LIMA, Ohio — Eastern Oregon (RV) Men's Soccer battled back from a second-half deficit to earn a 1-1 draw with the University of Northwestern Ohio Monday afternoon at Racer Stadium, closing out its three-game Midwest trip with a hard-fought result.
After a scoreless opening half that saw just two shots from Eastern Oregon and none from Northwestern Ohio, the Mountaineers came out of the break with increased pressure and intensity. Following a pair of yellow cards to EOU,
Henry Lopez generated back-to-back attempts in the 57th minute, but both were blocked.
Taylor Pierce and
Davyd Fedina followed with chances of their own, but both attempts sailed high.
Northwestern Ohio broke through in the 63rd minute when Ethan Collet finished a pass from Ryan Yates to give the Racers a 1-0 lead. The Mountaineers quickly responded with increased attacking pressure, as
Christian Samayoa and
Evan Reyes each had attempts blocked. EOU then earned back-to-back corner kicks, with
Maximo Melgar nearly leveling the match with a header. After two more corner kicks and another shot attempt, the Mountaineers finally broke through in the 79th minute. Samayoa delivered the equalizer, finding the back of the net for his first goal of the season to bring the match level at 1-1.
As the clock wound down, both teams continued to battle for the go-ahead goal.
Lance Nelson forced a save in the 82nd minute, while Samayoa had another attempt blocked just minutes later. Northwestern Ohio nearly reclaimed the lead in the 87th minute, but a shot from the Racers struck the goalpost to keep the match even.
Despite dominating the second-half attack and outshooting Northwestern Ohio 11-2 after halftime, the Mountaineers were unable to find a game-winning goal. Both teams battled through the final minutes as fatigue set in, with the match ultimately ending in a 1-1 draw. Eastern Oregon finished with a 13-2 advantage in total shots and an 8-4 edge in corner kicks. Samayoa led the Mountaineers with five shots, while Lopez added two. EOU's defense also remained strong throughout the match, limiting Northwestern Ohio to just two shots over the full 90 minutes.
The draw moves the Mountaineers to 0-1-2 on the season as they wrap up their preseason slate in the Midwest. EOU will now return home to La Grande and turn its attention toward Cascade Collegiate Conference play. The Mountaineers open conference play Sept. 18 against Walla Walla at Community Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. PT.
