Bobcats Win Big on Senior Day

Paul Smiths, NY ~ It only took up until the last few weeks of his final season for senior defender Jacob Butler (New Gloucester, ME) to get his scoring groove going.  The Maine native has scored a goal in each of the last two games as the Bobcats have found their late season stride while going unbeaten in three straight and taking seven total points from Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) competition with two wins and a tie.

"I could not ask for a better outcome for our Senior Day," said Butler as Paul Smith's College beat NHTI 6-2.  "All the boys played like the family we are.  Being able to score was the cherry on top," he recalled, as he was seen grinning from ear to ear after the game.

The game was all-Bobcats as the hosts piled on five goals against the visiting NHTI Lynx in the first half alone.  Oliver Stoddard (Chazy, NY) scored the first goal in back-to-back games while junior Nathan Wiley (Wareham, MA) continued his outstanding season with two more goals and an assist, bringing his total to 10 goals and 3 assists for 23 points on the campaign.

Hyler Isham (Keene Valley, NY) added a goal and an assist, while Liam Curthoys (Rhinebeck, NY) had excellent distribution in the middle, accounting for two assists of his own.  Tristan Schrieb (Greece, NY) scored his first collegiate goal while Riley King (Seneca Falls, NY) and Luke Malin (Poland, NY) got on the score sheet with an assist each.

Senior defender Kagan Hance was steadfast on the back line and was just shy of scoring himself.  "I'm more excited to see guys who never score get a goal like Butler and Tristan - that's more satisfying for me," said Hance when head coach Chris George mentioned it would've been cool to get a goal on not only Senior Day, but his birthday as well.  That selfless attitude and respect for his teammates is one of the reasons why Hance has become such an influential leader for the Bobcats.

"It means a lot to me that we were able to get a win on senior night," added Hance.  "This game and this team mean so much to me, so getting a win tonight was the best birthday present I could've asked for." 

George went on to reflect on last year's vs. this year's senior game and what it meant for everyone.  "Last year NHTI came and spoiled the party when they beat us.  And then this year, we just kind of exploded in the first half.  We moved the ball well and we just made them chase the game and the goals came pouring in," he said.

The Lynx did get two on the board as Delvaughn Daley scored a brace but other than that Junior goalkeeper Cazimir Couble (Spofford, NH) did well to keep things in check, making eight saves in the win.  He also added an assist with a nice heads up goal kick that sprang Wiley loose on his second goal of the day.

The Bobcats move to 6-8-1 overall and 3-2-1 in the YSCC as they fight for home field advantage in the playoffs.  They just ACPHS at home on Wednesday night under the lights at 7pm.

You can follow the men's soccer team on Instagram at @paulsmithsmsoc or follow the general athletics account at @smitty_nation for scores, highlights, pictures, and much more!

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At Paul Smith's College, it's about the experience. As the only four-year institution of higher education located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Paul Smith's provides real-world, hands-on learning in fields such as business and hospitality, culinary management, forestry, environmental sciences, and natural resources. We can draw on industries and resources available in our backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. Our community of resourceful, enterprising, supportive, and adventurous individuals collectively provides experiential education, student support in the classroom and beyond, and meaningful opportunities for our alumni. We pride ourselves on research and advocacy on issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Learn more at www.paulsmiths.edu.