ELMIRA, N.Y. -- A total of 110 minutes wasn't enough to separate Elmira College men's soccer and St. John Fisher College, as the two feathered foes played to a 1-1 double-overtime draw on Saturday afternoon. With today's result, the Soaring Eagles (9-4-3, 2-1-2 E8) sit in second place in the Empire 8 Conference standings with eight league points, while the Cardinals (3-8-3, 1-1-3 E8) are tied for fourth with six points.
 
Elmira held an 18-13 advantage in shots, but Fisher finished with a 5-4 lead in shots on goal. EC's high-press was rewarded with 10 corner-kick chances, while the Cardinals logged two.
 
Fisher gave the Purple and Gold an early scare in the 13th minute, as Justin Bonetto sent a screamer off of the crossbar from 25-yards out. Thankfully the shot caromed hard off the topside of the bar and back into play.
 
Relentless pressure in the opening first half by the Soaring Eagles produced the game-opening goal, as senior Adam Nichols '20 tallied his team-leading eighth goal of the season. A misplayed ball by the Fisher defense allowed Nichols to steal it from just outside the 18-yard box. From there, the Candor, New York, native split a pair of defenders, before tucking it into the right-side netting to give Elmira a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.
 
EC nearly doubled its lead in the 32nd minute on an absolute rocket from Cameron Sanderson '21. Following an Elmira corner, a string of passes from Jake Meyer '21 and Lutho Mlunguza '23 placed the ball in Sanderson's area around the 22-yard marker. Sanderson let the ball roll across his body, before blasting it with the outside part of his boot. It looked as though Sanderson found the upper-right corner, but an outstretched Justin Miles turned the shot away at the last second to keep it a one-goal game.
 
The Cardinals pressed for an equalizer in the closing minutes of the half and they nearly found it. A turnover by the Elmira men in their defensive third setup Colin Witman with a wide open shot from 10-yards out, but he skied the ball over the goal, wasting a golden scoring opportunity.
 
Fisher found its equalizer in the 59th minute of the second half, as Bonetto redeemed his earlier miss with a goal. A deep throw-in by the Cardinals went into the 18-yard box, but Elmira was able to flick the header away. However, the loose ball made its way to Bonetto, who took it off of the bounce and one-timed it into the lower right corner for the goal.
 
Nichols nearly answered for the Elmira men in the 62nd minute, when he raced past the Fisher backline and fired a shot with one defender on his hip from the right-side of the box. However, his attempt skimmed past the left post and off of the end line.
 
Then, in the 70th minute, rookie defender Tommaso Garavaglia '23 produced what looked to be the go-ahead goal. Following a cross into the box, Garavaglia skied over a Fisher defender and snapped a header on frame. However, his attempt was punched away by Fisher's Miles at the last second.
 
Neither team was able to breakthrough for the game-winning goal in regulation, sending the contest into overtime.
 
In the extra session, Mlunguza had a prime scoring chance in the 97th minute. After some crafty footwork along the right sideline by Nichols, he lofted a cross into the box, which was deflected by a Fisher defender. The deflected ball popped over to the far post, where Mlunguza pummeled a hard volley towards the goal. His attempt looked destined for the back of the cage, but it was blocked at the last second and went out of play.
 
From there, neither team was able to muster a quality scoring chance, as the contest ended in a double-overtime draw.
 
In His Own Words
Head Coach Kevin Brenner shares his thoughts on today's draw…
"Today was the tail of two halves. We dominated play throughout the first half and got a much deserved 1-0 lead. However, we were not ourselves throughout the second stanza. We took our foot off the gas pedal a bit and allowed Fisher back into the game. We need to learn vital lessons from today's match. Onward to next weekend in another huge E8 game."
 
News and Notes

• The Soaring Eagles sit in second place in the E8 standings with eight league points.
• Elmira honored its lone graduating member of the Class of 2020, Adam Nichols '20.
• Nichols scored his team-leading eighth goal and 21st point of the season.
• Elmira is 4-2-2 this season when Nichols scores a goal.

 
Up Next
Elmira returns to action on Monday, October 28, when the Soaring Eagles welcome the Monarchs of King's College (Pa.) to Campus Field. The opening kick-off for the non-conference home finale is set for 3:30 p.m.