OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Eastern Women's Soccer held a 2-0 lead in the 69th minute in its MAC Commonwealth matchup against Stevenson on Wednesday evening, but the host Mustangs scored a pair of late goals five minutes apart to end the match in a 2-2 draw. Marissa Struhar and Madison Rytina scored in the 77th and 82nd minute to salvage the tie for the Mustangs.
Corrine Myers put together another strong performance on Wednesday. The first-year forward from Blackwood, N.J. assisted on both of Eastern's goals, giving her eight points in her first three conference matches. In that span, Myers has three goals to go along with her two assists.
Both teams had their chances early.
Billinda Leisner gathered a loose ball in front of the box in the 19th minute, but the shot sailed high. The Mustangs answered the other way with a pair of shots from Katelyn Beall, but one was blocked and the other sailed high.
A few minutes later, the Eagles struck first. After gathering the ball by the right sideline in the 26th minute, Myers fired a great low cross to the back post to a cutting Leisner, and the junior midfielder punched the ball into the bottom right corner of the net for her first goal of the season and a 1-0 lead for Eastern. Two minutes later, senior goalkeeper
Faith Leake made a remarkable diving save on Stevenson's Katelyn Lacey to keep the Eagles ahead. Eastern took their one-goal lead into the halftime break.
As in the first half, both teams had chances early in the second half, but neither team could convert. The Mustangs had a great chance in the 64th minute as Karly Sheahan ripped a turnaround shot right on the doorstep, but Leake made her best save of the night at point blank range to keep the Eagles ahead. Leake made four saves in the match.
Four minutes later, Eastern struck again. Myers, again after settling the ball near the endline, sent another perfect cross to the left side of the box. Senior
Mia Zucker one-touched Myers' pass to the top right corner of the net, doubling the Eastern advantage. It was the 14th career goal for Zucker, and her 11th career tally on the road.
Stevenson began to press the attack after Eastern's second goal, creating relentless pressure to the Eagles' defense. The Mustangs scored their first goal in the 77th minute off a turnover at midfield. Madison Simard went on to find Struhar, who slipped past the Eastern defense and converted to cut the Mustangs lead in half.
Less than five minutes later, Stevenson recorded the tying goal off a corner kick. With the ball loose in the box, Madison Rytina took advantage of the chaos and put the ball in the bottom left corner of the net to knot it up. The Eagles had just one more chance in the final nine minute, but the shot went wide.
Eastern (5-6-2) will be back on the road Saturday for a 4:00 pm matchup at Alvernia.
