Tufts and Bowdoin will square off in a quarterfinal match in the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship at Bello Field on Sunday, November 23 at 1 p.m. after both squads were victorious in the Sweet 16 round.
Tufts defeated Messiah, 4-1, while Bowdoin advanced to the Elite 8 via penalty kicks, 3-2, after the Connecticut College Camels and Polar Bears played to a 0-0 tie in regulation and overtime.
The winner of Sunday’s quarterfinal between the Jumbos and Polar Bears will advance to the NCAA Final Four set for December 5 at Kerr Stadium in Salem, Virginia.
Bowdoin tied Conn. College, 0-0 (2OT – Bowdoin Adv. PKs, 3-2) | Box Score
The two familiar NESCAC foes played scoreless soccer for 110 minutes. In the penalty kick shootout, Bowdoin goalkeeper Alex Ainsworth made three stops to help the Polar Bears return to the national quarterfinals for the first time since 2022. Ainsworth finished the game with five stops, not including the PKs. Both teams had quality chances to score in regulation and overtime, but neither was able to find the back of the net. Conn. College closes out the season with a 12-3-6 record.
Tufts def. Messiah, 4-1 | Box Score
Xavier Canfin scored late in the first half and in the opening seconds of the second stanza to lead Tufts to the victory. Messiah struck first taking a 1-0 lead just 4:33 into the match. Tufts controlled much of the possession in the game and Henry Brown netted the equalizer in the 21st minute. Canfin’s first goal of the game came in the 40th minute to push the Jumbos’ lead to 2-1. Just 36 seconds into the second half, Canfin struck for his second tally of the day to give Tufts a 3-1 advantage. Bijan Akhtarzandi-Dias closed out the scoring in the match with a goal in the 52nd minute. Tufts out shot Messiah, 20-6. Nikola Antic needed one save to pick up the win in the Jumbos’ net while Kessler Forrest was credited with six saves.
St. Olaf def. Williams, 2-1 | Box Score
St. Olaf scored twice in the first 28 minutes of the game and held on for a 2-1 win over visiting Williams. Charlie Piller took advantage of a failed clear in the Williams defensive and scored his sixth goal of the year to give the Oles a 1-0 lead. Rayn Bechtel’s 11 goal of the season in the 28th minute pushed St. Olaf’s lead to 2-0. Williams sliced the lead in half in the 70th minute on Evan Vasquez’s third goal of 2025, but that was as close at the Ephs could get the rest of the way. Williams held a slight edge in shots, 15-12. Jack Hobday made two stops for St. Olaf while Alex Anglada recorded three saves. Williams wraps up the 2025 season with a 10-5-4 record.
