WATERBURY, Conn. –  Another year, another come-from-behind match for #13 Post University Men's Soccer against #23 Wilmington University on Saturday afternoon at LaMoy Field. After trailing 1-0 at the end of the first half, a game-tying goal by freshman defender Pedro Vercosa in the 61st minute gave the Eagles their third tie of the season against a nationally ranked opponent and pushed their unbeaten start to nine matches in the 1-1 tie.

THE BASICS

#13 Post University 1, #23 Wilmington University 1

#13 Post University (4-0-5, 3-0-2 CACC)

#23 Wilmington University (6-1-4, 1-1-3 CACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Dominating on the offensive side of the ball, the Wildcats generated nine total shots against the Eagles, forcing junior goalkeeper Leopold Dufaut to make four saves on five total shots on goal. The one shot that would find its way by Dufaut came in the 16th minute from senior midfielder Shuntaro Morimoto, in a chippy half that saw 18 combined fouls.

Morimoto's header inside the box would come from sophomore defender Mylan Le Baut's pass to sophomore forward Michiharu Takanashi, who crossed the ball into the box for the senior to get it past Dufaut for the lone goal of the first half to give Wilmington a 1-0 lead. In comparison, Post's offense had just three shots, one of which would reach freshman goalkeeper Emil Lollike in the net, while having two corner kicks to only one for the Wildcats.

Moments before the equalizer, senior midfielder Lukas Glade nearly had the tying goal in the 54th minute when a cross pass by senior forward Matheau Milagres went off the crossbar and out of harm's way for a goal kick. However, in the 61st minute, Vercosa would rocket home a no-doubter on a corner kick from graduate midfielder Sami Charaf Amal, tying the match up at one with 29 minutes.

Following that goal from Vercosa, only three shots would reach Dufaut, who made the save in the 79th minute against freshman midfielder Jacques Mason and another by graduate forward Theo Faillon in the 87th minute near the goal mouth. Just before that 87th-minute chance for the Wildcats, a free kick from Charaf Amal, following a stoppage due to a second ball entering the field of play, was deflected away by Lollike and graduate defender Iago Rodriguez's follow-up attempt lofted over the net.

The final attempt to break the 1-1 tie would come with just seven seconds remaining on a Faillon free kick outside the box, which Dufaut punched out of play as time expired before the Wildcats could get set up for a corner kick. In all for the match, nine total yellow cards were issued, with seven of those going to Wilmington, who had 23 fouls to only seven fouls for Post, for a combined 30 fouls in the 1-1 tie.

BY THE NUMBERS

• With five ties this season, this is the fifth time in program history that Post University has had at least five ties in a single season — The program record for the Eagles is six ties during the 2023 season.
• Against nationally ranked opponents this season, Post University is now 1-0-3 on the season, with the lone win coming against Felician University, which was 22nd in the nation when they played each other back on September 24th
• Unbeaten through nine games to start the season, this is the best start Post University has had since 2011, when they were unbeaten through nine matches
• Post University's unbeaten streak has been extended to 12 consecutive games dating back to the start of the NCAA Tournament last fall

WHO'S NEXT
With another week off between matches, Post University will have to wait until next Saturday to return to LaMoy Field when it takes on Goldey-Beacom College during Homecoming Weekend at 6:30 PM. The Eagles are unbeaten in their last six matchups with the Lightning since the 2019 season, including a 2-0 win last year on the road.