BULLDOGS, RAMS PLAY TO 4-4 DOUBLE-OVERTIME DRAW

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – For the second-straight contest, the Bryant University men's soccer team took its opponent to double overtime, but Monday night in the Ocean State Cup Consolation Game, neither team would be able to break the stalemate as the Bulldogs and host URI settled for a 4-4 draw.

Monday's matchup featured four ties and three lead changes as the Bulldogs (0-2-1) drew first blood less than seven minutes into the contest off a Ryan Kalan (East Norwich, N.Y.) far-post score from the top of the box.

But the Rams (0-2-1) matched the tally 20 minutes later when a shot deflected off the post and found the back of the net. The home side took over the lead, 2-1, six minutes later, the result of one of an impressive 13 URI corners on the contest.

Senior Ryan Stone (Wakefield, R.I.) reciprocated, bringing the score back to even at 2-2 off a Bryant corner in the 36th minute, a score that would hold through the halftime break.

Out of intermission, though, URI's Matt Sykes found net from the penalty spot, adding a goal to his earlier assist to put the Rams back on top, 3-2, at the 50:34 mark. But the Black and Gold once again reciprocated, as Connor Norat (Wilmington, Del.) received a penalty kick of his own less than two minutes later, making good on the opportunity for the third tie of the match.

The Bulldogs would go on to make it two goals in a nine-minute span, as rookie Brett Larocque (Ottawa, Ontario) scored off a through ball from Nicholas Alberti (Marshfield, Mass.) to take a 4-3 advantage in the 60th minute.

The visitors held the one-goal edge into the final 10 minutes of regulation, but the Rams would find the equalizer early in the 83rd when Jamie Eckmayer beat Bryant goalie Chris Knaub (Yarmouth, Maine) after a long service from Sykes to knot the score at 4-4 and force the extra frames.

In extra time, the Bulldogs outshot the Rams, 3-1, but couldn't notch the winner in either additional session. On the contest, Bryant was outshot by its host, 21-17, and saw just five corner kicks to URI's 13. Knaub made five stops in the outing, while Rhode Island keeper Adam Blanchard turned away two. Eckmayer and Larocque each fired a game-high six shots, while Sykes was the game's top point getter with a goal and two helpers.

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, when the team travels to Worcester, Mass., to take on Holy Cross at 7 p.m.