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Williams College

Home of the Williams College EPHS
1920 Atticus Ross
Maya Singh
0
Cortland CORTLAND (7-3-3, 1-1-1)
1
Winner Williams WILLIAMS (8-2-1, 5-2-0)
Cortland CORTLAND
(7-3-3, 1-1-1)
0
Final
1
Williams WILLIAMS
(8-2-1, 5-2-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Cortland CORTLAND 0 0 0
Williams WILLIAMS 0 1 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Williams Wins Fourth Game in a Row as They Defeat #14 SUNY Cortland 1-0

Williamstown, Mass.-- In a thrilling afternoon of soccer, the Williams College Ephs (8-2-1) defeated #14 SUNY Cortland (7-3-3) with a 1-0 victory, thanks to a spectacular long-range strike from first year Lorcan Mitchell. The win marks Williams' fourth consecutive triumph, as the Ephs continue their strong run of form at Cole Field.

The first half was a tightly contested affair, with both teams struggling to break down the opposing defense. From the opening whistle, the Ephs looked to assert their dominance, building attacks through patient defensive possession and precise long passing. The first chance came in the second minute, as senior goalkeeper Ben Diffley played a long free kick into the Cortland penalty box, giving attacking Ephs a chance to create an early lead. The attempt was denied by the Cortland defense, but it was a signal of intent from the Williams attackers, who kept the pressure on Cortland throughout the half.

Junior Henry Kirkman was a constant threat down the left wing, making dangerous runs and delivering crosses into the box. With 25 minutes left in the half, he raced past a Cortland defender and whipped a low ball across the face of goal, but there was no Williams player in position to finish. Similarly, first-year Lorcan Mitchell knuckled a beautiful outside-the-box shot towards the Cortland goal with 12 minutes remaining, which went slightly wide. Despite dominating possession, Williams did not convert some of their half-chances in the first 45 minutes, leaving the game scoreless at the half.

Defensively, the Ephs were well-organized, with sophomore center back Griffin Labonski playing a key role, winning several aerial duels, including a well-timed defensive header in the 37th minute to clear a dangerous Cortland set piece. Senior captain Felipe Gutierrez was essential in denying the Cortland attack a clear chance at a one-on-one. He positioned himself well and made a lovely tackle to clear the only real Cortland chance of the half.

The second half saw Williams come out with renewed energy, determined to find the breakthrough. The moment of magic came with 27 minutes left, when Diffley played a long ball deep into the Cortland half. The ball ricocheted off a Cortland defender and fell to the feet of Mitchell. With little hesitation, the first year player struck the ball from 30 yards out, sending a knuckling, swerving shot into the top corner of the net. The Cortland goalkeeper was left stranded as the ball sailed past him, giving Williams the lead in spectacular fashion.

Mitchell's goal electrified the Ephs, who continued to push for a second. With 20 minutes remaining, junior Mohamed Keussom nearly doubled the lead with a brilliant piece of individual skill. After receiving the ball inside the box, Keussom danced past two Cortland defenders, creating space for a cross, but his effort was narrowly stopped by the goalkeeper. The Ephs kept up the pressure with several long throws from Henry Kirkman, each one leading to a dangerous chance, but the Cortland defense managed to hold firm.

Williams' midfield and defense, led by sophomores Kellan Grace and Atticus Ross, controlled the tempo of the game, consistently winning second balls and distributing possession with precision. Ross, who had been a key figure throughout the match, came close to adding his name to the score sheet with a long-range shot with 12 minutes left that nearly forced a diving save from the Cortland keeper.

As the clock ticked down, Cortland began to push forward in search of an equalizer, but the Williams defense remained resolute. Junior Sam Gibson, who had been a stalwart all game, made a crucial defensive header in the 78th minute to prevent a Cortland attack. In the dying moments of the match, Diffley came up big once again, rising above the crowd to catch a dangerous cross and secure the clean sheet.

Cortland's final push in the last 10 minutes saw them play several long balls into the Williams penalty area, but the Ephs defense held firm, denying Cortland any clear chances on goal. Diffley's calm and composed presence between the posts was instrumental in maintaining the shutout, while Labonski and Gibson continued to win crucial duels and clear their lines.

The final whistle blew with the Ephs securing a well-deserved 1-0 victory. Williams controlled much of the game, but it was Mitchell's stunning strike that ultimately made the difference. 

After the match, Williams head coach Steffen Siebert praised his team's performance: "Couldn't be prouder of the performance from the team over the weekend. Great performances don't always equal wins, so couldn't be happier for the team to get rewarded with another win against a really good Cortland team today. Now it's time to recharge and focus on another NESCAC game next Saturday."

The Ephs, now riding a four-game winning streak, will turn their attention to a crucial matchup against NESCAC rival Wesleyan next Saturday in Middletown, CT.
 
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