Box Score
BUFFALO, N.Y. – In their conference opener, the Manhattan men's soccer team played a high intensity contest against Canisius, earning a 0-0 draw in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play on Saturday night. The tie snapped a seven match losing streak for the Jaspers (0-7-1) to open the 2013 campaign.
A very back-and-forth affair saw both teams come out firing. In the first minute, Manhattan earned a corner kick with Samuel Howard sending a shot wide. Canisius (4-3-2) answered right back with a quick onslaught of their own. Will Hudson had a shot blocked in front before Alex De Carolis blasted one on net that Alex Coates McDowall was able to stop. Less than a minute later, he had another chance that was deflected by the Jasper back line.
The high octane pace continued throughout the first half with both teams having multiple chances. After Asani Samuels had one shot saved, and two more go wide, Manhattan ripped off three shots in a matter of 43 seconds. Eugene Heerschap had his chance blocked out of bounds that resulted in a corner before Daniel Festa's shot was blocked. Tommy Amos was able to settle the loose ball in the box but missed wide on his attempt.
Manhattan's first shot on net came in the 35 minute when Amos sent one towards goal but Ryan Arvin was up to the task. His counterpart was equally poised, stopping the Golden Griffins from going ahead with a save on Denver Spearman in the 44th minute.
Out of the break, Canisius looked to get an early second half goal but Spearman had another attempt saved by Coates McDowall in the 58th minute. The Jasper goalie again denied his opponent in the 62nd and 64th minute stopping shots form both Hudson and Chris Berardi.
Over the final 30 minutes of regulation, Manhattan controlled the tempo, firing shot after shot towards the Canisius net. After Amos had a shot saved out of bounds in the 64th, Daniel Laguna Kennedy had two shots blocked and sent another wide in a span of six minutes. The pressure continued as time winded down with Alex Shackley blasting an attempt high in the 78th minute before Howard was also off the mark in the 89th, sending the match into overtime.
In the first extra session, Spearman looked to end the game quickly in the 96th minute but sent his shot wide of the goal. Amos was also denied a game winner in the 98th minute as Arvin made the stop. He prevented a Manhattan score again at the start of the second overtime, denying Laguna Kennedy. The Golden Griffins would muster just one shot in the second overtime with Spearman sending one towards net in the 110th minute that Coates McDowall saved.
For the match, the Jaspers outshot their opponent 17-16, but only sent five on net. They also led in corner kicks, earning 10 to Canisius' four. Coates McDowall made a career high eight saves to post the first shutout of his collegiate career while Arvin stopped all five shots on goal to earn the draw. Spearman led all players with six shots, sending four on net, as Amos paced the Jaspers with five shots of his own and a team best four on goal.
Manhattan returns to action on Wed., Oct. 9 as they welcome Fairfield to Gaelic Park for a 7 p.m. contest.
