AMHERST, N.Y. — Salem University battled Daemen University to a 1-1 draw Saturday afternoon at Royal Park, with the Tigers overcoming a first-half deficit to earn a point on the road.
Daemen opened the scoring in the 25th minute when Karim Salome found the back of the net, giving the hosts a 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.
Salem responded early in the second half. In the 54th minute, Josue Villegas leveled the match with his first goal of the contest, finishing off a Salem attack assisted by Copper West and Nicolas Del Gaudio.
The Tigers continued to pressure the Daemen defense throughout the second half, finishing the match with nine shots after recording just three in the opening period. West and Abdul Kabbany each put shots on goal late in the match, but Daemen goalkeeper Cristopher Vasquez made the saves to keep the score level.
Salem goalkeeper Gregory Lynch turned in a strong performance in goal, making seven saves on eight Daemen shots on target. The Tigers also held a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Salem finished the match with 12 total shots, including four on goal, while Daemen recorded 15 shots and eight shots on target.
The match became increasingly physical late, with several yellow cards issued to both teams. Villegas was sent off with a red card in the 85th minute, leaving Salem to play the final minutes a player down. The Tigers' defense held firm, however, preserving the 1-1 result.
