Last season, the men’s soccer team upset Williams 1-0 on the Ephs’ home turf en route to the Cardinals’ first ever NESCAC championship. The Cards returned to Williamstown last Saturday to defend their title, but the much-anticipated rematch was rather anticlimactic.
The two sides were knotted at one just five minutes into the second half when the game was delayed for an hour due to lightning. Wesleyan and Williams returned to the field after the initial storm had passed but were able to play just one minute before lightning was seen again and the game was called.
By rule, in order for a game to count it must reach the seventy-minute mark. Because the match was called in the 51st minute, the game’s statistics, as well as its result, were not recorded.
That’s unfortunate for Mike Walker ’08, who put the Cards ahead 1-0 in the first half, sharply heading home a cross from Alan Ashenfelter ’09. The buildup to the goal highlighted Wesleyan’s ability to move the ball as Ashenfelter overlapped Sam Griswold ’08, who found the former open in the corner. Ashenfelter then hit a driven ball across the box and Walker confidently finished the play.
The Cards struggled to find a rhythm in the brief second half, though, as they surrendered the tying goal shortly before the game’s first delay.
Wesleyan and Williams may make up the game in late October, but it is unclear whether the scheduling for that game will be feasible due to the busy soccer and academic schedules of each team.
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