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Williams College

Home of the Williams College EPHS
1920 Andrew Coelho
Maya Singh
0
Williams WIL (9-3-3, 5-3-2)
2
Winner Middlebury MID (12-0-3, 7-0-3)
Williams WIL
(9-3-3, 5-3-2)
0
Final
2
Middlebury MID
(12-0-3, 7-0-3)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Williams WIL 0 0 0
Middlebury MID 2 0 2

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Ephs Fall 2-0 Away at Middlebury

Middlebury, Vt. – It was a tale of two halves as the Williams College Ephs (5-3-2 NESCAC; 9-3-3) took on the Middlebury College Panthers (7-0-3 NESCAC; 12-0-3) on a windy Tuesday afternoon. The first half was controlled by Middlebury, who found goals on either end of the half in the 3rd and 41st minutes. Both goals were great displays of individual talent, the first being an outside-the-box screamer and the second coming from a brilliant pass into the box. Despite being behind two goals, in a show of excellent mentality, Williams came out on the front foot in the second half, creating a barrage of near-goal chances with good combination play in the final third, including an off-the-post shot from first year Ali Coleman and a cleared off the line header from junior Evan Vasquez. Even with the Ephs' lion's share of second half chances, they couldn't find the back of the net, and Middlebury won the day 2-0. 

It was Middlebury who drew first blood in the 3rd minute, when Panther midfielder Kyle Nilsson, with excellent individual skill, dribbled his way to the right side of the top of the box and slid the ball over to fellow midfielder Shane Farrell. Farrell took a good touch onto his left foot and hit a strong shot that, fortunately for the Panthers, hit the inside of the post and bounced past Eph senior Goalkeeper Ben Diffley, giving Middlebury the early 1-0 lead over Williams. 

Despite Middlebury controlling most of the first half, the Ephs still had some good moments. In the 9th minute of the play, goalkeeper Ben Diffley came up big to deny Panther midfielder Colin Duganlow's shot off the end of a corner kick. 

Williams' best chance of the half came in the 18th minute when junior Mohamed Keussom bent a free kick over the wall, that flew just over the bar for a Panther goal kick. 

In the 38th minute, Middlebury would have doubled their lead if it wasn't for a double defensive save, the first block coming from junior David Armini and the second by sophomore Atticus Ross, to stop two dangerous Middlebury shots in the box. 

In the 41st minute, a long throw found its way to Middlebury attacker Anderson Gardner in the box. Gardner was able to thread a ball to Midfielder Keagan Harder, who turned well and, in the same movement, slipped the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal, upping Middlebury's lead to 2-0, which is how the first half ended. 

The Ephs, despite being down 2 goals, showed a strong mentality as they came out with renewed energy and purpose in the second half. This started in the 46th minute when a cleared sophomore Kellan Grace cross bounced to Ali Coleman who cracked a first-time shot that, unfortunately for Williams, rattled off the left post. Had the shot been two inches to the right, Williams would have been looking at a 1 goal game. 

The Ephs would be inches away again in the 51st minute when Evan Vasquez won a header in traffic off a Kellan Grace corner kick. Vasquez had Middlebury goalkeeper Joey Watterman completely beat, but Panther Will Sawin was able to clear the ball off the line with a fantastic bicycle kick save, denying  Williams what nine times out of ten would have been a goal. 

In the 61st minute, sophomore Spencer Mix launched a throw into the run of first year Lorcan Mitchell, who hit a brilliant flick pass to first year Alex Bethencourt in space. Bethencourt, with no one in front of him, moved the ball forward and shot, but keeper Joey Watterman did well to close the space down, stopping a near Williams goal with a fantastic one-on-one save.  

Mitchell would nearly score the goal of his life in the 76th minute when senior Tate Michelson whipped in a dangerous cross that took a bounce upward. Mitchell chested the bouncing ball up to himself, and to the surprise of the Middlebury defense, bicycle kicked the ball on frame; however, keeper Joey Watterman was well positioned and made the save. 

Middlebury's only real chance of the half came in the 80th minute when Anderson Gardner, off of some good ball movement, found himself in a 1 on 1 with Williams goalkeeper Ben Diffley. Diffley got big,  tracked his run well, and was able to make the save on Gardner's eventual shot. The danger wasn't over yet, however, as Gardner was able to get on the rebound and hit a second shot that, had it not been for the valiant defensive recovery and block of first year Chase Caires, would have found the back of the net. 

The last 10 minutes of the match saw Williams control the game and continue to apply pressure, but the Ephs could not get the ball into the back of the net, and the game ended 2-0 in favor of Middlebury. Despite the final scoreline, the Ephs finished the match having dominated the second half and with their heads high. 

Eph head coach Steffen Siebert, who shared his side's positive attitude, commented on the loss: "Very tough condition today, which made it a game of two very different halves. Very proud of the way the team played under those conditions and a great second-half performance, which will give us plenty of momentum for Saturday in our quarter-final on Cole Field." 

 
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