Men’s soccer team starts MIAA play with 1-1 tie at Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Olivet College men's soccer team began Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play with a 1-1 tie against Kalamazoo College tonight under the lights at MacKenzie Field.

• Final Score: Olivet 1, Kalamazoo 1
• Location: MacKenzie Field; Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 3-5-2 overall, 0-0-1 MIAA; Kalamazoo 3-5-4 overall, 0-0-1 MIAA

• The first half was a stalemate between the two schools. Olivet had just one shot, while the Hornets took six shots but only one was on-goal.
• The Comets had a chance to score a goal around 11 minutes into the second half when a long-distance free kick was stopped before going into the goal.
• Kalamazoo missed back-to-back goal-scoring opportunities off a corner kick after each shot was saved off the back line by an Olivet player.
• The Comets got on the scoreboard with 16:52 left in the game. Senior Cole Miller dribbled the ball into the box along the back line. He slipped the ball back to the feet of sophomore Zachary Stephan at the top corner of the six-yard box. Stephan then sent a shot into the lower netting of the goal at the far post.
• The Hornets leveled the score with 6:48 remaining on a goal by Michele Alia.
• Freshman Braden Abbott's header in the 87th minute sailed just wide of the goal.
• Kalamazoo had the final chance to score the go-ahead goal, but the shot went to the right of the goal.

• Olivet finished the game with only four shots compared to 17 for the Hornets.
• Abbott, Stephan, senior Dominik Burmeister and freshman Aidan Reynolds each tallied one shot.
• Junior Carlos Santos recorded one save while playing all 90 minutes in goal.

• Emilio Romo had a team-best five shots.
• Henry Plumstead was next with three shots.
• Goalkeeper Gavin Houtkooper played the entire game.

• The Comets welcome Albion College to the Cutler Athletic Complex Saturday for a 4:30 pm game.