BETHANY, W.Va. - The Bethany College men's soccer team celebrated Senior Day as they defeated Thiel (Pa.) College by a final score of 3-1 in a Presidents' Athletic Conference game at Hoag Field
Bethany closed out the 2025 season by celebrating Senior Day and earning their second straight win with three unanswered goals after Thiel took an early lead in the second minute. The Bison finish the season with an overall record of 5-9-3 and a 4-6-1 in the PAC while Thiel ends 2025 with an 4-13-1 overall record and an 1-9-1 conference record.
Prior to the game, the team honored seniors
Valerio Martino (Rome, Italy/Liceo Innocenzo XII),
Tomas Kores (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Colegio Ward),
Pablo Aguilera (Madrid, Spain/Colegio Brains),
Defrante Braithwaite (St. Paul, Antigua/Princess Margaret School),
Nahuel Vivas (Salta, Argentina/Colegio Parroquial San Alfonso),
Jaheem Sheppard (Sea View Farm, Antigua/Antigua Grammar School),
Valentin Aguírre Frank (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Colegio Ward), and
Ian Stempler (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Farmingdale College).
Bethany Leaders
- In the final game of his collegiate career, senior forward Defrante Braithwaite (St. Paul, Antigua/Princess Margaret School) scored his first career goal as his family looked on
- Senior forward Pablo Aguilera (Madrid, Spain/Colegio Brains) had a Senior Day to remember by scoring one goal and assisting on the Green and White's other two goals
- Freshman Academic All-PAC forward Alessio De Pippo (Conroe, Texas/The Woodlands College Park) extended the Bethany lead with his first goal of the season
- Senior defender Nahuel Vivas (Salta, Argentina/Colegio Parroquial San Alfonso) led the Bison defense to 87 minutes of scoreless soccer in his last game in the Green and White
- Seniors Valerio Martino (Rome, Italy/Liceo Innocenzo XII), Tomas Kores (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Colegio Ward), Jaheem Sheppard (Sea View Farm, Antigua/Antigua Grammar School), Ian Stempler (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Farmingdale College), and Valentin Aguírre Frank (Buenos Aires, Argentina/Colegio Ward) accounted for nine of Bethany's 22 shots on the day in their final games at Hoag Field
- Freshman goalkeeper Ben Smith (Los Lunas, N.M./School of Dreams Academy) made a career-high six saves in his first career start in goal
Thiel Leaders
- Sophomore forward Andy Mangold put the Tomcats ahead with a goal at the two minute mark
- Sophomore forward Mitchell Strauss took a team-high four shots and notched one assist
- Freshman goalkeeper Dylan Budziak made a game-high eight saves
First Half (Tied 1-1)
- 17:59 - Braithwaite took advantage of an open Tomcat goal and headed in the long pass from Aguilera to tie the game
Second Half (Bethany 3-1)
- 48:11 - A cross from junior midfielder Ricardo Diaz (Sacramento, Calif./Del Campo) set up Aguilera's header for the gamewinner
- 51:00 - De Pippo banked it off the goal post to close out the day
