HOUGHTON, NY—In a physical matchup that included numerous opportunities for either team to put the game out of reach, the Houghton Highlanders (2-3-1) and Geneseo Knights (3-0-3) played to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday night.
 
The Knights came out the gate hard, playing a direct style and creating shots with fast, creative play up top.  Geneseo collected the first four shots of the game and had several additional chances turned away.
 
After 10 minutes of play the Highlanders collected themselves and play began to swing back and forth between the two teams.  At the half the score stood 0-0, with eight shots for the Knights, four for the Highlanders.
 
After play resumed, it didn't take long for the Highlanders to shift the pendulum their way.
 
Less than eight minutes into the second half Tyler Ashley (Landisville, PA, Hempfield) made a long run out of the back and up the right flank.  He laid the ball off and received it back, beating his defender into the box where he spotted Steven Anderson (Lyndonville, NY, Lyndonville Central) at the top of the box.  Anderson took a touch then ripped a shot less than foot over the keeper's head and into the back of the net, giving the Highlanders the lead.
 
"Steven's coming off an injury and we've kept out for the past four games," commented Coach Matthew Webb, "but I thought he played incredibly well tonight.  We may have played our best soccer when he was on the field."
 
The exhilaration of gaining the lead would be short-lived as the Knights countered less than four minutes later. 
 
Junior Mike Skrzypczyk received a pass about 30 yards out and turned to find space.  He challenged the Houghton defense to commit at the top of the box then laid the ball off to an open Matt D'Amico on the right side who buried the ball past a diving keeper into the left side netting.
 
With the score knotted at one the struggle resumed. 
 
With eight minutes remaining the Knights had a golden opportunity to gain the lead when Stanley Egbuchulam created a breakaway with the keeper.  Hustling back into the box, Houghton defender Jordan Smith (Lititz, PA, Warwick) approached from the back left and took the ball away with a sliding tackle.
 
Houghton countered, eventually finding forward Jordan Mullen (Fillmore, NY, Fillmore) at the top of the box.  Mullen beat a defender to his left then rifled a shot low and hard at the Geneseo net only to be rejected by a diving save from keeper Logan Calvey.
 
Six minutes into the first extra period the Houghton crowd would need resuscitation.  Geneseo forward Ethan Gunty beat his defender to the end line and turned toward the goal, forcing Houghton keeper Jacob Dunnett (Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Kennebecasis) to defend.  Gunty slid a pass to freshman midfielder Gavin Gleasman, who stood two yards in front of an open net.  But the ball bounced awkwardly in front of him and Gleasman lifted the ball over the net, keeping at one all.
 
Both teams pressed through the final minutes, but neither team could find the equalizer, ending the game in a draw.

Geneseo held a 17-13 advantage in shots, though Houghton placed six on goal to the Knight's four.  

Dunnett recorded three saves for the Highlanders, and coupled with junior defender Jesse Toth (Victor, NY, Victor), turned away several scoring threats as the last line of defense.
 
The Highlanders will take the field again this Saturday, September 19 at 1:00 PM when they travel to Rochester to open Empire 8 conference play against Nazareth College.