MEDFORD, Mass. – The Bowdoin men's soccer team advanced to the NESCAC Semifinals for the first time since 2017 after upsetting top-seeded Tufts in the first round.
The Polar Bears tied the Jumbos 1-1, but advanced with a 4-3 penalty shootout victory. Bowdoin grabbed the eighth seed in the tournament and advance to the semifinals with an overall record of 7-4-5.
Game Highlights
- Tyler Huck set up Bowdoin's first goal in the 43rd minute. Huck lined up a free kick from the left side of midfield in Jumbos territory. The ball lofted into the box for a perfect header by Adam Price.
- Tufts scored two minutes into the second half after converting on a free kick opportunity that began in similar field position to the Bowdoin goal. After the ball got sent into the box it bounced around before Mikey Brady finished the play on the left post.
- Huck nearly buried a free kick in the final three minutes but put his shot off the crossbar and hands of Nikola Antic. The free kick opportunities did not dry up and Huck again sailed one over the crossbar from dead center of the field.
- With the game in overtime, Tufts clang a shot off the crossbar.
- The game went to a penalty kick shootout with both teams converting on their first three opportunities.
- Alex Ainsworth came up with a massive save to put the pressure on Tufts, but Antic made a save to match.
- Ainsworth repeated his heroics with another save to put Tufts on its heels. Keito Ishibashi successfully converted his penalty kick to advance Bowdoin to the NESCAC Semifinals.
By the Numbers
- Ainsworth made six saves in the game, before his two stops in the shootout.
- Tufts held a 7-4 edge in shots on goal but both teams fired off 14 shots overall.
- The Jumbos earned a 7-4 edge in corner kicks.
Up Next
- The semifinals and finals will be hosted by Middlebury, the top remaining seed, with the Polar Bears squaring off against the hosts on Saturday.
