CEDARVILLE, Ohio – Two goals in the second half helped the Malone University men's soccer team record a 2-2 draw in their first Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) match of the 2024 season against the Cedarville University Yellow Jackets. The Pioneers are now 2-0-1 and 0-0-1 in conference play while Cedarville sits at 2-2-1 and 0-0-1 in the league.
 
After nearly two weeks off, Malone showed a bit of rust and allowed two goals in the 17th minute alone. The Yellow Jackets were able to use the dribble to infiltrate the interior of the defense and a cross set up the home team for the first score of the night. A long pass into the offensive zone set up Cedarville for a header on their second goal.
 
The scoring opportunities aside from that stretch were few and far between as neither team was credited with a shot on goal or received a corner kick for the remainder of the first half.
 
A break in the action provided the opportunity for the Pioneers to regroup and right away they were able to rebound for a score. A slip by the Yellow Jacket defender allowed Dylan DiPiero to dribble around him and his cross to Tha Lwe resulted in the team's first goal in the 47th minute.
 
The first corner kick for Malone helped put them in position to tie the match in 57th minute. Nate Werthmuller accepted the corner and Elijah Caparello-Wanless jumped over the defense and redirected the ball with his head by the opposing keeper.
 
Werthmuller, Anthony Birus and Gavin Csiszar put up shots to tie to give Malone the lead in the closing minutes of the match, but none were able to find the back of the net. The Pioneers outshot the Yellow Jackets to the tune of 7-1 in the second half and 11-6 in total.
 
Gavyn Ernst (2-0-1), Christian Piccolotto, Braden Lamb and Caparello-Wanless were on the pitch for the entire 90 minutes.
 
Malone will compete at home for the first time in their next match against Tiffin University on Saturday, September 21 beginning at 1:00 P.M.