The Malone University men's soccer team fought to a draw against Walsh University on Wednesday afternoon by a score of 1-1. The Pioneers begin their season with a record of 1-1-2 overall and has a 0-1-1 Great Midwest Athletic Conference record. Walsh is now 4-0-1 and begin G-MAC play 0-0-1.
 
Walsh started the game on the attack, but Malone was quickly able to turn the tables and send the Cavalier defense reeling.
 
After an Evan Dekker free kick from beyond midfield, Nick Fry eventually corralled the free ball and sent one into the box. After careening off a defender, Nathan McFeaters fired a laser low to the ground that whizzed by the left post to make it 1-0 Malone ten minutes in.
 
The opposing score led to the Cavaliers to be determined to strike for gold themselves. They continued to put pressure on and tried to get shots on, but the defenders were able to block most opportunities.
 
Off a corner by Myles Cornwall in the 25th minute, the ball ended up in the net out of a scrum in the box. Gary Canam rose above the crowd and delivered a header that bounced off a Pioneer defender and into the goal to knot the game up at 1.
 
The whistle blew for halftime with the score still 1-1. Walsh took 11 shots in the first and Malone only four.
 
The second half would look much more balanced, but neither team was able to find the back of the net and secure the three points.
 
The Pioneers are very familiar with playing more than 90 minutes in a game in 2019, and did just that today. The game would go to overtime, where both teams would have a few good looks to score, but no one was able to prevail and the game would end in a draw. Overall, Walsh outshot Malone 18 to 11.
 
Alexandre Durand made five saves on the day, many of them close to the net or off of corner kicks.
 
Jonathan Dendinger, Nick Fry, Jake Martell and Patrick Alvarez played all 110 minutes and played strong defensively.
 
Simon Eybert led the team in shots with three, as well as Gino Finelli and freshman Justin Betts (who made his first career start) with two apiece.
 
The Pioneers go on the road for their next three matches, the first of which at Ohio Valley on Thursday, September 26. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:30 pm.