Box score
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Lees-McRae College
men's soccer team battled to a 2-2 draw with Tusculum College after
two periods of extra time on Tuesday night, nearly ending
proceedings on several occasions as the contest ended in a
deadlock.
Lees-McRae (4-2-1) edged Tusculum (0-6-1) by a 15-13 margin in
attempts on goal in the match, including a 3-1 advantage in extra
time, as the Pioneers were forced to play a man short for the final
46 minutes of the contest.
Senior David Palmer (South Shields, England) and freshman
Preston Shahdad (Charlotte, N.C.) tallied the goals for Lees-McRae
on the night, as Luke Duffy (Wakefield, England) added an assist.
Sophomore Thomas Rusling (Sheffield, England) made four keys saves
on the night for the Bobcats.
Sophomore Mason Fox and freshman Stephen McNeill provided the
goals for Tusculum, as rookie Adam Kulbat notched a pair of assists
to pace the Pioneers. Junior goalkeeper Andy Goellner made six
saves, including several clutch stops, between the pipes to propel
Tusculum to the draw.
The sides remained deadlocked at 0-0 through the first 45
minutes of play, with action confined to midfield for much of the
half as the teams combined for six shots, including four attempts
on frame by the Pioneers.
Palmer broke the deadlock just over one minute into the second
half, receiving a long ball from Duffy and after treading his way
into the area, left the Tusculum keeper rooted to his spot with a
masterful curling finish into the far top corner to give Lees-McRae
a 1-0 lead.
The Bobcats nearly doubled the advantage late in the 64th
minute, when Luke Staats (Almere, Netherlands) sent a free kick
just high of the bar from 23 yards distance after Scott Hudgins
(Fort Myers, Fla.) was pulled down on a breakaway. Tusculum pulled
level midway through the 63rd minute, when Kulbat threaded a pass
through to Fox, putting the sophomore forward in perfect position
to slot the finish through the Bobcat keeper's legs to knot the
score at 1-1.
The entire complexion of the match seemed to change midway
through the 65th minute, when Tusculum's Javier Portillo was sent
off for a harsh challenge on the Bobcats' Ryan Gillespie (Holly
Springs, N.C.) just past midfield, leaving the Pioneers with 10 men
on the pitch for the remainder of the match.
Lees-McRae took full advantage in the 67th minute, when Shahdad
delivered a highlight reel finish off the far post with a high
looping shot from 35 yards distance to reclaim the one-goal lead
for the Bobcats. Tusculum leveled proceedings once again in the
74th minute, when Kulbat pulled it off the end line and centered to
McNeil in the six-yard box, leaving his teammate with an easy
finish to knot the score at 2-2.
Staats nearly delivered the winner from the spot with just under
two minutes left in regulation time, but was denied by the
woodwork, sending the match into extra time knotted at 2-2.
Freshmen Scott Alford (Hillsborough, N.C.) and Andrew Shoemaker
(Cary, N.C.) were denied by the woodwork in the first period of
extra time, each missing an open net with the chance to send the
Bobcats through to victory.
The Bobcats continued to press the attack in the second extra
time period, sending a trio of splendid scoring chances on frame,
only to be denied by Goellner. The junior netminder made perhaps
his best save of the match at the death, denying a glorious chance
by Palmer to preserve the deadlock.
Lees-McRae returns to the pitch on Saturday when the Bobcats
travel Misenheimer, N.C. to take on Pfeiffer University in
Conference Carolinas play at 4 p.m.
- LMC -
