The men’s soccer team started the season strong with a 2-0 win on Aug. 24 over Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Md.

The Bison came close to putting in an early goal in the 25th minute when Trevor Wiggins ’21 was denied on a header attempt. Senior captain Tyler Peterson ’19 then opened up the scoring in the 29th minute when he put in a corner kick. Only a minute later, the Bison doubled their advantage as Jacob Mittman ’22 centered a pass that deflected off a Mount St. Mary’s defender and into the back of the net for his first career goal.

The Orange and Blue dominated the first half of play, outshooting the Mountaineers seven to two and earning six corner kicks. While the Mountaineers evened up the shot total in the second half, the Bison kept things steady in the back, only allowing two shots on goal. Goalkeeper Ryan Ott ’19 comfortably saved both shots.

Head coach Brendan Nash used both experience and youth alike to get the most out of his squad in the opening match of the season. In total, 18 players took the field for the Bison, with five first-years making their debuts.

“The freshmen gave us pretty much what we expected. They worked hard and gave us a lot of energy. However, they made some simple mistakes, which we expected,” Nash said. “With more training and watching film they can learn lessons and continue to get better.”

Alex Clarke ’22 started the game in the midfield for the Bison while Mittman, Adam Kulick ’22, Patrick O’Hara ’22, and Michael Pavick ’22 all helped infuse the team with energy when they came off the bench. The focus for the Bison entering the season was for a strong start and grabbing a win in the season opener was a big first step.

The Orange and Blue will look to continue their momentum on Sept. 2 when they visit St. Francis in Loretto, Pa. When the two teams met last season, the Bison came away with a 1-0 result. They will look to use the break between games to rest up and prepare for the match.