Box Score MEDFORD - The Tufts men's soccer team dominated in their first NESCAC contest, cruising to a convincing 4-0 win over Bates on Kraft field. Connor Brown put his name on the 2014 season score sheet with two goals, as fellow midfielder Jason Kayne racked up two assists.
In the first half, Kayne made a diagonal run towards the left corner of the 18 and fired a left-footed cross towards the far post. Nate Majumder failed to connect with a diving header, but Brown had placed himself in a perfect position to receive the untouched ball and easily put home the first Jumbo score of the day just 6 minutes in.
Later in the half, Gus Santos was pulled down in the box and Zach Halliday stepped to the PK spot, but his low strike ricocheted off the left post. As the half continued, Bates starting back lineman Jack Martell was injured and had to be helped off the field, dealing a significant blow to the Bates defense. However, the Bobcats managed to keep the game close, going in to the half trailing 1-0.
The first five minutes of the second half spelled trouble for the Bobcats, as Brown and Kayne hooked up again just 40 seconds in on a beautifully timed short chip from Kayne that found a cutting Brown, who placed the ball low in the left corner. Chippy play carried over from the first half as Bates midfielder Sean Moyo received two yellow cards in the first five minutes, forcing the Bobcats to play with ten men for the remainder of the game. Bates led the NESCAC in most yellow cards one season ago. As a result of the Bobcats' physical play, the Jumbos gained significant momentum and would not look back.
Almost ten minutes later, off a Monil Patel corner kick, Sam Williams found the ball in a crowd at the goal mouth and sent it into the back of the net, practically copying his goal from the Jumbos previous win this past Wednesday.
Coach Josh Shapiro was able to play many of his reserves once again and they rewarded him with outstanding play. Freshman Dexter Eichorst tallied his second goal of the season after a deflection off of Bates goalkeeper Sam Polito in the 84th minute.
The Jumbos displayed solid composure at the back, as the likes of Williams, Patel, and Peter Lee-Kramer limited the Bobcats to just three shots in 90 minutes. Substitute defender Matt Zinner replaced an injured Connor Schaible in the first half and did not skip a beat, filling in flawlessly.
One bright spot for Bates was the play from Polito. The goaltender's 12 saves kept the team from Lewiston, Maine in the game, but the Jumbos' 31 shots proved to be overpowering.
The Jumbos will look to continue their winning ways when they head to Suffolk for an 8:00pm start next Wednesday.
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