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Men’s soccer wins overtime thriller to advance to NESCAC semi-finals

By Will Kaback ’20

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Hosting a NESCAC playoff game for the first time in school history, the men’s soccer team made sure it was a special day. The fourth-seeded Continentals earned a rousing 2-1 victory in overtime against the Connecticut College Camels, sending them to this Saturday’s conference semifinals where they will face sixth-seeded Middlebury College on a neutral field. 

After a dreary week of rain and cold, it understandably took some time for each team to find their zone. The first half went scoreless, with each squad locking down the defensive side while struggling to create opportunities on offense. Coming out of the half, however, the Continentals wasted no time in seizing the upper hand. Alex Cadet ’17, one of the key senior leaders on the team, sent a gorgeous cross through the box towards Eli Morris ’18. Connecticut College goalkeeper Mark Cameron ’17 attempted to intercept the pass, but saw the ball slip through his fingers and into the waiting feet of Morris. Staring into an open net, it would not have been harder to miss. Morris converted the opportunity into the go-ahead goal, his first of the season. Morris was named the NESCAC men’s soccer player of the week for his performance in the quarterfinal game. The moment also gave Cadet a team-high four assists on the season, an example of his vision and positioning skills that would foreshadow later events in the match. 

After rebuffing a number of Camel attacks, the defense saw its efforts undermined in an unlucky sequence that had more to do with chance than skill. A handball in the box set-up a penalty kick for NESCAC leading scorer Pat Devlin ’17, who buried the tying goal on a powerful strike. Undeterred, the Continentals unleashed a furious counterattack, assailing Cameron with many of their game-high 19 total shots. Unfortunately, they were unable to retake the lead before the end of regulation, but went into overtime determined to bring home the victory in arguably the highest stakes match in the program’s NESCAC history. 

And bring it home they did. Just under three minutes into the overtime period, Cadet once again got the ball and looked to make a play. Seeing Mike Lubelczyk ’17 streaking towards the net, he lofted a breathtaking cross towards his fellow senior. As the crowd held its collective breath, Lubelczyk, the team leader in goals scored, headed the ball past Cameron and into the welcoming polyethylene arms of the net. A raucous celebration ensued as the team flooded the field while the fans rejoiced in the thrilling inauguration of home-field playoff soccer. 

The moment was the culmination of a season defined by hard-work and grit. While the team posted a strong record of 9-6-1, including 5-4-1 in conference play, there were moments—like back to back 2-1 overtime losses to Bowdoin and Williams, respectively—that felt as if they weren’t necessarily playing to their potential. However, in the final few games leading up to the opening round of the playoffs, they doubled down on their commitment to playing as a united front and persevering through challenges along the way. They ripped off back-to-back wins, including a 4-0 drubbing of Colby on their home field to conclude NESCAC regular season play. It seems as though that momentum continued to build last Saturday as they defeated the Camels for the fourth straight time. 

Of the seven seniors on the team, five joined only one year ago. Head Coach Perry Nizzi has been instrumental in creating a cohesive team dynamic that has allowed all players to have an opportunity to succeed. Nizzi picked up his 150th career win with the Continentals earlier this season, highlighting his continued excellence on the sidelines. 

Aside from Lubelczyk and Cadet, Killian Clancy ’18 and Rowan Myers ’19 have been important contributors. Clancy has seven points on the season, good for fourth best on the team, with Myers just behind him with six. Jefri Schmidt ’20 has been a first-year revelation among an already talented first-year class. He is second only to Lubelczyk in points with ten, including four goals and two assists. On the whole, the team is exceptionally balanced with 12 different players scoring at least one goal and 10 having at least one assist. 

This Saturday, the team will face a true test with Middlebury, to whom they fell 1-0 earlier this season. Momentum only goes so far, and in the end, success will come down to their ability to execute offensive set pieces while defending against a strong Middlebury attack. That being said, with a historic win already under their belts, the Continentals’ prospect of a run to the championship is a distinct possibility. It could be another jaw-dropping cross from Cadet, or a rocket off the boot of Lubelczyk, or an awe-inspiring save from goalie Harris Pollack ’17 or any one of the team’s other contributors. This team has shown it only takes one moment to change the course of a season. Now it’s only a question of who will rise to the occasion. 

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