BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Salem University men's soccer battled back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 3-3 draw with West Liberty on Sunday afternoon at The Bridge.
The Hilltoppers struck early, taking a 2-0 lead behind goals from Oskar Voges (6') and Ethan Nethery (40'). Salem answered immediately before halftime, as Nicolas Del Gaudio finished a feed from Max Cavanagh in the 42nd minute to cut the deficit in half.
The Tigers carried that momentum into the second half. CJ Branch leveled the score in the 56th minute off an assist from Gabe Morales, and just over 20 minutes later Ahmad Hijaz put Salem in front 3-2 after being set up by Branch. West Liberty salvaged the draw in the 87th minute when Barney Cowan scored off an assist from E.J. Sablan.
Salem outshot West Liberty 21-8 and held a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks, but goalkeeper Shai'ya Henry kept the Hilltoppers in the match with 9 saves. For Salem, Jason Barrientos stopped four shots in net.
While the Tigers certainly hate to end their home swing with a win, they will have a chance to change things up on the road in their next contest. They are set to face off with the West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats on Wednesday, October 1st at 7:30 PM in Buckhannon, West Virginia.
