BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team netted four second half goals, including a pair of markers from sophomore back Paco Polo (Madrid, Spain), in a 4-1 victory over host Bridgewater State University this evening at Mazzaferro Field in Bridgewater, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 6-1-4 on the season and are unbeaten in 34 of their last 37 contests, dating back to 2024. The Bears fall to 4-3-3.
Wheaton dominated play, owning a healthy 22-8 shot advantage, including 13-3 in the second half. The Lyons were awarded all seven corner kicks in the game.
Polo has netted three goals in his last two matches – the first three of his collegiate career. The sophomore's first marker of the night gave Wheaton the lead for good at 2-1 in the 61st minute of play. Sophomore midfielder Brent Karpowich (Cranston, R.I.) sent a cross to his right, as he hit the deck, and Polo gained possession, before uncorking a left-footed shot that sailed into the upper near left corner of the net from 10 yards out with 29:04 left to play in the game.
Polo struck again just over four minutes later for his second marker of the night to give the Lyons a two-goal lead with 24:47 remaining in the contest. Junior back Austin Hoadley (South Kent, Conn.) tossed a long throw-in from the right side that went off the head of a Bridgewater State defender and high up into the air. Polo timed his strike perfectly as the ball came down, producing a shot that found the back of the left side of the net.
Wheaton added an insurance goal with just 6:35 remaining in the contest for a 4-1 advantage. Junior midfielder Charlie Cushing (Eastham, Mass.) fired a point-blank shot from the left slot, but it was denied, leaving a rebound on the right side of the frame. First year forward Mason Fasoli (Weymouth, Mass.) was there for the finish and his first collegiate goal.
The Bears got on the board first with the only marker of the first half to take a 1-0 edge. Bridgewater State junior back Dermott Amorium (Wrentham, Mass.) booted a lead cross from deep within the Bears' defensive zone that first year Landon Raposa (Dartmouth, Mass.) ran down and collected just before the endline. The midfielder slipped a shot just in between the right post and the Lyon keeper to give the home team a 1-0 lead.
Bridgewater State took the difference into the intermission, before Wheaton matched the score off a corner kick just 3:48 into the second half to knot the game at 1-1. Karpowich served the ball from the left flag into the goal mouth, where senior midfielder Ben Kane (Pembroke, Mass.) was able to direct the ball into the back of the net with a header for his first goal of the season in the 49th minute of play.
Senior goalie Nicholas Phinney (Gorham, Maine) made two saves for the Lyons, while senior starting keeper Kyle Sullivan (South Windsor, Conn.) stopped three of six shots in the first 80:17 for the Bears, before yielding to first year netminder Haizelle Sanchez-Williams (Leominster, Mass.), who turned away one of two shots in the final 9:43 of play.
Wheaton returns to the pitch on Saturday, October 10 when it travels to Williamstown, Mass. to take on No. 11 Williams College at 1:00 p.m., while Bridgewater State hosts Salem State University in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference play on the same day at 12:00 p.m.
