementioned Nick Boardman, showed their quality, though, and blanked the Owls for only the second time all season

Eph head coach Steffen Siebert stated after the game: "What an unbelievable moment when the final whistle blew. A day we will all remember for a long time after another incredible weekend. So incredibly proud of our team for all the dedication all season and earning a spot in the Final Four! Couldn't be more excited for these guys."

The Ephs will face the Mary Washington Eagles in the Final Four December 1 at 4:00 PM in Salem, Virginia, with a championship berth on the line. The Eagles beat Amherst on PKs, 3-2, in the Sweet Sixteen, and defeated Bowdoin 3-2, in regulation, in their Elite Eight matchup. The Ephs will try to get some revenge for the NESCAC, and try to make it back to the championship game for the first time since they won it all in 1995.