SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Curry College men's soccer team fell on the road Tuesday afternoon to Western New England University, 4-1, in Conference of New England (CNE) play at Suprenant Field. With the result, the Colonels move to 3-8-2 overall and 0-5-0 in conference action, while the Golden Bears improve to 4-7-1 (3-2-0 CNE).

Western New England came out firing, using a relentless attack to generate early scoring chances. The Golden Bears broke through in the 22nd minute when Cole Casinghino converted a cross from Ryan Sunshine, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead that held through halftime despite multiple additional chances.

Curry found an equalizer just four minutes into the second half. Goalkeeper Justin Ritz launched a perfectly placed long ball that found senior forward Lucas Drons in stride. Drons capitalized, slipping a shot past the charging keeper to tie the game 1-1 in the 49th minute. The assist marked Ritz's first of the year and Drons' goal ties him now for second on the all-time scoring list (36), only trailing the record by two goals. 

However, Western New England responded quickly and decisively. Tyler Lewis would score twice in the span of a minute — first finishing a two-on-one opportunity in the 61st minute, then redirecting a pass from Matt Spruill and Jake Thibodeau to make it 3-1. The Golden Bears capped their scoring in the 68th minute when Jack Leland headed home a corner kick from Owen Dieterle, extending the lead to 4-1.

Curry was limited to five shots in the match, with Drons recording two on target. Ritz was a standout performer in goal, facing 39 total shots and making an impressive 14 saves — his highest total of the season — to keep the Colonels within striking distance.

Despite the setback, the Colonels continue to show resilience against strong conference opponents. They'll look to bounce back on Saturday, October 11, when they return home to Walter M. Katz Field set to face Johnson & Wales at 6 PM.