TROY, N.Y. - Four different players found the back of the net for the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's soccer team in a 4-1 victory over Bard College in the Liberty League opener for both teams. With the win, the Engineers improve to 3-4-1 overall (1-0 Liberty League), while the Raptors drop to 3-5-1 (0-1 Liberty League).

Sophomore Trevor Bisson (Baton Rouge, LA/Episcopal) opened the scoring in just the fifth minute of play, smashing in a header from the edge of the six yard box. Classmate Michael Harten (Merrick, NY/Stanford H. Calhoun) delivered an inswinger from the left corner flag that Bisson buried past Bard sophomore goalkeeper Logan Leppo (Lawrenceville, NJ/Hun School of Princeton) for his first goal of the year.

A 12th minute free kick by junior Dillon Ashong (Pleasant Valley, NY/Arlington) nearly made it 2-0, but Leppo got his fingers to the shot and tipped it over the bar. Five minutes later, senior Danny Corridan (Queens, NY/Archbishop Molloy) made a bid for RPI's second goal, but his header towards the right post was parried away by the left hand of Leppo.

Bard turned in the first scoring chance of the second half in the 50th minute, when senior Antonio Scanni (St. James, NY/Smithtown East) got free in the left side of the RPI penalty area, but rolled a shot wide right of goal.

Junior Austin Betterly (Plymouth Meeting, PA/Plymouth Whitemarsh) was able to double the RPI lead in the 53rd minute, pouncing on a rebound at the edge of the six to score his second goal in as many games. The eventual game-winner came after a volley from the top of the 18 by Harten was stopped, but not held, by Leppo.

Less than six minutes after entering as a substitute, sophomore Tommaso Valagussa (Arlington, MA/Arlington) made it a 3-1 game in the 75th minute. Beating Leppo and a Bard defender to the ball near the top of the box, Valagussa was able to poke it into an open net for his first collegiate tally.

The Raptors cracked the scoreboard in the 81st minute on freshman Naka O'Connor's (Williamstown, MA/Mt. Greylock) team-leading fifth goal of the season. Latching onto a cross from the right flank by Scanni, O'Connor finished first-time into the right side netting.

Freshman Billy Chissoe (Gig Harbor, MA/Charles Wright Academy) capped the scoring in the 86th minute, finishing inside the left post after receiving a penetrating ball from classmate Paul Silva (Wayne, NJ/Seton Hall Prep.) at the right side of the area.

The Engineers are back in action on Wednesday at Williams College (4:30pm), while Bard hosts Vassar on Wednesday (7pm).