Late goal allows Rio to tie Trolls

Rio Grande Sports Information
     PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. - Harry Walsh's goal with just over eight minutes left to play allowed the University of Rio Grande to erase an early deficit and forge a 1-1 tie with Trinity Christian College, Saturday afternoon, in non-conference men's soccer action at the Schaaf Athletic Complex.
     The deadlock left the 22nd-ranked RedStorm at 1-0-1 for the season.
     The host also Trolls finished the day at 1-0-1.
     Trinity Christian grabbed a 1-0 lead with 7:43 remaining in the first half when David Hernandez scored off a touch from J.P. Quaresma.
     The advantage stood until Walsh - a senior from Letchworth Garden City, England - found the back of the net off of a feed from junior Lucas O'Donnell (Leeds, England) with 8:01 left in the contest.
     Neither team managed a shot on frame over the final eight minutes, although Rio Grande did get off a pair of shots in the final minute - an attempt by junior Phillip Mokwa (Duesseldorf, Germany) with 47 seconds remaining that was blocked and a header by freshman Nahuel Coppiz (Cordoba, Argentina) which missed high.
     The RedStorm finished with a 14-6 edge in shots overall and a 7-4 advantage in shots on goal, while also claiming seven of the 10 corner kick chances in the contest.
     Freshman Samy Hamou (Paris, France) stopped three shots in goal for Rio.
     Roberto Navarro had five saves for the Trolls.
     Rio Grande returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Grace (Ind.) College in the opening round of the RedStorm Classic at Evan E. Davis Field at 7:15 p.m.
     Cumberland (Tenn.) and Bethel (Ind.) will square off in the 5 p.m. opener. Cumberland was ranked the equivalent of 28th in the NAIA preseason Top 25, while Bethel checked in at No. 11.