SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (September 30, 2025) – WNE hosted the Bears of the United States Coast Guard Academy on Tuesday afternoon. WNE would strike first with another Ben Riley goal. However, it was equalized before halftime via an Adien Miles goal for the Bears. Ben Riley would give WNE the late lead, but it was Jack Lopez who equalized 42 seconds later to clinch a 2-2 draw for the Bears.

Records:

• Western New England: 3-6-1 (2-1-0)
• United States Coast Guard Academy: 5-2-3 (1-0-1)

How it Happened:

First Half

• Miles Lanier started in goal for WNE, with Jack Putnam getting the start for USCGA.
• Early on, it was WNE that had the pressure, taking the first seven shots and the first three shots on goal.
• Putnam would not allow an early goal, though, making each save required.
• However, after the first USCGA shot in the 16th minute, Owen Dieterle found Jayden Montagna striking down the left side of the field. Montagna sent a one-touch cross to Ben Riley, who sent a header shot into the bottom right corner of the goal. WNE led 1-0 in the 17th minute.
• WNE continued the pressure. They had eight shots before USCGA would have a goal-scoring chance. At the 32nd minute, a corner kick was taken and sent away from the penalty box. However, Cole Miller would send the ball back in towards the goal, and Aidan Miles sent a header shot into the netting to tie the contest at 1-1.
• The teams played the final thirteen minutes trading possession back and forth, with both teams having a shot, and WNE having two corner kick chances at the end of the first half.
• At the end of the first half, WNE and USCGA were tied 1-1.
• WNE led in shots, 17-3, shots on goal, 7-0, and corner kick chances, 2-1. USCGA had more fouls, 4-3, and more saves, 6-0.

Second Half:

• The second half saw a more toned-down half in terms of shots and goal-scoring chances. Connor Hickey entered the game as the goalkeeper for the Bears.
• WNE had a few shots and corners early, but the second half possession was played back and forth between the teams.
• As the half started to wind down towards the final minutes, the WNE momentum could be felt at Suprenant Field.
• USCGA would have a shot and threaten WNE momentarily in the 82nd minute, but the ball was played to Nick Edward, who got past the USCGA defense and sent a quick shot at Samuel Linkous, who had replaced Hickey a little under half through the second half.
• Linkous saved the shot from Edward, but it deflected to Ben Riley, who calmly scored Riley's fifth goal in two games. The score was 2-1 WNE in the 82nd minute.
• USCGA immediately pressured WNE, and Akie Freeman would send the ball to Jack Lopez, who sent a shot crashing into the net forty-two seconds after WNE took the lead. The score was tied 2-2 in the 83rd minute.
• No More shots were taken after that, and WNE and USCGA would settle for a 2-2 draw.

Inside the Lines:

• WNE and USCGA ended the contest in a 2-2 draw.
• Ben Riley opened the scoring in the 17th minute off a Jayden Montagna assist. WNE led 1-0.
• Aiden Miles equalized the contests at 1-1 off a Cole Miller assist in the 32nd minute.
• Ben Riley gave WNE the 82nd-minute lead with a goal after a Nick Edward assist. WNE led 2-1.
• Jack Lopez equalized once again for USCGA off an assist from Aki Freeman. The score was tied 2-2.
• The final statistics favored WNE in many ways. WNE led in shots, 27-7, shots on goal, 11-2, and corner kicks, 7-1. USCGA led in fouls, 10-9, and saves, 9-0.

Coach's Corner:
Head coach Devin O'Neill spoke after the game about the hard-fought draw. "Disappointed in the result. It was a good game, I thought we played hard, I thought we played well. We've been a team that probably has not gotten all the results that we could have and we need to own the mistakes that we make and get better," O'Neill stated. "It's frustrating not to get the win. There's a lot that we are doing very, very well, but we are not capitalizing enough on the chances and we seem to be getting punished on the few mistakes that we make, but we have to clean up those mistakes." When asked what it will take to defeat the undefeated Roger Williams University on Saturday and what the atmosphere will be like on Golden Bear Weekend, with the 1975 NAIA Final Four WNE Men's Soccer team in attendance, coach mentioned that, "Roger Williams is having a great season, they are one of the top teams in the region and are on the cusp of national rankings. We're gonna have to play great and it should be a great atmosphere. I know our guys will be up for it and hopefully we can deliver a great performance and get a great result. It will be a wonderful opportunity for us and we want to take it. It's very nice to have the 1975 group back. We talk annually about being aware of the legacy of the program. It's such a proud tradition. That 1975 group was instrumental in terms of laying the foundation for the program and we want them to look upon us and how we compete and be proud and I think our guys will deliver."
Ben Riley was once again asked for a comment. Ben was asked to speak more about the two goals Riley scored today, after an emphasis was put on Riley's knack for finding the back of the net in the last couple of games. "It's just being in the right place at the right time. All the credit to my teammates. Obviously, I didn't create the goals, I just found myself in the right spot. I'm just doing my job. It was a good performance, a disappointing result, but we move forward," Riley answered. Riley was then asked what he attributes the five goals in two games to. "Definitely confidence as a player. My freshman year, I lacked confidence in everything I did and now I just go out there and try my best. My freshman year, my coach would say every single day, 'just try to be your best and the rest will follow.' I didn't think deeply about that enough until this year and honestly, the only thing in my mind is just to try my best and trust myself and my teammates. I think it showed today."

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE will stay in Springfield for their next match as they welcome conference rivals Roger Williams to town for their Golden Bear Week game, where they will honor their 1975 Men's Soccer team, who went to the NAIA final four 50 years ago. That game will be played on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 2:30 PM.