Wheaton and Brandeis break even in non-conference men's soccer action

September 20, 2006

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College and Brandeis University men's soccer teams combined for four goals through the first 59:08 of play Wednesday afternoon before settling for a 2-2 double-overtime draw in non-conference action at Keefe Field. The Lyons move to 4-3-1 while the Judges are now 2-2-3.

Today's finish marked the third double-overtime game for each team, with Wheaton posting a 1-1-1 mark and Brandeis a 0-0-3 clip. The Lyons have played in a total of four overtime games thus far.

The hosts opened the scoring in the 18th minute when senior Cameron Habib (Norfolk, MA/Bridgton Academy) converted a restart from sophomore Dan Lane (Dedham, MA/Worcester Academy). Wheaton appeared to have taken a two-goal lead shortly after Habib's marker, but an offside call negated the goal and Brandeis used it to its advantage.

In the 21st minute, junior Brett Fitzgerald (Hubbardston, MA/Quabbin Regional) found open space at the top of the box and drove his shot past senior goalkeeper Matt Pachniuk (Newtown, CT/Newtown) for a 1-1 tie. The Lyons answered with the go-ahead tally in the 36th minute, as Lane passed the ball to the right of the Brandeis wall on a restart, Habib provided a short cross to the near post, and sophomore Justin Hart (Ashland, MA/Ashland) punched it in for a 2-1 lead that held until the 60th minute. Judge freshman Tyler Morrill (Newmarket, NH/Newmarket) was credited with the game-tying goal.

Classmate Billy Murphy (Springfield, MA/Suffield Academy) nearly put the game away in the first overtime, but Pachniuk came off his line to challenge the play and made a diving deflection to keep the score deadlocked. Playing with a man advantage for the final 7:51 of the second extra session due to a Wheaton red card, Brandeis was unable to convert as the Lyons managed to keep the ball on the Judge half of the field for the majority of time remaining.

Pachniuk finished with seven stops in the contest, while Brandeis freshman Tyler Bracken (North Andover, MA/Saint John's Prep) accounted for five saves. Wheaton held a 17-13 edge in shots, and the Judges had nine corner kick chances to the Lyons' three.

Wheaton returns to New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday with a rematch of last year's league tournament championship tilt, as the Blue and White travels to Cambridge for a 10:30 a.m. game against Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

SCORING: 1st 2nd OT 2OT Final
Brandeis (2-2-3) 1 1 0 0 2
Wheaton (4-3-1) 2 0 0 0 2

1st Half: WC- Cameron Habib (Dan Lane) 17:54; BU- Brett Fitzgerald (unassisted) 20:55; WC- Justin Hart (Habib, Lane) 35:19

2nd Half: BU- Tyler Morrill (unassisted) 59:08

Goalie Saves: WC- Matt Pachniuk 7; BU- Taylor Bracken 5

Shots: WC- 17; BU- 13

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