BOX SCORE

BRUNSWICK, Maine - Needing a win to qualify for the NESCAC Tournament, the Tufts University men's soccer team got a pair of goals from Dan Schoening in a 3-1 win over Bowdoin on Friday afternoon. The Jumbos clinch the Tufts (8-5-1, 4-5 NESCAC) is the #6 seed in the conference tournament. They will play at #3 Trinity in the first round on Sunday at noon. Bowdoin (6-7, 4-5 NESCAC) got in as the eighth seed and will travel to #1 Middlebury on Sunday for a noontime start.

Bowdoin had an early chance to get on the board, as a Tufts handball inside the box led to a penalty kick for the Polar Bears. But Ben Denton-Schneider's attempt soared high of the goal to keep the game scoreless. The Polar Bears controlled the pace of play throughout the half, holding a 14-3 advantage in shots. But Tufts broke through late in the period as Schoening one-touched a long-ball pass behind oncoming Bowdoin keeper Dan Hicks and tapped the ball into an open net to give the Jumbos the lead at intermission.

The second half saw up-tempo play result in several scoring chances. Bowdoin was able to even the score when Eddie Jones collected a loose ball in the box and ripped a turnaround shot that dented the twine at 57:07 to even the score.

But Tufts responded with a pair of goals in the final 24 minute to seal the win. The game-winner came less than 10 minutes later when sophomore Ben Greensent a long ball to Schoening, who tucked it inside the left post for his second of the game and eighth of the season. The Jumbos added a huge insurance goal in the 79th minute on an indirect kick by sophomore Naji Muakkassa that was headed in by Duker for his first goal of the season.

Senior tri-captain David McKeon made 11 saves for a strong performance in the Jumbo net. Bowdoin's Dan Hicks finished with four saves. Bowdoin finished the match with a 26-12 advantage in shots.

Photo courtesy of Alex Cornell du Houx