No. 4 Men's Soccer plays No. 23 Capital to 2-2 draw in battle of OAC unbeatens
By Tim Glon
BEXLEY — No. 4 Ohio Northern and No. 23 Capital battled to a 2-2 double overtime tie in a match featuring Ohio Athletic Conference men's soccer unbeatens Saturday night at Bernlohr Stadium.
The Polar Bears move to 12-0-2 overall and are 2-0-1 in OAC play, while the Crusaders move to 10-1-1, 2-0-1.
Senior Matt Kinkopf (Hamilton/Cincinnati Christian) had a goal and an assist and senior Patrick Sabol (Lancaster) had a goal for the Polar Bears.
Capital got a pair of goals from Alexander Basiakos, both of which came off headers off set plays, one off a long throw and one off a corner.
ONU had a pair of scoring chances in the first five minutes and got on the board in the 17th minute when Sabol finished a beautiful cross from Kinkopf to put the Polar Bears ahead 1-0.
CU had two scoring chances in the opening half, but junior Dean McNeil (Medina) made a great save in the ninth minute and the Crusaders hit the far post with a header with 11 minutes left in the half.
The Crusaders tied the match when Basiakos headed the ball in from short range off a long throw in with 41:39 left in the match.
Capital appeared to take a 2-1 lead in the 53rd minute, but the goal was waived off due to a CU foul.
Kinkopf put the Polar Bears back on top 2-1 when he finished a breakaway in the 63rd minute.
He beat the charging keeper to the near post after an impressive 40-yard open-field run by senior Austin Horton (Lewis Center/Olentangy) set Kinkopf up 1-on-1 with the keeper.
A header by Capital's Luke Morais off a corner in the 71st minute sailed over the cross bar to keep the match at 2-1.
But the Crusaders converted on their next cross, when Basiakos headed one in off an assist from Jacob Pulliam with 13:17 left to tie it at 2-all.
Each team had good scoring chances off free kicks in the final 12 minutes, but neither could convert.
In the first overtime, Northern had three good chances to score from distance, but just missed outside the post on all three shots.
In the second overtime, Sabol nearly had his second goal of the contest, but his shot from 10 yards out hit the near post and bounced away.
Senior Justin Libertowski (Medina) had his shot saved in the 107th minute, as did a close shot by Sabol one minute later.
"Obviously we are disappointed, but we will take the tie," ONU head coach Brent Ridenour said. "Capital is a very good team and to get a draw on the road against a team of that caliber is a good result. Both teams have good defenses and good keepers. We don't like giving up two goals, but CU is good off set pieces and scored twice on us that way."
Northern out-shot Capital 24-20.
The Polar Bears will return to action Tuesday afternoon at 4 pm when they travel to Heidelberg.