The men’s soccer team continued their hot streak this week, shutting out Wheaton College 1-0 on Tuesday and then blanking Colby on Saturday 2-0 on Jackson Field. Alan Ashenfelter ’09 scored the game’s only goal on Tuesday, with tri-captain Matt Gnall ’08 pitching the team’s second consecutive shutout, making 3 saves. On Saturday, the Cards saw goals from Kyle Nuland ’09 and Keisuke Yamashita ’10, as well as strong performance in the net by Jamie Hiteshew ’08, who made 3 saves en route to the team’s third straight shutout victory.

After beginning the season 0-4, Wesleyan has won its past five games to push its record to 5-4 (2-3 NESCAC) with four
NESCAC contests left on the schedule. The team’s play has begun to resemble the team that had high aspirations this season after making the NCAA tournament the past two years.

“I wouldn’t consider it to be a remarkable turnaround,” said tri-captain Ross Pemmerl ’08. “The games we lost in the beginning of the season were just as close as these past four games, we just happened to be on the wrong side of the result for the first four. We definitely are feeling good now about how the team is coming together and playing.”

On Tuesday, Ashenfelter hooked up with Matt Nevin ’09 in the 77th minute on a beautiful give and go that broke the deadlock. The goal propelled the Cards to a huge out-of-conference victory over a team that was ranked third in the region entering the game. Gnall handled several crosses played into his box and made one stellar save on a
shot from about eight yards out.

Hiteshew matched the effort put forth by Gnall earlier in the week, matching the tri-captain’s three saves . Ozzie Parente ’09 sent a cross from the right wing to the back post, where Yamashita headed home his third goal this season, all off assists from Parente.

“Ozzie crossed a great ball, so all I needed to do was just put it into the goal,” said Yamashita. “I think the goal gave us more confidence and composure for the rest of the game.”

Wesleyan certainly played with confidence and composure, adding to their lead in the 56th minute when Ashenfelter fed Nuland for a one-on-one chance with the Colby goalie. Nuland maneuvered around the keeper and tucked the ball into the empty net.

“We have been on a winning streak since we discovered our identity as a team,” Yamashita added. “Now, everyone is enjoying playing and is proud of the way we are playing. Each player and, of course, each supporter is contributing to our winning style, which has led to our winning streak.”

Whatever problem led to the team’s early season struggles, it now appears to be fixed. The Cards have won five straight games, two of them in NESCAC play, and will carry a surplus of confidence into this week’s important NESCAC games. Wesleyan will host Tufts on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. and Bates on Saturday at 11 a.m. Both games will be played on Jackson Field. Following the home games against Tufts and Bates, the team will hit the road for three straight games to finish off the regular season.

After traveling to Danbury, CT next Wednesday for an out-of-conference game against Western Connecticut State, the Cards will finish the season with games against Amherst and Bowdoin. With four conference contests to go, the Cards NESCAC playoff possibilities are still wide open. A strong finish could garner a home playoff game, while a few losses could drop the squad out of the playoff picture all together.