Elmira College Athletics

Score: Elmira College 2, Nazareth College 2 – 2OT
Records: Elmira (4-4-3, 1-0-3 Empire 8), Nazareth (0-12-1, 0-3-1 Empire 8)
Location: Golden Flyer Stadium – Rochester, NY
 
Rochester, NY -- In another crucial Empire 8 Conference road game, the Elmira College men's soccer team walked away with a 2-2 double overtime tie against Nazareth College. Elmira's Michael Bryant '17 scored a pair of goals while teammate Tony Barraco '18 was credited with one assist. With the tie, Elmira extends its unbeaten streak to six games.
 
The Soaring Eagles wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, as Bryant scored on the team's first shot of the game just 2:54 into the contest to put Elmira ahead 1-0. Assisting on the game-opening goal was Barraco, whose initial shot bounced off the Nazareth goalie, allowing Bryant to score off the rebound.
 
Nazareth responded in the 25th minute, as Dylan Toscano scored his first goal of the season on an assist from Max Epelbaum. Elmira would go on to outshoot the Golden Flyers 11-to-4 in the half, but the score would remain 1-1 entering halftime.
 
Out of the break, Elmira's pressure on offense was evident, as the Purple and Gold produced the half's first shot in the first 57 seconds and was awarded a corner kick just 20 seconds later. The continuous pressure paid off in the 49th minute, when Bryant scored his second of the game, and 12th of the season, to reclaim EC's one-goal lead.
 
However, scoring opportunities from that point on seemed to be in favor of the Golden Flyers, as Nazareth outshot Elmira 5-to-4 over the next 26 minutes. One of Nazareth's five shots nearly found the back of the net in the 74th minute, when Epelbaum saw his attempt rattle off the cross bar.
 
Epelbuam's scare was a sign of things to come though, as Ben Rodney scored on a somewhat controversial play in the 76th minute. Nazareth's Christopher Rowland delivered a long over-the-top through ball that found Rodney behind several EC defenders, and although it looked as if Rodney was well offside, no call was made, setting up a 1-on-1 with Elmira netminder Austin Mansell '16. Rodney would eventually chip the ball over Mansell, who left his line in hopes of making a heroic save, but Rodney's chip would find the left corner of the net for the goal.
 
With the possibility of overtime, Elmira looked to end things in regulation and nearly did in the 80th minute. On an Elmira throw-in, a long toss into the box found its way in front of the mouth of the goal and on Bryant's head. From there, Bryant flicked the ball towards frame but the attempt went right at Nazareth's keeper, as the game remained deadlocked at 2-2.
 
In the overtime periods, both teams had ample opportunities to score, including one at close range by Bryant and a shot by Nazareth that caromed off the crossbar. However, neither team was able to make the net bulge, as the game ended in a 2-2 double overtime draw.  
 
Turning Point
Elmira was in control of today's contest from the jump and kept the pressure on the Golden Flyers with a hefty shot advantage. A third consecutive win for EC seemed all but sealed until Nazareth's Rodney eluded a potential offside call, setting-up a 1-on-1 with EC's goalie, which ultimately resulted in the Golden Flyers punching-in the game-tying goal.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Elmira more than doubled Nazareth's shot total, 30-to-13.
• EC was also very accurate with their shooting, putting 19 of their attempts on target.
• Corner kicks were nearly identical, as Elmira held a slight 5-to-4 advantage.
• Bryant scored a pair of goals, both occurring in the first four minutes of each half.
• Barraco assisted on Elmira's first goal of the afternoon.
• Mansell made four saves, including one in overtime.
• Six yellow cards were distributed, including four in the second half and two in overtime.

 
News and Notes

• Today's tie pushes Elmira's unbeaten streak to six games.
• The Soaring Eagles remain unbeaten in Empire 8 Conference play.
• Elmira drops to fifth place in the conference standings, just one point shy of third place.
• Bryant registered his third multi-goal game of the season.
• Bryant has scored a goal in 8-of-10 games played this year and has scored six times in EC's last four games.
• Bryant also has 27 points this year, the most scored by an EC player since 2012.
• Barraco has four assists in Elmira's last five games and has tallied an assist in three straight.

 
Up Next
Elmira returns to action this Wednesday, October 14th, when the Soaring Eagles welcome SUNY Canton to Campus Field for a non-conference tilt at 3:00 p.m.