Men’s Soccer Begins 2010 Season with a Draw

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The first game of the season was a thriller for the 2010 Defiance College men's soccer team. With the score knotted at 1-1 after 90 minutes of regulation play, DC and Waynesburg battled toe-to-toe for two additional overtime periods before the game was finally called a draw.

Senior midfielder, Chris Chabowski, put Defiance on the board first with a strike just inside the left goal post in the early stages of the second half. Waynesburg responded seven minutes later when a well-struck ball by Waynesburg's Erick Burke glanced off the outstretched hands of DC goalkeeper, Sean Roberts, to make it a 1-1 game.

Roberts was very impressive in his first collegiate game protecting the net for the Jackets, racking up 10 saves and making big plays for Defiance in some critical moments. With one minute remaining in the first period of overtime, a Waynesburg forward found free space behind the Yellow Jackets' defense and fired a close-range uncontested shot that appeared to be destined for the back of the net, but Roberts extended for the dramatic save to preserve the tie.

Freshman forward, Jaiden Henderson, raised some eyebrows as well in his first collegiate start with some explosive runs down the right sideline for Defiance. Henderson posted a team-high three shots in the match, with a couple that appeared to have a real chance of finding the net. DC's Kyle Johnson picked up the lone assist in the game for the Jackets with a crafty feed on Chabowski's goal.  

The Yellow Jackets will play in the Defiance College Classic Tournament finale tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., when they face off against Thiel College at Winsper-Knobel Memorial Field.