SOCCER (M)

9/26/09 - Royals Efficient in Tie

Fresno, CA- Though the Royals managed just six shots on goal for the match, they made them count as three of them found the net in Saturday’s 3-3 tie at Fresno Pacific.  Freshmen Matthew Howard and Edgar Bran both had a goal and an assist to pace the Royals.

The Sunbirds (4-1-1, 0-0-1 GSAC) opened the match by pounding out nine shots in the first 25 minutes including five that forced Senior Goalkeeper Matt Fike to make a save.

Even with the Royals (5-1-3, 0-0-1 GSAC) managing just one shot in the same 25 minutes, they struck first in the 26th minute.  Bran played a free kick into the box for Howard who headed the ball in traffic into the net for his first collegiate goal and a 1-0 lead.

Eight minutes later, the Sunbirds’ Rodrigo Vianna tied the match at 1-1 off a header of his own.  As it turns out Vianna was just getting started.

Bran’s shot in the 43rd minute was the only shot by either team the remainder of the half that was on frame.

After the break, Bran gave the Royals back the lead at 2-1 in the 53rd minute after drilling a shot from 35 yards out.  The goal was his 12th of the season.

Within a span of the next 16 minutes, Vianna would tie the score and then give the Sunbirds the lead to complete his hat trick.  The equalizer came in the 63rd minute when Vianna trapped a ball on the top of the box and quickly turned and ripped a shot into the left side of the net.  Six minutes later, Vianna found the left side of the net again to the Sunbirds their first lead at 3-2.

In the 84th minute, Howard set Freshman Brady Hansen up on a breakaway up the middle and Hansen used one touch to tie the game at 3-3 and score his first collegiate goal.

Then for the second time in four days, the Royals found themselves in overtime.

Both teams combined for just one shot that missed wide in the first overtime.

In the second overtime, both teams had their chances but could not find the net.  The Sunbirds had the best chance when Devon Grousis got in behind the defense on breakaway in the 107th minute.  However, Fike charged off his line at the proper angle and forced Grousis to miss wide with his shot.  Though that effort does not count as one of Fike’s eight saves, it proved to be the game saver.

On Wednesday, the Royals return to the road, albeit a much shorter trip, to square off against Azusa Pacific with kick-off is scheduled for 3:00 pm.

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