Top-Seeded Men's Soccer To Battle Middlebury in NESCAC Semifinals

MEDFORD, MA (November 7, 2025) -- The No. 1 ranked Tufts University men's soccer team will play host to the 2025 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament semifinals and finals this weekend as the top seed, taking on No. 6 seed Middlebury College while also hosting No. 2 seed Wesleyan University and No. 5 seed Connecticut College in action on Bello Field Saturday and Sunday. The Jumbos earned the right to host this weekend with a strong 1-0 win last weekend over No. 8 seed Bates College, getting the fourth penalty kick goal from senior Daniel Yanez in the victory while Nikola Antic also picked up another shutout win. 

Game Details
Tournament Schedule:
NESCAC Tournament Homepage 
Saturday, November 8, 2025
No. 1 seed Tufts University (12-1-3, 6-1-3 NESCAC) vs. No. 6 seed Middlebury College (9-4-2, 4-4-2 NESCAC) - 10:30 a.m.
No. 2 seed Wesleyan University (9-3-4, 5-1-4 NESCAC) vs. No. 5 seed Connecticut College (9-2-5, 4-2-4 NESCAC) - 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 9, 2025
Remaining Two Teams - 11:00 a,m.
Location: Medford, Mass. – Bello Field - Directions 
Weather: Sunny, Low 60s, Chance of Rain: 5%, Wind: W 5-10 MPH
Live Coverage: LIVE STATS – LIVE VIDEO

Tufts vs. Tournament Field
For the first time since 2017, Tufts will host the remaining round of the 2025 NESCAC Men's Soccer Championship at Bello Field on November 8 and 9. The Jumbos are also hosting the semifinals and championship games for the NESCAC Women's Soccer and Field Hockey Tournaments on November 8 and 9. It is the first time in conference history that the same institution earned the No. 1 seed in field hockey, men's soccer, and women's soccer, and will host the semifinals and championship games in those sports in the same season. The Panthers are 5-4-0 against the Jumbos in the NESCAC Tournament, but Tufts recorded a 2-1 victory in the last meeting in the 2023 semifinals. Tufts is also 1-1 against Conn. College in the NESCAC Tournament, while holding a 0-0-1 record against Wesleyan with the only meeting coming back in 2001, a 3-3 tie that ended with a 6-5 PK win for the Jumbos. 

A Look At The Jumbos 
The Tufts University men's soccer team enters the NESCAC semifinals in dominant form, carrying a 12-1-3 record and one of the stingiest defenses in Division III. The Jumbos have lost just once all year, a 3-1 setback to Williams back in early September, and have since gone unbeaten in 12 straight contests. They've allowed only seven goals all season, outscoring opponents 37-7, and recorded 11 shutouts behind a veteran back line and standout goalkeeping from senior Nikola Antic.

Defensively, Tufts has been nearly impenetrable. Antic owns a 0.46 goals-against average with eight solo shutouts, helping Tufts post a 0.44 team GAA overall. Opponents are managing just 8.0 shots per game and a shooting percentage of 5.5%, evidence of how well Tufts controls possession and limits clean looks. The Jumbos have also held a 113-48 edge in corner kicks, a reflection of their territorial dominance throughout the year. The seven goals allowed this season is the lowest in the NESCAC. 

Offensively, Tufts has been efficient and balanced. The team averages 2.31 goals per game (tops in the NESCAC) on a shooting percentage of .132, with 13 different goal scorers contributing this fall. The attack has been especially strong in second halves, where the Jumbos have tallied 26 of their 37 goals, frequently breaking down opponents as matches wear on. The unit's ability to sustain pressure, 281 total shots, 17.6 per game, has been a defining strength.

Senior Henry Brown leads the team with five goals, including two game-winners, and is part of a deep attacking core that shares the scoring load. Daniel Yanez has been a key finisher from the penalty spot, converting all four of his attempts while adding four goals overall. Playmaker Xavier Canfin has sparked the midfield with a team-high six assists to go along with three goals, while Henry Perkins (3G, 5A) has been one of Tufts' most consistent two-way contributors.

The midfield depth extends further with Gianluca Fallone and Ellis Denby, each with multiple goals and assists, while Mason Shultz and Mateo Bargagna have added timely scoring production. The Jumbos' ability to get offense from every line, including defenders like Ben Brown, has made them unpredictable and difficult to scout. Nine players have recorded at least one game-winning goal this season.

