The men's soccer team looked like it was ready to cross the bridge from mediocrity to serious NESCAC contender following a huge 1-0 double overtime win over the Amherst Lord Jeffs on Sept. 25, but the bridge suddenly collapsed during last Saturday's 2-1 loss to Bates. The team found itself at a crossroads - would it give up or try and rediscover the momentum that had vanished in wake of the unexpected defeat?
"We just game out flat against Bates and as a result we lost," Conroy said. "We didn't really respect them as much as we should have, but in our league the teams are all good regardless of the standings."
If Tuesday's 6-1 thrashing of non-conference Salve Regina is any indication, Tufts has chosen to refocus. Tomorrow at home at 12 p.m., the Jumbos hope to make a similar statement to NESCAC- rival Bowdoin, a team whose 2-1-1 conference record puts one spot above the Jumbos at fourth-place in the standings.
The game is the most important to date for the Jumbos, as a loss would put them under .500 in the NESCAC and would severely hinder their postseason chances.
"At the time, I thought Amherst was our biggest game because we would have a couple wins in a row if we had beaten Bates," freshman goalie Scott Conroy said. "But we didn't beat Bates so I would have to say this is our biggest game because we have to start off this stretch [of three straight games against NESCAC foes] with a win."
Statistically speaking, it appears that Bowdoin and Tufts are well matched. Polar Bears have tallied 25 goals in eight games while allowing only 12 and has outscored opponents by more than a 2-1 margin. On the other hand, Tufts has outscored its competition 16 to 7 in seven games, which translates to more than a 2-1 goal scoring advantage for the Jumbos.
"I think this is going to be one of those games that could go either way," Conroy said. "A couple of bounces here or there will get the win."
Tufts will have an advantage on the defensive side of the ball, while Bowdoin is the more prolific offensively. Whether or not the Jumbos are able to put something together offensively will almost certainly determine the outcome of the game.
"What we need to do is score early, because if we don't we get frustrated and start to miss our shots," Conroy said. "If we score we should be all set."
The team cannot overlook defense, as Tufts will surely have their hands full trying to contain Bowdoin's David Bulow, who has accumulated 20 points on the season on nine goals and two assists. Bowdoin has three other viable offensive options in Chris Fuller, Bobby Desilits and Bart McMann who have eight, eight, and seven points respectively.
A win would put the Jumbos right in the middle of the NESCAC playoff race - only the top seven teams qualify for the end of season NESCAC tournament. A loss and wins by Bates and Wesleyan would drop Tufts into a three-way tie for the last two spots in the race.
"You've got to get yourself psyched up," Conroy said about the game. "This is a huge game."
