AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken men's soccer team posted a 2-2 draw against rival Newberry in front of a lively crowd Wednesday night in a non-conference competition.
The Pacers are now 1-1-1 on the season while the Wolves fall to 0-1-1.
After an early shot by
Samuel Andrews, head coach
Ike Ofoje's team got on the board at the 12:15 mark.
Kento Ito drove up the middle of the pitch and flicked it to his right.
Driss Baraket blasted a shot from 20 yards out, making it 1-0.
The Wolves evened the score in the 19
th minute of action.
USC Aiken had a chance to take the lead in the 29
th minute, but
Roberto Biendicho's shot was deflected by the keeper before Baraket's attempt narrowly missed finding the back of the net.
The Pacers gained possession early in the second period and quickly pushed forward.
Andre Simmond took a corner kick at the 47:22 mark and delivered a strike to
Chris Perez, who blasted the ball home for the 2-1 edge.
After a red card, USC Aiken was forced to play down a student-athlete. The Wolves managed to knot the score with five minutes left in regulation.
Both teams had chances in each overtime period, but neither squad could connect.
For the match, USC Aiken held an 18-15 advantage in shots, including an 8-7 edge on goal.
Chase Boulton had two stops in the first 45:00 while
Leonardo Targia accounted for three saves over the final 65 minutes of action.
The Pacers return to action Saturday night when they host Palm Beach Atlantic. The match is slated to start at 7 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at PacerSports.com.