DUDLEY, Mass. (12/3/2025) – Over the weekend, seniors
Derek Axon and
Carl Headges-Small were selected and played in the New England Intercollegiate Soccer League (NEISL) Senior All-Star Game, a showcase of the best senior talent from NCAA Division III men's soccer programs in the New England area. The teammates played on Team Yellow, who won the game by a final score of 9-4.
Goalkeeper
Derek Axon had a very impressive senior season, appearing in and starting 12 games. He finished the season with 65 saves, a 1.39 goals-against average, an .802 save percentage, and four shutouts. In a highlight 1-0 win against CNE rival Endicott College on 10/18, Axon posted a career-high 11 saves and a shutout. He was honored twice in the 2025 season as the CNE Defensive Player of the Week for the weeks of 9/22/25 and 10/6/25. Axon finishes his career with his name in the record books of the men's soccer program, owning the fourth-most career shutouts, the fourth-lowest career goals-against average at 1.44, and the sixth-most career minutes played at 3,183.
Carl Headges-Small was a staple in the Bison's midfield for all four years, appearing in 56 games and making 39 starts for a total of 3,323 minutes. In his senior season, the team captain appeared in 16 of the 17 games the Bison played, starting 15 of them. On two occasions, he recorded a goal and an assist in a game: On his Senior Day against the University of Maine–Farmington and in the Bison's first win of the season, where he contributed to both goals in a 2-0 victory over Lasell University. Headges-Small ended the 2025 season with six points, played 1,142 minutes, and finished his career with four goals and three assists, totaling 11 points.
"Having both Carl and Derek get nominated to play in the senior game is a true testament to their hard work and dedication to the program over the last four years," head coach Marco DeVito stated when asked about the game. "This is a very prestigious achievement, as it's voted on by all of the NCAA Division III men's soccer coaches in New England, which shows that these two have made a lasting impression on the region. We're extremely pleased that they were able to represent the Bison one last time at this event and thank them for their dedication and leadership."
