Box Score Buffalo, NY – The D'Youville men's soccer team concluded their 2015 season with a high-intensity 2-2 double-overtime draw against the Medaille Mavericks on Tuesday afternoon.
Senior Nick Johnson (North Tonawanda, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield) was torturing the Maverick backline for the first 25 minutes of the game. Johnson recorded 6 shots in that time frame, with his best chances coming in the 6th and 7th minutes.
Medaille would hold firm and refuse to concede a goal to D'Youville and then begin to step up their offensive attack. In less than 30 seconds, the Mavericks had 2 shots but the Spartan defense stepped up and blocked both shots in front of senior goalkeeper Brett Matthews (Angola, NY/Lake Shore).
Before the half ended, Jeffrey Espinoza (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin) tested the Maverick goalkeeper with less than 5 minutes remaining in the second half, but to no avail as the two teams headed into the locker room tied at 0-0 after 45 minutes.
The second half between the Spartans and the Mavericks was a different beast than the first half. Medaille took the lead with the first shot of the half, scoring in the 48th minute and taking the 1-0. The Mavericks would continue to threat, but like their counterparts, the Spartans also scored on their first shot of the half.
Sophomore Daniel Tarbell (Clarence, NY/Clarence) found the back of the net for his first goal of the season after Johnson sent a low cross into the box right to the foot of Tarbell. Medaille continued to put shots on the D'Youville defense and would retake the lead in the 70th minute.
Just seconds after the go-ahead goal, the Spartans went down a man due to a red card and were forced to play with just 10 men. However, D'Youville was resilient in their pursuit of a game-tying goal, and in the 84th minute, their relentlessness paid off.
Their most clutch performer from 2014, junior Patrick Mann (Brighton, NY/Brighton) connected on his second goal of the season on an assist from freshman Josh Hammer (Amherst, NY/Sweet Home). Mann received the pass from Hammer and sent it past the Maverick goalkeeper to tie the game at 2.
The first overtime was all Medaille, as the Mavericks had all 3 shots taken. The short manned Spartans continued to fight to stay in the game and that they did, taking the game to a second overtime.
Each team would have their chances in the second overtime, but neither team would score as the 10 man D'Youville Spartans came back from a goal down to draw with the Medaille Mavericks 2-2.
Nick Johnson and Brett Matthews, the team's lone seniors, were honored before the game for their 4 year careers as Spartans. Matthews made 10 saves in 110 minutes while Johnson led the team with 8 shots. Mann and Tarbell were the two goal scorers for D'Youville with Johnson and Hammer picking up assists.
Tuesday's game marks the first time D'Youville has ever earned a point against Medaille. Dating back to 2007, the Mavericks have defeated the Spartans in every game the two have played, including outscoring D'Youville 48-1 in the previous 8 meetings.
Head Coach Brendan Murphy was thrilled with his team's performance after the game.
"This is a massive result," said Murphy.
"Scoring the game tying goal with 10 men was incredible. We had nothing to play for, no shot at the playoffs, but these men gave everything they had."
Murphy was proud of his players for coming together as a team and holding firm against a tough Medaille opponent.
"These men gave everything they had," said Murphy.
"They stuck to the game plan and defended with great discipline. This is the type of performance that gives you hope for the future."
On his two seniors, Murphy said that he was "happy for Nick Johnson and Brett Matthews to finish their careers knowing that they did not lose their last game as college soccer players."
Coach Murphy felt that it was a high note to end the team's season on.
"Medaille is a very good team with very good players and a very good coach. It was just an inspired performance from our guys today and I am proud to have been apart of it."
