Men’s Soccer Absorbs 4-2 Loss at Nichols Saturday

DUDLEY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene men's soccer team suffered a 4-2 setback on the road at Nichols Saturday afternoon.

The Lions fall to 3-13-0 on the season and 1-7-0 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference with the result. The Bison improve to 11-1-4 overall and 6-1-1 in league action with the win.

Nichols got on the board in the 11th minute to snag a 1-0 lead. Scott Palmerino netted his seventh goal of the season, slotting a shot into the lower right corner of the frame. Tiago Prazeres picked up the assist on the tally.

Eastern Nazarene leveled the match at 1-1 in the 39th minute as Scott Hansen (Middletown Spring, Vt.) buried his team-leading seventh marker of the fall. Jared Corbin (Fallston, Md.) delivered a free kick into the box and Hansen knocked the ball into the back of the net for the equalizer.

The two teams were deadlocked at 1-1 at halftime despite the Bison outshooting the Lions by a 14-2 margin. The home side earned four corner kicks in the opening half while the visitors produced zero.

Eastern Nazarene grabbed a one-goal advantage in the 50th minute to go ahead 2-1. Austin Boucher (Mansfield, Mass.) tallied his first career goal, firing a low shot into the right corner off of a free kick play. Corbin set up Boucher for the score to register his second assist of the day.

Nichols answered in the 55th minute to tie the match at 2-2. Fred Willard notched his third tally of the season with a shot to the left corner of the cage after dribbling by a defender.

The Bison scored the go-ahead goal in the 56th minute to reclaim a one-goal edge, 3-2. Palmerino buried his second marker of the contest, rifling a shot into the lower right corner of the goal. Michael Perry provided the assist on Palmerino's eighth of the year.

Nichols tacked on its fourth goal of the game to stretch its lead to 4-2 in the 82nd minute. Willard potted his second tally of the match and fourth of the fall to give the hosts a two-goal cushion. Isaac Alvarenga served in a cross for Willard to finish into the left corner of the goal.

The Lions produced three shots in the game while the Bison attempted 25. Nichols earned all six corner kicks awarded on the afternoon.

Jake Johnson (Mount Bethel, Pa.) turned aside seven shots between the posts for Eastern Nazarene in the contest. Jeremy Nash finished with one save in goal for the home side.

Up next, the Lions will close out the regular season at home October 30 as they host Salve Regina at Veterans Memorial Stadium.