Axemen in must win situation heading into final two matches following loss to STFX

ANTIGONISH, N.S. — The Acadia Axemen fought hard but fell 4-1 to the undefeated STFX X-Men on Friday night at STFX Stadium.

Acadia started strong, pushing deep into the STFX zone in the early minutes, but the X-Men quickly countered. Despite some early chances for both sides, STFX opened the scoring with a 15th-minute penalty kick. The home team added three more goals in the first half, dominating possession and leaving Acadia trailing 4-0 at the break.

The Axemen regrouped in the second half, with Blaise Mellema (Dartmouth, N.S.) chipping in a goal from the top of the 18-yard box in the 68th minute, earning him Acadia Player of the Game honours. Acadia's defense, led by goalkeeper Dylan Legere (Upper Tantallon, N.S.), held firm in the latter stages of the match, with Legere making six saves to keep STFX at bay.

Though the Axemen applied pressure late in the game, they couldn't mount a comeback against a strong STFX squad. Legere's performance and Mellema's goal were highlights in an otherwise challenging match.

Acadia now looks ahead to their next matchup against the Cape Breton Capers on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 3:15 p.m., as they aim to bounce back from the defeat.