It marks the third time in four years the teams have played to a 1-0 decision, Gordon (5-1-1) winning for the second time. The loss is the first one at home for Eastern (2-4-1) after two wins and a tie.

Cole, a two-time NSCAA Division III All-America who led Gordon into the third round of last year's NCAA tournament, connected in the 53rd minute, moments after being stopped by Eastern sophomore keeper Ryan Murphy (Cromwell), whose drive the keeper reached up and deflected off the post to keep the game scoreless. On the winning goal, Cole laid the ball off on the left to Nkhalamba, then took a return pass on the left of the goal and sent a hard shot into the upper part of the net.

Trailing 1-0, the Warriors withstood another Gordon bid midway through the second half, then launched their most prolonged attack on net, accumulating five corner kicks in the second half but coming up empty on each.

Cole put all four of his shots on net, as the Fighting Scots accumulated a 12-4 advantage in shots, including 7-0 in the first half. Cole leads the team with 14 points on four goals and six assists.

Senior Josh Spoonhour made two saves in the Gordon net and got help from sophomore back Collin Surface, who cleared Eastern freshman Jackson Toomey's (Willington) shot from close range off the back line in the second half followed a corner kick with 21 minutes left. The shutout was his second in seven starts this year.

Murphy stopped nine shots in absorbing the fifth 1-0 shutout loss of his two-year career. Until Eastern was able to initiate consistent pressure over the final 23 minutes, Murphy kept the Warriors within striking distance with a handful of standout saves. Less than three minutes into play, he held to the near post to a drive by freshman Matthew Chartier and deny the visitors the early momentum.  With 18 minutes left in the half, Murphy drove to deflect a volleyed point-blank shot by Josh Beveridge.

Eastern's only dangerous attempt of the first half came with under three minutes left by sophomore Justin Grant's (Cromwell) hard low crossing shot from the right side forced Spoonhour to leave his line and cover it up at the right post.

In a scoreless game in the first minute of the second half, Eastern had the first chance when junior JD Stearns (Bolton) worked a give-and-go with freshman Griffin Luczek (Lee, NH) but Spoonhour diffused the 1 v 1 opportunity when he went down to smother the shot. Five minutes later, Murphy miraculously deflected Cole's drive off the right post before Cole bounced back to deliver a goal which would stand up for the win.

Eastern returns to Little East Conference play Saturday, hosting Plymouth State University at 1 p.m.