No.4 men’s soccer (5-0-3, 4-0-2 NESCAC) remained undefeated this weekend with two strong showings, shutting out the Colby Mules (4-3-2, 0-3-2 NESCAC) 2-0 on Saturday before battling the Bowdoin Bears (4-2-2, 1-2-2 NESCAC) to a dramatic 3-3 draw on Sunday. The Ephs have retained their undefeated record throughout eight games, with Saturday’s clean sheet standing out as one of their most complete performances of the season.
The Ephs wasted no time in asserting themselves against the Mules. Just three minutes into the match, Mo Keussom ’26 finished off a neat through ball from Henry Kirkman ’26 to put the Ephs up 1-0.
The Ephs continued to press high and keep the Mules pinned back. Goalkeeper Aleix Anglada ’29 made five saves to secure his second shutout of the season. “Our communication in the back line is key,” he said. “Against Colby, we stayed gritty and organized, and that’s what allowed us to come away with the shutout.”
The Ephs doubled their lead just before halftime when Evan Vasquez ’26 got to a loose ball and slotted it past the Mules’ goalkeeper with just five minutes to spare, marking his first goal of the year. “For me, personally, a big moment was scoring,” Vasquez said. “You don’t get many of those in the NESCAC. Honestly, I just dialed in and blanked out, and the next thing I knew, the ball was in the back of the net, and I was celebrating with the guys.”
The second half saw the Mules fire 17 shots, but the Ephs held their ground. The back line cleared dangerous balls out of the box, and Anglada produced a highlight stop, stretching wide to deny a close-range header.
Kirkman, who assisted Keussom’s opener, was pleased with the performance against Colby. “A lot of things went well,” he said. “We didn’t concede any goals, which was great, and we managed to put two in. It felt good to start the weekend out with a win, especially against a tough team like Colby.” The 2-0 victory marked the Ephs’ fourth NESCAC win, keeping them at the top of the conference.
The next day was about resilience, Luca Ruta ’28 said. Facing the Bowdoin offense led by striker Tyler Huck, the Ephs found themselves trailing 2-0 after Huck netted goals in the 11th and 54th minutes. “The Bowdoin game was probably the most intense I’ve played at Williams,” Anglada said “They brought a lot of heat. I think I could have taken an extra step on their second goal, but overall I felt I had a good game, and the team showed great character to come back from 2-0 down.”
The Ephs clawed back into the match with a second-half surge. Ben Brown ’28 cut the deficit in half with a clinical finish in the 65th minute right before Lorcan Mitchell ’28 leveled the score 2-2 in the 78th minute off an assist from Leon Ma ’27.
Cole Field erupted six minutes later when Alex Bethencourt ’28 put the Ephs ahead 3-2 with an assist from Ruta. “The Bowdoin game was honestly kind of crazy,” Ruta said. “We may not have come out as strong as we would have liked, but one thing that makes our program special is resilience. Going 2-0 down, a lot of teams could have folded, but we pulled through and showed who we are.”
Bowdoin wasn’t done, however, as Huck struck again in the 88th minute to close out a high-scoring tie.
With a win and a draw on the weekend, the Ephs remain undefeated. The team has scored 10 goals across their last four games.
The Ephs look to continue their run next weekend when they travel for another pair of conference fixtures. “The [question] after every game is the same — ‘Who are we as a team, and how do we want to represent Williams when we put on the jersey?’” Vasquez said. “That’s what drives us.”
Looking ahead, the Ephs remain focused on ambitious end-of-season goals. “Our goal is obvious,” Kirkman said. “We want to win a national championship. We want to win the NESCAC regular season and the NESCAC tournament.”
Anglada agreed that his mission is clear. “My goal is always to concede as few goals as possible,” he said. “Team-wise, we’re looking at winning the Little Three, the NESCAC championship, and going after a national title.”
After this weekend’s results, the Ephs remain firmly in contention for the top of the NESCAC. According to Ruta, it’s essential that the team avoids complacency. “We’re in a very good position, but the key for the rest of the season is to not get ahead of ourselves,” he said. “For now, we’re happy with where we are — but never satisfied.”
