KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The No. 17 West Virginia University men’s soccer team played to a 1-1 tie with Western Michigan in Mid-American Conference action on Saturday afternoon at the WMU Soccer Complex.

With Western Michigan holding a 1-0 after the first half, WVU drew its first corner kick of the game and it resulted in a 53rd minute goal by freshman Ryan Cain to tie the match. Senior Travis Pittman played the ball in from the left side of the pitch and Cain put the loose ball past Western Michigan keeper Sean Lewis by the far post for his second goal of the season.

"An early mistake cost us a goal, but we came back and found numerous opportunities to win it," coach Marlon LeBlanc says. "We'll take the result on the road and we are now unbeaten in our last six."

The overtime sessions featured possession in the midfield with WVU freshman Andy Bevin generating the only chance in the 97th minute. Bevin worked along the Western Michigan goal line and took a shot that Lewis was able to save.

WVU (6-2-2, 1-0-1 MAC) finished with 14 shots to Western Michigan’s (7-2-2, 0-0-1 MAC) 12, while the Broncos held the corner kick advantage at 6-5.

After controlling possession in the first 10 minutes of the match, a defensive breakdown led to Western Michigan taking a 1-0 lead. Shane Lyons notched his fourth goal of the season in the 11th minute as he got by the WVU defenders and put it between the legs of charging WVU senior keeper Pat Eavenson.

Yllson Asani nearly doubled the lead in the 22nd minute as he headed a ball that was on frame, but Eavenson was able to stop the shot.

WVU freshman Majed Osman had the first chance of the match for either team in the ninth minute as he played a volley out of mid-air just wide left of the net.

Senior Uwem Etuk nearly had the go-ahead goal in the 72nd minute as he volleyed the ball over a Bronco defender and took a shot from 10 ten yards out on the left side of the field that sailed over the crossbar.

Pittman led WVU with three shots and two shots on goal, while Jason Grant took four shots for Western Michigan. Eavenson made three saves for the Mountaineers in 110 minutes of action.

The Mountaineers return home for a three-game homestand that begins on Tuesday, Oct. 2, with a match against non-conference opponent Elon. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

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