Hickory, N.C. – The Lenoir-Rhyne University Men's Soccer Team (0-0-1) found itself down three goals early in the match but rallied to tie Francis Marion (0-0-1), 3-3, Thursday evening in the 2016 season opener at the Moretz Sports – Athletic Complex.
The Bears scored a pair of goals early in the second half – at the 57:46 and 59:02 marks of the contest – to tie the contest at three and the two teams battled to a draw after 110 minutes of action.
Lenoir-Rhyne sophomore midfielder Marc Fernandez (Barcelona, SPAIN) notched a goal and an assist including the match-tying score off a pass from junior forward and all-league honoree Ismael Noumansana (Reims, FRANCE).
Lenoir-Rhyne, which held a 24-16 advantage in shots taken, also received goals from freshman forward Devi Ndrita (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) and sophomore midfielder Romain Lopez (Cannes, FRANCE).
Francis Marion built a 3-0 advantage just 25 minutes into the match capped off by a penalty kick from Harrison Smith (Hartlepool, ENGLAND) but couldn't hold the lead. The Patriots' Lee Northfield (Biggleswade, UNITED KINGDOM) opened the scoring just 2:44 into the match.
Both goalkeepers – Lenoir-Rhyne junior Zach King (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) and Francis Marion's Jonathan Mannes (Auckland, NEW ZEALAND) – tallied seven saves on the evening.
Lenoir-Rhyne hits the road for the first time this year to face Lander on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m., in Greenwood, S.C. Francis Marion hosts Mount Olive on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.
