DUDLEY, Mass. (8/29/2025) - Nichols College Men's Soccer put up a good fight against Anna Maria College but were bested on Friday night at Vendetti Field. The final score of the match: 2-0.

Following the result, The Bison stand at 0-1 to start the season. Anna Maria got their first win of the season.

The first period proved to be a test of defense, ending the first 45 minutes with a score of 0-0. In the 10th minute Anna Maria's Jayden Zarco De-La-Cruiz drew a yellow card which set the tempo for a tough and physical game to the very end.

The second period saw a yellow card drawn by Ethan Knowles in the 71st minute, and the two goals of the match scored by Anna Maria. The first goal of the watch was scored in the 77th minute by Isidore Papillon following a well placed ball from Hugo Drougard. With a penalty kick awarded in the tail end of the second period, Kyle Brocker sunk the final goal of the game in the 87th minute. Both teams put up a great defensive effort, leading to a back-and-forth battle that came down to the final minutes of the match. 

Namely for defense, goalkeeper Derek Axon kept it close with six saves on the night, his highest since a five saves performance against University of Maine-Farmington on September 4th, 2024. 

Freshmen Kamal Saad, Ayden Gardner, and Evan Giannini made their debut on the pitch. Saad saw action every minute of the match, playing some good defense and getting a shot off. 

The men's soccer team stays at home for another non-conference game and a Sunday Senior Day thriller against University of Maine-Farmington. Kickoff time is set at 1pm at Nichols Soccer Field.