Williamstown, Mass. -- Heart rates where high for fans of the Williams College Ephs (5-2 NESCAC; 7-2-1), who dominated the Bates College Bobcats (2-2-1 NESCAC; 6-3-1) for the first 70 minutes, but despite a barrage of quality chances created with clever possession in the final third, couldn't find the back of the net. That would all change in the 76th minute, when first year
Chase Caires played an excellent ball to first year
Lorcan Mitchell, who finished a beautiful outside-the-box shot, giving Williams the 1-0 lead. The Ephs didn't take their foot off the gas and, only a minute later, would find the back of the net again. This time, it was sophomore
Kellan Grace who received the ball off some excellent combination play and buried a near post shot, lifting the Ephs to a 2-0 victory over the Bobcats on senior day.
The Ephs controlled the first half of the match through and through. In the 3rd minute, senior
Tate Michelson won a 50/50 ball off a good press, combining with sophomore
Jeff Stauffer in a quick one-two play to get the ball back at the top of the box. Michelson took a shot, nutmegging a Bates defender, but it was an easy ground save for Bates goalkeeper George Nassar.
In the 8th minute, junior Bates attacker Cesar Hoover looked ready to test Ephs' senior goalkeeper
Ben Diffley, but junior
Mohamed Keussom had different ideas and deftly dispossessed him before he could advance forward.
The best chance of the half came in the 12th minute when junior
Henry Kirkman won a second ball off a Bates goal kick and found
Jeff Stauffer. Stauffer skillfully maneuvered past two defenders and threaded a diagonal pass to
Mohamed Keussom, running into the right side of the box. Keussom's shot, however, pinged off the post and went out for a Bates goal kick.
Bates' lone dangerous opportunity came in the 22nd minute when a cross found Sebastian Lacovitti just outside the six-yard box. To the Ephs' relief, Lacovitti couldn't get over the ball and sent his shot over Diffley's goal.
Much of Williams' first-half dominance stemmed from their aggressive pressing and consistent winning of first balls. In the 37th minute, first-year
Lorcan Mitchell won a contested header, which fell to junior
Evan Vasquez. Vasquez quickly fired a shot off but sent it just over the bar.
In the 43rd minute, Williams nearly broke through when senior
Martin Gonzalez launched a throw into the danger zone. The ball bounced to sophomore
Spencer Mix, who half-volley bounced it on frame, forcing a diving save from Bates goalkeeper George Nassar.
The first half ended 0-0.
The Ephs continued their control of the game in the second half. In the 54th minute, the Ephs won a corner kick and it would be the Williams talisman
Kellan Grace who would take it. Grace played a fantastic ball into the box, and it found the head of
Henry Kirkman, who redirected the ball hard at goal, but it hit the bar. Sophomore
Griffin Labonski got on the rebound but his shot flew over the net.
Williams continued to show strong combination play throughout the second half. In the 63rd minute, Lorcan Mithcell picked up the ball off a throw-in and flicked the ball to
Tate Michelson, who laid it off to first year
Alex Bethencourt just outside the box. Bethencourt took a promising shot but it skidded wide and to the left.
In the 69th minute, the Ephs would have another great opportunity off a
Henry Kirkman long throw, which found the head of Lorcan Mithcell, who headed the ball across goal.
Spencer Mix rose and hit the header cross cleanly but, in what capped off a frustrating, unlucky 70 minutes for Williams, the ball went just wide to the right side of the goal.
The frustration would cease for the Ephs as all came to a head in the 76th minute when
Chase Caires hit a ball from deep to
Griffin Labonski, who battled with a Bates defender to win the second ball and get it to
Lorcan Mitchell. Mitchell took a touch and banged a shot with perfect precision, into the left side netting of the goal, giving the Ephs the more than deserved 1-0 lead over the Bobcats.
William's onslaught was far from over. Only a minute later, in the 77th minute, the Ephs would find the dagger. It would start of a good long ball cross from junior
Sam Gibson, off which
Alex Bethencourt took an inch-perfect chest touch and controlled the ball with his back to goal. Bethencourt passed the ball to
Jeff Stauffer, who was sitting on the left side of the box. Stauffer quickly switched play to
Kellan Grace, who ripped a near post shot that thudded the inner netting of the goal, doubling the Williams lead over Bates to 2-0.
In the 88th minute, senior
Keel Brissett almost made it three on Senior day when he dribbled by his defender and hit a right-footed, bending shot. The shot took a lucky bounce for Bates Keeper George Nassar, and he got his hands on the senior's attempt Williams out shot Bares 21 to 6 on the day.
Eph head coach
Steffen Siebert had nothing but good things to say after his team's dominant performance:
"What a day on Cole Field from the team on senior day. We were great on the ball today and played a very patient possession game from the first whistle and kept shifting Bates defense lines until we found an opening to score the two goals. We now shift our focus towards Cortland for another big game tomorrow."
The Ephs will try to win their 4th game in a row tomorrow, at 2 pm, at home against SUNY Cortland.
