Sea Devils Earn Season-Opening Shutout Over Anne Arundel

The Cape Fear Community College men's soccer team opened the 2025 season in winning fashion Friday night, edging Anne Arundel 1–0 behind a second-half surge and strong defensive play.

The first half featured back-and-forth action across the field. The Sea Devils were narrowly outshot 7–5 but kept the game scoreless heading into the break. In the second half, CFCC began to control the midfield and create more chances, outshooting the visiting Riverhawks 5–3.

The breakthrough came in the 77th minute when freshman Cristiano Sharpe finished a low-driven pass from classmate Eno Baker, slotting home the game's only goal.

Both teams tallied 10 shots on goal, but sophomore goalkeeper Aydan Scharf proved the difference, recording nine saves to secure the clean sheet. CFCC also earned a slight edge in corner kicks, 6–4.

Head Coach Giovanni Vlahos praised his team's effort and togetherness in the season opener.
"Love the tenacity that the boys showed tonight. We have a massive freshman class, and having them gel so quickly with our upperclassmen was evident tonight. They've put in a lot of work during the pre-season. There are definitely many areas to get better in, but it's a process, and we are very happy with the step they took today coming up with the victory," Vlahos said.

The Sea Devils (1–0) will look to build on the win as they continue their early-season schedule Sunday at the College of Southern Maryland. Game time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.