Brunswick, Maine–The Williams College Ephs (4-2-0 NESCAC; 6-2-1) looked promising in the first two-thirds of the match, with some good possession and quality chances, but starting around the 60th minute of play, something clicked for the Ephs, who began to pound the Bowdoin College Polar Bears (1-2-2 NESCAC; 4-2-2) with chance after chance. In the 73rd minute, it would finally amount to something when junior Henry Kirkman hustled to win a second ball and hit it across the box to sophomore Spencer Mix, who made no mistake and buried the chance home to lift the Ephs to a 1-0 victory over Bowdoin, giving Williams all 6 points in their doubleheader weekend away from home.
The Ephs were dangerous early on. In the 2nd minute, they won a free kick on the right side of the Polar Bear box. Junior Mohamed Keussom was tasked with taking the kick and hit the ball low and out swinging into the box. Henry Kirkman used his body to get a step ahead of his marker and stuck his foot out, redirecting the ball on frame. To the relief of the Polar Bears, Bowdoin keeper Alex Ainsworth was in the right spot to stop and catch Kirkman's shot.
Bowdoin had a promising opportunity in the 14th minute when Polar Bear midfielder Tyler Huck got into a lane of space in the right channel and ripped off a quick shot, that Williams senior goalkeeper
Ben Diffley had to move with pace to save.
The following 25 minutes saw gritty, defensive play, with both sides fighting for their life to score the first goal. In the 41st minute, it almost came for the Ephs when Spencer Mix flicked the ball over a defender on the right side of the box and took a half-volley in stride that just curled wide of the goal.
Bowdoin nearly scored only minutes later in the 43rd minute, when Bowdoin midfielder Jack Banks won the ball off a free kick, dribbled into the left side of the box, and hit in a dangerous cross. The cross bobbled around and fell to Bowdoin attacker Adam Prince, who smashed a shot to the bottom right corner. Eph goalkeeper Ben Diffley could only turn his head and watch as the ball rocketed towards his goal. It would have found the net if it wasn't for sophomore center back Griffin Labonski, who was inch-perfectly positioned in the right corner and was able to deflect the ball out with his left foot, maintaining the shutout and ending the first half 0-0.
At the start of the second half the Polar Bears put the Ephs under a little bit of pressure. In the 50th minute, first year Chase Caires had come to the rescue with an acrobatic chest block to deny Polar Bear midfielder Mateo Pacelli a clean look at goal.
In the 57th minute, Bowdoin midfielder Paul Sukrove drove the ball forward into the right side of the box and sprayed a powerful shot that, thankfully for the Ephs, went about a foot over the bar.
The Ephs seemed to find a second wind of confidence in the 59th minute. Sophomore Kellan Grace took a free kick from thirty yards out that glided across the box and hit the bar. Despite the free kick not going in, the near chance seemed to light a fire in the Ephs.
In the 61st minute, Kellan Grace carried the ball forward in midfield and hit an excellent line-breaking pass to first year Alex Bethencourt, who was through and in on goal but was brought down in the box by Bowdoin contact. Williams wanted a penalty, but the referee wasn't having it and play continued.
In the 63rd minute, Kellan Grace had yet another free kick opportunity from deep that he hit into the box. The kick found junior Sam Gibson at the top of the box, who flicked it into the danger zone to the head of Griffin Labonski, who, as a center back, has been a menace in the attack all season for the Ephs. Labonski nodded and aimed the ball at far post side netting, but it went just wide.
Williams would finally receive the fruits of their renewed second-half momentum in the 72nd minute. The play started with a Mohamed Keussom cross that found Henry Kirkman with his back to goal. Kirkman's first attempted quick turn and shot missed, but he didn't give up and fought for the second ball, which he won and was able to hit across goal. Polar Bear goalkeeper Alex Ainsworth got a finger to it but couldn't tip it out of the danger zone, and it bounced to a lurking
Spencer Mix, who slotted it into the right side of the goal, giving Williams what seemed to be a massive 1-0 lead.
The Eph goal seemed to wake the Polar Bears. In the 78th minute of play, Bowdoin attacker Felipe Durane won a tough second ball and hit an impressive half-volley that flew over the bar. Despite the miss, the Polar Bears would give everything they had in the last 12 minutes to try and find an equalizer.
In the 80th minute of play, Bowdoin thought they had broken through when a Polar Bear winger beat his defender one-on-one and hit a ball on the ground that got into the pocket of space just in front of the 6-yard box. The ball was rolling to Bowdoin forward Arthur Dos Santos, who was waiting to bury it home, but Williams goalkeeper Ben Diffley recognized the danger and, fully stretched, pounced on the ball to stop the would be tap in.
Diffley stayed focused and came up big again in the 88th minute when he rose above chaos in the Williams box and snatched a Bowdoin aerial ball. Diffley put his body on the line, but it would all be worth it, as the Ephs defended hard for the next two minutes to down Bowdoin 1-0.
A thrilled Eph head coach Steffen Siebert commented on the Ephs back to back victories: "Couldn't be prouder of what the team has done not just today but all weekend. Going home with 6 points on a double header weekend is something very special and it couldn't be more deserved after the performance from the team."
The Ephs will play next against Bates on Saturday, at home at 12:00 PM.
