PROVIDENCE, R.I. (2/23/2025) – The Nichols College men's lacrosse team opened its 2025 season with a 17-7 loss to the United States Coast Guard Academy on Saturday afternoon at Chapey Field (Providence College).

The Bison open the season at 0-1, while the Bears improve to 1-1 respectively.

Senior Dylan DeRubeis and junior Conor Doherty notched three points apiece in the effort, with each scoring a pair of goals with an assist. Junior newcomer Jonah Libby found his way on the scoresheet with a goal, as well as a pair of ground balls and one caused turnover. Joey LaChance and Kane Williams also scored goals for the Bison, with Williams' being the first of his collegiate career. Junior Travis Arnold saw the bulk of the time at the faceoff X, winning 9-of-24 draws.  
 
Senior goalkeeper Brady Morgan made 10 saves on 34 shots faced with the loss, while junior Carter Renaud stopped 3-of-7 in relief.
 
The Bison jumped out to an early 3-0 lead through the first seven minutes of the opening quarter with the help of goals from Doherty, DeRubeis and Libby, each unassisted. Following a timeout, Coast Guard cut the deficit to one after back-to-back tallies, before DeRubeis notched his second of the contest to make it a 4-2 Bison lead, again unassisted. However, the Bears seemed determined to have the upper hand entering the second quarter, as they powered ahead with the final three goals of the stanza to lead 5-4 after one.

The Bears recorded two unanswered goals to start the second quarter, extending their lead to 7-4 by the 11:00 mark. Williams stopped the run at the 10:34, cashing in for his first collegiate goal off a pass from Doherty to make it a 7-5 game. However, that would be the lone tally for the Bison in the quarter, as Coast Guard added another pair of goals ahead of halftime to claim a 9-5 lead.

The Bears gained even more momentum in the second half, outscoring the Bison by an 8-2 margin while limiting many of their offensive chances. LaChance tallied the solo goal in the third quarter for Nichols, directly off a pass from DeRubeis, while Doherty finished the day with his second unassisted goal of the contest in the final frame.

The Bison have another home game on the horizon this coming Wednesday, February 26^th when they play host to the University of Saint Joseph (1-1). Game time is currently slated for 3:00 PM at Vendetti Field.