The No. 5 men’s soccer team tied a school record with 19 wins on the season and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Tournament, defeating Husson University 3-0 on Saturday night and Bowdoin College 1-0 on Sunday.

The Judges also set a program record with 16 shutouts this year after not allowing a goal on Gordon Field this weekend. The Judges pushed their record to 19-2 overall and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third year in a row.

The Judges controlled the majority of the play down the wings on Sunday and produced a number of scoring opportunities in the opening 20 minutes but could not find the back of the net en route to a 9-0 shot advantage in the first half. 

“We dominated play, and we had some great opportunities,” said coach Michael Coven. 

“We played very well, dominated possession, had four or five excellent opportunities to score and defensively shut them down.”

The Judges’ offense produced three quality scoring chances in the final 25 minutes of the first half, including a hard shot by midfielder Jake Picard ’16, but sent all three shots directly at the Bowdoin goalkeeper, sending the squads to the halftime break level without a goal.

As the second half wore on the squad’s speed down the wings was finally able to overmatch the Polar Bears’ defense and produced nine shots and three corners, while only allowing four shots by Bowodin.

“We’re always trying to find that third midfielder when we’re switching [in the offensive zone] because it opens up space for our outside backs [and] the winger tucks in,” explained midfielder Evan Jastremski ’17.

The Judges got all the scoring they would need in the 75th minute, when midfielder Brandon Miskin ’18 headed home his first collegiate goal.

After midfielder Zach Vieira ’17 was wrestled off the ball just outside the 18-yard box by a Bowdoin defender, the Polar Bears handed the ball right back to the hosts when they failed to clear. Midfielder Josh Ocel ’17 picked up the failed clearance 35 yards from goal and swung a cross into the heart of the box where Miskin connected after a well-timed run to head the ball into the bottom corner for a 1-0 lead.

“I got the ball and saw Miskin at the back post,” Ocel said. “I was hoping it would hit his head and he would put it away, so I was happy to see he got his first collegiate goal.”

“[The goal was a] class finish,” Jastremski added. 

Miskin attributed the goal to the work of his teammates, setting him up for an easy finish.

“It was a great ball from [Ocel] and everything [on the play worked],” he said. “The whole team played great, but it was a class ball by [Ocel].

The goal opened play on both ends of the pitch, with the Polar Bears pushing for an equalizer and the hosts using the newly created space to look for a second goal. Midfielder Michael Soboff ’15 nearly doubled the Judges’ lead in the 80th minute when he sent a screamer just over the crossbar, and the Polar Bears had one final shot on target just one minute prior that was easily saved by goalkeeper Joe Graffy ’15 to preserve the close win.

On Saturday, the squad used a pair of goals by Picard and an early goal by Soboff to defeat Husson 3-0 in the opening round of the tournament.

Soboff scored just five minutes into his first start since Oct. 7, taking a pass from forward Tyler Savonen ’15 and blasting it past the Husson goalkeeper.

“They gave [the team] a lot of time and space in the middle of the field, and the boys used that pretty well,” Coven said. 

“It was great to be back with the boys,” Soboff said. “I just missed playing with them, so it’s great to get on the field and score again [and] get our confidence back.”

“When Soboff is out there, we step up offensively as a team, so it’s great having him back,” Savonen remarked after the game.

After Soboff’s early goal, the teams traded possession in the midfield and each side produced a handful of shots on target, but it was the Judges who doubled their lead just before the half.

In the 45th minute, defender Robbie Lynch ’15 dribbled through the Husson defense and left a drop pass for Picard, who blasted the ball into the back of the net for his first of two goals on the night.

“Goals are team efforts so I don’t think you should single any single person out when they score and everyone’s got to play their part,” Picard remarked.

The midfielder deflected in a corner from Miskin in the 80th minute, sealing the victory and setting up a New England match with Bowdoin.

The Judges return to action on Saturday when they face Amherst College in the round of 16, beginning at 1:30 p.m.