CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Lesley University and Emmanuel College played 110 minutes under the lights at Edward Field but still could not produce a winner as the teams split a 1-1 draw in non-conference action this evening. With the tie, the Lynx move to 2-2-1 on the year while the visiting Saints go to 1-1-2.
Lesley sophomore Harrison Sidell (Newhall, Calif.) put the hosts on the board first as he found the back of the net late in the first half. Sidell received a pass from freshman Anthony Vitta (Oceanside, N.Y.), who was charging from the right side of the box, and beat Emerson keeper Garrett Charette (West Springfield, Mass.) as he tucked a shot inside the far post to give the Lynx a 1-0 edge into the break. The goal was the first of Sidell's collegiate career while Vitta was credited with his second assist of the season.
After a flurry of chances to open the second half, the Saints finally broke through in the 70th minute of play as David Field (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) put a shot past a diving Chase Donley (Elizabethtown, Pa.) to even the score at 1-1. Field settled a pass from Cian O'Sullivan (Agawam, Mass.) from just outside the box and laced a right footed attempt inside the far post for his second tally of the year. The goal came just two minutes after the Lynx squandered three consecutive Saint corner kicks.
After finishing regulation knotted at 1-1, the Field and the Saints attacked quickly with a chance just 1:09 into extra time. The junior midfielder got behind the Lesley backline and settled a lead pass that left him alone with Donley, but Field was called offside before firing off a shot.
The Lynx answered with a chance of their own and nearly ended it in the 97th minute. Sophomore Mahmoud Chabarek (Allepo, Syria) won a one-on-one battle that gave him a breakaway opportunity, but his flicked shot sailed just wide of the far side post.
Lesley had the best opportunity to end the match in the second overtime period as Vitta and Chabarek worked a beautiful give-and-go at the top of the Emerson box, but Vitta's attempt was blocked by Charette, who was credited with two stops in the draw.
The Lynx will return to the pitch on Saturday when they hit the road for the first time in 2014 as they travel to Babson College for a 12:00p start while the Saints will wrap up a four-game road trip as they head to Rhode Island for a battle with Johnson & Wales University at 2:00p.