The Canisius College men's soccer team earned a 1-1 draw against the defending MAAC champions, Quinnipiac, on a windy and wet night at the Demske Sports Complex. The Griffs are now 5-3-2 on the season and 0-1-1 against MAAC foes, while the Bobcats are 4-4-2 and 1-0-1 in league play.
“I'm very proud of how hard our team worked tonight and I don't think we could put any more effort into the game,” said Canisius head coach Dermot McGrane. “We defended very well, we possessed the ball well and we created some good scoring chances. I'm confident the wins are going to start coming.”
After a scoreless first half, which also included a 30-minute lightning delay, both schools netted early goals in the second stanza. In the 50th minute, junior Nicoló Baudo tallied his second of the season to give the Griffs the lead. Senior defender Jon Cary sent a cross into the box, where Baudo settled the ball and finished from close range.
The Canisius lead, however, would be short-lived. Just five minutes later, the Bobcats scored on their only dangerous opportunity of the night. A loose ball in the box squirted right to Machel Baker and he fired it in from 12 yards out, center box for the 1-1 game.
The Griffs controlled the game throughout but couldn't pull ahead once again. Canisius did force a pair of team saves from Quinnipiac defenders and had a good look in overtime but didn't get the shot off as the schools played to a 1-1 draw in wintery conditions.
Canisius finished the game with a 23-10 advantage in shots during the 110 minutes in addition to a 5-2 edge in corner kicks. Junior Andrew Coughlin recorded one save, while Borja Angoitia posted five stops in the draw.
The Griffs continue MAAC play with a home contest against Rider. The two conference foes are set to meet at the Demske Sports Complex with game time slated for 3 p.m.
Game Notes: There was a 30-minute lightning delay with 5:48 remaining in the first half … Canisius extended its unbeaten streak at the Demske Sports Complex to seven games, the longest run in school history … The Griffs are now 4-0-2 at home during the 2014 season … Canisius earned a point against Quinnipiac for the first time in five meetings.
