Hooksett, N.H. – The Le Moyne College men's soccer team fought to a 1-1 draw on the road against the Southern New Hampshire University Penmen on Saturday afternoon to earn a point in the Northeast-10 Conference standings.

Le Moyne goalkeeper Josh Mahr (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) recorded five saves, including a penalty kick stop at the end of the first half. The Dolphins put three shots on goal during the 90 minutes compared to six for SNHU.

Freshman forward Cameron Stuart (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley) scored his third goal of the season for the 'Phins during the tie.

With 11:30 remaining in the first half, Brett Stern took a long free kick from the right side of the field, near midfield, and sent the ball into the penalty area. The ball was headed and then fell into the middle of the box, where Le Moyne redshirt sophomore forward Noah Sperduto (Elmira, N.Y./Elmira) shielded the ball away from a defender, turned towards his left shoulder and took a shot with his right foot that flew over the crossbar and out of bounds.

In the 44^th minute of the game the Dolphins were called for a hand ball in their own 18-yard box, awarding the Penmen a penalty kick opportunity. This instance marked the third time in as many games that the Dolphins have allowed their opponent a penalty kick. In both their 1-1 draw with Mercyhurst on September 7 and their 1-0 loss to Saint Rose on September 14, Le Moyne conceded their only goal of the game via a penalty kick.

On Saturday in Hooksett, Mahr did not guess right or left as Luca Shubitidze moved towards the ball. Mahr stood in the middle of the goal frame bouncing on his toes with his knees bent until Shubitidze contacted the ball. Mahr read the kick taker perfectly, moving to his right and straightening out his body to catch the ball in front of his head.

Less than three minutes into the second half the Dolphins were awarded a free kick at midfield near the right sideline, and Benedict Klimmek (Kiel, Germany/RBZ am Schützenpark) took the kick quickly, sending a pass up the right wing in the path of Tom Henne (Hamburg, Germany/Gymnasium Buckhorn) who dribbled with pace into the Le Moyne attacking third with a SNHU defender in close pursuit.

A few yards before reaching the penalty area, Henne drove a pass with his right foot towards the far post. The ball floated perfectly in the air for Stuart, who dove headfirst towards the ball, contacted it with his forehead and placed his shot inside the near post for his third goal of the season. Stuart, in his first collegiate season, leads the Dolphins in goals and points so far in 2022.

In the 53^rd minute Ben Quigley (Perth, Scotland/Community School of Auchterarder/University of Stirling) rose high in the air to head the ball towards goal on a Le Moyne corner kick, but the senior defender's shot flew above the crossbar and out of bounds.

The Dolphins were called for another questionable handball in their own 18-yard box with 26:40 remaining in the contest, giving the Penmen another opportunity to convert from the spot. This time it was Paul Makaj who took the PK for SNHU and he put his shot into the bottom right side of the net to tie the game at 1-1.

With around 22:30 remaining in the game, Stern served a ball from the right side of the field into the SNHU penalty area. Jack Goodrich (Kelsall, England/King's School Chester) tried to head the ball on goal, but it was deflected by contesting defenders and fell to Sperduto who was standing in the left side of the penalty area at the edge of the six-yard box. Sperduto took a shot that was blocked by the body, and seemingly the arm of a SNHU defender, but a handball was not called and the ball rolled right back to Sperduto who immediately took another shot which was saved by SNHU goalkeeper Preston Neal.

The Le Moyne College men's soccer team now holds a 2-2-2 record and will be back in action on Tuesday, September 20 when they take on #3 Franklin Pierce University at home.