SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Playing its second straight day, the University of Rochester men's soccer team earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Skidmore College on Sunday afternoon at Wachenheim Field.
The result moves the Yellowjackets to 1-2-2 on the season, while Skidmore now is 1-2-1 in the early stages of 2026.
URochester mustered just two shots in the first half, one by
Kyle Wong and one by
Pasquale Carusone. Carusone's chance in the 36th minute was a shot from just inside the box, but was blocked away by the Thoroughbred defense and trickled back to keeper Rowan McLear.
Skidmore got its score shortly before the halftime whistle sounded. After a Skidmore corner kick, the ball bounced around to Maxwell Keegan who chipped a shot towards the goal. UR keeper
Aidan Hartman dove to his left and stopped the ball beyond the post.
Unfortunately for the Yellowjackets, Hartman didn't completely control the ball and it squirted loose, right to the foot of Colin Goodhines who left-footed the ball into the net.
Eleven minutes into the second half, URochester knotted the game at 1-1. A cross from the left sideline was headed away by the Skidmore defense, but the ball went right to a wide open
Johnny Makula 25-yards out. Makula one-touched a low volley to himself and ripped a hard 20-yard shot to the low left corner of the goal.
Makula had another excellent opportunity in the 65th minute when a foul and yellow card occurred just outside the Skidmore penalty area. The senior forward took the free kick but his shot sailed high of the crossbar.
At the 71-minute mark, a bouncing ball in the box gave the Thoroughbreds a good look from just outside the box. Gavin Wheeler's shot was seen clearly by Hartman in the goal, with the UR graduate student keeper corralling the save.
Hartman made a pair of good saves to keep the game tied later on in the 78th minute. The first was a great read to come off the line and stop a give-and-go shot from Goodhines at the edge of the six.
On the ensuing corner kick, the ball was headed around but not cleared by the 'Jacket defense, eventually finding its way to Skidmore's Connor Mansfield for a middle of the box shot along the left wing that Hartman secured for another save.
With seven minutes left in the game, the Yellowjackets had a free kick from 35 yards that was headed out to
Daniel Steinacher and resulted in a volley shot attempt, but the senior defender's attempt went wide.
As the clock ticked under 30 seconds, Hartman made his most important save of the game when he denied Goodhines's 25-yard shot diving to his right.
Skidmore got two corner kicks in the final 15 seconds, but got no shots off, leading to the 1-1 draw.
