Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior Scott Palmerino (Southbridge, Mass.) scored in the first minute of the game in Nichols College's 2-1 double overtime loss at No. 2 seed Western New England in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Semifinals Tuesday afternoon at Suprenant Field.

The No. 3 seed Bison fell short of their quest to advance to the championship match for the fourth-straight season and finish the 2013 campaign 12-2-5. The Golden Bears – who were dealt a 2-1 overtime loss in the CCC Quarterfinal a year ago by the Bison – will host No. 4 Roger Williams in the championship match on Saturday. The Hawks knocked off top-seeded Gordon in overtime in the other semifinal.

Palmerino – who was named to the CCC Second Team last week – gave the Bison a 1-0 lead just 33 seconds into the match. Sophomore Tiago Prazeres (West Hartford, Conn.) passed it up to Palmerino, who was going down the center of the field. Palmerino received the pass and fired a shot into the lower right past senior and fellow CCC Second Team selection Domenick Villano (Bronxville, N.Y.).

In the 28th minute, senior Fred Willard (Webster, Mass.) controlled a loose ball at the end of the box and sent a shot through traffic which Villano kept out of the net with a diving save to his left to keep theiWNE deficit at one entering the break.

The Golden Bears (14-4-3) tied the match at one eight minutes into the second half. Sophomore Colin Macdonald (West Newbury, Mass.) sent a cross over the Bison defense to classmate Chad Burke (Boxford, Mass.), who sent it past junior goalkeeper Jeremy Nash (West Springfield, Mass.).

In the 63rd minute, Golden Bears senior Kevin Parma (Peconic, N.Y.) – the CCC Defensive Player of the Year – took a shot from near mid-field on a free kick which Nash jumped backwards to knock away and keep the match knotted at one.

With 10 minutes remaining in regulation, senior Ryan Williams (Brewster, N.Y.) ran by himself down the right side of the field, got by a diving Nash and crossed the ball right in front of the empty net. Nichols senior Justin Lind (Millerton, N.Y.) made a sliding kick save to keep the match tied.

The last great opportunity for the Bison came in the 86th minute when Villano made a spectacular diving save to his left off of a header by senior Pat Gaumond (Holden, Mass.) which was targeted for the upper right corner of the net.

In the first overtime period, the best opportunity came when Prazeres broke away from the defense and had one man to beat. He took a chip shot which had the goalie fooled, however it went wide left.

Western New England won the match in the 108th minute. Freshman Kory Caster (Wilbraham, Mass.) crossed the ball into a lot of traffic in the box. Senior Jake Bartnik (East Longmeadow, Mass.) came up with it and fired it into the right side of the net.

"We started out exactly the way we wanted to with a quick goal," said Nichols head coach Chris Traina. "We just couldn't quite get that finishing shot."

Nash picked up three saves on the afternoon as the Bison outshot the Golden Bears 15-12. Villano made six saves.