MEN'S SOCCER TO HOST NESCAC CHAMPIONSHIP
November 3, 2008
Top-seeded Middlebury topped Bowdoin 3-0 in a NESCAC Quarterfinal contest on Sunday, earning the Panthers right to host the semifinals and finals next weekend. The Panthers will meet Williams in the first semifinal on Saturday at 11:00, while Amherst meets Trinity in the other match-up at 1:30. The winners meet for the NESCAC Championship at noon on Sunday. Middlebury moves to 12-1-2 on the year, while Bowdoin ends its season with a 6-8 record.
Middlebury struck first at the 19:35 mark, as first-year player Tyler Macnee's (Williston, Vt.) shot deflected off the post to junior Andrew Banadda (Gaithersburg, Md.), who buried the shot for his third goal of the season. Five minutes later, Bowdoin keeper Dan Hicks was injured and forced to leave the game, as Garrick Sheldon came on in relief.
The Panthers made it a 2-0 game at 29:43, as rookie Robbie Redmond (Morristown, N.J.) scored on a loose ball in the goal crease area, after a scramble in front of Sheldon. The tally was the first of his career for Redmond.
Middlebury kept up the offensive pressure in the first half, scoring its third goal with 5:31 remaining. Junior Michael Spiak (Andover, Mass.) saw his shot saved by Sheldon, as the rebound came to sophomore Brooks Farrar (Medfield, Conn.), who found the back of the net for the second time this season. The Panthers closed the first half with a 9-1 shots advantage.
Bowdoin turned up the offense in the second half, holding a 7-5 lead in shots, but were unable to find the back of the net. The Polar Bears had a pair of chances late, but Middlebury junior Jamie Wheeler (Wenham, Mass.), on in relief of Middlebury senior keeper Brian Bush (Madison, Wis.), made a pair of impressive saves.
Bush ended the game with three saves, Wheeler had two, while Hicks stopped a shot for Bowdoin, with two saves from Sheldon.
Middlebury ended its regular season with a NESCAC road win at Williams by a score of 1-0 on Friday.
Middlebury scored the game's lone goal just 32 seconds into the first half on their way to the win. A Macnee run culminated in a perfect through pass to Banadda who beat Eph keeper Andrew Graham one-on-one for the early 1-0 advantage.
The Ephs nearly evened it up in the 27th minute when Empson found Pierre Meloty-Kapella streaking towards the Panther net, but his shot from 15 yards just sailed over the crossbar.
Statistically, the game was even with the Panthers holding an 11-10 advantage in shots. Bush made four saves in goal to earn the shutout, while Graham made three stops for the Ephs.
Earlier in the week, Middlebury picked up its first win over Keene State in the last four meetings between the schools as the Panthers were 1-0 victors. The game was played on Middlebury's Field Turf, with a cold driving rain for much of the contest.
Middlebury had a great chance just eight minutes in as senior Baer Fisher (Kenilworth, Ill.) fed Macnee, who beat Keene goalkeeper Scott Panone, only to have his apparent goal stopped and cleared by Owl defender Joe Bohenek.
The Panthers broke through a few minutes later as Redmond played a short through pass to Macnee, who quickly shot the ball into the right corner of the net for the tally. The goal was his 12th in 13 games this season for the Middlebury rookie.
Middlebury ended the half with a 5-0 shots advantage, controlling the play for a majority of the 45 minutes. Keene battled back in the second half, but had no serious threats as they were outshot 9-2 on the afternoon.
Bush made a save in goal to earn his seventh shutout of the season and 21st of his career. Panone made three stops of the afternoon for the Owls.
. Men's soccer record: 12-1-2
. Up next: 11/8 vs. Williams - NESCAC Semifinals - 11, Trinity vs. Amherst - 1:30 - 11/9 - NESCAC Championship - 12:00
