Cece Hampton ’24
Sports Editor
Last Tuesday, September 5th, the Bantam’s won the first game of their season on the road against the Framingham State University Rams. Sophomore Kieran McCabe (Natick, Mass.), netted the game winning goal with only four minutes of regulation time left on the clock. McCabe was assisted by junior Jacob Loor (Houston, Texas). Both Bantam offense and defense remained strong throughout the game, with twenty shots attempted before McCabe’s goal, most of which were made by senior captain James Donaldson (Kirkland, Quebec), and senior forward Michael Traynor. Senior goalkeeper Bernardo Simoes (Lisbon, Portugal), achieved six total saves during the game.
This season marks Head Coach Methembe Ndlovu’s second year here at Trinity, and welcomes Assistant Coach Austin Farewell to his first year. A handful of veteran players return this season, including fifth-year defender Matt Moran (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.). The squad received four first-years this season, and hopes to develop these incoming players into key components for the legacy of winning and success that the team is working towards.
In the 2022 season, the Bantams finished with a final record of 0-9-1 in the NESCAC conference, and 1-11-3 overall, only managing to beat Castleton University. Last October the Bantams lost to the FSU Rams 3-4, so this first win of their season against the Rams is a positive indicator of the Bantams’ incredible potential this fall. Coach Ndlovu is counting on his veteran players to enter this season strongly, focusing on increasing the team’s competitiveness in an already fierce league. With returning defenders like senior Dante Merlin (South Windsor, Conn.) and Brenner Morton (Dover, Mass.), the team has a powerful line of defense. Both junior midfielder Nick Bellack (Amherst, Mass.) and senior midfielder Quinn Ackman (Evanston, Illinois), who has recovered from an injury last season, will be key players in this year’s lineup, playing multiple different roles on the field. All of the returning upperclassmen players bring strong leadership and high spirits to the field.
Overall, the Bantams are heading into this upcoming season on a positive and hopeful note. Under the guidance of head Coach Ndlovu, and with the fresh addition of assistant Coach Farewell to the team, the Bantams have a plethora of new and exciting opportunities to further develop their play, and motivation to build upon last season’s losses and lessons. This first out of conference victory against the FSU Rams is just the beginning.
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