Men’s Soccer Drops Season-Opener to Nichols, 2-0

NORTH QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College men's soccer team suffered a 2-0 setback to Nichols Friday evening at Creedon Field in the first match of the season.

The Lions dip to 0-1-0 on the year with the result while the Bison improve to 1-0-0 overall.

The visitors nearly got on the board in the 13th minute as Gregory Giglio drilled a long-distance shot off the crossbar.

Nichols tallied the match's opening score in the 16th minute to seize a 1-0 edge. Nick McGrath slotted in his first goal of the season off of a feed from Nick Cancellaro.

The Lions managed four shots in the first half, including just one on frame. The Bison produced 17 shot attempts in the opening 45 minutes of play.

The guests tacked on a goal in the 53rd minute to double their advantage to 2-0. James Chasco-Dimauro served a corner kick into the box and Giglio nodded the ball back across the face of goal for Zach Turcotte to head into the back of the cage for his first tally of the fall.

The hosts came close to finding the back of the net in the 86th minute as Connor Hudson-Bryant (Weymouth, Mass.) saw his header ring off the crossbar.

Eastern Nazarene fired 14 shots in the contest while Nichols manufactured 28 shots on the night.

Rookie goalkeeper Florian Resch (St. Stefan, Austria) registered eight saves in his collegiate debut. Patrick Porpora finished with four saves between the pipes for the Bison.

Up next, Eastern Nazarene returns to the pitch September 1 to take on Worcester State in its second match in two days.