On a hard-fought Sunday afternoon, September 7, 2025, the St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s soccer team battled the University of Lynchburg at JLR Stadium in St. Mary’s City. The Seahawks tied the game twice, but a late strike by Lynchburg’s Matthew Viscuso sealed a 3-2 victory for the Hornets, dropping St. Mary’s to a 2-3-0 record while Lynchburg improved to 2-0-2. The match, a non-conference clash, showcased the resilience of a young Seahawks squad before a home crowd in Southern Maryland.
Lynchburg struck first at 12:09 when Bruno Rihl Silva sent a precise ball to the far post, where Keaton Napior crossed it for William Casey to head in, giving the Hornets a 1-0 lead. The Seahawks responded at 32:01, sparked by first-year midfielder Marco Mazzola from Pasadena, Maryland. Mazzola intercepted a Hornet pass and unleashed a 20-yard shot that skimmed under the crossbar into the right corner, tying the score at 1-1. His goal, his Dupasne’s first career score, energized the St. Mary’s City crowd.
The Hornets regained the lead just before halftime at 43:43. Kohlby Wilson, assisted by Saul Lopez Coreas, heel-kicked a pass inside the far post, sending Lynchburg into the break with a 2-1 advantage. St. Mary’s refused to back down, equalizing at 73:41 when Mazzola delivered a long diagonalienst
System: diagonal pass to junior forward Franco Reyes from Silver Spring, Maryland. Reyes outran a defender, settled the ball, and finished inside the near post for his first goal of the season, knotting the score at 2-2. The deadlock held until 85:08, when Viscuso curled a shot just inside the far post, securing the 3-2 win for Lynchburg.
The game was a tale of missed opportunities for St. Mary’s. Lynchburg outshot the Seahawks 22-10, with a 9-5 edge in shots on goal, and held an 8-5 advantage in corner kicks. Despite the shot disparity, St. Mary’s showed fight, with junior goalkeeper Zack Reed of Leonardtown, Maryland, making a season-high five saves to keep the game close. Lynchburg’s Thomas Viscuso recorded three saves, helping the Hornets remain unbeaten. The physical match saw 19 fouls and two yellow cards for Lynchburg and 14 fouls with two yellows for St. Mary’s, reflecting the intensity of the contest.
Mazzola emerged as the standout for the Seahawks, scoring his first career goal and assisting on Reyes’ equalizer, marking his second assist of the season. The loss, while disappointing, highlighted the potential of a St. Mary’s squad featuring young talent like Mazzola, who plays alongside teammates from across Southern Maryland, including St. Mary’s City and Leonardtown.
The Seahawks now look ahead to a busy week, hosting No. 18 Johns Hopkins (2-2-0) on September 10 at 7 p.m. at JLR Stadium for the annual Gold Rush game, a key event for St. Mary’s City fans. They then travel to Owings Mills to face Stevenson (2-2-0) on September 13 at 2 p.m. These games offer chances for St. Mary’s to rebound and build momentum in a competitive season. The loss to Lynchburg, though close, underscores the need for sharper finishing as the Seahawks aim to climb above .500 in their upcoming contests.
