PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Plymouth State University men's soccer team opened its 2026 season by falling to the New England College Pilgrims, 1-0, in a non-conference matchup at Arold Field on Tuesday evening.
Freshman goalkeeper
Bryant Amaral (Coventry, R.I.) stood tall in net for the Panthers, making nine saves to keep his squad in the match until the final whistle. The Panther attack showed some flashes of potential led by sophomore
Nick Ferro (Smithfield, R.I.), who fired three of PSU's seven shots on goal.
The match was the season opener for both schools as Plymouth State begins 0-1-0, while the Pilgrims start 1-0-0.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 0, NEC 1
- Plymouth State (0-1-0)
- NEC (1-0-0)
How it Happened:
- The Pilgrims wasted no time getting on the score sheet, taking the early advantage on an individual effort in the fifth minute.
- Moments later, Amaral was called into action, making a save on a header that came off the first corner kick of the match.
- Both teams settled down and battled for possession over the next 15 minutes.
- The Panthers got a good chance of their own when Ferro got on the end of a long throw from sophomore Luke McLaughlin (Topsham, Maine), but his shot was stopped.
- The action picked back up in the final ten minutes of the half when Amaral made a sprawling stop on a strong Pilgrims chance.
- Plymouth State looked to respond a few minutes later when freshman Riley Sheel (Elk Township, N.J.) found classmate Jeremiah Rodriguez (Los Angeles, Calif.), whose cross led to a scramble in front of the goal. The NEC keeper was able to find the loose ball to quell the danger.
- The Panthers put together two great looks late in the first half. Junior George Bergin (Brentwood, N.H.) sent a quick pass to freshman Daniel Hancock (Windham, Maine), but the NEC goalie smothered his shot.
- The Panthers' best chance came in the closing minute of the half, when freshman Ian Maeby (Old Lyme, Conn.) fired a one-time shot off a through ball that drilled the crossbar.
- After a back-and-forth opening to the second half, the Pilgrims looked poised to strike again as a misplay allowed for a breakaway. Amaral showed no nerves, stoning the chance with a diving save to his left.
- Things slowed over the next half hour as the Pilgrims settled into a defensive posture. The Panthers kept fighting, generating four corner kicks as they looked to find the equalizer.
- PSU fought to the final whistle, creating two more corners in the final five minutes. Off the second corner, Ferro fired a shot in close off a nice feed from freshman Cam Bastien (Rochester, N.H.), but the Pilgrim keeper came up with one final stop.
By the Numbers:
- The Panthers held a 9-8 edge in corner kicks.
- Amaral made nine saves.
- NEC outshot the Panthers 17-16.
- The Pilgrims had a slight edge in shots on goal, 10-7.
- The series is now tied, 6-6-2, dating back to 1988.
- The victory was NEC's first in Plymouth since 2017.
Up Next:
- The Panthers host VTSU Johnson on Saturday (Sept. 5) at 3 p.m.
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