With the playoffs set to kick off next Sunday, Oct. 30, final seedings are far from decided for Men's soccer teams around the NESCAC.
While undefeated Williams will run away with first place, the second through seventh seeds will be determined by head-to-head competition this week.
Despite a 3-0 loss to Williams on Saturday, Tufts is right in the thick of the playoff hunt. The Jumbos have a 3-4 league record going into this week's crucial games against Wesleyan (3-2-2) and Conn. College (1-7) on Tuesday and Saturday, respectively.
"These next two games are both must-wins for us," senior tri-captain Todd Gilbert said. "We only need a tie to guarantee ourselves a spot, but we definitely want to win both games and have some momentum going into the playoffs."
Several scenarios could play out depending on the outcomes of these games.
If Tufts wins both its games this week, the Jumbos will finish the season at 5-4 in the league. This record could result in the fourth seed and a first round home game. But if Amherst loses to the Williams juggernaut and Bates beats lowly Colby, both teams would finish at 4-3-2. Tufts would have the advantage in wins over these two teams, but would have one more tally in the loss column. With Bowdoin and Middlebury currently tied for second place at 6-2, Tufts could end up with the short end of the stick and a fifth seed in this scenario.
If Tufts loses to Wesleyan, but beats Conn. College, its 4-5 record would put the team out of the running for fourth place and home field advantage. The Jumbos would still be in the hunt for a fifth seed which would allow them to play either Amherst, Bates or Wesleyan rather than Bowdoin or Middlebury - two teams that beat the Jumbos by a combined score of 7-0 this season.
In the final scenario, even if Tufts loses both its games this week, it could still be eligible for the playoffs. Finishing 3-6 could tie the Jumbos with Colby for the seventh seed if the Mules upset Bates, but Tufts holds the regular season advantage over the Mules thanks to a 1-0 opening-day win. A tie in either game this week would guarantee a playoff berth. A seventh seeding would hardly be ideal, though, as Tufts would be forced to play either Bowdoin or Middlebury in the first round.
