NESCAC

[d4_Pace]

Tufts with the 1-0 victory. Looked pretty dominant in the second half but couldn't find the second goal to kill the game off. A bunch better performance than tuesday night against MIT. Williams never really threatened and can't remember a significant scoring chance for the Ephs.

[blooter442]

Did not realize until reading the recap that Bowdoin earned more corner kicks than Amherst, 8-4. That says a bit about Bowdoin being territorially competitive even if they were outshot. Keeping the corner count down is important against Amherst - if they are getting way more than you are, I feel like they're pretty likely to put at least one of them away.

[nescacfan94]

I was at the game in Brunswick today. IMHO, the score was reflective of the play today. Bowdoin was the better team. They simply wanted it more. And they took the best player at the D3 level out of the game. #9 in the dark shirt was mostly invisible. Credit the Bowdoin D and midfield for that.

This conference is up for grabs this season. Yes, someone has to knock off Tufts, but anything is possible. .

[quicksilver]

Here is a write-up of the Bowdoin win over Amherst plus video of the Bowdoin goal. The first regular season win for the Bears over Amherst since 2008! Bowdoin is the beneficiary of 4 excellent players who were members of the class of 2021 but decided to delay graduation and return for the a final season of play: stellar F Drake Byrd, giant D Ryan Donlan, M Ryan Houseman and M Alex Chaban (the first 3 are starters and Chaban is usually the first substitute) . . .

[d4_Pace]

Was German playing with a mask on?

[blooter442]

Was German playing with a mask on?

It was "on" but it wasn't covering anything any of the times I saw him, so "kind of" or "not really" both seem suitable. There was another player (can't remember which team) who was similar.

[College Soccer Observer]

Middlebury 3 Wesleyan 1

Middlebury with two changes from their first game in the starting 11. In the back, Casey Lund started in place of the injured Kenan Ulku-Steiner, and Eujin Chae came in for Shane Farrell in the midfield.  As noted elsewhere, Wesleyan struck first on a nice individual effort by Chris Textor who got Lund off balance and slotted it home to the far post from 8 yards out.  Middlebury evened it less than a minute later when Aiden Pape took advantage of a height mismatch and headed home from 6 yards out.  Midd took the lead in the 35th minute when Chae whipped in a corner that Devanny came for but missed, and Ben Powers headed it in.  Second half was back and forth, with Midd having chances on the break and Wesleyan pressing for the equalizer.  They almost had it when Dane Harmaty tried his luck from the top of the 18, but Ryan Grady laid out and tipped it over the bar.  Midd got their third on a counter in the final 24 seconds.  Jordan Saint-Louis and Brandon Reid had a 2 v 2, with Saint-Louis beating his defender, drawing the other defender, and sliding a beautiful pass to Reid, who buried his effort from 15 yards.  Wesleyan tried a number of short free kicks and combination plays in and around the penalty area to neutralize Middlebury's dominance in the air.  Wesleyan looks improved from 2019, but so does Midd.  (Corresponding fixture in 2019 finished 0-0).

[Ommadawn]

With the Bardong Brothers no longer a NESCAC duo, it appears that the Traynor Brothers are heirs apparent to the league's sibling throne. Michael netted the game-winner for Trinity in their 1-0 victory today over Emerson and older brother Sean did the same for Tufts in OT earlier this week against MIT.

[Mr.Right]

Conn College at Wheaton(MA) 0-0 about 20 min in. Conn's opening game and looks to be in a 4-1-4-1 with GK Maidenberg , backline is young with #6 Diano, #24 Kelesoglu, #21 Dutkewych and RB #4 Mendo. That's 2 Frosh, 1 Soph and 1 JR with very little experience. Something to watch as the year goes on. Conn still playing on the ground though and have had the better looks so far with a crunching tackle by #16 Lorenzo Bocchetti that got him a Yellow and left a Wheaton player on the ground for about 5 minutes. Conn has #28 Pinyochon holding who did play some last year and has Bocchetti roaming like Butera did last year. #25 Yeonas is wide right with #10 Robles wide left. #14 Djerdjaj is attacking behind striker #9 Tshuma. So a mix of veterans and young guys.

[Mr.Right]

Conn goes up 1-0 off a set piece beautifully served in by Robles and found the head of #24 Kelesoglu. The set piece was made possible by a foul drawn by Tshuma who checked to the ball nicely and got whacked. 1-0 Conn about 15 min left in 1st half.

[Mr.Right]

Conn 1-0 Wheaton...Halftime...Good game with both teams trying to play a bit. Conn fell off a bit when it went to its bench with about 15min to play in the Half but not to bad. Conn strikers making some great check back runs and are either holding the ball strong like Tshuma and either getting fouled or laying the ball off to runners. Pretty good stuff even though it can be sloppy at times. The bench looks to be a little stronger than 2019 but he is still feeling out some players as both wingbacks have been subbed and everyone else besides Djerdjaj and Tshuma.

[Mr.Right]

WOW....2nd Half Wheaton puts a PK into the net 20 seconds into the Half after a combination of folly's for Conn. 2 bad bounces, lunging in and ball watching led to a clumsy PK that ties the game 1-1...Not what u are looking for coming out of halftime.

[Mr.Right]

clumsy PK goal has knocked Conn awake as they are coming at Wheaton with chances. The best one was #14 Djerdjaj beating 3 Wheaton defenders regaining his balance and ripping one left footed just over the net. Same lineup to start the Half except #18 Marvel is in for #16 Bocchetti. Marvel a more offensive player but Bocchetti looked good 1st Half as he was active.

[Mr.Right]

Wheaton scores one going the other way 2-1 Wheaton with about 25min left. Conn subbed CB's for some reason and #5 Cerezo a Soph got turned and Wheaton striker Santoro got on the inside of Cerezo and slotted it into the net 1v1 with keeper. Just a young defensive positioning mistake that cannot happen. You get a back 4 especially 2 solid CB's and you keep them in the game for 90 minutes. The wingbacks #4 and #6 are skilled and go forward plenty which I like but not sure about the CB switch

[Mr.Right]

Wheaton stream went dead so I got to switch games. Wheaton 2-1 Conn about 23min left. SMH how a striker gets on the inside of my CB like that. Just a positioning nightmare and a leg turner to boot