BY ALYSSA BOWIE

In print | Published November 6, 2008

The Swarthmore men’s soccer team (14-2-1, 8-1 CC) defeated school-rival Haverford on Saturday, a victory that marks the end of the regular season for the Garnet. This final win at home instilled in the team a heightened energy, which will be important heading into upcoming conference championships.

Throughout the entire game the crowd was a contributing factor: 822 fans, mostly comprised of Swarthmore students, showed up to support the Garnet men, stirring up a degree of excitement which seemed to permeate the field. “The crowd was amazing,” commented senior forward Evan Nesterak, “It was one of if not the best crowd we’ve had at Swat.” This energy was especially evident in the first 10 minutes of the game, during which the team appeared to be running on pure adrenaline, driving shots and passes with great force and urgency. When they began to settle into a more composed style of play, scoring opportunities became increasingly frequent. The Garnet defense was extremely effective in using their speed and strength to penetrate the attacking third of the field and create chances for the forwards. Haverford, however, lacked this seamless connection between the various positions, and had trouble possessing the ball outside of their defensive half.

In the first half, this tactical domination on the part of the Garnet led to numerous chances to score. Defender Jason Thrope ’09 dominated the right side of the field out of the back, and was able to both penetrate the midfield and switch the field through his explosive dribbling. The best chance of the half came from forward Morgan Langley ’11, who was able to receive the ball at the top of the penalty box, take on and beat several players, and rocket off a powerfully driven, low shot on goal. Going into halftime scoreless did not accurately reflect the offensive pressure placed upon Haverford by the Garnet.

The first and only goal of the match would come ten minutes into the second half. The Garnet drew a foul just inside half-field, and captain Jeff Kushner ’09 stepped up to take the kick. Kushner lofted the ball towards the box, where it hung until Nesterak made contact, heading the ball past the Haverford goalkeeper, giving Nesterak his 8th goal of the season. Kushner noted that Nesterak is “really starting to peak at just the right time for us, as we’re poised for our playoff push this weekend.” Nesterak’s offensive contribution for the Garnet this past weekend should bode well for the post season.

Swarthmore carried this momentum throughout the entire second half, letting Haverford into its attacking third only in the final minutes of the game. On the left side of the field, midfielder Yoi Tibbetts ’09, dominated his mark, setting up the Garnet offense on numerous occasions by driving to the end line after catching his defender flat-footed. Haverford was pressured in all areas of the field, especially by the relentless Garnet defenders, all hungry for goals of their own. Although the game was low scoring, mentions Kushner, Swarthmore, “being the better team, definitely controlled the game but just struggled putting the ball in the back of the net.” One needs to only direct their attention towards the shots on goal statistic (28-4 in Swarthmore’s favor) to understand the dominance demonstrated by the Garnet. Additionally, with the superb defense exhibited by the Swarthmore men, including freshman goalie David D’Annunzio’s sixth shutout of the season, a high number of goals was not necessary in capturing a victory.

Upon completing the regular season, the next step for the men is hosting the Centennial Conference championships this upcoming weekend. The 17th-ranked Garnet men enter as the top-ranked team in the tournament, and await the results of the first round game between Muhlenburg and Dickinson to see who their opponent will be in the semi-final round. “The most significant aspect of his year’s postseason…is that we’re hosting…hopefully we’ll get a big crowd so we can maximize the home field advantage,” said Brett McLarney ’12. While focus has undoubtedly shifted towards post-season play, the Garnet men still acknowledge the pride that comes from beating Haverford. “Most importantly,” states Kushner, “nobody on our roster has ever lost to Haverford, a streak we hope continues for many years to come.”

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