Box Score

CASTLETON, VT – Thomas was able to knock off top-seeded Castleton in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Men's Soccer Semifinals, 2-0 on Wednesday night. Terriers forward Michael Hand scored a pair of goals to seal the Terriers second consecutive NAC Championship berth.  

Thomas was the first on the board, deflating the home crowd with one fell swoop. Hand dispossessed a Spartan defender, took one touch, and ripped a left-footed shot over the Castleton keeper, off his fingertips and into the net. The score lifted Thomas to a 1-0 lead early in the first half.

Castleton had several chances in the first frame, with most of them coming on high-speed counter attacks. John Kendall ripped a shot from the right flank off a breakaway, but it was parried away by Crockwell to maintain the Thomas lead.

In the second frame, Hand struck again. The forward received a long cross from Guled Guled and finished it from the right flank, putting the Terriers up 2-0 in the 57th minute. 

Castleton continued to press with their playoff lives on the line. The Spartans had their best opportunities within a minute of each other. In the 74th minute, Blake Hart collected a cross from John Kendall. The forward ripped a left-footed shot that skirted just wide of the left post. Under a minute later, Castleton earned a free kick from 30 yards out. P.J. Phillips lofted the ball across the face of the goal to the waiting cluster. Drazen Smith elevated from the crowd to win the header, sending it goalward, but just off the crossbar and out of play.

Time ran out on the Spartans as the Terriers' defense held. Mikkail Crockwell finished with five saves for Thomas in the shutout victory, while Nate Koenemann stopped four shots for the Spartans in the loss.

Thomas will advance to host the sixth-seeded Colby-Sawyer Chargers in the NAC Championship on Saturday, Nov. 9. Time of game is TBD.