By CAM DONALDSON
News Editor
 

Men's Soccer dropped a 1-0 decision to Williams last weekend in the deluge, but stayed above the waterline by sinking Husson, 4-2, and improving their record to 4-3. Against Williams, it was not exactly a day of family fun at Water Country, with senior goalkeeper Brian Anton being forced to make eight saves behind an offense that just couldn't master the slip `n slide conditions.

"It was a very wet and very sloppy game," said Eric Trickett '99. "We never really saw Williams' ball-handling skills. Under those conditions, it was anybody's game."

The inclement weather undoubtedly favored the underdog Bobcats, and though everyone present could not shake the thought that they might possibly see a repeat performance of Bates' shocking triumph over perennial #1 Williams two years ago, it was not to be here in 1998. With the conditions slowing the Ephs' normally feverish pass `n cut tempo, the game seemed to be within range for the `Cats.

"It certainly could have gone either way," said Chad LaFauci '99. "No one was able to get an attack going. With the ball sticking a lot, we were using long balls instead of passes and there were huge puddles in front of the goals."

The lone goal of the game came on a penalty kick with just under 15 minutes left on the clock. After an "invisible hand" call by the referee, Williams forward Stephan Danbusky snuck one into the low corner for the winner. "That was a questionable call, but if there's a biased ref I guess there's nothing you can do," said Trickett.

It appeared that the referee had burned his toast at breakfast, as he was ornery and cross for the entire game. The inexplicable call leading to the Williams goal capped off a series of yellow cards and free kicks levied against Bates during the course of the game.

"It seemed like every call was against us," said LaFauci. "But we hurt ourselves by whining and fussing at the ref, who continued to make calls in Williams' favor. It turned into a pattern, and that is a pattern that would have been very hard to break."

Several times over the course of the game, parents and families looked on as Bates players snapped at the referee, undoubtedly commenting on more than just the wet weather. For whatever reason, this referee reacted by taking the game into his own hands and making a call that ultimately spelled doom for the Bobcats. The job of the official is to mete out justice with a fair and level hand - not interfere with the game so that the outcome is decided on the basis of a single call.

With the team's winning percentage leveled at the .500 mark and last weekend's fiasco in the flood thankfully behind them, Bates went north to take on Husson on Wednesday. The home team scored under a minute into the game, but the `Cats came back 57 seconds later as Steve Coco '99 slotted a feed from first-year forward Drew Weymouth. Eric Trickett '99 and Andy Apstein '00 continued to dazzle the opposition on the front lines. Trickett tallied twice for the second multiple-goal game of his career and Apstein scored his team-leading fifth goal to finish out the scoring in a 4-2 Bates win.

"[Trickett and Apstein] are very talented, very fast and extremely skilled," said LaFauci. "They will produce so much more once they get their final chemistry down. They will be scoring and feeding each other for some big goals near the end of the season."

Men's Soccer has their eyes on a postseason berth going into this weekend's game versus Springfield. It's a must-win if they are to entertain hopes of winning some metal in the championships this year. The action begins at 1:00 on Leahy Field.