Decatur, IL – Millikin University men's soccer made their home debut tonight versus the Fightin' Engineers of Rose-Hulman resulting in a 3-3 tie at Frank M. Lindsay Stadium. With the draw, the Big Blue move to 1-3-1, while the Fightin' Engineers move to 2-1-2.
Rose-Hulman would come out fast with a goal by Ryan Shapiro into the top left corner of the goal in the 3rd minute. From that point on the first half would be a defensive showdown between the squads. With three shots on goal by the Big Blue and one by the Fightin' Engineers through the first half. Goalkeeper
Joshua Garrett would end the first half with one save while Justin Burns would make three saves in net. The Fightin' Engineers would take a 1-0 lead into the half.
The second half couldn't have been more different with five goals being scored between the two teams.
Bryce Davis would get things started with a goal in 48th minute after a pass from
Luke Butler to put the Big Blue on the board. Rose-Hulman would respond with a goal by Oliver Fila in the 60th minute, putting the Fightin' Engineers back on top. Less than three minutes later
Javan Grooms would take a pass from
Kyle Grasse and fire it into the back of the net tying the game, 2-2.
Chase Stohlmann would return the favor when he would knock one in just out of reach of
Joshua Garrett, giving Rose-Hulman a one-point lead. Then a minute later
Bryce Davis would shoot one from the far-left side of the field past the Goalkeeper Burns and into the goal, tying up the score once again. Davis would take a penalty kick in the 76th minute but would miss high and
Olav Kaldahl would take a shot at the net in the 89th minute but would be stopped by Burns leading to a 3-3 draw.
"That was really close to a win tonight, and we felt more like the team we know we can be" said Head Coach
Charlie Ward. "The guys were having fun and the energy was up; we just have a few things we need to clean up".
Men's Soccer will be back in action at Frank M. Lindsay Field for their next game against Principia College on Tuesday, September 15 at 7:00 pm and will be streamed live on the CCIW Network.
