After tying Tufts 0-0 at the end of a rain-soaked double overtime game on Wednesday afternoon, the men’s soccer team will return to Somerville for a rematch on Saturday in its first game of the NESCAC tournament. The Polar Bears enter the playoffs as defending champions after winning their first NESCAC title last fall. Just like last year, the Polar Bears are seeded sixth out of the eight competing teams.
The road to last year’s title involved facing three of the top four seeded teams and many close matches, starting with a 2-1 win over the third seed, Williams. Bowdoin’s next two games against fourth seed Middlebury in the semifinal and second seed Amherst in the championship ended scoreless in double overtime, and Bowdoin came out on top after penalty kicks both times
“Having that experience, we know that if it does come down to that, then we can do what’s necessary,” said captain Nabil Odulate ’16. “We’ve got a great goalkeeper that’s shown himself very well in those situations, so that always is a big boost to our confidence to know that he’s good for a couple of saves, so if we can do our jobs, then we’ll be in a good spot.”
Each season brings new strengths and weaknesses, and this year, the team trusts its defensive capability to shut down its opponents and keep any game close.
“We haven’t given up a lot of goals. We’ve been in every game, we’ve only given up two goals in one game, so we’re always within striking distance,” said Head Coach Scott Wiercinski. “That’s a really promising position to be in because you can always salvage things in the last minute, so there are reasons for optimism there.”
“Our first focus as a team is always being defensively solid,” said Odulate. “Outside of that, we’re focused on passing the ball around on the ground, keeping it on the ground, but also looking to attack quickly when we have the opportunity.”
This year, the team finishes the regular season with a conference record of 3-3-4, seeded sixth and hoping history will repeat itself.
“If last year is any indication, we feel like if we’re playing well, which we are, and if we’re healthy, which we are, then the sky’s the limit,” said Wiercinski. “We’re not afraid of anyone, and whoever we have to play, we feel optimistic that we can have a good result and keep going through the tournament.”
The 2015 tournament continues the high level of rivalry and competition standard in the NESCAC. While Bowdoin comes in as the defending NESCAC champions, Tufts also enters the tournament with its first national title after winning the NCAA Division III tournament last fall. Amherst leads the NESCAC with the only undefeated record, although this past Wednesday, Trinity tied the Lord Jeffs 1-1 to put an end to their 14-game win streak. The Polar Bears remain undaunted and eager to challenge any opponent they might face, starting with Tufts.
In preparation for this weekend, the team has the opportunity to improve and adapt based on Wednesday’s matchup. The team looks to improve its defense in the midfield in order to counter Tufts’ strength and precision in its passing game. Bowdoin will also focus on converting on offensive chances and maintaining its defensive strength.
“Our back line is very good at defending for short periods of time in open space, and that’s something that Tufts tries to exploit,” said Wiercinski. “We think that it’s going to be a good matchup in that way but something that requires getting midfield players to the ball to slow things down.”
The teams are evenly-matched teams going into the quarterfinals. Tufts and Bowdoin have each allowed only seven goals on the season, tying them for second fewest goals allowed behind Amherst. The Polar Bears’ defensive line will be keeping track of junior Nathan Majumder, who has been Tufts’ leading scorer this fall.
“[Last Wednesday] was a lot of playing that was an appetizer for what’s going to be a little bit more of a pressure-packed weekend,” said Wiercinski. “Even though there were no goals, there were a lot of good chances back and forth, and I think we’re both looking forward to another exciting game this weekend.”
The high stakes of tournament play makes each game drastically different from the regular season, but with many returning players and a season-long focus on emotional stability, the team feels prepared to excel under the circumstances.
“That urgency and immediacy of what you’re doing and how it might reveal itself in the result is much more poignant [in playoffs] than it is through the course of a long season where if you make mistakes today, you can make up for it tomorrow,” said Wiercinski. “In the playoffs, there’s just not that opportunity.”