CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Sophomore Noah Martins' (Dartmouth, Mass.) goal in the 57th minute evened the score at 1-all and neither team would find the back of the net during the reminder of regulation and in overtime as the Wentworth Institute of Technology men's soccer team tied Lesley Wednesday night in a non-conference contest at Edward Field.
The Leopards had their four-game win streak snapped and sit at 6-2-3, however ran their unbeaten streak to seven (4-0-3). The Lynx stand at 1-7-1 on the season.
Wentworth had numerous chances early, however it was Lesley who would strike first as junior Nuno Pereira (Dorchester, Mass.) took a pass from freshman Angel Ruiz (Phoenix, Ariz.) at the top of the box and hit the top right corner of the net at 34:08.
The Leopards continued to attack and had a 10-3 shot advantage and a 4-1 corner kick advantage through the first half, however were unable to capitalize. In the 40th minute junior Emmett Basaca (San Diego, Calif.) sent a corner kick into the box where freshman Diego Panayotti (San Pedro Sula, Honduras) connected on a header which hit the crossbar.
Martins evened the score at a goal apiece when he connected on his ninth marker of the season at 56:46. Basaca sent a free kick into the Lesley box where Martins sent a header into the far right side of the net.
In the waning moments of regulation, Martins nearly won the game as he raced behind the Lesley backline, possessed a free ball at the top of the box, and fired a shot that trickled just right of the near side post.
Lesley's best chance in the overtime period came off the foot of Ruiz who charged down the middle of the field and blasted a right-footed shot from 20-yards, but Leopard keeper Joe Schallmo (Norwood, Mass.) was there to make the stop.
The Wentworth offense continued to pepper the net in the second overtime period. Their best chance to end it came when junior Michael Zendan (Charlotte, N.C.) dribbled to his right and drove a laser at the Lesley cage, however junior goalie James Webb (San Francisco, Calif.) tipped the ball off the crossbar and out before the defense cleared the ensuing corner kick.
The Leopards possessed the ball for the majority of the evening and outshot the Lynx by a 24-4 margin while holding a 15-3 edge in corner kicks.
Schallmo made just one save for Wentworth while Webb had four of his seven stops in overtime.
Wentworth resumes Commonwealth Coast Conference play Saturday at home against Western new England. Lesley hosts Rivier on Sunday.
