Maine Members Versus Tufts for 2005 Title

HADLEY, Mass. - Tufts University emerged as the top seed in the 2005 NESCAC Women’s Soccer Championship after an unpredictable final weekend of the regular season. The Jumbos will host the final two rounds of the tournament for the first time since 2002, taking on seventh-seed Colby on Saturday, November 5, at 11:00 a.m. and will be followed by fifth-seeded Bates taking on third-seed Bowdoin at 1:30 p.m. in Medford, Mass. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, November 6, at 12:00 p.m. with the championship match.

Tufts (11-2-1, 6-2-1 NESCAC) makes its third appearance in the semifinal round after last making the semifinals in 2002. Tufts is in the midst of one of the most successful seasons in program history, having put together a program-best winning streak of 10 games and an unbeaten streak of 11. Offensively, the Jumbos are led by senior Ariel Samuelson (Newton, Mass.), who is tied for the lead among NESCAC players in goals (11) and points (25) with Bates’ Kim Alexander (Cumberland, Maine). Eight of Samuelson’s 11 goals have come in conference play. Of the four teams in this year’s semifinals, only Tufts has ever captured the women’s soccer title, coming in 2002.

While seventh-seed Colby (7-2-5, 3-2-4 NESCAC) needed penalty kicks to get past second-seeded Amherst on Sunday, don’t be surprised to see the Mules, in their first semifinal appearance ever, give the Jumbos fits on the field. Colby handed Tufts its first loss of the season back on September 10, 2-0 in Waterville, before the Jumbos went on their 11-game unbeaten streak. Saturday’s matchup will pit two of the top defenses in the NESCAC against one another, as both teams have allowed less than one goal per game this season. Tufts hasn’t allowed more than two goals all season, while Colby has only given up three goals once, a 3-2 loss at Bowdoin on September 17. Junior Liza Benson (Orchid, Fla.) leads the league in save percentage (.882), and is third in goals against average (0.79).

Third-seed Bowdoin (10-4-1, 6-3-0 NESCAC) is the only returning team from last season’s semifinals, and is the only team in the six-year history of the tournament to make the semifinal field each year. As impressive as that mark is, the Polar Bears will be looking for some offense to get them into the championship game, which they have never appeared in. Bowdoin has been shutout in each of its last three semifinal appearances, however the Polar Bears have put together a strong late-season scoring drive, out-gunning opponents 16-3 over a five-game stretch and posting a 4-1 record, including a 5-1 victory over Middlebury in the first round on Sunday. Sophomore Ann Zeigler (Washington, D.C.) leads the scoring attack for Bowdoin, netting 10 goals and four assists through 14 games this season.

Fifth-seeded Bates (11-3-1, 5-3-1 NESCAC) will take on intrastate rival Bowdoin in the second semifinal of the day, after knocking off defending champion Williams in the first round on Sunday, 1-0. The Bobcats edged out the Polar Bears 1-0 on September 20 in Lewiston, Maine this season, and the Polar Bears may have more than just the most recent meeting on their mind come Saturday. When the two teams last met in the semifinals of the 2003 tournament, then fourth-seeded Bates upset top-seeded Bowdoin 1-0, putting Bates in the championship game for the first time ever. The Bobcats boast the best offense in the league this season, averaging 3.07 goals per game, almost a full goal ahead of the number two team, Bowdoin.

2005 NESCAC WOMEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round - Sunday, Oct. 30 at Higher Seeds
No. 7 Colby 0, at No. 2 Amherst 0 - 2OT
Colby Advances on Penalty Kicks, 4-3
at No. 3 Bowdoin 5, No. 6 Middlebury 1
No. 5 Bates 1, at No. 4 Williams 0

Semifinals - Saturday, Nov. 5 at Tufts
No. 7 Colby at No. 1 Tufts - 11:00 a.m.
No. 5 Bates vs. No. 3 Bowdoin - 1:30 p.m.

Championship - Sunday, Nov. 6 at Tufts
Semifinal winners - 12:00 p.m.