MADISON, N.J. - The Rangers outshot Manhattanville 21-9, but the Valiants scored the game-winning goal midway through overtime, handing Drew a 3-2 setback in non-conference men's soccer action Saturday afternoon in Ranger Stadium.
After trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Rangers (3-3) scored back-to-back goals in the second half to assume a 2-1 lead. Drew pulled even in the 61st minute, when junior
Ryan LaRocca delivered a beautiful throw-in pass into the box, where senior
Ian Sawicki headed it into the left side of the net for his first goal of the year.
The Blue and Green took their only lead of the match when senior
Aidan Cserhat scored in the 71st minute to put his team up 2-1. Senior
Matt Asante set up the goal with a long touch forward, and Cserhat tipped the ball around the keeper at the top of the box for his team-leading sixth goal of the season.
The Valiants (2-2-1) answered less than six minutes later, however, on a deep shot from Nico Diaz that drifted into the upper-left corner of the net. Drew managed four shots over the rest of regulation but could not find the mark, and the two sides went to overtime tied 2-2.
Senior
Tyler Kwaak and Cserhat each attempted a shot in the opening two minutes of the extra session, but neither offering was on frame. Then in the 96th minute, Michael Mezzina made a long pass down the right sideline, and Cody LaCava made two touches into the box and slanted a shot inside the left post for the game-winner.
The Rangers were in control throughout the opening half, outshooting the Valiants 10-2. But in the fifth minute, Manhattanville's Eli Pardo stepped in front of back pass from a defender to the goalie, leading to a 1-on-1 with the keeper. He slotted the ball into the right side of the net to put the visitors up 1-0.
Drew had a number of excellent scoring chances throughout the rest of the period. In the 26th minute, junior
Nate Race was denied on back-to-back shots: first from point-blank range, then on a free kick from 20 yards out.
The Rangers nearly scored again in the final minute, but junior
Cole Bosch blasted a shot off the crossbar on a Drew breakaway.
Senior
Jason Adamo finished with three saves for the Rangers while Patryk Siwiec turned aside six shots for the Valiants.
The Rangers travel to TCNJ on Wednesday for a non-conference match starting at 7:30 p.m.