BOX SCORE
Abilene, Texas –
Andrew De Lira scored his first career goal and
Jacob Stern made a season-high 10 saves as the Concordia University Texas men's soccer team played Hardin-Simmons to a 1-1 draw on Friday, Sept. 16 in the American Southwest Conference opener at the HSU Soccer Complex.
The teams played the first half evenly with Hardin-Simmons holding a slim 4-3 advantage in total shots attempted, but the Tornados were able to get on the board first in the 37th minute. With the ball loose in the box, De Lira collected a pass from Mohamed Dialo and fired a shot that made it past goalkeeper Logan Walters. Concordia would carry the 1-0 lead into the recess.
Hardin-Simmons, however, drew even early in the second frame. After a Cowboy was tripped up in the box, Isaiah Hicks made a penalty shot in the 50th minute to knot the score at 1-1. After another 40 minutes of scoreless soccer, the teams headed to overtime.
The Cowboys controlled the first overtime session, gaining a 6-2 advantage in total shots. But Stern came up big by making two back-to-back saves in the opening two minutes, including one off a corner kick. The momentum shifted the Tornados way in the second extra frame, but Waters was able to come through by making four of his eight saves over the last four minutes of play. He made two stops in the final minute on shots taken by De Lira and
Sebastian Parra before the final whistle sounded.
Stern went the distance for Concordia and turned away 10 of the 22 shots he faced. Waters made eight saves on 16 chances for Hardin-Simmons, which had an 8-4 advantage in corner kick opportunities.
Concordia continues ASC action on the road against McMurry tomorrow at 4 p.m.
-agate-
Concordia (0-2-1, ASC 0-0-1) 1 0 0 0 - 1
Hardin-Simmons (0-2-2, ASC 0-0-1) 0 1 0 0 - 1
Concordia:
Andrew De Lira (1-0),
Mohamed Diallo (0-1). Goalkeeping:
Jacob Stern (90:00, 1 GA, 10 saves).
Hardin-Simmons: Isaiah Hicks (1-0). Goalkeeping: Logan Waters (90:00, 1 GA, 8 saves).
