Box Score AUSTIN , Texas -The #14 St. Edward's men's soccer team showed its mettle Friday afternoon by taking St. Mary's to a 1-1 draw, while playing two men short. The Hilltoppers picked up two red cards but were able to pull out of a 1-0 hole and tie the Rattlers in a match that was marred by numerous penalties and cards.
St. Edward's (13-4-1, 7-1-1 HC) had the first scoring opportunity in the 18 thminute when sophomore Glen Marshall received a deflected ball 10 yards out from goal, but his shot went straight to Rattler goalkeeper Brett Collier for the save.
In the 32 ndminute St. Edward's junior Ezual Lewis was whistled for a yellow card and then was sent off with a red card for dissent. The Hilltoppers would have to play the rest of the match a man down.
St. Mary's (5-11-1, 2-7-1 HC) quickly attacked the Hilltopper zone putting a shot on goal in the 33 rdminute, which beat St. Edward's keeper Matt Moore, but junior Brandin Parras was there to make the save with a header.
In the 76 thminute, the Hilltoppers received another red card. This time by junior Kevin Brolan and he was sent off and put St. Edward's down two men.
The Rattlers quickly attacked and made St. Edward's pay in the 82 minute. Adam Villanueva chipped a shot over Moore from 15 yard out to put St. Mary's ahead, 1-0.
The Hilltoppers were not going down without a fight and in the 86 thminute they received a penalty kick as Parras was taken down from behind in the box. Junior Kevin Klaus calmly stepped up and drilled it past Collier to knot the score.
In the 92 ndminute of the first overtime, sophomore Sean Meller dribbled all the way from midfield and ripped a shot on goal that Collier barely saved. The Rattlers got two consecutive chances by Joseph Diaz, but Moore was there to turn away one, and the other shot just missed wide right.
In the second overtime, the Hilltopper defense came up huge once again. St. Mary's Leonel Nunez had a shot goal with Moore off of his line, but junior Beau Grantier was there to turn the shot away and preserve the tie for the Hilltoppers.
St. Edward's outshot St. Mary's, 16-13, with both teams putting seven shots on goal. In what turned into an actual "football" game, the Rattlers were whistled for 39 fouls, nine yellow cards and one red card, while the Hilltoppers collected 15 fouls, three yellow cards, and two red cards.
St. Edward's is still in first place in the Heartland Conference by one half game over Incarnate Word. A win on Sunday versus Texas A&M-International would give the Hilltoppers their first conference championship since 2000.
St. Edward's will be back in action Sunday when they take on Heartland Conference rival TAMU-International. Kick-off is set for 2 p.m. at the SEU Soccer Field. The day has been deemed "Senior Day", and the Hilltoppers will say goodbye to five seniors.
