Stevens Ties TCNJ, 1-1, on Late Equalizer by Pryor to Stay Unbeaten
Mark Becker
Sophomore forward
Carson Pryor scored in the 88
th minute to force overtime as the No. 2/3 Stevens Institute of Technology men's soccer team played to a 1-1 tie with The College of New Jersey on Wednesday night.
The Ducks, ranked No. 2 in the initial D3soccer.com Top 25 and No. 3 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Continental Tire DIII Poll, remain unbeaten at 3-0-1 while TCNJ is now 3-1-1.
Stevens burst out of the gates, winning three corner kicks and a header in the box within the first three minutes. The Ducks kept up the pressure on both ends of the field as they had another shot blocked and sent another header over the crossbar before the Lions had their first chance, forcing two saves of senior goalkeeper
Paul Killian in quick succession.
Neither team could break through, however, and the game remained scoreless at halftime. Stevens dictated possession as usual in the opening minutes, but TCNJ took the lead in the 67
th minute when sophomore midfielder Matthew Ziegler (East Brunswick, N.J.) one-timed a long cross from senior midfielder Sean Casey (Toms River, N.J.) into the upper corner of the net.
Stevens mounted a furious attack in an attempt to equalize, ripping five more shots and winning another two corners before Pryor finally came through. The Division I transfer ran onto a through ball and smashed it off the post, but followed his shot and knocked in the rebound to force overtime.
Both teams had their chances in overtime as the Ducks cracked three more shots and won another two corners, but the Lions put the only pair of shots on goal, in the 92nd and 107
th minutes, both of which Killian stopped.
The Ducks will look to stay unbeaten when they host undefeated rival New York University (5-0-0) on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m.