The Malone University men's soccer team posted a draw in their match against the University of Tiffin Dragons on Saturday afternoon 2-2. Malone moves to 4-6-5 overall in 2019, and 3-6-4 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play. Tiffin has an 8-4-4 record this season, 5-4-3 in the G-MAC.
 
Malone can clinch berth into the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament with a win versus Walsh on Tuesday and an Ohio Dominican loss against Cedarville.
 
The seven Pioneer seniors were honored for their accomplishments in their careers on Saturday. Nick Wilhelm, Jonathan Dendinger, Jeff Kreinbrook, Gino Finelli, Nick Fry, Stephen Radonjich and Jake Martell escorted their families to midfield prior to the start of the match.
 
Simon Eybert took the game's first shot attempt just 50 seconds into the match. However, Tiffin would turn the tables in a hurry.
 
In the 8th minute, Caleb Gibbons put the moves on and sent a beautiful cross to Leo Hasenstab in the middle of the field. Hasenstab took the pass out of the air and delivered the opening goal of the game with a screaming liner.
 
Evan Dekker, who netted his first career goal in a draw against Ohio Dominican last week, would be the answer the Pioneers needed. He tied the game with a chip in the 14th minute. Dekker ran a give and go play with leading-point scorer Nathan McFeaters and poked it over the keeper's head.
 
Dekker gave Malone a 2-1 lead in the 18th minute when he converted a karate kick to the top left corner of the net. Jamal Rasheed was credited with an assist on the play after heading a free ball towards the goal scorer.
 
Shots were fairly even in the first half, Tiffin leading 8-7, but the second half was all Dragons at 7-2.
 
Leo Hasenstab would not be denied and converted on an equalizer in the 47th minute. A free kick was headed away by a Pioneer defender, but Hasenstab was there to send it home and knot the game up at 2.
 
Scoring opportunities were few and far between in the final stanza of the match, as rain began to fall and temperatures dropped. The game would end in a 2-2 draw and each team picked up a point.
 
Dekker, McFeaters and Eybert led the team with two shots, along with Christopher Mally, Jamal Rasheed and Justin Betts who took one shot.
 
Alexandre Durand ended with six saves in net.
 
The Pioneers travel to Walsh on Tuesday for their final game of the regular season. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm.