GOSHEN, Ind. – In a tale of two halves, the Goshen men's soccer team ended the season opener with a draw against Lourdes during Orientation Week. The Maple Leafs tied the Gray Wolves 1-1.
 
The visitors controlled the first half. Lourdes outshot Goshen 10-2 in the first half and scored the game's first goal in the 32^nd minute off the foot of Anthony Samuel. The Maple Leafs regrouped at the half and came back with a vengeance.
 
In the second half, Goshen had three times as many shots as Lourdes, 9-3. They capitalized on their chances after a free kick was awarded to Lourdes. Goshen's Ryan Almeida controlled the ball for Goshen inside their 18 and boomed a kick the other way in the direction of Mathurin Allawai. The ball bounced over the Gray Wolves' defender, and Allawai chipped it over the keeper to tie the game at one. A transfer from William Penn University, this was Allawai's first goal as a Maple Leaf.
 
Despite some more chances, the game ended in a draw. With a 2022 rule change, overtime is no longer played if a regular-season match is tied after 90 minutes and the match stands as a tie. Lourdes came out on top last season 2-1.
 
The Leafs return to the GC Soccer Complex on Saturday, August 27, as they host Michigan-Dearborn at 7:00 pm.