ALBANY, N.Y. - The Bard College men's soccer team rallied from a 2-0 deficit to earn a draw at Sage on Wednesday, remaining unbeaten at 3-0-2 with a 2-2 result.
This is the first time in the history of the program that Bard is undefeated through its first five games.
The Raptors got down early, battled back to tie, then had to really keep their heads as the contest grew more and more physical. There were 37 fouls in the game - 24 by the hosts.
Sage, the preseason pick to defend its Skyline Conference championship this fall, went up 2-0 with a pair of goals less than five minutes apart just after the midway point of the first half. River Seybolt (Selden, NY) scored on a penalty kick after a foul in the box, and Sarpong Adjei (Bronx, NY) made it 2-0 after he collected a shot that was blocked by a Bard defender and put the rebound away.
But in the 32nd minute, Bard has an opportunity to stay in this one. A takedown in the box gave
Austin Higgins a PK, and he blasted it to make it 2-1. It stayed that way at halftime, when shots were 10-9 in favor of Sage and corners were 4-1 in favor of Bard.
For the second straight game, Bard came out strong early in the second half, and it produced an opportunity for a set piece that paid off in the 48th minute. On a direct kick from the right side of the box,
John Flynn hit a long cross to the far post about six yards off the line, and Higgins was above everyone for the header that tied the game, 2-2.
The game tightened up and become considerably more chippy at the point. Shots in the second half were 7-5 in favor of Sage; Bard had two shots in the first overtime; Sage has two shots in the second overtime. Bard's best opportunity to win it came in the 96th minute, when
Jake Cicero pushed one just wide.
The Gators did produce a couple of chances, especially in the last eight minutes or so of regulation time, but keeper
Taylor Bond was in the right place at the right time and held them at bay. Bond made four saves; Caelan Kohut (Ancram, NY) made eight saves for Sage.
Up next for a Bard is a non-league game at York College on Saturday morning at 11.
