MILTON, Mass. – The Nichols College men’s soccer team continued its late-season surge with a 2-1 upset victory over third-seeded Curry in The Commonwealth Coast Conference semifinals Wednesday evening. The Bison, winners of four-straight and seven of the last eight, will play for their first TCCC title at top-seeded Western New England College Saturday at 1 p.m.
More than 33 minutes after the two teams traded goals just over a minute apart, sophomore Mark Capitanio (Mansfield, Mass.) blistered an indirect kick just above the ground in at the near post from 25 yards out to break the deadlock. The goal in the 65th minute, Capitanio’s fifth on the season, proved to be the game-winner.
First-year forward Brian Sanz (Framingham, Mass.) turned around his defender and found classmate David Johnson (Canterbury, Conn.) in stride as he crossed midfield, setting up Johnson for a breakaway goal in the 31st minute to put the Bison on the board. The tally marked Johnson’s team-leading 12th of the season.
Just over a minute later, however, the Colonels responded as Jeff Shea planted a Marc Santos pass to knot the score.
Nichols netminder Brendan Hamilton (No. Attleboro, Mass.) made 10 saves in the victory, including six in the second half. The first-year keeper has allowed just four goals in the last eight games. Brian Newsome stopped one Bison shot in the second half.
Nichols last made an appearance in a conference championship in 1960, when the Bison played for the Colonial Intercollegiate Conference title on November 12 against New Bedford at Brown University Field.
In Nichols’ last meeting with WNEC, the Golden Bears prevailed, 2-1, in the 95th minute in Dudley, Mass.
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