Eureka Comes Back, Draws with Ripon, 2-2

EUREKA – The Eureka men's soccer team erased a two-goal deficit in the second half and earned a 2-2 draw against Ripon at McKinzie Field on Saturday.

Freshman Owen Peich (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) netted his second goal of the season on a penalty kick to the left side after getting fouled in the box in the 73rd minute. Less than 3 1/2 minutes later, the Red Devils notched the equalizer.

It happened after Khalil Alleyne (Diego Martin, Trinidad/Fatima College/Lincoln) dropped a ball back to Jacob Russow (Streator, Ill./Streator/Lincoln), who took a touch and chipped it into the middle of the 6-yard box. Eli Guyton (Carbondale, Ill./Carbondale) then attempted to get a head on it, and after a bounce, Chase Banks (Marion, Ill./Marion) crashed in and punched it into the goal with the bottom of his cleats. It was his first collegiate goal.

That made it 2-2 with 14:30 to play. Despite both teams' best efforts, there weren't very many clean looks the rest of the way.

Eureka freshman goalkeeper Brecken Cady (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) made a diving save on a shot by Eli Dietzel with less than three minutes to play, and Ripon's Nick Bellisle skied one from deep with 30 seconds remaining.

Although Ripon scored two goals in the second half, Cady had a terrific showing in the net, racking up a career-high eight saves, with several coming on diving effort and many coming under pressure.

A year ago, the Red Devils traveled north to take on the Red Hawks and were handed a decisive 4-1 loss. This time around, the sides were much more evenly matched.

The visitors had the upper hand and the lion's share of the scoring opportunities in the first half.

The Red Devils, however, turned a corner in the second half and played better all-around. The home team increased the intensity, possessed significantly better and created more chances in the attacking third.

Their defense was cleaner, too, with two exceptions.

In the 60th minute, Ripon's Tim Geocaris slipped behind the Eureka back line and connected with Jacob Oppeneer on a short cross to the middle to put the Red Hawks on the board. Eight minutes later, the Red Hawks took advantage of a set-piece opportunity, making it 2-0 on a goal by Andrew Robertson on an assist by Eli Dietzel after an overhead kick to the right side by Finley Manning.

Ripon finished with 17 shots to Eureka's 11. The Red Hawks held a 5-1 advantage in shots on goal in the first half, but both teams had five in the second half.

With the result, Eureka moved to 2-1-1 on the season. The Red Devils (2-1-1) will next turn around and take on Illinois Tech (0-1-2) on road on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.