Although it’s early in the season, it’s fair to say that the men’s soccer team has picked up where they left off last year.
Transfer Sam Griswold ’08 stepped up to assist the first goal and score the second in Wesleyan’s 2-1 win over Trinity on Saturday. Morgan Owen ’07 continued his hot streak by netting the first goal of the contest and inspired play by midfielder Josh Stephens ’07 helped keep Wesleyan in control throughout the home opener.
“Hooter [Peter Glidden] and I try to control the tempo of the game from the midfield,” Stephens said, “and we’re at our best when we can dictate the pace.”
The squad gave their fans much to cheer about and quickly put their anemic goal scoring effort last week against Springfield out of their minds by scoring twice in the first half. A restructured starting lineup took the field as head coach Geoff Wheeler inserted Owen and Ross Pemmerl ’08 into the lineup, as well as giving rookie midfielder Nick Whipple ’10 his first collegiate start.
No matter what pieces are in, the puzzle is always complete for these Cards. They demonstrated this unity in the game’s third minute after a Griswold pass from the left side gave Owen an open look at the goal from 22 yards. The 6’3“ midfielder had more than enough punch behind the ball to blast it in from that distance, giving the Cardinals the lead.
An insurance goal came just fifteen minutes later as Griswold put a beautiful touch on a loose ball, dropping it into the goal past the outstretched hands of Trinity keeper Eric Wunsch.
Wesleyan has been able to score first and jump out to an early lead this year, but they have had trouble scoring after that and adding to their leads.
”We sit back after goals and get complacent,“ Stephens said. ”We get away from what we’re trying to do and don’t play our game.“
It almost cost them Saturday’s match, as Trinity put a goal on the board in the 63rd minute and came close again with a little over a minute left in the game. Jonathan Hayes scored his first goal of the year on an assist by Nick Allen, pulling the Bantams to within one.
With time winding down in the second half, Trinity had a long throw-in from the right side. Wesleyan keeper Matt Gnall ’08 had the ball in his hands when a Trinity striker headed it out of his control and into the net. Wesleyan’s fans were visibly deflated, and the team held its breath as it seemed as though the head referee hadn’t seen the foul committed. A linesman immediately saw the infraction, however, and called a foul on Trinity that disallowed the goal.
The defense stayed solid after that and Wesleyan came away with their first NESCAC win of the season, running its record to 2-0 on the year. The Cards travel to Tufts on Tuesday to face a Jumbos squad that is winless in three games this year. No one on this Wesleyan team has ever beaten Tufts.
”We always dominate them but end up losing,“ Jared Ashe ’07 said, ”and we’ve got a lot to prove in this game.“
For the seniors it might be their last chance to beat Tufts, and it is the most important game so far in this young season.
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