Box Score

POTSDAM, NY (October 225, 2009) – In a crucial Liberty League matchup, the Vassar College men's soccer team rebounded from a 2-0 halftime deficit to play to a 2-2 double overtime tie with Clarkson University at the Hantz Turf Field on Sunday, keeping a playoff berth in sight.

With the tie, the Brewers are now 9-5-1, 3-2-1 in the league and claim sole possession of the fourth and final playoff spot in the Liberty League but sit just one point above fifth place Union College. All eight league teams will be playing their final league games next Saturday, October 31 as Vassar will host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at 1:00 p.m. A Vassar win or a Union loss will cement Vassar's playoff spot. The Golden Knights moved to 5-7-3 overall and 0-4-2 in Liberty League play. Clarkson closes out the regular season next Saturday when it hosts St. Lawrence University.

After the Golden Knights jumped out to a 2-0 halftime lead, the Brewers responded with two tallies of their own in the second period. Vassar finally got on the scoreboard midway through the second half when a hard shot by sophomore Eli London was saved by Clarkson keeper Adam Lamoureux, but the rebound came out to freshman Bryan English, who kicked to the top of the net for a goal at 63:44. It wasEnglish's third goal of the season.

While it took some time for Vassar to score its first, the Brewers tied the score less than two minutes later. The two teams volleyed the ball back and forth inside the penalty area on several headers when it finally found the head of senior Alex Freund, who was able to tick it past Lamoureux at 65:30, for his second goal of the season.

In the first half, the Golden Knights came out playing with some pace after a hard-fought tie against Rensselaer on Saturday, and that level of intensity produced a goal in short order. After a switch of the field, Scott Desmond sent a pass from midfield close to the corner, finding Elliott Carter. Carter then was able to center the ball into the penalty area, finding sophomore David Maiorino. Maiorino was able to settle the ball and shot it into the upper corner from about 15 yards out for his first career goal.

Vassar had several chances on the Clarkson goal, thanks to some strong throw-ins from freshman Zander Mrlik, but the headers that the Brewers took were either too soft or misdirected.

Clarkson picked up a second goal late in the first half after a foul was committed on Matias Pena just inside the Vassar defensive zone. Sophomore Nate Hazen took the direct kick from more than 30 yards out and hit a laser shot into the top corner for his fourth goal of the season with just over a minute to go in the first period.

After the game remained scoreless for the rest of regulation, neither team could put together many offensive chances in the overtime periods, as the game finished locked up 2-2.

Vassar out shot Clarkson 22-14 and held a 6-4 edge in corner kicks. Lamoureux made eight saves and Jake London stopped eight shots for Vassar.