DUDLEY, Mass. – Sophomore Tiago Prazeres (West Hartford, Conn.) scored the game-winning goal in the 27th minute as the Nichols College men's soccer team remained unbeaten on the season with a 3-0 shutout of Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) rival Wentworth Saturday morning at the Nichols Soccer Field.
Junior Jeremy Nash (West Springfield, Mass.) recorded three saves to extend his home shutout streak to 283:37 as the Bison moved to 5-0-2 (2-0-0 CCC). The only goal Nash has allowed at home this season came two weeks ago in a 2-1 win over Springfield.
Prazeres got things started just past the midway point of the first half minute when he sent a corner kick to senior Fred Willard (Webster, Mass.). Willard sent a return pass to Prazeres, who fired a shot from the corner through freshman goalkeeper Chase Richard's (Smithfield, R.I.) legs and into the net to make the score 1-0.
Early in the second, senior captain Scott Palmerino (Southbridge, Mass.) scored his fourth goal of the season to double the Bison lead. Palmerino took a pass from classmate Pat Gaumond (Holden, Mass.) and poked it into the left side of the net. Three minutes later, sophomore Donny Whittle (Ellington, Conn.) received a deep pass from Willard, broke in alone, and booted a shot past a diving Richard.
The Leopards (1-6-1, 1-1-0 CCC) were outshot 15-6 on the afternoon and were led by freshman Alec Watkinson (Merrimack, N.H.) with two. Richard finished with five saves. Palmerino, Whittle and Willard each took three shots for the Bison.
Nichols returns to action on Wednesday when it heads to Nashua, N.H. for a 7:00 p.m. contest with Daniel Webster. The Leopards head to Brandeis for a 7:00 p.m. match on Wednesday.