The men’s soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to five games Saturday at Georgia State after playing the Panthers to a 2-2 tie in two overtimes.
A goal off the back of junior midfielder Lars Okland in the 65th minute gave the Huskies their second goal of the afternoon and evened the score at two. The team had been down 2-1 since the 38th minute when Georgia State forward Dathan Knott scored a go-ahead goal for the Panthers.
Okland was credited with the score when GSU defender Spenser Sumpter deflected a ball off Okland’s back. The ball proceeded in the direction of the goal, barely crossing the line and giving the Huskies the tying score. It was Okland’s second career goal and first of the season.
Junior defenseman and captain Brendan Ennis said the team felt pleased to come away with points from the tie, but that it was also probably a winnable game for the Huskies.
“It was a real up and down game,” he said. “We didn’t come out too aggressive. We probably would’ve liked to have come away with the win.”
The Huskies recorded the first score of the game thanks to senior forward Lewis Ehrlich’s team-leading fourth goal of the season in the sixth minute of play. Ehrlich took a pass from junior midfielder Alexander Volk and managed to send the ball into the back of the net past Panther goalie Fillipe Carvalho.
Georgia State defenseman Francesco Barbera gave the Panthers the equalizer in the 27th minute before Knott later gave them the lead and Okland tied it.
Northeastern was outshot 17-8 during the contest, though only 9-6 in terms of shots on goal. Ennis said he felt that despite having less overall chances than Georgia State, the Huskies had generated more quality opportunities.
“Overall I think we might have played better,” he said. “Our opportunities were much better.”
Junior goalkeeper Scott Partridge’s shutout streak ended at four with the two goals allowed in the match. Partridge made seven saves in the game after being named Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Co-player of the Week for the week of Sept. 28, bringing his save total for the season to 40.
With four ties in just nine matches, Northeastern has already matched its second-highest tie total for a season with the 2002-04 teams, which each had four ties. The most the team has ever had was six in 2005.
The tie for the Huskies brought the team to 3-2-4 for the season, and 1-0-1 in CAA play. Their next match will come against Hofstra Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Parsons Field.
