Box Score MEDFORD, Mass. – The Tufts University men's soccer team defeated the Hamilton Continentals, 4-0, to advance to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) finals for the first time in program history.
The Jumbos (14-1-2) came into the tournament as the number one overall seed and it showed. The Continentals (8-7-2) only managed two shots on goal all game.
The first goal came in the 24th minute when a Tufts throw-in near the Hamilton net was played out to Kevin Halliday. The senior struck a very well hit ball from just outside the top left corner of the box and sent it curling just inside the right upright.
Halliday added a second goal in the 55th minute off a free kick. Zach Lane was fouled about 25 yards out from the Continentals' goal. Halliday stepped up and took the kick and banged it off the left upright and into the net.
The Jumbos extended their lead in the 73rd minute when a long ball was played to Brett Rojas in the right corner. He sent a cross into the box that found the feet of Joe Braun who put it away.
In the 76th minute, Jack Delaney hit one on the ground that Hamilton's goalie was able to get his hand on, but it was hit so hard that it still found the back of the net.
Hamilton did have its chances. In the 16th minute senior Eli Morris sent a header on goal that hit the crossbar, but before they could play the rebound the ref called for offsides.
Then in the 50th minute, Jumbo goalie Conner Mieth punched a cross out of the box but directly to the feet of Jefri Schmidt. He got a shot off, but it went wide left.
Tufts out shot Hamilton on the day, 14-7. They had the edge in corners, six to four. And both goalies, Linds Cadwell for Hamilton and Mieth for Tufts, picked up two saves each.
The Jumbos will play in the NESCAC finals tomorrow afternoon at Bello at noon against the winner of the second semifinal between Middlebury and Bowdoin.
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Written by Curtis Stoychoff, Athletic Communications Intern
