PROVIDENCE, R.I. – For the second straight day the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's soccer team needed more than 90 minutes to play its game. And, for the second straight day, overtime couldn't decide the contest as the Leopards battled Johnson & Wales to a 1-1 draw at the Scots Miracle Gro complex.
With the win Wentworth stands at 2-2-1 while the Wildcats are 3-1-1. This was the fifth meeting between the two programs and the third time the game has ended in a 1-1 tie.
The first half yielded very few opportunities for both squads with Johnson & Wales putting a shot on frame in the 13th minute which was denied by sophomore Matthew Sekerak (Winthrop, Maine).
At 37:57, Wentworth broke the ice with its first shot on frame. Freshman Diego Panayotti (San Pedro Sula, Honduras) intercepted a pass at midfield and threaded a feed to freshman Drew DeCoste (Somerset, Mass.) who fired a shot from 10 yards out which beat junior Nicholas Mancini (Toms River, N.J.). The score would remain 1-0 in favor of the Leopards at the break with Johnson & Wales holding a 4-3 shot advantage.
A pair of corner kicks in the early stages of the second half for Johnson & Wales yielded no opportunities, however, after a Leopard foul, in the 63rd minute, the hosts evened the score at a goal apiece when senior Xavier Carty (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) took a free kick which was headed past Sekerak by freshman Erik Schneider (Plantsville, Conn.) at 62:51.
The hosts put pressure on near the end of regulation, which resulted in three shot attempts, however were unable to break the tie.
In the first overtime DeCoste had a header in the 94th minute that went high and the Wildcats put a shot on net which was saved by Sekerak in the 95th minute.
Both teams had opportunities in the second overtime, however neither would score before the final horn sounded.
Sekerak made five saves while Mancini made one. Johnson & Wales held a 17-6 shot advantage and a 7-2 edge on corner kicks.
Wentworth hosts Emmanuel on Tuesday night.