Tufts' set-piece efficiency is another weapon. The Jumbos have attempted 10 penalty kicks, converting nine, while also creating consistent chances from corners and long throws. Bargagna and Yanez have proven dangerous on restarts, and Tufts' aerial strength often tilts momentum in tight matches. Their ability to convert in those moments could be decisive again in the postseason.

The Jumbos' lone blemish in conference play came early, but since then they've strung together big wins over Amherst, Middlebury, and Bates while playing to road draws at Colby, Wesleyan, and Bowdoin. That consistency has positioned them well for another deep tournament run. They enter the semifinals unbeaten in NESCAC play since September 6, as Tufts is making its 23rd appearance in the tournament and its 15th straight. The program looks to advance to the title game for the second time in three years.

The Jumbos are in search of their fourth conference title and first since 2021.

A Look At The Panthers 
The Panthers advanced to the NESCAC Tournament's championship weekend with a 2-1 come-from-behind triumph over #10/third-seeded Bowdoin in the quarterfinals.
Middlebury has made every conference tournament since the first one took place in 2000. Amherst and Williams are the other programs that share the distinction.

The Panthers have earned 29 victories during NESCAC postseason action and advanced to the championship game 11 times. Middlebury is searching for back-to-back NESCAC Championship contest appearances for the first time since the 2009 and 2010 campaigns. The Panthers are seeking their fourth league title, garnering the crown in 2000, 2007 and 2010.

Will Sawin leads the Panthers with seven goals and 18 points, including the game-tying tally in the NESCAC Quarterfinal contest. He sits second in NESCAC in points and third in total tallies. Eduardo Casanova shares the conference lead with seven helpers, five of which have been distributed in the past six contests.

Gavin Randolph has brought a late spark to Middlebury's offense. The Panther has nine points in his last six outings, including finding the back of the net twice in a 4-0 win over Colby.
Middlebury boasts 16 different goal scorers, with many recent tallies being recorded by the midfield. Keagan Harder holds second on the squad with four goals alongside nine points in 15 contests. Pablo Gonzalez is the lone defender to log over 1,100 minutes this season, while rookies Orlando Cavaceppi-Dove (1,009) and Hamin Kim (974) have started all 15 contests on the backline.

Joey Waterman has stood tall as Middlebury's primary goalkeeper. The senior is tied for the fewest goals of any NESCAC counterpart (seven) and owns a conference-best .870 save percentage.  

Wesleyan and Conn Profiles
The No. 11 Cardinals enter the weekend with a 9-3-4 record. All three of their losses have come by one goal, including a 1-0 defeat to then-#5 Babson by a 1-0 score on September 6.

The red and white make their 22nd appearance in the NESCAC Tournament and advanced after a 3-2 win over seventh-seeded Amherst in the quarterfinals. Aiden Londergan scored with 15 seconds left in regulation to propel the red and white to the semifinals.

Wesleyan has advanced to the championship game twice, including a 3-2 triumph against the Mammoths in the 2005 title tilt. Londergan is third in the league with 17 points and tied for third with seven goals. Yousuf Saeed (5G, 3A) and Joshwin Jennings (4G, 4A) are also contributors on the offensive end. Mathis Blanc has been the starter in goal this season for the Cardinals, posting an .824 save percentage with a quartet of shutouts over 15 starts. Blanc leads the conference with 61 saves and ranks second with 4.07 stops per game.

The seventh-ranked Camels are riding a nine-game unbeaten streak heading into the semifinals, including a 2-1 triumph at fourth-seeded Williams in the quarterfinal round. 

Connecticut College is seeking its second-consecutive NESCAC Championship in program history after a 3-1 victory last fall against Middlebury. The Camels are appearing in their fourth-straight NESCAC Semifinal and seventh in school history.  Connecticut College is making its 17th tournament appearance.

The Camels possess a 9-2-5 mark, with their losses coming to nationally-ranked conference foes in Amherst and Tufts.  Marco Perugini leads a balanced attack with 14 points (5G, 4A), while Gavin Mpiana (3G, 2A) and Matt Quiros-Newton (2G, 3A) aid the output. TJ Krongard is second in the conference with seven shutouts and third in GAA (0.67) in 15 starts in net for Connecticut College.