STANDISH, Maine - The University of Maine at Farmington men's soccer team opened its 2026 season on the road against Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) power Saint Joseph's College, suffering a 5-0 setback at the hands of the Monks.
How it Happened:
The Monks got a standout performance from junior forward Nick Marion, who sparked the offense with two goals and two assists to lead the way.
Marion set up the game-opening goal, finding an open Damir Brkic, who fired a shot into the upper-right corner from just outside the box to make it a 1-0 game in the 16th minute.
Just over five minutes later, the Monks were able to double their lead when Cole Bishop won a loose ball during a scrum inside the penalty area. Brkic earned the assist on Bishop's goal.
Marion scored his first goal of the game in the 35th minute, taking a feed from Hayes Sweeney to put the Monks up 3-0 heading into the intermission. Marion wasted no time tacking on his second goal and completing the brace, scoring just two minutes and 39 seconds into the second half. The goal was once again assisted by Sweeney.
Mattheus Silva tacked on the fifth goal of the contest, taking a feed from Marion before tucking a shot into the back of the net to make it 5-0.
For the Beavers, they were unable to mount much offensively, tallying just one shot in the opening half before finding some footing in the second half. However, they were unable to get one past Monk goalkeeper Alex Bachmann.
Stats of the Game:
- Shots: St. Joseph's 21, Farmington 5
- Shots on Goal: St. Joseph's 13, Farmington 3
- Corner Kicks: St. Joseph's 9, Farmington 1
The Goalkeepers:
Junior Parker Day (Brentwood, N.H.) drew the start in net, making five saves during the opening half before giving way to fellow junior Dylan Gagnon (Hudson, N.H.). Gagnon made three saves during the second half of play.
Bachmann picked up the shutout victory, recording three saves for the Monks.
UP NEXT
The Beavers will hit the road once again on Friday, traveling to Chicopee, Massachusetts, to take on another GNAC opponent in Elms College. Game time on Friday is set for 4:00 PM.
