Princeton University
Cornell
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Lynch Makes a Career-High Seven Saves as Men's Soccer Ties Cornell, 1-1
November 01, 2009 | Men's Soccer
PRINCETON, N.J. (10/31/09) - It was a battle of the goalkeepers at Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium, as the Princeton men's soccer team played to a 1-1 double overtime draw with Cornell on Saturday, Oct. 31.
Junior Sean Lynch made a career-high seven saves for the Tigers, who received an additional save from defender Benjamin Burton. Cornell's Rick Pflasterer finished the game with 10 stops.
Princeton outshot Cornell, 24-13 in the game including an 8-3 differential in the first half when the Tigers took the lead.
Sophomore Antoine Hoppenot put Princeton on the scoreboard in the 40th minute with his sixth goal of the season. Junior Josh Walburn took a set piece from the top of the 18-yard box that went around the four-man wall and was saved by Pflasterer. Freshman Lester Nare broke the ball free and Hoppenot finished it with a short chip into the near corner.Just five minutes into the second frame, Walburn nearly made it a 2-0 game when he blasted a shot after the ball had pinballed around out front, but the ball skimmed the far post and went out for a goal kick.
Cornell started to pick up its offense in the second half, as each team had nine shots apiece. The Big Red had back-to-back chances 10 minutes into the half but Lynch was there to make two saves.
Matt Bouraee tied the game in the 68th minute when he and teammate Brett Sumpio had a two-on-one up the near flank. Lynch stayed to the right side in case Bouraee passed the ball back off to Sumpio who was closer to the touchline but Bouraee sent the ball across the box and in on the far side.
A trio of Tigers gave Princeton an opportunity to regain the lead in the 70th minute. Freshman Matt Sanner, sophomore Colby Hahn and junior Tim Sedwitz settled in in front of the net and sent two shots in on the goal as two defenders also stood snug on the goal line. The final shot by Sedwitz was saved and held on to by Pflasterer for a goal kick.
Two minutes later Cornell's Bouraee lofted a shot from 22 yards out that was saved by Lynch and then trailed just wide of the opposite post. J.J. Bain nearly repeated the play when he had a long set piece sail in on goal with Lynch making the stop.
Burton had an opportunity with 10 minutes to play in regulation with a header that went wide after a long throw in by freshman defender Mark Linnville. Hoppenot had another go of it after a Cornell turnover in the Princeton's attacking third but Pflasterer came out into the 18-yard box to make the stop.
With five minutes to play, Burton made the team save when Sumpio had a one-on-one chance. Lynch came off the line to stop the shot, which he slowed down but didn't collect, as it made its way towards the net before being belted away by Burton.
One minute later, Hoppenot picked up a great pass from sophomore Manny Sardinha but his shot went right to the goalie and back out into play to send the game into overtime.
The Tigers had a 3-0 shot advantage in the first overtime but all three went high. In the second overtime, Princeton had a 4-1 shot advantage and two excellent chances to put away the winner. Nare had a header in the 100th minute that was saved by the leaping Pflasterer and Sanner had a 25-yard rocket nail the post in the 102nd minute.
The Tigers are now 7-5-3 overall and 2-2-1 in the Ivy League, while the Big Red move to 5-4-5 overall and 0-2-3 in the league.
Princeton will travel to Penn on Saturday, Nov. 7 for a 7:30 p.m., game.