Nor'easter News - Week 11

By Henry Loughlin

Recap of the Week

Conference championship weekend is generally a good bet for high drama, upsets, and memorable goals, and this weekend certainly didn’t disappoint in any of those respects. Babson won arguably its most dramatic NEWMAC title in history, beating host WPI 1-0 on a bicycle kick with 3 seconds remaining in the second overtime. The CCC final saw top-seeded Salve Regina edge Endicott, 3-2, also in double overtime. And the NESCAC tournament produced a surprise in Middlebury’s upset of Amherst, the former of whom then lost the title game to Tufts, 2-1. Elsewhere in New England conference tournament action, Johnson and Wales beat St. Joseph’s (Maine) in the GNAC championship game; Keene State edged Eastern Conn. in the LEC final; Framingham State captured its first MASCAC title since 2011 with a 1-0 win over Salem State; and Thomas College captured the NAC championship, beating Maine Maritime 4-1 on the latter’s home field.

Impressions

It wasn’t a final, but Middlebury pulled out one of the biggest results of the weekend when the Panthers knocked out No. 1 Amherst, 1-0 in the NESCAC semifinals. The teams battled to a 1-1 draw in Massachusetts during the regular season, but, this time, Ben Potter’s 16th minute goal was enough for the Panthers to bring the Mammoths out from the undefeated ranks. Middlebury, who racked up a high number of draws the season, including the aforementioned one against Amherst, saved its best for the biggest stage — despite being outshot and out-possessed by their previously undefeated hosts — and advanced to Sunday’s final. In the second semifinal between Tufts and Williams, it was another game that finished with that same scoreline, with Tufts advancing on a Zach Lane goal less than two minutes into overtime. Sunday’s pairing for the final, meanwhile, was a repeat of the 2017 title game. Again, Tufts triumphed via an 88th-minute winner, but this time the Jumbos had to overcome being pegged back: Max Jacobs opened the scoring for Tufts in the 58th minute, Max Drazen equalized for Middlebury with 11:03 remaining in regulation, and Joe Braun’s turn-and-shoot finish with 2:10 remaining gave the Jumbos their second NESCAC...

Nor'easter News provides coverage of Division III men's soccer throughout the New England region, home to the NESCAC, one of the nation's strongest and deepest conferences, as well as the NEWMAC, CCC, LEC and others. Each week the more significant results of the previous week are discussed, along with impressions and analysis, followed by the selection of a game to keep an eye on in the week ahead.

Columnist

Henry Loughlin is a Brandeis University graduate (2014, Politics & American Studies) and has enjoyed watching Division III soccer for the past six years as a student and alumnus. Though a writer by trade, his interest in numbers and statistical analysis makes soccer writing and commentary a favorite pastime. [see full bio]