ALPINE, Texas – For the first time this season, McMurry Men's Soccer went the distance, settling for a 1-1 draw against Sul Ross State in Alpine, Texas on Thursday afternoon.
The game nearly escaped the War Hawks as the team trailed 1-0 in the final moments, but a goal by sophomore Andres Martinez with 1:41 remaining tied the game in dramatic fashion. A cross from the right side by senior Miguel Esteban Jr. set up the flick directly at the net.
The tying goal was Martinez's fourth of the season, while Esteban Jr. picked up his first assist of the season to join his team-leading eight goals
Neither team could break through in overtime despite opportunities for both sides. Sul Ross put a pair of back-to-back shots on net in the first overtime, but two saves by freshman keeper Mark Pelaez kept McMurry alive for the result.
With the draw, McMurry moves to 5-7-1 overall and 2-4-1 in American Southwest Conference play. With seven points, the War Hawks remain ahead of Sul Ross (3-6-3, 1-3-3 ASC) by one point in the standings.
Each team placed six shots on frame for the contest, despite a 17-9 shot advantage for the Lobos. Each team had three corner kicks in a fairly even matchup.
Senior Javi Mejia had four shots on the day with two on target, while five other War Hawks each attempted a shot. Pelaez and Sul Ross keeper Frank Rodriguez each had five saves with one goal allowed.
McMurry will look to get in the win column on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Howard Payne. Kickoff from Brownwood is set for 3:30 p.m.
