COLLEGE MEN'S
SOCCER FINAL SCORE
Tufts 1, Springfield 1 (2ot)
At Springfield, MA
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Game
Box Score
SPRINGFIELD -- The first collegiate goal scored by sophomore
Stratos Saropoulos (Somerville, MA) was a big one,
helping the Tufts men's soccer team to its first point of the
season in a 1-1 tie at Springfield College on Wednesday evening.
The goal came with just 2:10 remaining in regulation and sent the
game into overtime.
The Jumbos improve to 0-3-1, while Springfield now stands at
2-4-1.
Despite having the same amount of shots (6) as the Jumbos in the
first half, Springfield controlled the tempo of play in the opening
stanza. The duo of Eric Stalsburg and Cody Kaczetow attacked the
Tufts defense and Stalsburg finally struck in the 36th minute.
After Casey Leslie let loose a shot that was deflected out of
bounds, Springfield was awarded a corner kick. Off the corner kick,
Joe Baia sent in a hard, driven ball into the box. Stalsburg headed
the ball into the lower left corner of the net to give Springfield
the first goal of the match.
The visiting Jumbos played with a high sense of urgency in the
second half, out-shooting the Pride, 5-3, and using plenty of
physical play up front. The Jumbos' intensity finally paid off as
they netted the game-tying goal in the waning minutes of
regulation. With just 2:10 remaining, Saropoulos made the most of a
Springfield miscue in the defensive third. After senior Dan Schoening (Kenmore, WA) flicked a header inside the 18
yard box, Saropoulos blasted a shot into the back of the net,
knotting the game at a goal apiece.
Springfield nearly scored the game-winner with just over a
minute remaining in the first overtime after David Kotulski sent a
terrific through ball onto a streaking Kaczetow. Kaczetow slid as
he let a shot off inside the six yard box, but his attempt went
just wide right of the goal.
Tufts had the two best chances in the second overtime for either
team as sophomore Matt Blumenthal (Simsbury, CT)
nearly gave the visitors the victory on two separate occasions.
With seven minutes remaining, Blumenthal got loose at the top of
the box, however, Springfield's David Chessen used an outstanding
individual defensive effort to thwart the Jumbo attack. Four
minutes later, Tufts junior Ron Coleman (North Haven,
CT) sent a ball along the endline into the box to a wide
open Blumenthal, whose shot ricocheted off the cross bar.
The game that was played very evenly statistically, as Tufts had
14 shots compared to the Pride's 13. The visitors held a slight 7-5
edge in corner kicks, while Springfield was flagged for eight
off-sides. Chris Walton made six saves for the Pride, while senior
tri-captain Pat Tonelli (Andover, MA) needed to
make just three saves for the Jumbos.
Next for the Jumbos is a NESCAC match at Wesleyan on Saturday
(Sept. 26) at 2:30 pm. The Pride will return to action on Saturday
afternoon when it travels to WPI for a conference clash slated for
6:00 pm.
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