SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – RIT tallied two second-half goals and the Skidmore College men's soccer team stood strong on defense in the extra session, leading to a 2-2 tie in Liberty League action at Wachenheim Field on a warm, sunny afternoon.
Skidmore ties the program record with its sixth draw of the season, equaling the mark set in the 2007 season. The Thoroughbreds complete the weekend with a 5-1-6 record overall and a 1-0-5 mark in league play. RIT's record now stands at 4-5-3 overall and 2-2-2 in league action.
RIT and Skidmore are tied for fourth in the Liberty League table with eight points each. Both teams have three league games to go in the regular season.
Skidmore controlled the tempo of the game for much of the first half. The Thoroughbreds nearly struck early in the seventh minute, as a long pass by
Ben Poole from Skidmore's defending third found
Kevin Santos in the attacking third, with just the keeper to beat. RIT keeper Peter Cinibulk just got to the ball, parrying the shot away.
Four minutes later, it was
Dario Flores that received the feed in the penalty box. His attempt hit the top of the crossbar, just inches from the goal.
In the 17
th minute, Flores and Santos would connect to give the Thoroughbreds the early lead. On the attack, a through pass by Flores would find Santos past the defenders in the box. This time, Santos chipped the RIT keeper for the goal.
RIT nearly got on the board in the 38
th minute. On a corner chance, Simon Garno found a rising Cam Shipley in the scrum in front of net, but his header chance went high above the crossbar.
The game slowed down in the second half, but Skidmore got another early goal. Off a free kick from near the Skidmore sideline,
Brennan Mitrolka found
Augustine Okoye for a header, with Okoye's chance in the 53
rd minute landing softly past the RIT goalie for his team-leading eighth of the season.
RIT struck 10 minutes later. On a service by Nick Simone into the penalty box, Anthony DeFeo dribbled into the corner of the box, then found a charging Dean Kouroupas in front of the net. His shot went under Skidmore goalie
Sebastian Bosch. In the 72
nd minute, RIT tied the game, thanks to a curled free kick by Mike Reverdatto.
In the waning moments of regulation, Okoye nearly found the winner on a corner kick, but Cinibulk tipped Okoye's header out of danger as the teams eventually found overtime.
In the extra session, RIT nearly had a winner in the 99
th minute. An Anthony DeFeo shot got by the keeper, but for the second straight game, a Skidmore defender parried the ball away at the goal line. This time, it was
Will Greening who cleared the chance away. Skidmore outshot RIT 2-1 in the final 10 minutes, but was unable to get a winner.
Skidmore edged RIT in total shots, 14-12, and in shots on net, 7-4. Bosch made two saves in net to preserve the shutout, while Cinibulk made five.
Skidmore will next host Clarkson in a mid-week league matchup at Wachenheim Field, on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
