Bergin, Polletta Power Clark Past Nichols 2-1 in Men’s Soccer

By Tiffany Williams –

Clark built a two-goal lead, survived Nichols’ second-half response and left Dudley with a 2-1 men’s soccer victory Thursday at Nichols Soccer Field. Owen Bergin opened the scoring, Wyatt Polletta supplied the eventual winner and Jaime Pedraza made four saves to help the Cougars finish the job.

Nichols made the final stretch uncomfortable when Shea Ullo scored at 71:01, cutting Clark’s advantage in half. But the Cougars continued generating chances, forced another save and prevented the Bison from finding an equalizer over the remaining 18:59.

Clark finished with an 18-11 advantage in shots, a 6-5 edge in shots on goal and seven corner kicks to Nichols’ three. The Cougars were especially active after halftime, outshooting the Bison 12-4 and earning all four of the second half’s corners.

That second-half production mattered because Clark never found a third goal to put the match away. Instead, the Cougars had to protect the cushion created by Owen Bergin’s first-half finish and Wyatt Polletta’s goal just 3:13 after the restart.

Clark’s first substantial scoring threat came at 11:49, when Myles Nelson-Atkins struck the right woodwork. The Cougars had already been caught offside twice, but the attempt gave them an early opportunity to move ahead.

Julian Dubash recorded another shot at 17:15, and Owen Bergin sent an attempt over the goal at 18:32. Clark then earned a corner at 19:43 before finally breaking through less than a minute later.

Owen Bergin scored at 20:32, with Julian Dubash credited with the assist, giving Clark a 1-0 lead. The Cougars had turned their early attacking activity into an advantage, but Nichols still had plenty of time to respond.

Ryan Hoffelder sent a shot wide right during the next stretch of Clark pressure. The Cougars also earned two more first-half corners, finishing the opening period with three, but they could not add another goal before the break.

Nichols began producing its own opportunities as the half progressed. Carter Hoglund shot over the goal at 29:40, and Nick Cianflone sent an attempt wide left at 32:56 before later missing to the right at 36:36.

Jaime Pedraza made his first recorded save at 34:54 on an attempt credited to Nichols goalkeeper Chase Henderson. He then stopped Nick Reilly’s shot toward the bottom center at 38:14, preserving Clark’s narrow lead.

The action moved quickly to the other end, where Charles Lopez tested Chase Henderson at 38:36 with a shot toward the bottom right. The Nichols goalkeeper made the save, keeping the Bison within a goal as halftime approached.

Carter Hoglund registered another attempt at 39:27, and Nicolas Huppert forced Jaime Pedraza into a save at 44:08. Clark reached halftime ahead 1-0 despite Nichols holding a 7-6 advantage in first-half shots.

Those three first-half saves were a major part of Clark’s ability to carry the lead into the break. Nichols had three shots on target in the opening period, and Jaime Pedraza stopped all three while the Cougars converted one of their two attempts on goal.

Clark changed several players at halftime, including bringing Wyatt Polletta into the match. That move produced an immediate scoring contribution when he finished at 48:13 off an assist from Ryan Hoffelder.

The goal pushed Clark’s lead to 2-0 and ultimately provided the margin of victory. Wyatt Polletta finished with one shot in 45 minutes, and that single attempt delivered exactly what the Cougars needed.

Clark kept looking for more, earning a corner at 50:11 before Marc Kim missed wide right at 54:27. Ryan Hoffelder followed with an attempt over the goal at 57:27 as the Cougars tried to turn their two-goal cushion into something safer.

Nichols answered with an Ayden Gardner shot wide left at 58:03. Brody Figiela received the match’s only yellow card at 60:03, and Evan Giannini later sent a shot over the goal at 65:26.

The Bison were still searching for their first goal while Clark continued making Chase Henderson work. Roland Soeiro put a shot toward the bottom right at 66:33, but the Nichols goalkeeper stopped it.

Jordan Adeyemi tested Chase Henderson again at 70:21 with an attempt toward the bottom center. Another save kept Nichols alive, and the Bison took advantage just 40 seconds later.

Shea Ullo scored at 71:01, with Zach O’Meara providing the assist, reducing Clark’s lead to 2-1. The goal changed the demands of the closing stretch, leaving the Cougars one mistake away from losing the advantage they had built.

Nichols threatened again at 74:13, when Avery Morse directed a shot toward the bottom left. Jaime Pedraza made the save, denying the Bison their next opportunity to draw level.

That was Nichols’ final recorded shot of the match. Clark, meanwhile, continued attacking and registered seven more attempts after Avery Morse’s chance, making the final minutes far more than an exercise in simply waiting for the whistle.

The Cougars earned a corner at 77:17, followed by shots from Dylan Mahboubian at 77:55 and Jordan Adeyemi at 77:59. Jordan Adeyemi’s attempt went over the goal, and Clark still could not produce the finish that would restore its two-goal lead.

Another corner came at 80:16 before Owen Bergin recorded a shot at 80:58. Ryan Hoffelder missed over the goal at 82:26, keeping the score at 2-1 as the match entered its final eight minutes.

Owen Bergin forced Chase Henderson into another save at 84:11 with a shot toward the bottom center. Clark earned a corner seven seconds later, then William Roderick sent an attempt over the goal at 84:40.

Ryan Hoffelder added one more shot over the goal at 87:50. The Cougars did not get the insurance goal, but Nichols also failed to generate another recorded attempt before the match ended.

Owen Bergin finished with four shots, including two on target, and Clark’s opening goal. Ryan Hoffelder also recorded four shots and supplied the assist on Wyatt Polletta’s winner, although none of his attempts were on target.

Jordan Adeyemi finished with two shots, including one on goal. Charles Lopez and Roland Soeiro each put their lone attempts on target, while Julian Dubash combined his first-half assist with one shot.

Clark’s six shots on goal produced two scores and four saves by Chase Henderson. Jaime Pedraza also finished with four saves, playing all 90 minutes and allowing only Shea Ullo’s second-half goal.

For Nichols, Carter Hoglund and Nick Cianflone led the team with two shots apiece, although neither put an attempt on target. Shea Ullo, Avery Morse, Nick Reilly, Nicolas Huppert and Chase Henderson each recorded one shot on goal.

Clark committed 10 fouls to Nichols’ seven, with seven of the Cougars’ fouls coming before halftime. The Bison’s three corners also all came in the opening half, while Clark added four after the break to its first-half total of three.

The Cougars’ finishing gave them the lead, Jaime Pedraza’s saves helped preserve it and their second-half attacking volume kept Nichols defending even after the Bison scored. Clark had to work through the final whistle, but its two goals proved enough to secure the road victory.