The #2 Middlebury men's soccer team tallied a pair of second-half goals and fended off a late comeback attempt by #15 Tufts, securing a hard-fought 2-1 win on Saturday afternoon.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The Panthers were awarded a free kick following a Jumbo foul 1:24 into the opening half. Hamin Kim sent a knuckling bender from 30 yards that goaltender Nikola Antic leapt to save near his right post.
- Middlebury produced a pair of quality chances 6:18 apart on two headers by Charlie Johnson. The prime opportunity came with 10:46 expired, as Johnson directed a ball destined for the lower-left corner, but Antic thwarted the bouncing chance.
- The Jumbos managed their lone shot of the first frame with 11:59 left. Ben Ortman rose for a header that sailed over the crossbar.
- Dylan Payne nearly put the visitors ahead with 1:09 left before the break. The midfielder roped a left-footed bid on the run that clanged off the left post and out of harm's way.
- Colin Dugan gave the Panthers a 1-0 edge with 3:09 elapsed after the stoppage, gathering a loose ball in the box before blasting a left-footed bid into the net with Antic off his line.
- Tufts manufactured a pair of opportunities within a span of two minutes after the goal. Henry Brown put his head on a cross that goalie Leon Brody jumped to save, while William Cornog tattooed a look that scooted outside the right post.
- With just under 26 minutes left in regulation, Hugo Horwitz utilized a nifty dribbling display to advance up the field before his shot trundled across the goal mouth and out of bounds.
- Keeping the pressure up, Will Sawin dribbled through traffic with a great individual effort, propelling a bid into the lower-right corner past a diving Antic for a 2-0 advantage with 23:59 left.
- Oscar Suarez looked to quickly answer for the hosts, volleying a cross in the 68th minute that Brody read and saved on his right post.
- The Jumbos broke through with 8:51 remaining when Ellis Denby roped a shot past a diving Brody into the lower section of the net to make the score 2-1.
- Tufts wasn't done yet, as Ortman booted a sharp-angled attempt that Brody tracked and punched away to preserve the one-goal victory.
NOTES
- Dugan's goal was his fourth this fall and the 15th of his career. Sawin posted his eighth tally and his fifth of the game-winning variety, sharing the lead across Division III in the latter figure.
- Brody finished with four saves, with each coming in the second half.
- Middlebury and the Jumbos met for the 43rd installment with the Panthers holding a 20-15-8 edge in the all-time series.
Middlebury returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Wesleyan for a 7:00 p.m. showdown.
