The second-ranked Middlebury men's soccer team scored three first-half goals and surrendered just two shots on target in a 3-1 victory against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on Tuesday evening from South Street Field.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Elias Androus looked to nudge the hosts in front in the fourth minute, directing a header toward the left side of the goal. Engineer goalkeeper Noah Churchill stepped to his right to pluck the bid.
- The Panthers jumped ahead with 33:29 remaining in the half. Dylan Payne swiped possession from an RPI defender and sent a quick feed to Harper Nicholl, who repaid Payne on a cut toward the right post for a bouncing finish.
- In the 23rd minute, Hamin Kim sent a quality delivery from the corner to JT Federman, who missed wide of the left post with a header.
- Middlebury doubled the advantage with 16:48 showing, starting with a long ball up the sideline from Quinn Pappendick. Charlie Johnson caught up to the feed and fired a quick cross to Will Sawin, who deposited a one-timer into the netting for a 2-0 lead.
- Sawin tallied his second marker in the 43rd minute, carving a path through numerous Engineers and splitting a pair at the edge of the box before sneaking a lefty strike past Churchill's outstretched mitt (3-0).
- Landon Bradley registered two tries late in the first half with hopes of erasing the zero, but the first sailed wide and the latter was blocked to maintain the three-goal margin at the break.
- Churchill was summoned into action 43 seconds into the second stanza, jumping to his right for a quick save off a header from Samuel Leroyer.
- The guests continued to test the waters. Jax Jameson got his head to the ball on a free kick and directed a shot that narrowly missed the left post.
- In the 70th minute, Justin Woodbine climbed the ladder for a well-struck bid toward the lower-left corner. Goalie Leon Brody tracked the chance and dove to his right to snag the shot.
- The Engineers halted the shutout with 12:58 to go. Sam Neal laced a shot that rang off the right post and found Woodbine, who looped a riser over the line from the center of the box.
- Woodbine's marker was the final shot of the match, as Middlebury maintained possession to claim the 3-1 win.
NOTES
- Sawin tallied his third multi-goal effort in a navy and white uniform.
- Nicholl recorded his team-leading fifth assist of the season.
- The programs clashed for the second time since 1970 and the first since 2019. Middlebury owns a 6-2-5 edge in the all-time series.
The Panthers return to South Street Field on Saturday, hosting Colby at 12:00 p.m. The match serves as the squad's alumni day and the annual Michael P. Russell '98 Memorial Match.
