BMS Welcomes Brown's First Ivy League Champions

After a tough road loss to the University of New Hampshire, 1-0, BMS was energized and motivated to bounce back in a Saturday night match-up against Ivy League foes Princeton. With a record of 3-1-1 at Stevenson, we were looking to get another positive result at home and there to support us, were the Ivy League Champions of 1963 who would be honored at halftime. The team of 63' was the first Brown team to win an Ivy League Championship since it's official forming during the 1956-1957 season. 

(Coach Cliff Stevenson-Middle, Associate Athletic Director Bob Kenneally-Left, Athletic Director Jack Hayes-Right)

DJ Daniel Taylor worked the beats to set the right pre-game locker room mindset and before we knew it, we were on our way out for warm up. Passes were as crisp as the fall air and the team was focused for the upcoming battle.

GAMETIME! A whistle from the ref and we’re off. Princeton started the game strong and with a large portion of possession, but the team fought to weather the storm and began to respond with offensive chances of our own – produced off a slew of corner kicks, free kicks and shots in the run of play. Late in the half, Tyler Long nearly scored his first collegiate goal as the goalie tipped his header up and over the crossbar. Pepe Salama also had a dangerous shot on goal.

(The Spanish heart throb "El Diablo" looks for goal in the first half.)

The half ended at 0-0, and it was time for the Brown Men’s Soccer team of 1963 to be honored. To call them legends is an understatement and to play in front of them was an honor. The BMS tradition is a timeless one and having a chance to meet past players makes us realize we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves. Tenacity, toughness, accountability, and pride have been a part of the BMS mentality for 50+ years and now that we are in the midst of Ivy League play, it is more important than ever that we play with that mindset. The legendary coach Cliff Stevenson was also in attendance. With the ups and downs of the second half and overtime to come, the BMS focus and resolve could be seen consistently.

(Brown Men's Soccer 1963 Ivy League Champions 21 of the 30 Members of the team present)

The second half was another 45 minute battle with back and forth play. Alex Markes kept Cameron Porter of Princeton in his back pocket for all 110 minutes and Josh Weiner made some tremendous saves on dangerous Princeton chances, keeping them scoreless. Collective play up top from our midfield and forwards resulted in opportunities of our own, but we could not find the back of the net.

(1st year Mike Leone and Junior Alex Markes bread the sandwich of Princeton's Porter while Senior Josh Weiner steals the cheese.)

In overtime, Pepe hit a banger off the crossbar from 30 yards out to nearly win the game and a costly goalkeeping mistake by Princeton almost led to the game winner for Brown in the second period of overtime. The game would come to end in a 0-0 draw, giving Brown their second tie in two Ivy League Games. Every men's soccer contest on saturday went on to be decided in over time. 

We continue chasing our 21st Ivy League Championship at Harvard on Saturday, 10/19.

(Princeton's GK taking a seat after a blast in over time sails sky high after contact with the cross bar)

With Love,

Timmer Tammers

A Point in the NYC

After a great Tuesday night 3-1 win at home over Boston University, excitement was high to finally start down that Ivy road with our first Ivy league game against Columbia. Wednesday brought new faces as Alex rejoined the squad under the pseudo-name “Jason, Masked man Markes.” Fortunately that name did not stick but he was happy to be back. After two days of tough practice and a Friday practice that saw Otis Booz win manager of the year in one-touch game for his half-time coaching genius/questionable decisions (sorry Nuss) we were on the Bus with our Hope Street Chick veggies and Chick Parms and off to New York.

The hotel was short and by the time Jason Pesek and Will Cross figured out who would be sleeping on the couch for the night we were already in our pregame gear headed to Columbia. It was a hot, steamy, and windless day in the Bronx and coupled with the no fan/AC locker room the team was already sweating before heading out. Being reminded to constantly drink water we warmed up to the usual away game mix of lack-luster pregame songs.  After suiting up in our jerseys, standing through opening ceremonies, and applauding for a Brown team with “Head Coach Patrick Laughlin assisted by Andrew Biggs and Ben Maurey” we were ready to go.

First half started off well with both teams moving the ball, attacking, and fouling. Off of a foul in their half a ball was whipped in and found the head at our bowlegged Bruno Daniel Taylor we were quickly up 1-0 15 minutes into the game. The tempo stayed high as Brown stayed alert. Shortly after the first goal a ball played into the channel found our Egyptian Prince Tariq Akeel who effortlessly took on his defender cut it back on to his left and sent in a dipping curving cross…which he will call a shot because amazingly it dipped over the keeper and curled into the far side net. 2-0 Brown.

We knew Columbia would be relentless and before halftime on a few mental errors in the back we gave them back to back corners and on the second they capitalized off a header to make it 2-1.  Instantly the energy level rose and we knew they would keep battling. We matched their intensity but just before the half  the game was tied up on a counter attack finished low into the corner.

The game continued for another tense 45 minutes with the Defense not budging, Pesek whipping in left footed daggers, and the forwards pressuring their backs into countless mistakes but neither team could seem to get that final touch to finish off the game. Two periods of overtime went the wayside as well as the final score ended Brown 2 Columbia 2. Both teams tired from 110 minutes in the blistering heat and were rushed off the field for the start of the Women’s game v Columbia. 

All in all a solid away result for the team as Columbia is never an easy place to play and it starts our Ivy league journey out on a  good foot. With a day of rest and an early morning practice on Monday we look ahead to win the mid-week battle at UNH to keep our current energy streak going into next  Saturday’s huge Ivy League Home opener versus one of a vaunted Ivy League Rivals Princeton. But Everyone knows a Bear would crush a Tiger if it had the chance, well that’s what we got next week.

Let’s go get em Boys

Markes

BU

JW PK Save:

This game was a much needed win for the team, especially given the fact that we had struggled on the road against Indiana and Butler the weekend prior. For the week against Marist, it was important that our team put together a “complete” performance, on both sides of the ball. We suffered some upsetting results early on in the season and our team needed to get back in the winning column. I think we accomplished what we set out to do against Marist, as our offense scored five goals and our defense held the Red Foxes to a shutout. The week leading up to this game was an intense week, where we relentlessly tried to further establish our team identity. We focused on getting better as a group and trying to improve before Ivy play.

Overall, I would say we did a good job bouncing back from our road upsets and clinching a victory that Friday. It was great to see so many of our strikers find the back of the net, as Jose Salama, Tariq Akeel, Nate Pomeroy, and Tommy Arns all had success going forward. Defensively, it was great to see our defense get a shut-out and hold Marist to very limited attempts. Mitchell Kupstas even got some goal time! This game definitely gave us a boost of confidence before playing Boston University and starting off our Ivy season. As a team, we know we are capable of success and it was great to have the ability to showcase this success against Marist.

The wind has picked up in our sails, and we are trying to take it as far as we can. Following the win against Marist, we finished off Boston University a few days later in a three to one victory. This game against Boston University was a crucial contest, as it was our first test to see how we would respond after defeating Marist. Were we content with one victory, or could we get two in a row? As a whole, I believe we responded well to the game against Boston University. Pulling off back-to-back home game wins was important for the team’s morale because it allowed a foundation to be built on. This foundation has given us support just in time for Ivy League play.

Scoring eight goals and only allowing one goal in the last two games before our first Ivy League game is a success that our team needs to carry on. Right now, our team is feeling more confident and we are going to carry this confidence into our first Ivy League game, against Columbia, TONIGHT!

-Tommy Arns