BENNINGTON, Vt. — With a three-goal lead at halftime, the visiting Bard College men's soccer team went on to win 5-1 over Southern Vermont College at Everett Field Friday afternoon in non-conference play.

A pair of Raptors scored two goals each with sophomore Nick Shenberger (Hummelstown, Pa.) totaling five points on the day. Southern Vermont freshman Kane Araujo (Vineyard Haven, Mass.) tallied his first collegiate goal, being setup on a second half corner kick by classmate Kevin Yepes (Larchmont, N.Y.).

Southern Vermont (0-2) returns to action Thursday, September 10 when the Mountaineers visit Pine Manor College for a 4 p.m. non-league tilt. Bard (2-0) is back at it on Sunday for its home opener, welcoming the College of Mount Saint Vincent to the BC campus for a 4 p.m. start.

Play was scoreless through the first 17 minutes until the Raptors cleaned up a loose ball to take a lead they would never relinquish. A free kick awarded to Bard on the left side of the pitch just outside of the box saw junior Austin Higgins (Toms River, N.J.) curl the ball around the Southern Vermont wall and bang it off the post; the Mountaineers couldn't completely clear it as BC eventually got the ball to Shenberger back near the left post, and the sophomore stuffed home his third goal of the year to put the visitors ahead 1-0.

Higgins then tallied his first of the season about six minutes later when he received a crossing pass through the box from the right side of the field and put it in the back of the net for the insurance goal. Shenberger padded the Bard lead in the 31st minute with his second of the day, placing a shot from the left side of the box perfectly across the frame into the side netting of the goal.

The Raptors added another pair in a 2:30 stretch early into the second half, both scores coming off the foot of sophomore Brendan Byrne (Lanoka Harbor, N.J.). The Mountaineers took to the scoreboard in the 60th minute when Yepes played a corner kick from the left side to the near post where Araujo was waiting to flick it with his head into the right side of the net. Neither team had a finish the rest of the way as Bard completed its second win of the season.

BC senior keeper Daniel Gagne (East Longmeadow, Mass.) made three saves in the win (2-0) while his counterpart, Southern Vermont freshman Noah Chani (Hoosick Falls, N.Y.), turned away six Raptor shots in the loss (0-2).