BOX
SCORE
MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - The Bowdoin College men's soccer team saw
their hopes of a NESCAC Championship dashed in a 2-0 defeat to
Williams in the conference semifinals on Saturday. The Polar Bears
(11-4-1) saw their four-match win streak snapped and will hold out
hope for a potential at-large NCAA bid when the field is announced
on Sunday evening.
The first 20 minutes of the contest were characterized by strong
defense on both sides, as neither team was able to launch a shot.
Williams senior forward Pierre Meloty-Kapella finally broke through
at the 20:04 mark, launching a shot past Bowdoin sophomore
goalkeeper Dan Hicks to give Williams a 1-0 lead. Meloty-Kapella
ran into the box all alone and fired a shot from 18 yards out into
the left side of the goal, his eighth of the season.
Bowdoin did not muster its first shot of the match until the 25th
minute, as sophomore midfielder Nick Powell sent the ball from the
top of the box right to Williams senior keeper Andrew Graham.
Bowdoin also had a pair of wide shots in the first half, but the
Williams defense kept the Polar Bears from mounting a serious
threat on offense.
Williams made it 2-0 in the 68th minute on a header by senior
midfielder Will Whiston following a corner kick. Junior forward
Gaston Kelly sent the ball into a crowd along the right side of the
box, where it was put in by Whiston for his fifth goal of the
season.
Bowdoin had a pair of golden opportunities in the second half but
was denied both times. Ten minutes into the period, with the score
still 1-0, sophomore forward Eddie Jones took a shot from the top
of the box, which was saved by Graham. The rebound went to Powell
along the left side of the box with Graham out of position, but
Powell's shot at the open net sailed high. Bowdoin also had a
chance to halve Williams' margin with just under seven
minutes remaining, but junior midfielder Ben
Denton-Schneider's shot from 20 yards out hit the left
post.
Graham made four saves in the Williams net for his second shutout
and Williams' eighth of the season. Junior Dan Hicks stopped
one shot in the Bowdoin goal.
