In the first home playoff game in the history of Wesleyan men’s soccer (8-5-1), the Cardinals took North Field in front of an estimated 200 fans on Sunday to play Bates (10-4-1) in the opening round of the NESCAC championships. The men were coming off a 1-0 victory over Bowdoin a day earlier and carried the momentum into Sunday’s 2-1 overtime victory.
Sunday’s match looked even on paper. The Cardinals played Bates to a 1-1 tie two weeks ago in Maine, and the squads finished tied for fourth in the conference with identical 5-3-1 records in the NESCAC. Wesleyan earned home field advantage thanks to a dramatic win over a quality Bowdoin team the day before.
Confident in a defense that did not concede a goal in four conference games at North Field this season, the men came out looking to score the first goal. In the first half of play, both teams battled tough with few scoring opportunities, and entered the break in a scoreless tie.
Bates was quick to draw first blood in the sixtieth minute. The goal came on a miscue by the Wesleyan defense, when a pass between two defenders was intercepted and converted for a goal by a Bates forward.
With the crowd tamed and the Cardinals facing the possibility of elimination, Evan Berding ’05 duped his defender and heeled the ball authoritatively after Mike Ryan ’05 and Evan Bissell ’05 caught the Bates defense unaware with a quick corner kick. Berding’s shot found the back of the net to bring Wesleyan even with just over 20 minutes remaining in regulation.
Goalie Dan Penrod ’05 was excited to see his team tie up the game and knew he would not relinquish the lead to Bates.
“Not a lot of guys would go for the no-look, behind-the-back near post finish in the playoffs, but Berdo [Berding] does have the greatest mustache on the team, so I guess you got to expect it,” Penrod said.
The game heated up after both of Bates’ forwards were given yellow cards. The fans got louder and were even spoken to by the referees when one fan pushed a Bates player on a throw-in. Penrod made a spectacular save late in the game, diving right at a Bates forward’s foot for the ball and keeping the dream alive.
With less than two minutes remaining in regulation, the Cardinals intensified their attack. Both Noah Isaacs ’06 and Berding came close to netting the winning goal. On a final attempt in regulation, Ryan sent a vicious shot just over the crossbar.
But in the ninety-fifth minute of the fifth overtime this season, the Cardinals found the winning goal in Morgan Owen ’07.
“It was a win we deserved,” Owen said. “All of us forwards pressured well all game and it was great to get a chance to finish one in overtime. It’s your boy, Morgan Owen.”
On the game-winner, Owen received a great ball up the right side from Peter Glidden ’07 and beat the goalie for what was arguably the biggest goal of the season and probably best moment of Owen’s young, legendary career as a Wesleyan soccer demi-god. The fans and entire team charged the field. After the heap cleared, the team saluted the Wesleyan faithful, acknowledging this as its last home game in their quest for a NESCAC title.
Berding recognized the magnitude of his last home game.
“The emotional win today and the amazing support from our fans merely serves to reinforce those characteristics that define the Wesleyan men’s soccer program and which, until this year, I may not have truly understood in all their glory, discipline, style, determination, magnificent physiques, charm, capability, class, mustaches (for those chosen few), will, power and grace, a keen wit, unparalleled unity and, most notably, incredibly stunning facial features,” Berding said. “Thank you to all those who graced us with your presence on the sidelines today and thank you to my team. You have made this old boy very proud.”
In Saturday’s game against Bowdoin (10-5, 6-3 NESCAC), with home field advantage a possibility thanks to a Williams’ defeat of Amherst, the Cardinals dug deep for a 1-0 victory. Penrod held the Polar Bears scoreless for his fifth shut out on the season.
Ryan got the game-winner for the Cardinals in the eighty-third minute, as the Cardinals once again waited for the closing moments to pull out the victory. The goal came following a shot from Berding after a corner, as Ryan picked up the loose ball and slipped it between a defender’s legs and into the side netting. Penrod ensured the victory with a brilliant breakaway save in the closing moments.
Following a non-conference game at Vassar on Wednesday afternoon, the Cardinals will make a trip to take on top ranked Williams next Saturday to play the semi-finals match at 11 a.m. In the other semi-final contest, Bowdoin will play Middlebury.
The championship game, also at Williams, will be held on Sunday with an automatic NCAA tournament berth at stake.
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