The stakes were high as Wesleyan and Trinity faced off in Hartford on Saturday afternoon: barring a tie, the final result would leave one soccer team with its first loss of the 2009 campaign. For the first 77 minutes of the match, the Bantams had the 1-0 edge, and were well on their way to forcing the Cardinals to endure a long bus ride back to Middletown carrying the weight of defeat. But with two quick goals and the stellar defense that has become a trademark of Wesleyan soccer, the Cardinals had the last laugh, running off the field with a 2-1 victory.
“Coming from a goal down on the road at a place like Trinity says a lot about the heart this team has,” said head coach Geoff Wheeler.
Barely seven minutes into the game, Trinity took the lead, one that the Bantams clung to for over an hour of play. But Wesleyan consistently been consistently resilient throughout this season, and Saturday’s game was no different.
“We didn’t look like we came to play in the first half, but we dominated the second,” said Austin Woolridge ‘11, who scored the team’s first goal. “The way we played in the second half, a goal looked imminent.”
In the 78th minute, Woolridge produced, scoring an unassisted tally to tie the game. With just over ten minutes left in regulation, the likelihood of overtime was on everyone’s mind. But Asante Brooks ’10, who was named NESCAC Player of the Week on Monday, secured a win in the 86th minute. On an offensive rush, Brooks was taken down by the Trinity keeper and was awarded a penalty kick. Wesleyan had missed on its first penalty kick of the game. With the pressure on, Brooks shot the ball, which careened off of the goal post and into the net for what proved to be the game winner.
The men are now proud owners of a 5-0-2 record, 3-0-1 in NESCAC, as well as a first-place seat in the conference, a spot they share with Williams. The Cardinals also look to break into the national rankings this week, as they beat two nationally ranked teams in the span of five days. Wheaton, which Wesleyan defeated 1-0 last Tuesday, had been in the 13th slot, while Trinity held stood at 22nd. In the New England region, the Cardinals should undoubtedly move up from the fourth spot to the second, as Wheaton and Trinity were ranked second and third, respectively, last week. While all of this recognition is an honor, the team sees it as nothing more than good press.
“At this point of the season, rankings don’t mean much,” commented Woolridge. “It feels great and it’s nice to tell your friends and family, but we haven’t won anything yet. Though I do think it’s a confidence booster, we need to be careful not to let it get to our heads.”
Added tri-captain Nick Whipple ’10, “The fact that we haven’t given up more than one goal in a game this year is much more important to us than our ranking. A ranking is just a number, and we all know that rankings don’t matter until the end of the year.”
The men say they are simply concentrating on getting to the NESCAC tournament, approaching one game at a time. A few members of the squad highlighted the defense as the fundamental factor to their achievement thus far. The midfielders have been vital in keeping pressure off, and goalkeeper Adam Purdy ‘13 has met the charges that do penetrate the defensive zone. He made five saves in the Trinity game, allowing one goal, just his third of the year.
The Cards have also showcased depth that gives the team strength and flexibility. “One of the reasons we have done so well, particularly on short rest (like Wheaton), is that we have such a deep bench,” wrote tri-captain Jory Kahan ’10 in email to The Argus. “We played 21 guys on Tuesday. Guys are really pushing each other in practice and that is making all of us better.”

Up next is an equally arduous challenge as the men take on the U.S. Coast Guard Academy today at home.
“Right now, we are only thinking about Coast Guard,” wrote Kahan. “We lost to them last year in OT–probably the worst loss of my 4 years at Wesleyan. We owe them big time.”
After Coast Guard, the team will gear up for another NESCAC opponent, as Bowdoin comes to visit on Saturday.