CLEVELAND, OH – University of Rochester men's soccer earned a result in its first match of conference play, battling the Case Western Reserve University Spartans to a 1-1 draw on Saturday at DiSanto Field.
 
The first half of play saw 10 shots, just three of which were on goal, all by the Spartans. Milos Bisenic saw his 7th-minute attempt of a free kick blocked and turn into a Rochester corner. But Bradley Winter knocked Bisenic's corner attempt away, and CWRU would take things the other way.
 
Stephen Vilardo and Pasquale Carusone each sent shots wide of the mark over the next 10 minutes, before Ben Ziegler was called upon to make his first save.  
 
Vilardo attempted a shot from a little over 16-yards out in the 20th minute, but Ziegler corralled the save, and Johnny Makula sent another shot wide when the Yellowjackets took things the other way.
 
Ziegler made another stop, this one a diving attempt in the 28th minute on a shot from the top of the box off the foot of Micah Rossen, as the Spartans upped the pressure over the final 15 minutes of the first half.
 
Ben Collier sent his 34th-minute volley wide of the mark, while after CWRU defended another UR corner, the Spartans were called for an offside penalty on the other end on a long throw-in.
 
Then, on another long throw-in just past the 40-minute mark, Mikey Burke came up with a team save, keeping the Spartans from taking the lead. Ziegler knocked away the throw-in from Vlastaris, but Raj Chrite sent the ball back towards the net. Burke, however, kept Chrite from scoring with a tremendous header, ceding a corner but keeping the Spartans from scoring.
 
On the corner, Ashton McNalley flipped a shot wide, and the two sides would go to the locker room scoreless through 45 minutes of play.
 
CWRU would get back on the offensive quickly, though, forcing another Ziegler save on a shot from Vlastaris in the 48th minute, while Makula got URochester's first shot on goal just shot of the 63rd-minute mark.
 
Off another Bisenic free kick, CWRU wasn't able to clear, and Makula bounced a shot at Winter that the senior saved.
 
Just past the 66th minute, though, Rochester would break through, taking advantage of a Spartan turnover right in front of goal. After a CWRU couldn't corral a back pass, Kamal Ibrahim found himself with a golden opportunity to score. And the graduate student didn't miss, taking one dribble before burying his left-footed shot into the left corner of the net.
 
Just minutes later, though, on a free kick from 18-yards out, the Spartans would find the equalizer. Mitchell Fein sent in the free kick, and Rossen beat the URochester defense to it, scoring with his right foot to tie the score at one-all.
 
And while Rochester would hold the Spartans without a shot the rest of the way, the 'Jackets couldn't find the go-ahead score. Ibrahim's 74th-minute attempt slid just wide, while Winter saved Will Fallona's header in the 77th minute off a long throw-in from Carusone.
 
Then, over the course of three minutes, Rochester earned a trio of corners, but Bisenic's lone attempt was blocked, and CWRU was able to clear things away before the horn eventually sounded, with Case Western Reserve and Rochester still deadlocked at one goal apiece.
 
With the tie, Rochester moves to 6-2-3 (0-0-1 UAA) on the year, while CWRU now stands at 6-1-4 (0-0-1 UAA).
 
Four different Yellowjackets notched two shots, led by Ibrahim, who put one of his two into the back of the net. In goal, Ziegler faced five shots and made three saves, with Burke coming up with the other.
 
The Yellowjackets return to Fauver Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 8, to wrap up non-conference play with a crosstown matchup against RIT at 7:00 p.m.