WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Nichols College men's lacrosse team returned to the Conference of New England (CNE) Tournament after a one-year absence but fell to No. 3 seed University of Hartford, 12-6, in First Round action Saturday afternoon at Al-Marzook Field.
With the loss, the Bison close their 2026 campaign at 8-10 overall, while the Hawks advance with a 11-5 mark and head to the CNE Semifinals.
Nichols was led offensively by
Conor Doherty, who finished with two goals, while
Max Leavitt,
John Caserta,
Shea Ullo, and
Kane Williams each added a goal.
Tyler Olivo facilitated the offense with two assists, and
Jonah Libby chipped in one helper. In net,
Carter Renaud delivered a standout performance despite the result, recording 17 saves and preventing the Hawks from building momentum.
The first quarter opened with Hartford striking first, but Nichols' defense set the tone early, limiting quality looks and forcing pressure possessions. Renaud came up with multiple early saves, helping hold the Hawks in check before they broke through. Hartford built a 3-0 lead late in the quarter, but Ullo responded with a clutch goal in the final seconds to get Nichols on the board and cut the deficit to 3-1 heading into the second.
Nichols carried that momentum into the second quarter. Caserta buried a goal off a feed from Libby, and Leavitt followed with the equalizer off an Olivo assist to tie the game at 3-3. The Bison were aggressive on both ends, finding rhythm offensively and tightening up defensively. However, Hartford answered with a decisive run, scoring five unanswered goals to regain control and take an 8-3 lead into halftime.
The Hawks extended their lead early in the third, and despite a nearly 10-minute scoring drought that showcased strong defensive efforts from both sides, Nichols struggled to generate consistent offensive opportunities. Renaud continued to shine, making key saves, including a highlight diving stop across the crease, but Hartford maintained command and carried an 11-3 advantage into the final quarter.
Nichols showed resilience in the fourth. Doherty sparked a late push with back-to-back goals, including a man-up finish, and Williams added another off an Olivo assist to trim the deficit. Despite the surge, the early gap proved too much to overcome as Hartford added a late goal to secure the 12-6 victory.
Although the season came to a close, the Bison demonstrated fight and flashes of high-level play against one of the conference's top teams, returning to the postseason and setting a foundation to build on moving forward.
