The fourth-ranked Middlebury men's soccer team used a goal 30 seconds into the second half and seven clutch saves from goalie Joey Waterman to earn a 1-0 victory over Colby on Saturday. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• The visitors had the first chance of the game with 9:58 elapsed. Chase Dolinko grabbed a loose ball outside the box and fired a shot toward the bottom-left corner that Waterman snagged.
• The Mules looked to tally the first goal in the 20th minute off a corner kick from Oliver Daboo, but Colby was called offsides.
• Tyler Payne pushed the envelope at the 23:02 mark, crashing deep into the goalie box. Two defenders surrounded Payne and redirected his shot out of harm's way.
• The Panthers had the final chance of the opening half in the 31st minute. Payne took a free kick from 25 yards out, but the attempt sailed past the right post.
• Middlebury turned up the heat immediately in the initial minute following the break. Gavin Randolph grabbed possession and sent a through ball past two Mule defenders toward Will Sawin, who placed his shot into the bottom-right corner for a 1-0 edge.
• Colby looked for the equalizer with 51:21 elapsed. Arkan Traore collected the ball in a crowd of Middlebury defenders and tried to fire off a shot that was corralled by Waterman.
• The Mules threatened again about 10 minutes later on a corner kick. Daboo whipped in a chance that looked destined for the back of the net. Waterman stood his ground, rising above two players to snag the ball.
• At the 62:09 mark, Eduardo Casanova looked to join the scoresheet, forcing a turnover just outside the penalty box. Casanova settled and sliced a shot that ricocheted off a Mule defender and out of the goalie box to keep it at 1-0.
• Colin Dugan had an opportunity in the 67th minute, timing his run perfectly on a long pass. Colby goalkeeper Brendan McCarthy stood his ground, diving to his right and securing the ball with his stomach. 
• The Mules turned up the pressure as the second half wore down, recording a golden opportunity with 84:24 elapsed off the foot of Traore. Waterman thwarted the chance, deflecting the attempt away to secure the 1-0 triumph.  

NOTES

• Sawin secured his second goal of the season in Saturday's victory.
• Randolph tallied the team-leading 13th point with his assist. 
• Waterman earned his seventh career shutout in goal.
• Saturday's game served as the Michael Russell '98 Memorial Match. Russell, who helped the Panthers to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 1994-97 and was a captain his senior season, passed away in 2011. Michael had siblings who attended Middlebury and Colby, thus setting up the annual contest between the schools.
• The Panthers are one of 14 remaining teams in Division III that have not lost a contest coming into Saturday.

 Middlebury closes its home weekend with a non-conference battle against Babson on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.