Box Score Tufts 3, Ohio Wesleyan 0Tufts took the lead in the second minute of play and the 20th-ranked Jumbos went on to defeat 14th-ranked Ohio Wesleyan in an NCAA Division III semifinal contest on Friday at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Mo.
The Jumbos advance to the NCAA Division III championship game to face Wheaton (Ill.), a 3-2 overtime winner over Oneonta (N.Y.) State in Friday's first semifinal matchup.
Tufts used the same formula as it did in its quarterfinal win over 2-time defending champion Messiah -- take an early lead and play a tough defensive game. The Jumbos scored less than a minute into the Messiah game, and against Ohio Wesleyan, took the lead 1:56 into the action when Matt Zinner worked free in the Ohio Wesleyan end and zipped a left-footed shot to the near post from just inside the penalty area.
The Jumbos nearly added to their lead in the third minute when a through ball freed Maxime Hoppenot for a look at the goal, but Hoppenot's shot went wide right.
Senior forward Colton Bloecher (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange) had a chance to even the game in the eighth minute when Tufts keeper Scott Greenwood left his line to play the ball, but Bloecher came up with it and fired a shot that the rapidly retreating Greenwood was able to knock away with a diving save.
Senior goalkeeper Colin Beemiller (Pickerington/North) kept the game at 1-0 with saves of shots by Monil Patel in the 15th minute and by Rui Pinheiro in the 18th minute.
Ohio Wesleyan had a restart in the 20th minute after Tufts' Zach Halliday was awarded a yellow card, but senior back Drew Pang (Dublin/Coffman) saw his shot sail over the Tufts goal.
Beemiller came up with the save on a shot by Jason Kayne in the 28th minute.
The Jumbos increased the lead to 2-0 in the 54th minute when Hoppenot set up Gus Santos from 12 yards out.
Just under a minute laster, junior midfielder Brian Schaefer (Chatham, N.J.) put a shot on goal only to see Greenwood make the save.
Santos struck again for Tufts in the 60th minute, scoring off a Kayne feed to make it 3-0.
Pang had the Bishops' last dangerous chance after an Ohio Wesleyan corner kick in the 87th minute, but Greenwood got to the left post to make the stop.
"Tufts is a very good team," said Bishop head coach Jay Martin. "They played great. They fought defensively, pressed us, and did a very good job. Not taking anything away from Tufts, but that's the worst we've played in two months, and it was everybody."
Tufts outshot Ohio Wesleyan, 15-9. Beemiller had 5 saves in the Ohio Wesleyan goal. Greenwood finished with 5 saves for the Jumbos.
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