Team Effort, Late Goal Sees No. 2 Jumbos Down No. 12 Amherst College

AMHERST, MA (October 15, 2024) - The number two ranked Tufts University men's soccer team traveled to Amherst College to play the Mammoths in a Tuesday afternoon New England Small College Athletic Conference, and left as the victors after a thrilling 1-0 game.

The matchup between No. 2 Tufts (10-0-2, 7-0-1 NESCAC) and No. 12 Amherst (8-2-2, 4-2-1 NESCAC) was exciting before it even kicked off. The Jumbos entered the game unbeaten in 2024, while the Mammoths entered with only one prior loss this season, a narrow 1-0 defeat at Williams. Each side was ranked in the top 15 nationally, and it was clear from the start that very little was going to separate these two sides.

Each side developed a distinct advantage in the first half. The Jumbos were clearly the faster side, with forwards Ethan Feigin and Mason Shultz exploiting their speed on the wings. The Mammoths were the more physical side, with their midfield being especially physical on fifty-fifty chances and aerial challenges. 

Defensively, the Jumbos were tested frequently in the first half. Defensive backs Taylor Feinberg and Max Clivio both passed with flying colors. They were excellent in the middle of the pitch, limiting the Mammoths to just one shot on goal in the first half. Junior goalkeeper Nikola Antic was excellent between the posts, not only making the one save required of him, but occasionally charging off his line to defuse Amherst attacks as well. 

The Jumbos offense would only generate two shots on goal themselves, as the Amherst defense made life difficult for the visitors after recognizing their speed. The Jumbos wingers were simply too fast to contain, so the Mammoths ceded the wings and condensed towards the middle, preventing shooting windows and scoring opportunities in front of goal. The Amherst offense would generate some chances of their own, but Clivio and Feinberg were a stone wall in the middle, blocking one shot and forcing another wide.

The Mammoths and Jumbos dueled at midfield for most of the first half, and neither side would see a score from their limited chances in the opening 45 minutes.

The second half saw the pace of play pick up even more as full time loomed overhead. The Mammoths would pull the trigger more in the second half, attempting six shots, with only two of them making it through to Antic. Antic made a great save midway through the second half as Mohammed Nuhu broke through the defense and darted towards goal parallel to the end line. He rifled a shot towards goal, but the intelligent positioning and safe hands of Antic secured the line drive effort.

The Jumbos would keep mounting the pressure on the Mammoths back line, but repeatedly were denied by their thunderous clearances. The Jumbos finally saw the fruits of their labor, when junior Daniel Yanez served up a free kick to the back post, where Clivio was eagerly awaiting the ball. Clivio nodded the ball down into the middle of the six yard box, where it was poked home by junior Henry Perkins for his third goal of the year. The Jumbos were ecstatic as they mobbed Perkins near the corner flag. The Jumbos now led 1-0 with only 11 minutes to play.

The Mammoths, searching for a late equalizer, did everything they could to grind down the Tufts defense. It was simply not enough, as the Jumbos limited them to one shot attempt after the Perkrins goal. A complete team effort saw the number two team in the country victorious again. The win helped keep the Jumbos in first place.

The Jumbos will return to Bello Field on October 19 for Senior Day and a NESCAC match against second-place Middlebury at 12:00 PM.