Nichols stuns Men’s Soccer in CCC Semifinals

Box Score BRISTOL, R.I. – Fourth-seeded Nichols College needed an overtime goal to pull off the upset over the top-seed Roger Williams University Men's Soccer team, defeating RWU 2-1 in the extra period to earn a berth to the CCC Championship Game.

Nichols avenged a 1-0 loss to the Hawks back on September 22 with the win. Nichols improves to 13-7-0 on the year and will travel back to Rhode Island on Saturday to face the #2 seed Salve Regina University, who earlier defeated #6 Gordon 2-1. Roger Williams falls to 15-5-0 on the year.

The Bison defense held serve in the first half, keeping the Hawks off the board with timely play. Nichols keeper Alex Geas (Somers, Conn.) denied a one-on-one opportunity by Hawk forward Daniel Caruso (Tewksbury, Mass.), making a kick save on his shot in the fourth minute. Later in the period, a goal in the 19th minute by Trevor Hoxsie (Scarborough, Maine) was waved off due to offsides, keeping the game scoreless.

The Hawks had chances in the period to take the lead. James Sheldon (Amherst, N.H.) had his shot saved by Geas and cleared by Patrick DeRosa (Bristol, Conn.) in the 33rd minute. Kamali Webson (Bellingham, Mass.) had a beautiful-looking header on a pass into the box sail just wide with under five minutes to play in the period.

Nichols capitalized at the 37:46 mark, when DeRosa made a pass to Scott Coderre inside the box, just staying onsides, and putting one into net to give the Bison a 1-0 lead.

Nichols would play shorthanded after the 41 minute mark after DeRosa collected his second yellow card of the day, leading to an aggressive Hawk attack. Bradley MacDonald (Topsfield, Mass.) sent a header just wide right in the 63rd minute that would've tied the game.

However, one of the key plays of the period came in the 75th minute, when Sheldon fired a shot that was deflected and slowly headed for the net before Phil Mitto (Windsor, Conn.) tracked it down and cleared it out before the ball scored.

It looked like the Bison were going to escape with the win in regulation, but Hoxsie came through with the equalizer with 1:24 to play in the game, knocking in a pass from Macdonald in the middle of the box to tie the contest.

The Hawks nearly won the game in regulation, receiving a penalty kick opportunity with 55 seconds to play. However, a diving save by Geas would negate the try and push the game into overtime.

In the extra period, the turning point came with just under three minutes to play in the period. Coderre and Ryan Nunn (Old Lyme, Conn.) were able to break away for a two-on-one opportunity, with Coderre feeding Nunn for the golden goal at the 97:24 mark. The goal would punch the Bison's ticket to the CCC Championship and halt the Hawks' six-game winning streak.

Geas made nine saves on the day in the win, while Hawk keeper Jon Pelloso (Wilbraham, Mass.) made seven saves for RWU.

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Players Mentioned

#9 Daniel Caruso: F; 5' 9"; Junior

#18 Trevor Hoxsie: F; 6' 0"; Junior

#1 Jon Pelloso: GK; 5' 11"; Junior

#5 Kamali Webson: B; 6' 1"; Senior

#14 James Sheldon: F; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#9 Daniel Caruso
: 5' 9"; Junior
: F

#18 Trevor Hoxsie
: 6' 0"; Junior
: F

#1 Jon Pelloso
: 5' 11"; Junior
: GK

#5 Kamali Webson
: 6' 1"; Senior
: B

#14 James Sheldon
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: F