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ERIE, Pa. – Urbana men's soccer opened the 2019 season with a 2-2 draw on the road against Mercyhurst in a key Atlantic Region matchup. It was the first meeting between the two clubs since squaring off in the NCAA tournament three years ago.
Newcomer Hass Gorji put Urbana ahead 2-1 right before halftime for the first goal of the season. Gorji tapped a quick touch to beat the keeper in a one-on-one race while avoiding a collision in the box. Another newcomer Luke Nicholls delivered the assist on a bouncing through ball.
UU (0-0-1) grabbed the first lead on a Mercyhurst own-goal, but MU's Ian Harris tied the game with a goal in the 35th minute.
After going into the break knotted at 2-2, the Lakers pressured the Blue Knights for the majority of the second half and came up with the equalizer in the 83rd minute. MU's Mario Castel tucked a direct free kick into the upper left 90 to force extra time.
Both teams clamped down on defense in the first overtime which featured no shots by either squad. Then, UU built late momentum, outshooting the hosts 3-1 in shots on goal in the second 10-minute period, but UU couldn't find the game winner.
Senior Jasminko Dizdarevic led with two shots on frame while the Blue Knights recorded seven total. Junior goalkeeper Jakob Henriksen had four saves in 110 minutes.
Castel and Henri Tophoven led Mercyhurst (0-0-1) with two shots on goal, each. The Lakers produced a combined total of seven shots on goal. MU also outpaced UU 9-0 in corner kicks.
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UU will host Gannon for Saturday's home opener at UU Stadium which features the fourth straight meeting between the Blue Knights and Golden Knights. UU holds a 2-1 record over Gannon during the past three years, including a 3-2 OT win in Urbana on Sept. 6, 2017. The regional matchup is slated for a 3 p.m. (ET) start time.
