Box Score ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - There were exhausted smiles, hugs and looks of relief all around.

The Bard College men's soccer team picked up its first win of the season on Sunday afternoon, fighting off Becker College, 2-0, in a non-league game.

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It was a physical, defensive struggle, and it wasn't easy. The Raptors were coming off of Saturday's 4-0 loss to Utica College, and Becker was clearly seeing the Bard match as an opportunity to end its own 0-5 start.

Bard had the better of the possession early on, and it paid off in the 13th minute. A long free kick from Christian Letourneau was chested down in the box by freshman Austin Higgins, and fellow freshman Tamaki Chiba ran onto the loose ball and chipped it past Becker keeper Tim MacDonald (Holden, MA) for a 1-0 lead.

From there, much of the game was played in the middle third of the field. Becker (0-6) didn't manage a shot on goal in the first half, but tried to turn up the pressure to start the second half. The Raptors responded with equal resolve and nothing really changed until the 82nd minute.

A corner kick from Letourneau was headed over MacDonald's hands and just under the crossbar by Higgins for a 2-0 Bard lead. In the end, Bard outshot Becker 11-6, and produced seven shots on goal to Becker's two.

Daniel Gagne made two saves for the Raptors (1-5), who next play on Wednesday at Southern Vermont.