MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury College men’s soccer team split two recent games to move to 7-3-3, 4-2-3 in NESCAC play. The Panthers are currently in fifth place in the league standings, but will look to move up when they host Wesleyan (7-2-3, 5-2 NESCAC heading into a Wednesday game vs. Trinity) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Last Saturday, the Panthers edged visiting Bates, 2-1, in overtime. Greg Conrad scored 2:28 into overtime to lift the Panthers over the Bobcats (4-8-1, 2-6 NESCAC).
Middlebury got on the scoreboard first in the 18th minute. Philip Skayne crossed from the right side to Adam Glaser, who laced a hard shot to the right side for his team-leading seventh of the fall.
At 69:37, Bates knotted the score at 1-1. Peabo Knoth dribbled to the right end line, and sent a pass back out to Sal Sprofera, whose shot from about eight yards out glanced off a Middlebury defender and in.
The sequence for the game-winning tally started when Skayne sent a corner kick into the penalty area to Deklan Robinson, who lofted a shot toward the goal that first hit Kirk Horton’s chest and then bounced off Conrad’s chest into the back of the net. Middlebury held advantages of 14-7 in shots and 8-0 in corner kicks.
On Tuesday, Castleton (7-8-1) upset the Panthers, 1-0. Alex Sedergren headed home the lone goal 6:55 into the contest and the Spartans held on from there despite the Panthers’ advantages of 15-5 in shots and 7-1 in corner kicks.
Castleton took the lead on its only corner kick of the contest. Alex McCormick sent the ball in from the far corner to the middle of the six. Sedergren headed the ball into the corner.
Glaser, Conrad, Skayne and Andres Rodlauer created the best chances for the Panthers. Spartan goalie Amir Pasic stopped four shots, while Middlebury’s Greg Sydor made three saves.