Haverhill, MA (September 24, 2024) – The Northern Essex Community College men's soccer team jumped out to 3-0 lead on Tuesday night and never looked back as they defeated Holyoke Community College by a 4-1 final and improved to 5-2 on the season and 1-0 in Region 21 play.

The Knights controlled the match from the outset as Jadiel Bomfim (Nashua, NH) recorded a pair of goals in the games opening 29 minutes. Seven minutes in Bomfim and Ryan Duffy (Andover) worked a give and combination resulting a Bomfim sending the ball past the keeper from 13 yards out into the lower right corner.

In the 29^th minute, Bomfim scored his second of the match and team leading eighth of the season as he took possession from the from the Cougars 30 yards from goal, dribbled past two defenders and sent another past the keep from 18 yards.

Lucas Cantelli (Lowell) recorded a goal of his own with just eight seconds remaining in the half as he drilled a shot past the keep from 25 yards out with a pair of defenders closing in.

Holyoke got on the board in the 63^rd minute to cut the Knights lead to two, but a 71^st minute goal from Joel Ishimwe (Haverhill) restored the lead the three goals when he took the ball from the Holyoke defense, took a pair of touches and sent the ball across the box to beat the keeper from eight yards out.

Will Paganini (Derry, NH) recorded two saves in net for the Knights to pickup his fifth victory of the season.

NECC outshot the Cougars 30-3 for the match and earned 16 corner kicks to zero for the opposition.

The Knights will hit the road for three straight games starting Friday afternoon when the take on Quinsigamond in Worcester at 4:00pm. The Knights will next return home on Tuesday October 8^th when they host MassBay at 7:00pm at Whittier Tech.