Box Score MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Bates College men's soccer allowed a late goal as Wesleyan University scored in the 84th minute to win 1-0 at Jackson Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Cardinals (4-1-0, 3-0-0 NESCAC) notched the decisive tally as Brandon Sousa received a pass from Matt Hertgen and launched a shot from approximately 30 yards from the end line. Sousa's shot hit off the underside of the cross bar and fell into the net at the 83:40 mark.
For the Bobcats (1-2-1, 0-2-1), sophomore goalkeeper Joe Maffly-Kipp (Chapel Hill, N.C.) made seven saves – including four in the second half – in his first start of the season. Last year Maffly-Kipp started in six games registering a 1.61 goals-against average.
Senior captain Tyler Grees (Williamstown, Mass.) notched two shots, both on goal, and junior captain Aaron Nickelsberg (Concord, Mass.) took three shots.
Wesleyan recorded advantages over the visitors in shots (21-9), shots on goal (9-3), and corner kicks (10-4).
The Bobcats placed some pressure on the Cardinal defense early in the second half as they tallied three shots in the first seven minutes of the second frame. Later in the period, Grees provided one of the team's best opportunities to score as he took a shot from inside the goal area in the 70th minute which Wesleyan keeper Emmett McConnell turned away.
Bates managed one shot after the Cardinals scored as a Wesleyan defender blocked an attempt from sophomore Luis Pereira (Curitiba, Brazil) in the 90th minute.
Next weekend, Bates plays two NESCAC games at home – vs. Trinity on Sept. 28 at 2 p.m. and against Amherst on Sept. 29 at 3 p.m.
