No. 2 Men's Soccer Draws 0-0 Versus No. 3 Middlebury on Senior Day

MEDFORD, MA (October 19, 2024) - The number two ranked Tufts University men's soccer team fought hard but ended up drawing with the number three ranked Middlebury College Panthers in a thrilling New England Small College Athletics Conference match on a Saturday Senior Day in the afternoon at Bello Field.

It was a battle at the top of the NESCAC on Saturday, as the first place Jumbos (10-0-3, 7-0-2 NESCAC) began to work against the visiting Panthers (10-0-3, 5-0-3 NESCAC). The hosts would launch their first attack against their guests very early on in the first half. The Jumbos were quick as ever, and their initial speed allowed them to get back behind the Panther's defense and win a corner inside of four minutes. Graduate student Liam Gerken played the corner, finding a leaping junior Mateo Bargagna. The pushed-up defender nodded a header towards goal, but it just missed the crossbar for an opposing goal kick. The tone was set, despite the close shot, and it was clear that the pace of play would be frenetic.

Frenetic it was, as the Panthers immediately responded. They worked their way downfield with strong physical dribbling and a slick passing game. The Jumbos were back defending, but a cross worked to the weak side saw Panther forward Luke Madden fire a shot that fortunately went well over the goal protected by junior Nikola Antic. Antic would have a busy day at the back of the Jumbos formation, not only making two saves in the first half, but coming off his line several times to either clear a loose ball or defuse the threat of an incoming cross by catching the ball with his steady hands. 

As the match settled in, the midfield began to see more of the action. Neither team was able to burst through the opposing defense, as the Jumbos tightened up and held a high line, while the Panthers fell back, nullifying the speed of the home forwards. The physicality increased as the stalemate continued, with neither side able to take a clear advantage into the locker room at half time. Each side attempted five shots in the first half, with each team putting two on target. Both goalkeepers made two saves, and it was clear that the two sides' respective rankings were accurate.

The second half saw an immediate return to the frenetic pace of play. Each side sought out an advantage. Senior defender Taylor Feinberg made a few huge stops in the second half, celebrating his senior day by locking down the Middlebury forwards. Together with fellow celebrating senior Owen Denby, the Jumbos defense was nearly impenetrable. The Panthers would attempt five shots in the second half, two fewer than the Jumbos seven attempts, and Antic would only have to make a save on two of them. 

The Jumbos would try to break through the deadlock, but the opposing goalkeeper Joey Waterman made four total saves to keep the Jumbos off the scoresheet. They managed to earn seven corners in the second half alone, but even the set pieces were defended well by the second place NESCAC team. 

Ultimately, neither side would find the back of the net. The Jumbos would come away with a scoreless draw, remaining at the top of the NESCAC table. The number two team in the country moved to a 10-0-3 record, staying unbeaten in the 2024 campaign.

The Jumbos have the week off, as they prepare for the final non-conference game of the regular season. They will travel to Husson University on Saturday for a match at 12:00 PM.