MIDDLETOWN, CT. – Seeking their first NESCAC title since 2005, the Wesleyan men's soccer team will make their 21
st appearance in the NESCAC tournament on Saturday, Nov. 2, when they go head-to-head on the road at Williams College in an 11 a.m. kickoff at Williams' Cole Field.
Cardinals Scouting Report
- The Cardinals closed the regular season 7-3-5 overall, going 4-3-3 in the NESCAC.
- In last season's NESCAC quarterfinal round, the Cardinals fell to Amherst College, 1-0.
- Making their fifth-straight tournament appearance, the Cardinals return eight of last year's starters, including eight bench players that have made significant contributions to this year's lineup.
- 12 Cardinals recorded goals in 2024, six of which were multi-goal scorers. Chris Porte '25 and Joshwin Jennings '27 lead the team in scoring with identical statistics at three goals and one assist for seven points.
Cardinals to Watch
- While not seeking individual glory, the Cardinals defense will be the top group to watch on Saturday. Playing a combined 5,290 minutes, Will Geballe '26, Zach Feldman '27, Dylan Clack '27, John SennMcNally '28, and Josh LaCorte '26 will be the Cardinals' shutdown game. Led by Feldman with 15 starts in 15 games, the Cardinals have only allowed 12 goals this season. However, they cannot be overlooked when it comes to scoring and creating plays. Feldman, Clack, and SennMcNally all have notched a goal while Geballe tallied two assists.
- Starting in goal, Mathis Blanc '26 has seen starting action in all 15 games this season as he recorded the best season of his career. Going 7-3-5 overall with seven shutouts, Blanc has only allowed 12 goals on 130 shots faced. Blanc holds .80 goals against average while making 48 saves for a .800 save percentage. Blanc did not play in last year's quarterfinal matchup with the Mammoths.
- On the offensive side, Porte will be the top forward to watch on the left side. Starting in 12 of 13 games played, Porte has been the heart of the offense despite missing several games this season. Porte was named NESCAC Player of the Week after scoring the game-winning, tournament-clinching goal against Colby. Porte's strong suit is down in the corner. Ranked fifth in the NESCAC in shots, Porte has a .094 shot percentage.
- Jennings, joining Porte with three goals this season, scored two goals against Trinity in a 5-0 victory over the Bantams including the game-winning goal. Jenning's is 1-1 in one-on-one scoring opportunities this season, one of several options available should the Cardinals be awarded a penalty kick.
- With two goals each this season, Yousuf Saeed '27 and Zack Burd '25 have also scored on the penalty kick this season. Burd has picked up two assists in 15 games played while Saeed has carried the offense with over 1,000 minutes of game play. While Saeed no longer leads the Cardinals in shots taken, he's no stranger to keeping a goalie on his toes.
- With two goals on the season, LaCorte leads the defense in scoring, making seven starts down the stretch for the Cardinals. LaCorte scored the game-winning goal against WestConn in a 3-1 win for the Cardinals.
- A sneaky offensive force down the line when subbed in, Calder Truesdale '28 has been an aggressive add to the Cardinals lineup as the freshman isn't afraid to get personal inside the box. Truesdale has recorded two goals this season.
Ephs Scouting Report
- The Ephs end the regular season with a 9-3-3 overall record, going 5-3-2 in the NESCAC for the #4 seed.
- The Ephs have won six NESCAC titles in 11 finals' appearances with their last championship win coming in 2009.
- Picking up 1.2 goals per game, the Ephs are outscoring opponents 18-9 as their defense is allowing very few scoring opportunities.
- Against ranked opponents, the Ephs are 3-2-1.
- Ephs boast eight goal scorers, including four multi-goal scorers.
- The Ephs will be coming off a 2-0 loss to Middlebury. Middlebury secured the #2 in the NESCAC.
Ephs to Watch
- Coming in as the Ephs' top scorer, Mitchell Lorcan totals six goals and two assists for 14 points this season including three game-winning goals. Lorcan is 1-2 when taking kicks from the penalty marker. Lorcan is third in the NESCAC with 1.13 shots on goal. Lorcan also ranks fifth in goals with a .400 average. Lorcan has not scored since Oct. 21 against Keene State.
- Alex Bethencourt totals four goals and three assists for 11 points on the season. Bethencourt sits just behind Lorcan with three game-winning goals in the NESCAC rankings. Bethencourt's goals all came in the first half of the season, he has not scored since the Sept. 21 matchup against Colby.
- Starting in goal in all 15 games this season, Ben Diffley will be a tough matchup for the Cardinals. Diffley is 9-3-3 on the season, allowing only nine goals against with a .64 average. Diffley has made 72 saves on 109 shots faced, averaging a .889 save percentage. Diffley ranks second in the NESCAC in saves and first in saves per game.
- The Ephs defense will be rotating several players including Atticus Ross, Chase Caires, Griffin Labonski, and Sam Gibson. Labonski recorded two goals this season while Ross and Caires each have an assist on the stat sheet.
Series History
- As the Cardinals and Ephs are set to make their 107th meeting on Saturday, the Ephs have bested the Cardinals in all-time matchups with a 58-33-16 overall record.
- In the 2023 regular season matchup the Cardinals beat the Ephs 1-0, but their last win prior to game on Oct. 14, was a 2-1 double overtime win in 2011.
- On the road, the Cardinals are 18-30-8.
- The last tournament meeting between the Cardinals and Ephs was Nov. 9, 2013, resulting in a 2-1 loss for the Cardinals.
Regular Season Matchup (Middletown, CT - Boxscore/Recap)
- The 2024 matchup between the Cardinals and the Ephs on Oct. 12, was a scoreless draw at Jackson Field on Senior Day.
- While the Ephs were not ranked at the time, they have since entered the national rankings and currently sit at No. 20.
- Despite the defensive battle, the Cardinals outshot the Ephs 10-9. Porte and Saeed led the offense with three shots apiece.
- Mitchell was the strong hold of the Ephs' offense.
- Blanc made two saves in goal while Diffley was forced to four saves.
- The Cardinals followed this game with three draws and two wins.
NESCAC Tournament Information
- The top four seeds will host quarterfinal matchups on Saturday, Nov. 2. The tournament semifinals will be held on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the highest remaining seeds. The NESCAC Championship will be held on Sunday, Nov. 10, at the highest remaining seed.
- Visit the NESCAC website for Championship Central and the NESCAC Seeding Announcement.
