KEENE, N.H. – The Colby-Sawyer College men's soccer team opened its 2026 campaign on Tuesday evening, battling in-state rival Keene State College down to the wire before ultimately falling, 1-0, at Owl Athletic Complex.
Rapid Recap:
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The opening 45 minutes proved to be a defensive battle as both sides felt each other out to start the new campaign. Junior goalkeeper Evan Whalen (Barrington, N.H.) stood tall early for the Chargers, turning aside all four shots on target he faced in the first half to send the contest into the break tied 0-0. Colby-Sawyer produced chances of their own with shots on frame from Junior Colin Riley-Perec (Plymouth, Mass.) and senior David Herrera (Miami, Fla.), but were unable to break through.
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Keene State broke the scoreless deadlock 11:41 into the second half when Luke Belisle found the back of the net to put the Owls ahead, 1-0.
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Colby-Sawyer continued to push forward in search of the equalizer throughout the second stanza, forcing Owls goalkeeper, Mateu Farre-Torres into three second-half saves. Despite a strong late offensive pressure and three corner kicks in the final 45 minutes, the Chargers could not find the tying tally before the final horn sounded.
Inside the Numbers:
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Whalen anchored the Colby-Sawyer back line across the full 90 minutes, finishing with eight saves on nine shots on goal.
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Herrera led the Charger attack with a team-high three shots, putting two on target. Sophomore Adrian Talbot (Merrimack, N.H.) added two shots, while Junior Coby Youngman (Bath, N.H.) and Riley-Perec each placed an effort on frame.
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Keene State finished with a 19-10 advantage in total shots (9-4 on goal) and held an 8-4 margin in corner kicks.
Up Next:
The Chargers (0-1-0) return to New London for their 2026 home opener on Saturday, September 5, hosting Wentworth Institute of Technology at Kelsey Field with kickoff set for 2:00 PM.
