Everything was lining up for a season-opening victory for The Master's University men's soccer team Friday afternoon in Santa Barbara.
Two first-half goals by the Mustangs produced a 2-0 lead over Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University of Arizona.
Sophomore goalie
Price Anderson had saved both shots the Eagles had taken at the Mustang goal.
However, two second-half goals by the Eagles knotted the score and the clubs settled for a 2-2, double-overtime tie on the first day of the Heritage Club Classic hosted by Westmont College.
"Disappointed in the result and squandering a two-goal lead," said TMU head coach
Jim Rickard. "The emotion of the game became difficult to deal with. Credit to Embry-Riddle for fighting hard with one man down and later a second man down."
The first Eagle goal came at the 60:42 mark when Ethan Carlson beat Anderson with a shot into the lower right corner of the net to halve the deficit.
Then, with just 7:39 left to play, Embry-Riddle's Stefano Recinos tied the game on a header.
Two scoreless overtimes ensued before the clubs walked off the field with the tie.
It overshadowed a fast start by the Mustangs, whose goals came in the first and 21
st minutes of play.
Just 41 seconds into the match, senior forward
Dylan Bielanski took a pass from freshman forward
Prince Chingancheke and put the ball past Embry-Riddle goalie Michal Serdynski for a quick 1-0 lead.
Over 20 minutes later (20:58), Chingancheke played role reversal, taking a pass from senior midfielder
Luis Garcia Sosa and one-touching it by Serdynski for his first collegiate goal and a 2-0 lead.
That advantage held up for nearly 40 minutes until Carlson struck.
Despite giving up the two second-half goals, Anderson made four saves.
The bitter taste of a lead lost can't last long for the Mustangs, who turn around to play UC Merced on Saturday at noon.
