MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Connecticut College men's soccer team closed out the regular season on Tuesday night playing to a 1-1 draw at #18 Wesleyan from Smith Field.
It was a cagey opening 45 minutes as the teams combined to put just one shot on target. Conn had the first two looks at goal, but Thomas Rooney (Newton, Mass.) missed high and Matt Quiros-Newton (Alajuela, Costa Rica) was blocked.
Wesleyan answered with their first attempt but Joshwin Jennings put his effort wide. The Camels had the lone shot on goal, coming midway through the half as Quiros-Newton's effort was stopped by Mathis Blanc. Neither side generated much for the remainder of the half, as the game was scoreless at the break.
The Cardinals started the second half quickly, as Jennings forced an early save from TJ Krongard (Montclair, N.J.) just two and a half minutes in. 15 minutes later, Max Haberman (San Diego, Calif.) had a shot denied by Blanc, before Jennings forced a fantastic save from Krongard.
With just over 17 minutes remaining, Henry Lester (Southwest Harbor, Maine) took a quick throw-in, finding Elliot Spatz (Bellevue, Wash.) down the left wing, who beat Blanc to put Conn in front with 17:02 to play. The Camels nearly doubled the advantage three minutes later, but Marco Perugini (Medway, Mass.) was denied by the strong hand of Blanc, pushing it onto the post, and back into his hands.
With six and a half minutes remaining, Wesleyan got gifted a penalty kick after a missed foul against a Camel. However, Jennings stepped up to the spot and delivered into the bottom corner to even the score at one. The Cardinals put one last effort on goal in the dying seconds, but Krongard pulled in the shot as the game finished 1-1.
Wesleyan outshot Conn 10-9, while the Camels held a 5-4 edge on shots on goal and a 4-1 advantage on corner kicks.
Krongard got the start in goal, finishing with three saves, while Spatz paced the Camels attack with the lone goal.
Blanc made four stops in goal for Wesleyan, as Jennings notched the only goal.
Conn (8-2-5, 4-2-4 NESCAC) finishes the regular season in fifth-place in the NESCAC standings and will head to Williamstown, Mass. to take on Williams on Saturday in the quarterfinals.
