ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. — The St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s soccer team secured a convincing 5-1 win over Penn State Brandywine in a United East Conference matchup on October 1, 2025, at Jamie L. Roberts Stadium. The Seahawks, improving to 5-5-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play, showcased offensive firepower with five different scorers and a dominant shot advantage, marking their second straight victory to start the league schedule. The loss dropped Brandywine to 1-9 overall and 0-2 in the conference, highlighting St. Mary’s early positioning in the standings.
Franco Reyes opened the scoring early for St. Mary’s, converting a pass from senior captain Ryan Cooper at the 4:03 mark for his sixth goal of the season. Sophomore forward Nick Haney followed with a penalty kick goal at 19:30, his fourth of the year, to double the lead. First-year forward Matthew Kuwik added his inaugural collegiate goal at 33:03, rebounding a shot from William Marbray. Junior defender Jake Robey notched his first career goal at 39:21 off a rebound from junior midfielder Tyler Foti’s attempt, pushing the Seahawks to a 4-0 advantage. Brandywine responded late in the half when Derek Lopez scored at 41:15, assisted by Dakari Burton, to make it 4-1 at intermission. In the second half, Marbray capped the scoring at 83:29 with his third goal, assisted by Reyes.
St. Mary’s controlled the game statistically, outshooting Brandywine 32-3 overall and 16-3 on goal, while holding an 8-1 edge in corner kicks. The Seahawks committed 17 fouls to Brandywine’s seven, but no cautions were issued. Junior goalkeeper Jordon Eckman earned the win with two saves, moving to 2-2-1 on the season. For Brandywine, Braden Warwick made 10 saves in the full 90 minutes, and the team added a defensive save early on.
This performance builds on St. Mary’s recent form, following a 5-0 shutout of Valley Forge on September 27, 2025, in their conference opener. The Seahawks entered the season as the top-ranked team in the United East preseason poll, receiving first-place votes from coaches across the 13-team league. With this win, St. Mary’s sits tied for first in the conference standings alongside Penn State Harrisburg, both at 2-0 in league play and six points apiece. Harrisburg holds a 4-6-1 overall record, while other contenders include teams like Penn State Abington at 1-0-1 in conference with four points. The United East Conference, formed through a merger of previous leagues, emphasizes competitive balance, with points awarded as three for a win and one for a tie. Tiebreakers for postseason seeding involve head-to-head results, goal differential in conference games, and other metrics, underscoring the importance of early-season margins like St. Mary’s plus-nine goal differential through two matches.
Several Seahawks players hail from Maryland communities, adding local flavor to the roster for Southern Maryland fans familiar with areas like Chesapeake Beach and Annapolis. Haney, from Chesapeake Beach, leads the team with consistent scoring, while Cooper, an Annapolis native, provides veteran leadership as a senior midfielder. Reyes, a junior forward from Silver Spring, and Marbray, a sophomore forward from Ellicott City, combined for two goals and two assists in the game, demonstrating the depth of talent drawn from the state. Kuwik, a freshman from Rockville, marked a milestone with his debut goal, and Robey, a junior defender from Kensington, contributed defensively while breaking through offensively. Foti, from Annandale, Virginia, rounded out the key contributors with his assist. Eckman, a junior from Fallston, anchors the goal with steady performances.
The victory sets up St. Mary’s for their next conference test against Penn State Abington on October 4, 2025, at 1 p.m. at the same venue. Abington enters with a 2-5-3 overall record and 1-0 in the league, presenting an opportunity for the Seahawks to extend their streak. In the broader conference picture, teams like Gallaudet and Rosemont trail with 1-1 records and three points each, while Brandywine remains winless in league play. As the season progresses toward the United East Championship, where the top seeds host playoff games, St. Mary’s aims to leverage their offensive output — averaging five goals per conference game so far — to secure a favorable position.
The Seahawks’ schedule includes further road tests, like at Notre Dame of Maryland on October 7, 2025, as they pursue a postseason berth.
