By Owen Farley
@owenfarley_18
Springfield hosted Clark University at Brock-Affleck field on Saturday afternoon, looking for their first home win of the season. The Pride did just that, cruising to a 3-1 victory against their NEWMAC conference foe.
The first half of the game was very defensive between both teams, as neither found a good look — or even a good shot on goal — except for Clark forward Ben Siegel, who ripped a shot from inside the 18 box, leaving the post reverberating.
Multiple scoring attempts were stifled by both teams’ incredible defensive efforts to not let any shots get on goal in the first half. By causing deflections or even just whiffed shots by the offense, at halftime, the score was tied at zero apiece: Clark had four shots on goal opposed to a single Springfield attempt.
It was looking like this game was going to come down to the wire, either a last minute goal giving one team victory or, more likely, staying as a scoreless tie by the way the defense for both teams was playing.
“It’s really important to have a strong defense in the league and it’s a tough league to score goals in,” Springfield head coach Tommy Crabill said. “This group does a lot of the talking themselves… really it was just about connecting our pass in transition and being a little more composed on the ball and a little more confident. But these are things that the guys say so I wouldn’t take all the credit for that.”
Before the second half ensued, Springfield honored the 1968 men’s soccer team that saw an undefeated 13-0-3 season, alongside winning the NCAA Atlantic Coast Championship.
“I think we have a tremendous cohort of alums in men’s soccer,” Crabill said. “We talk about our alums to our current players all the time, [it’s] really cool to share that kind of performance with that group.”
Not even five minutes into the second half, Clark’s goalkeeper committed a foul in the box, setting up the Pride for a penalty kick. Springfield forward Connor Policarpio lined up and drilled the penalty shot right down the middle, straight into the back of the net, giving Springfield the 1-0 advantage over Clark.
“I just want to step up and bury this,” Policarpio said. “I always know where I’m gonna go before I kick them. I just looked at the keeper, whistle blew and I just put it in the net.”
Springfield showed no signs of slowing after Policarpio slotted the game’s opening goal. In the 71st minute of the game, Springfield midfielder Parker Thornton set up first-year midfielder Morgan Thibodeau for Springfields second goal. Thibodeau danced by the Clark defenders with a crisp step over before taking one additional dribble and striking the ball into the bottom right corner.
It was looking like a comfortable 2-0 lead for Springfield, but no less than 11 minutes after goal number two, Clark defender Henry Kuerbis made a perfect pass across the pitch to teammate Tyler Manley. His strike of a shot around the Springfield goalie Noah Pote into the net cut the Springfield lead in half.
Springfield kicked the ball off, passed around in their half only for a minute until Policarpio struck again, ripping a shot from 40 yards out and over the Clark goalie’s head into the back of the net to – giving Springfield an insurance goal with 5:38 remaining.
“I saw the keeper playing up high all game so I knew that was an opportunity,” Policarpio said. “I just tried to hit it as hard as I can over him and luckily just got right over him and went right into the back of the net.”
Springfield finished with a 3-1 victory, improving their record to 3-4-1 on the season. The Pride look to keep their winning streak going into their next contest, an away game at Mount Saint Vincent on Oct. 2 at 6 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics