DUDLEY, Mass. – Senior Scott Palmerino (Southbridge, Mass.) scored a pair of goals – including the game-winner with 2:23 remaining in the second half – to lift the Nichols College men's soccer team to a 2-1 win over nationally-ranked Gordon College Friday night in Commonwealth Coast Conference action on Homecoming weekend at Vendetti Field.

Senior Fred Willard (Webster, Mass.) and sophomore Donny Whittle (Ellington, Conn.) picked up assists on Palmerino's goals as the Bison defeated the Fighting Scots – who entered the match No. 22 in the nation with a mark of 10-0-0 (3-0-0 CCC) – for just the third time in 22 all-time meetings (3-16-3).

With the game tied at one late in the second half, Willard lobbed the ball over the Gordon defense to Palmerino, who chipped the ball over freshman goalkeeper Josh Spoonhour (Greencastle, Pa.). Spoonhour – who came out to challenge Palmerino's scoring chance – replaced senior Tim Hardy (Gorham, Maine) midway through the first after Horton suffered an apparent injury.

"This was a fantastic match. We knew they were a great team coming in and they showed it," said Bison head coach Chris Traina. "Our objective was to absorb their pressure, and I think we did a good job. We got two great goals from Scott Palmerino. I wish we had played a little better, but the result is there, and we played in front of a big crowd tonight. I'm very proud of our guys and the effort they gave."

For a while, it looked as if Palmerino's first goal – which came at 20:38 of the first half – would stand as the winner. Whittle send a cross from the left side to Palmerino, who headed the ball past Horton.

From there, the Bison limited Gordon's 'Grade A' scoring chances, but with a little more than eight minutes remaining in regulation, freshman Caleb Cole (Coatesville, Pa.) found a loose ball and ripped a shot between a pair of defenders and past a screened Jeremy Nash (West Springfield, Mass.) to tie the match.

"I ignored the 1-0 score because I know how strong and disciplined they are," said Traina. "We didn't go into a defense shell, though we did start playing a lot of balls out. Once they tied the game, we dug deep and Scott took advantage of the opportunity he had."

Nash improved to 6-1-3 with the win as he stopped seven shots. Spoonhour, meanwhile, recorded four saves in defeat. Nichols finished the evening with a 10-8 edge in shots and a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks.

The Bison return to action on Oct. 9 when they host Salem State at 4 p.m. Gordon plays at Mitchell Monday at 4 p.m.