BRISTOL, R.I. (November 7, 2026) – The Western New England men's soccer team saw its 2026 season come to a heartbreaking conclusion Saturday afternoon, falling 1-0 to Roger Williams University in double overtime in the Conference of New England (CNE) Championship at Bayside Field. The Golden Bears battled through 90 minutes of scoreless regulation and the first overtime period behind a seven-save performance from goalkeeper Brendan L'Italien. Despite a resilient defensive effort, the Hawks broke through in the 103rd minute when Dylan Thomas found the back of the net at 102:47, securing the conference championship for Roger Williams. Western New England concludes its season with an 8-6-6 overall record.

Records:

• Western New England: 8-6-6 (6-2-2 CNE)

• Roger Williams: 14-1-5 (6-0-4 CNE)

How It Happened:

First Half

• Roger Williams opened the championship contest with early offensive pressure, generating the game's first shot on goal in the fifth minute. Kevin DeCapua tested Western New England goalkeeper Brendan L'Italien with an attempt toward the bottom-right corner, but L'Italien made the save to keep the contest scoreless. The Hawks followed with corner kicks at 4:09 and 6:55, though neither resulted in a goal.
• Western New England created its first significant scoring opportunity in the 18th minute when Ben Riley directed a shot toward the bottom center of the net. Roger Williams goalkeeper Eliot Panaccione made the save, denying the Golden Bears an early advantage. The Hawks responded with another stretch of offensive pressure, including a shot on goal from Dylan Robbins at 22:44 that L'Italien turned away.
• Both teams continued searching for the opening goal as the half progressed. Roger Williams recorded attempts from Louis Hawkins and Tyler Jastrab, while Western New England generated an opportunity in the 37th minute when Kareem Awkal sent a shot over the crossbar. The Golden Bears continued to push forward late in the half, with Evan Schultz sending an attempt wide of the upper-left corner in the 43rd minute.
• Despite Roger Williams holding a 6-3 advantage in shots and earning all three corner kicks during the opening 45 minutes, Western New England's defensive effort kept the Hawks off the scoreboard. L'Italien made two saves, while Panaccione recorded one, sending the teams into halftime tied at 0-0.

Second Half

• Western New England came out of halftime looking to break the scoreless deadlock, earning its first corner kick of the afternoon at 47:48. Riley followed with a shot over the crossbar in the 49th minute before generating another attempt at 56:51. The Golden Bears continued creating opportunities as the half progressed, with Tyler Lewis and Ryan Sunshine registering shots in the 70th and 71st minutes, respectively.
• Roger Williams began generating sustained offensive pressure midway through the second half, earning three corner kicks between the 54th and 65th minutes. Western New England's defense limited the Hawks' scoring opportunities during that stretch, keeping the championship contest scoreless as the teams approached the final 10 minutes of regulation.
• The Hawks mounted their most significant offensive push of regulation beginning in the 82nd minute, earning a series of corner kicks and generating multiple scoring opportunities. Robbins tested L'Italien with a shot toward the bottom center of the net at 83:39 before Jastrab followed with an attempt toward the upper-right corner at 84:33. L'Italien turned away both attempts, preserving the scoreless tie.
• Roger Williams continued applying pressure in the closing minutes, with L'Italien making another save against Hawkins at 85:26. The Golden Bears' goalkeeper came up with two additional stops in quick succession at 88:14 and 88:19, denying attempts from Jastrab and Robbins to keep Western New England alive. The Hawks finished the second half with nine shots and 11 corner kicks, but the Golden Bears held firm defensively.
• With neither team able to find the back of the net through regulation, the contest headed to overtime tied 0-0. Roger Williams held a 15-7 advantage in shots through 90 minutes, while L'Italien had recorded seven saves to keep Western New England within reach of the conference championship.

First Overtime

• Western New England opened the first overtime period with an attacking opportunity, earning a corner kick just 46 seconds into the extra session. The Golden Bears continued searching for the decisive goal and generated the period's first shot on goal at 96:01 when Lewis directed an attempt toward the upper-left corner. Panaccione made the save to keep the contest scoreless.
• Roger Williams answered with an opportunity of its own in the 98th minute when Noah Massotti registered a shot, though the attempt did not find the target. Both teams finished the first overtime period with one shot apiece, and the championship remained undecided after 100 minutes of action.

Second Overtime

• The Hawks earned a corner kick at 101:47, creating an opportunity early in the second overtime period. Just one minute later, Roger Williams broke through when Dylan Thomas scored at 102:47 off an assist from Tyler Jastrab, giving the Hawks a 1-0 victory and the CNE Championship.
• The decisive goal ended Western New England's championship pursuit after 102:47 of play. The Golden Bears finished the afternoon with eight shots, including two on goal, while Roger Williams recorded 17 shots and eight on target.

Inside the Lines:

• Goalkeeping: Brendan L'Italien delivered a strong performance in net for Western New England, recording seven saves across 102:47 of action. The Golden Bears' goalkeeper made five saves in the second half alone, including multiple stops during Roger Williams' late offensive pressure, helping extend the championship contest into double overtime.
• Offensive Production: Ben Riley led Western New England with three shots, including one on goal, while Tyler Lewis added two attempts and one shot on target. Ryan Sunshine, Evan Schultz and Kareem Awkal each contributed one shot as the Golden Bears finished with eight total attempts.
• Defensive Effort: Western New England held Roger Williams scoreless through regulation and the opening overtime period despite facing 16 shots during those 100 minutes. The Hawks finished with 17 shots overall, including eight on goal, while the Golden Bears' defensive effort kept the contest within one scoring opportunity until the decisive overtime goal.
• Team Statistics: Roger Williams held a 17-8 advantage in total shots and a 15-2 edge in corner kicks. The Hawks placed eight shots on goal compared with two for Western New England. The Golden Bears registered 17 fouls, while Roger Williams was whistled for 21.
• Decisive Play: Dylan Thomas scored the only goal of the afternoon at 102:47, assisted by Tyler Jastrab. Roger Williams goalkeeper Eliot Panaccione recorded two saves to secure the shutout and help the Hawks claim the conference title.

Up Next:

• The Golden Bears conclude their 2026 season with an 8-6-6 overall record following Saturday's double-overtime defeat in the Conference of New England Championship. Western New England finishes conference play with a 6-2-2 record, bringing its postseason run to a close in Bristol, Rhode Island.