Date: November 2, 2003
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Site: Middlebury, Vt.
TEAM 1 2 OT OT F
Tufts (6-7-2) 0 0 - - 0
Middlebury (11-2-2) 1 0 - - 1
SCORING SUMMARY
P T Time Player (assists) Score
1 M 13:25 Jason Griffiths 1-0 M
GOALKEEPING SUMMARY
Name MP SAVES GA
Craig Hirsh-M 90 3 0
Matt Sullivan-T 90 9 1
MIDDLEBURY ADVANCES TO NESCAC SEMIFINALS
SAWARD WINS 200th
MIDDLEBURY, Vermont – The Middlebury College men’s soccer team has advanced to the NESCAC semifinals with a 1-0 win over Tufts in the first-round of the tournament. The Panthers will take on Bowdoin next weekend, while Williams meets Wesleyan in the other semifinal. Both games will take place at Williams College. Tufts ends its season at 6-7-2. The game also marked the 200th career win for Middlebury’s 19-year head coach David Saward. He now sports a career mark of 200-67-30.
Jason Griffith’s goal 13:25 into the contest would be the only tally of the game as the Panthers held on for the 1-0 win. Following a corner kick from Andrew Stewart, Tufts’ goalkeeper Matt Sullivan knocked the ball out of the goalmouth to Griffiths, who finished with a low shot to the left side for the game’s only goal. Middlebury’s best chance to score again came in the 54th minute, but Derek Cece was denied by a sliding save from Sullivan. Tufts scored the apparent game-tying goal with a minute to play, but the header by Mike Blea was waved off after it was ruled he knocked the ball out of the goalkeeper’s hands before it slid into the net.
Middlebury had a handle of a majority of the play, outshooting Tufts 24-7 on the afternoon. Sullivan ended the game with nine saves, while Craig Hirsh made three stops for his seventh shutout of the season.