It’s been a booming couple of weeks for the Men’s Soccer team. Out of 14 games this season, the team has taken nine wins. Of their NESCAC games, the Camels have won four, exactly half of the games they’ve played so far and enough to secure a position in the NESCAC championship.
The team has surged on the backs of strong leadership and motivated first-years, said coach Kenny Murphy, who will be entering his seventh year. “We’ve got strong senior leadership – five captains,” he said, listing them all off. “And you can’t forget James Gilmore ’16, who echoes the spirit of the group. We’re a happy team this year.”
The argument for more cohesion within the team is strong, given a summer of change in the lineup. Of this year’s 11 starters, four of them are first-years, including winger Mark Leon, the team’s leading scorer with six goals. Forward Chris Lockwood ’19 has also been a key player in the team’s offense with four goals and two assists.
The assurance of a championship berth comes in spite of a disappointing loss at home this weekend to the Bowdoin Polar Bears. Back-to-back goals late in the second half turned the tide of a game that looked set to be a 1-0 victory for the Camels.
The loss won’t affect qualification for the championship, but it will influence whether or not the team will face playoff matches at home. Until this weekend, the home field advantage has been a definitive boon to a side that had seen its only prior losses on the road. Before the game, the team was tied for fourth place in the NESCAC.
The team’s last game of the regular season will take place this Tuesday, Oct. 27, at home against Wesleyan. It will be the last NESCAC game before the playoffs begin. Kick-off will be at 3:00 p.m.•
