WILKES-BARRE, PA - Utica University's men's soccer team began their season with a 0-1 loss in their first game of the season. The game, hosted in Wilkes-Barre, PA by King's College, saw the Monarchs score the only goal of the game just four minutes into play. King's recorded four more shots on goal over the remainder of the contest, compared to Utica's two.

The Pioneers recorded six shots between five different players, with just two of them on target. Mason Bucher (Rocky Point, NY/Rocky Point) was the sole multi-shot Pioneer of the night, and joined Brandon Pender (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) as the only other Utica player to put their shot on net. Zachary Accetta (Rocky Point, NY/Rocky Point) started in goal for Utica, recording four saves on his five shots seen.

Four Monarchs added up to 11 total shots for King's. Philip Permyashkin and Mark Atherton each recorded three total shots, with Jackson Nuttall shooting twice and Santiago Javadpour tallying the final shot. Permyashkin and Nuttall each put one on target, with Javadpour scoring the game-winning goal on his only shot attempt. Ben Van Valkenburg started in the cage for King's and stopped both of his two shots seen.

King's came out with early pressure, recording four shots in the first 4:04 of the game. The opening shot, a kick wide right of the goal, occurred just 47 seconds in. The goal-scoring sequence began on a corner kick for the Monarchs. Atherton made first contact in the box, recording two blocked shots back-to-back before Javadpour found the ball on his foot and scored in the top-left corner of the goal.

The squad will have a day off before traveling to SUNY Delhi for their next game. This Sunday, August 31st, the Pioneers will play their first 2025 action in New York in a 3:00pm matchup with the Broncos.