COBLESKILL, N.Y. - The Gallaudet University men's soccer 2016 season came to a close here Sunday as the Bison were doubled up by SUNY Cobleskill, 4-2, in a North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) game.

Gallaudet (5-13-1, 3-8-1 NEAC) scored back-to-back goals in the first half and took a 2-1 lead into halftime. SUNY Cobleskill (7-6-2, 5-4-2 NEAC) rallied in the second half with three goals, two off the foot of Khadim Diba as the host Fighting Tigers won.

Redshirt freshman Brian Espanto (San Antonio, Texas) got the Bison on the scoreboard in the 31st minute as he converted a penalty kick opportunity with a shot past goalie Tanner Puff (one save). Espanto's fourth goal of the season tied the game 1-1. 

It didn't take long for the Bison to find the back of the net again. Sophomore Tim Artinian (Henrietta, N.Y.) sent a cross into the box where he found junior Sean Huber (Orange, Calif.), who fired a shot into the goal for his third goal of the season.

Gallaudet was outshot 20-7 in the game and 12-2 in the decisive second half.

Freshman goalie Noah Means-Simonsen (Louisville, Ky.) made eight saves in the loss.

SENIOR CLASS
This was the final game for the Bison senior class that includes Satish Thapa (Ridgewood, N.Y.), Conrad Baer (Fremont, Calif.), Teddy Jappah (Coatesville, Pa.), Rood Metellus (Bedford, N.Y.) and Olalekan Ajifowoke (Bowie, Md.).

Ajifowoke, Baer, Thapa played the last two seasons since the men's soccer program returned to varsity status. This was Metellus' third season with the men's soccer program as he was on the 2011 team. The program suspended operation prior to the 2013 season. This was Jappah's first year with the Bison.

Among the quintet only Baer (six goals, two assists), Ajifowoke (one assist) and Metellus (one goal) recorded points in their career as a Bison. 

BISON TRACKS

• Thapa and freshman Roel Gutierrez (Austin, Texas) led the team with two shots
• The Bison lost their final three games of the season

UP NEXT
Gallaudet more than doubled its wins total from a year ago (two) in the second season back as a varsity program under the direction of Head Coach Pedro Braz. The five wins in a season are the most for a GU team since 2003 when the Bison won six games. The Bison also improved their conference win total from one to three this season. GU is slated to lose five seniors from this year's class but the young nucleus remains as the Bison continue to build towards making the conference playoffs.