SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Lehigh men’s soccer team played to a 0-0 double overtime draw at Albany on Saturday night. The Mountain Hawks showed strong defensive skill as neither team could break the stalemate.

“It was a very defensive game from both teams,” said head coach Dean Koski. “It was probably our best defensive effort so far. Going 110 minutes without giving up a goal is always a positive thing. We now have to find what we need to do in order to get a goal.”

The Mountain Hawks opened the game with a shot from sophomore Dilan Casanovas Mack in the third minute that sailed high. Casanovas Mack got off Lehigh’s second shot in the 19th minute, but Albany’s goalkeeper Tim Allen saved it from going into the back of the net. No more shots were fired by either team in the first half, as the defense held strong for both sides.

Casanovas Mack fired his third shot of the game early in the second half, but Lehigh couldn’t capitalize as the shot went wide. Mountain Hawk goalkeeper Kevin Motylewski made his first save of the game in the 57th minute on a shot from Albany’s Pomare Te Anau. Less than two minutes later the Great Danes’  Kit Alexieff fired off another shot that Motylewski saved from the back of the net. A close call came in the 75th minute as Te Anau sent in a shot that bounced off the crossbar and careened out of harm’s way. Each team tallied five shots in the second half, but none came to fruition as the game was sent into overtime.

In the 91st minute Motylewski was able to save an Albany header that threatened to end the game. The Great Danes took one more shot that wasn’t on goal before the first overtime period expired.

The second overtime period saw a barrage of shots from both sides, with Albany holding the 3-2 shot advantage.  Eric Oroloio, the Great Danes’ second goalie of the day, was able to stop a shot from Lehigh junior Brian Suchoski in the 108th minute to preserve the stalemate.

The Mountain Hawk defense held strong throughout the game while limiting Albany’s chances.  Sophomore defensive midfielder Ryan Betrando, senior defender Ben Wysocki, freshman defender Justin Worley, junior defender Ali Famili and freshman defender Stefan Woort-Menker all played a full 110 minutes to help keep the Great Danes scoreless.

“Betrando was great for us defensively and had a solid game,” said Koski. “On the defensive side of the ball we did a really good job. Our back four did a great job covering us and limiting Albany’s chances.”

Motylewski finished the game with four saves, while Albany’s duo of Allen and Oroloio saved three. The Great Danes held an 11-9 shot advantage and a 6-2 corner kick advantage.

The Mountain Hawks return home on Thursday, September 12, to take on Drexel in a 7 p.m. match. Lehigh will then face Yale at home on Sunday, September 15.

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