Sea Devils Fall to Louisburg in Men’s Soccer Playoff Action

Cape Fear Community College men's soccer started strong Thursday afternoon against undefeated Louisburg College, but a series of mistakes allowed the Hurricanes to pull away for a 6–1 victory.

The Sea Devils struck early. In the third minute, freshman Dominic McNerney slipped a perfectly timed pass to fellow freshman Cristiano Sharpe, who calmly slotted the ball into the side netting for his second goal of the season, giving Cape Fear a 1–0 lead. The opening 12 minutes saw the Sea Devils pressing aggressively and controlling much of the play.

However, momentum shifted quickly. An own goal leveled the score, and Louisburg took advantage of a young, inexperienced Cape Fear lineup to dominate the remainder of the match. Despite the scoreline, Cristiano Sharpe stood out with unselfish runs and relentless defensive pressure, constantly pressing the opposition and creating opportunities for teammates.

"We started so well in this game, going up 1-0 early. We gave up an own goal after 12 minutes, and I think our lack of maturity showed. Louisburg is a good team and definitely deserved the win and all the accolades that are coming their way," said head coach Giovanni Vlahos.

The Sea Devils end the 2025 campaign 2-6-4 and 1-5-2 in conference play.