Box Score DUDLEY, Mass. (Oct. 21) – The Nichols College men's soccer team scored four first half goals en route to a 6-0 non-conference victory over visiting Newbury College Thursday evening on Vendetti Field. With the victory, the Bison improve to 13-2-1 and break the program's single-season wins record set in 1963 and matched in 1965 and again last year. The Nighthawks dip to 3-10.
Seniors Matt Nash (West Springfield, Mass.) and Mike Schell (South Windsor, Conn.) each had a goal and an assist and were honored prior to the game for Senior Night along with classmates Mark Capitanio (Mansfield, Mass.), Brett Distasio (Burlington, Conn.), Brian Filburn (Granby, Conn.), Nate Plummer (Plainfield, N.H.) and Ryan Wytrych (Feeding Hills, Mass.).
First year Brendan Whitson (Auburn, Mass.) had a pair of goals while classmate Scott Palmerino (Southbridge, Mass.) added two assists.
Nash opened the scoring with his second goal in as many games in the eighth minute, sending in a throw from Palmerino. Whitson struck twice in a span of less than three minutes to give the Bison a 3-0 lead. Whitson bent in his first goal from close to 20 yards out in the 34th minute before Palmerino sent a pass ahead to his classmate for a quick marker in the 37th.
Nash chipped the ball ahead to Scott Coderre (Thompson, Conn.) in the 43rd minute for Coderre to carry in past Newbury's goalkeeper William McNally, who had come out to play the ball, and tucked it into the net for a 4-0 lead at the break.
Thomas Miller (Braintree, Mass.) passed across the top of the box to Schell for the senior to send in a left-footed shot into the left corner in the 76th minute and Filburn capped the scoring in the 87th minute with his first career goal. Schell passed the ball across the box for Filburn to curve into the right corner.
Nichols held a 52-2 shot advantage in the game and played with a man advantage for the bulk of the second half after the Nighthawks were assessed a red card in the 59th minute. McNally made 16 saves before giving way to Jeremy Bergeron for the final nine minutes. Michael Pitts (Shoreham, N.Y.) made one save to earn the win in the first half for the Bison in his first game action of the season. George Quireyns (Holbrook, Mass.) did not face a shot in the second half.
The Bison return to The Commonwealth Coast Conference action Saturday in a 3:30 p.m. game at University of New England. Newbury travels to Southern Vermont College Saturday for a 1 p.m. NECC game.
