WEST HARTFORD – The No. 2 seed Rivier men's soccer team was defeated by the No. 1 seed, Saint Joseph (Conn.), 3-2, in the GNAC Championship Saturday afternoon at the USJ Soccer Field.
With the result, the Raiders end their 2025 campaign with a record of 9-5-7 (8-2-2 GNAC), while the Blue Jays improved to 13-4-2.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Rivier broke open the scoring just 1:31 into the game as first-year David Pereira found the back of the net
- Saint Joseph (Conn.) recorded two shots after the Raiders' goal, with their second being the equalizers in the 16th minute
- The Blue Jays recorded their second tally in the 23rd minute to take a 2-1 lead
- 12 minutes later, it was Rivier that scored the equalizer with first-year Vincent Arsenov firing a shot home
- Saint Joseph (Conn.) recorded one final shot with 40 seconds remaining, but were unable to convert leaving the match level at two heading in halftime
- Coming out of the break, both defenses held firm denying each other's scoring chances
- With just 1:33 remaining in regulation, the Blue Jays scored what would be the game winning goal to seal the contest, 3-2
BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Pereira led the offense with two shots, followed by four Raiders who each tallied one
- Junior goalkeeper Logan Clough stopped three shots in net
SEASON WRAP UP
Under second-year head coach
Jon Cross, the Raiders returned to postseason play for their second straight season. They entered today's contest with a 12-game unbeaten streak and today's GNAC Championship marked the program's first time appearing in a championship game since 1997. Their eight conference victories set a new program record, breaking a mark that was in place since the 2000 season. The Raiders look to return to the postseason for their third straight season and compete for a GNAC Championship in 2026.
