DES MOINES, Iowa - The Drake men's soccer team opened its 2014 campaign battling the elements as the Bulldogs fought through periods of torrential rain to garner a 2-2 double-overtime tie versus Houston Baptist on Friday (Aug. 29) at the Cownie Soccer Complex.
Drake statistically dominated the Huskies in the affair registering an 18-8 advantage in shots, but the Bulldogs were unable to convert their opportunities into a game-winning goal.
Redshirt sophomore Ben LeMay (Hugo, Minn./Saint Thomas Academy) delivered the game's initial tally in the 13th minute (12:45) converting a throw in from sophomore James Wypych (Wellington, New Zealand) to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
The skies then unleashed their fury as rain pummeled the field and in the downpour Houston Baptist netted the equalizer when Patrick Toh scored the first of his two goals on the evening at the 14:53 mark. Tobenna Uzo earned the assist on the tally.
Wypych gave the advantage back to Drake redirecting a deflection off of redshirt junior Alec Bartlett's (Overland Park, Kan./St. James Academy) shot to beat goalkeeper Kevin Suarez for his first goal of the season in the 30th minute (29:52).
The Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead into the intermission after outshooting the Huskies in the initial stanza, 7-1.
Each side recorded seven shots apiece in the second half, one of which resulted in Houston Baptist evening the score at two on Toh's goal at the 68:34 mark.
Despite edging the Huskies in shots during the overtime sessions, 4-0, the Bulldogs were not able to net the golden goal.
A game-high five-shot performance from junior Eric Williams (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) paced Drake, while Wypych and freshman Steven Enna (Overland Park, Kan./St. James Academy) each recorded three shots for the Bulldogs. Toh and Gustavo Alvarado led Houston Baptist with two shots apiece.
Suarez finished the evening with a game-high nine saves for the Huskies, while redshirt sophomore Darrin MacLeod (Waterloo, Ontario/Resurrection Catholic) directed Drake with two saves.
The Bulldogs close out their weekend homestand battling Milwaukee in a 7:00 p.m. tilt at the Cownie Soccer Complex on Sunday (Aug. 31).
