WASHINGTON - The 2023 season ended on a high note for the Gallaudet University men's soccer program as the Bison defeated Christendom College, 4-2, under the lights before a supportive and encouraging crowd at Hotchkiss Field.

Gallaudet (1-14) leaned on its senior class to lead on Senior Night and the group delivered. All four goals were scored by seniors as Jonathon Waterman (Redding, Calif.) recorded a hat trick and Kyle Santello (Cooperstown, N.Y.) scored the game's first goal to lead the buff and blue. Senior defenders Vershon Carter (Chicago, Ill.) and Cristian Martinez-White (Vancouver, Wash.) played stout defense against the Crusaders.

GU showed great energy and effort throughout the game, especially at the start of the contest. The Bison were relentless on offense firing shot after shot at Christendom goalie John Hill (10 saves). Gallaudet recorded 22 shots in the first half and finished the game with 28, both marks are season highs.

Santello got Gallaudet on the scoreboard off two nice passes from first-year Samson Abraham (Seattle, Wash.) and Waterman before Santello blasted the ball into the lower right corner at the 13:17 mark in the first half.

Christendom (6-8-2) was forced to play defense for the majority of the game as it only had three shots in the first half and six in the second half. The Crusaders got on the board with a goal from Ryan Welch in the 29th minute. 

Waterman went to work and scored three goals in a span of seven minutes as GU led 4-1 at the half.

Waterman's first goal was assisted by Abraham, who took a corner kick from the far side of the field and lofted the ball into the goalie box, where Waterman headed home the goal in the 32nd minute. 

Sophomore Troy Holcomb (Fremont, Calif.) threw the ball in from the sideline and Waterman leaped several feet off the ground and over a defender and headed home his second goal of the night at the 38:36 mark. Waterman landed hard to the turf and stayed down for several minutes before getting back on his feet.

That was bad news for the Crusaders because Waterman completed his hat trick one minute later. Abraham picked up his third assist as he fed Waterman, who made a hard low shot past Hill to give GU its fourth goal of the game.

GU controlled the clock in the second half as both teams recorded six shots. 

Christendom added a late goal in the 85th minute when Joshua Cruz fed Aidan Oakley on his fourth goal of the season with a shot past GU goalie Biruk Tesfaye (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), who finished the game with one save. 

Waterman nearly doubled his season shot total of 16 in one game as he took 11 against Christendom where six shots were on goal and three found the back of the net. He finished the game with seven points (three goals, one assist).

THANK YOU SENIORS
Prior to the start of the game, Gallaudet head coach Jay Shaw and his coaching staff recognized the seniors, their family and friends and thanked them for their time and commitment to the program. The quartet of seniors represents various levels of years committed to the men's soccer program.

Carter played two seasons for the Bison and played a mix of goalie and defender for the buff and blue. He appeared in 14 games (13 starts) this season and logged 10 games in net where he made 44 saves in 615 minutes played. Last year, Carter played in seven games (two starts) which included five appearances in net where he tallied 15 saves in 241 minutes played. 

Martinez-White joined the team this season and played in 11 games (seven starts) and was a key role player for the Bison. 

Santello played four years for the Bison and finished his career with 57 games played (44 starts), four goals and six points to go with 18 shots (11 shots on goal).

Waterman played three years for the Bison and finished with eight goals, three assists, 19 points, 82 shots (38 shots on goal) in 26 games played (24 starts). 

UP NEXT
This concludes the 2023 men's soccer season for Gallaudet University.