Men’s soccer nets NCAA bid

Third-seeded Amherst ousted the No. 4 Middlebury College men’s soccer team from the NESCAC tournament on Saturday, 2-1, in overtime in a semifinal game played at Williams College. 

Playing down a man for much of the 2nd half, MUHS managed to tie the semi-final game, but the Highlanders won in overtime.

For the sixth year in a row the Commodores have posted a strong team but lost in the first or second round of the playoffs. Woodstock prevailed this time.

The 12-2-1 Tigers, unbeaten since Sept. 14, did not allow the Otters to win their second postseason game in 23 years.

VUHS boys’ soccer showed why they were seeded No. 1 in D-III when they dismissed visiting Green Mountain Union on Saturday.

As expected, the Vergennes and Middlebury boys’ soccer teams were awarded high postseason tournament seeds: The Vermont Principals’ Association on Monday awarded the 12-1-1 Commodores the No. 1 seed in Division III and the 11-2-1 Tigers the No. 2 seed in … (read more)

In local high school girls’ soccer play, only No. 11 Mount Abraham in Division II advanced in the postseason on Tuesday, when No. 10 Otter Valley and No. 12 Middlebury fell in D-II, and No. 14 Vergennes saw its season end in D-III.

Friday’s 0-0 tie at Vergennes Union High School between two boys’ soccer teams enjoying strong seasons left one side feeling better than the other.

Middlebury defeated host Vergennes and Otter Valley won two out of three to crest .500 to highlight high school girls’ soccer action between Oct. 12 and 15.

In high school boys’ soccer between Oct. 12 and 18, Division II Middlebury claimed a D-I victim, Mount Abraham lost a one-goal game on the road, and Otter Valley won once in three tries. 

Despite plenty of effort on both sides on Saturday, the host Eagle girls’ soccer team and visiting Middlebury settled for a 1-1 tie that was probably fair given of the quality of each team’s play. 

It took a rally from down two goals, two overtime periods, a brilliant overtime save, and a stunning game-winning strike from a sophomore seeing his first varsity action, but the Mount Abraham boys’ soccer team on Tuesday came away with a 3-2 victory over … (read more)

The good times rolled for local boys’ high school soccer teams between Oct. 5 and 11, as Middlebury, Mount Abraham and Vergennes each won twice, while Otter Valley took two out of three. 

The area’s girls’ soccer teams mostly found the going tough between Oct. 5 and 12, with only Otter Valley pulling out a victory while splitting two games, and Mount Abraham and Vergennes dropping road contests.

Soccer games often come down to one moment where everything clicks.