Men’s Soccer Ties Two of First Three

Cougars Battling in Early Season 

(Holyoke, MA) - Men's soccer got the ball rolling on the 2023 season, opening with two ties in their first three games. The Cougars kicked off their campaign just over a week ago, earning a hard-fought 1-1 draw at home against Hudson Valley. After suffering a tough loss in game two, Holyoke battled to a 3-3 home tie versus Northern Essex CC on Saturday.

Second year midfielder and team co-captain Dante Bates (Springfield, MA / East Longmeadow HS) scored the first goal of the season for the Cougars, a header, in the opening game. Bates added an assist during Saturday's tie, earning the helper by launching one of his long throw-ins to a teammate. Sleiden Edmorin (Springfield, MA / Tech Boston Academy), Sidg Dieng (Springfield, MA / Agawam HS) and Gus Mazza (East Longmeadow, MA / East Longmeadow HS) were the goal scorers in the tie on Saturday. Edmorin buried a penalty kick in the first half. Dieng's, coming in the second half, was a spectacular side volley flick off Bates' throw. Mazza's, also in half two, was a missile of a free kick from midfield that went skipping off the opposing goalkeeper's outstretched fists and into the net. 

The Cougars are 0-1-2 overall this season and 0-1-1 regionally. They host Mass Bay CC on Wednesday, September 27th at 4:30pm. Let's go Cougars! 

Photo: Bates during Saturday's game.