Bates College

LEWISTON, Maine – Five different Bobcats scored, including four first-years, as Bates men's soccer rolled to a 5-2 victory over Husson in its 2026 home opener Tuesday night at Russell Street Field.

Bates (2-1-1, 0-1-1 NESCAC) wasted little time getting on the board, taking a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute. First-year Alex Hensch (Longmeadow, Mass.) scored his first collegiate goal after first-year Finn Coburn (Scarborough, Maine) got a foot on a cross from junior Andrew Jean Baptiste (Montvale, N.J.), setting up Hensch for the finish.

Husson (0-3-1) answered in the 23rd minute when Alejandro Castellanos found Miguel Diaz Alvarez with a through ball, and Diaz Alvarez finished to even the score at 1-1.

The Eagles took the lead less than five minutes later. On a corner kick, Diaz Alvarez sent a volley toward the goal that found the head of Santiago Jimenez before Chadi Hamadi finished the play to put Husson ahead 2-1.

Bates responded with 10 minutes remaining in the opening half. A Husson pass into the middle of the field was intercepted by first-year Marc Chedid (Lexington, Mass.), who promptly found the back of the net for his first collegiate goal. The teams entered halftime tied 2-2.

The Bobcats took control in the second half, scoring three unanswered goals.

Coburn put Bates back in front in the 53rd minute, heading home a perfectly placed cross from junior captain Hewitt Stevenson (Menlo Park, Calif.), who received the ball from sophomore Danny Burke (Holliston, Mass.). Less than three minutes later, first-year Bora Ceranoglu (Milton, Mass.) extended the lead to 4-2. Burke found Ceranoglu downfield, and the first-year beat his defender before finishing the breakaway, giving Burke his second assist of the night.

Bates added one more goal in the 73rd minute when the Bobcats were awarded a penalty kick. Senior captain Antonio Mesa (Bogotá, Colombia) buried the attempt to complete the 5-2 victory.

The Bobcats finished with a 22-6 advantage in shots, including a 14-5 edge in shots on goal. Junior goalkeeper George Nassar (Newtonville, Mass.) and first-year Isaac Kolaczkowski (Beavercreek, Ohio) split time in net. Nassar made two saves, while Kolaczkowski recorded one save in his collegiate debut.

Bates continues non-conference action Saturday, traveling to Babson for a 3:30 p.m. match.