WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. —The game was already over.  The Williams men’s soccer team had outdone visiting Endicott in every statistical category—23-6 in shots, 6-1 shots on goal, 11-2 in corner kicks—but neither team had scored.

 

This was going to be a 0-0 draw between two .500 teams.

 

Then, just as he did last week against Middlebury, Zach Grady broke the ice and rewrote the story. The senior scored in traffic in the box with fewer than 30 seconds left in double overtime to give the Ephs (5-4-1) a hard-fought win over the Gulls(5-6-1). The goal was Grady’s seventh of the season; he now leads all NESCAC scorers in goals and total points (14). 

 

As with Grady’s Middlebury winner, the finish came quickly. Andrés Burbank-Crump’s initial cross into the box looked innocuous enough, especially when Endicott's keeper came off his line to snatch it out of the air. But he could not handle the ball cleanly. As the Gulls' defense massed around its keeper and he scrambled after the ball, Michael Madding delivered a clean backheel to the feet of Grady, who poked his shot untouched through the crowd before sprinting to the stands to celebrate with the Williams faithful.

 

“Everything happened so fast,” Grady said. “I saw so many guys in the box, and just tried to get it away from the guys that I could see.”

 

Grady’s tally capped off a long afternoon of largely one-sided play, as the Ephs controlled the tempo for much of the contest while the Gulls looked to counter, not with a little success. “We had so many opportunities,” said Williams coach Mike Russo after the match. “I thought we totally controlled the rhythm of the game. The ball just wouldn’t go in.”

 

Christian Alcorn needed to make just one save to earn the shutout for Williams, which hosts Wesleyan on Saturday.

 

WOMEN'S SOCCER

 

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Natasha Albaneze had two goals and two assists to lead the Williams women's soccer team to an 8-0 win over New England College on Sunday.

 

Alex McInturf also scored twice for the Ephs (8-1).

 

Carolina Echenique and Tress Palcheck split time in goal for Williams, which hosts Wesleyan on Saturday.