Northwestern Settles For 2-2 Draw With Drake

Friday, September 25

Evanston, Ill.

5:00 PM

Northwestern

3-1-3

Drake

4-3-1

Team	1	2	OT 3	OT 4	Final F
Drake	1	1	0	0	2
Northwestern	0	2	0	0	2

Northwestern Settles For 2-2 Draw With Drake

9/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Sept. 25, 2009

Box Score

EVANSTON, Ill. - Matt Eliason tallied his Big Ten-leading eighth goal of the season and Eamon O'Neill scored his first for the No. 17 Northwestern men's soccer team, but Drake got the tying score with 3:30 remaining to earn a 2-2 draw Friday evening at Lakeside Field.

The Bulldogs (4-3-1) played the final 13 minutes of regulation and the 20 minutes of overtime short-handed as Julien Edwards drew a red card at the 77:57 mark with the match tied 1-1.

The Wildcats (3-1-3) claimed their first lead of the match with just 5:31 left as O'Neill found himself alone in front of the goal following a perfect through ball from freshman Chris Ritter.

However, Drake had an answer despite being down a man and with time on NU's side. Garrett Webb, who is on the Hermann Trophy Watch List, got free just inside the top of the box and found the back of the net to tie the game.

Eliason would post a shot on goal in the first overtime period, but either team was able to notch the winning tally.

Drake got on the board first at 27:11 as Matt Kuhn scored off an assist from Webb. The Bulldogs would carry the 1-0 advantage into the half as the guests held a 7-5 advantage in shots.

Northwestern used the intermission as a chance to regroup, though. It took the Wildcats just 15 seconds to knot the score as Eliason got free at the top of the box and ripped a blast past Michael Drozd. The junior forward entered the match ranked second in the nation in goals scored behind only Andrew Bulls of UMBC (9).

NU caught a big break when Edwards was assessed a red card with 12 minutes to go and the Wildcats would eventually cash in on O'Neill's goal. But Drake would have the answer as Webb scored his fourth of the season.

The hosts had a pair of near-misses in the final minute of regulation as Drew Pavlovich's header was saved by Drozd. Northwestern earned an ensuing corner kick but Oliver Kupe's header went just wide.

The Wildcats finished with a 15-13 advantage in shots. Drew Kotler made three first-half saves, while Jonathan Harris stopped two shots through overtime and the two extra periods.

Northwestern returns to action at 1 p.m. Sunday as it hosts SIU Edwardsville.