Box Score DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- Senior Alex Machado (New Bedford, Mass.) headed in the equalizer in the 71st minute to help the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men's soccer team earn a 1-1 double overtime draw with visiting Rhode Island College this afternoon in the Little East Conference opener for both teams at Cressy Field.
Neither team was able to crack the scoring column in the opening 45 minutes of action. The Anchormen (4-3-1, 0-0-1 LEC) placed three shots on net, but sophomore Luis Carranza (New Bedford, Mass. / Greater New Bedford) was up to the task.
Less than nine minutes into the second stanza, a Rhode Island College student-athlete was booked for a red card and forced the visitors to play down a man for the remainder of the contest. However, the Anchormen were able to snap the scoreless tie in the 61st minute, when the hosts' were whistled for an infraction inside their 18-yard box. Senior striker Emmanuel Asiedu (Lincoln, R.I.) converted the penalty kick into the upper right corner of the net for his fourth marker of the season.
UMass Dartmouh (2-3-1, 0-0-1) was able to register the equalizer in the 71st minute, when sophomore forward Matt Vidal (New Bedford, Mass.) feed a corner kick from the right flag that was headed in by Machado. It was Machado's second goal of the season. The Corsairs tried to ride the wave of momentum less than 90 seconds later, but freshman goalkeeper Adam Ghazal (Pawtucket, R.I.) stopped a point blank shot from senior forward Ryland Foster-Gorbach (West Roxbury, Mass.).
In a nip and tuck overtime session, Rhode Island College created the best scoring opportunity. In the 95th minute, junior Joseph Plute (East Haddam, Conn.) lofted a set piece from midfield that junior Kevin Arboleda (Pawtucket, R.I.) one-timed towards the lower, right corner of the net, but Carranza was able to slide over and make the crucial stop.
Carrenza made five saves to earn the draw, while Ghazal stopped eight of the nine attempts he faced.
Rhode Island College held a 17-16 advantage in shots and an 8-6 edge in corner kicks.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action at 7 p.m. on Sept. 23, when the Corsairs travel to Salem State University for a non-conference match.
