SMITHFIELD, R.I. – With the Bryant University men's soccer team leading, 1-0, with under 30 seconds to play, a scrappy game saw a controversial penalty kick awarded against the hosts, and LIU Brooklyn buried it to send things into overtime, where no one scored to conclude Friday's Northeast Conference opener in a 1-1 draw.

Aside from the 50 fouls, 36 being on the Bulldogs (1-8-1) and five yellow cards, four being on the hosts, Friday's match was back-and-forth and very even. The Blackbirds (6-3-2) tested freshman keeper Olivier Larente (Garches, France) early, as Giuseppe Barone got free in the box on the close right side, sent a low shot to the far post that just narrowly hit the bar, skirted along the goal line and never went in. He picked up the ball to prevent it from rolling over the line and it was clear that the rookie was ready to perform in his first collegiate game.

LIU held a slight, 5-3, edge in the shots department heading into halftime, as each team had just one on net following a physical first frame. The Bulldogs came out aggressive in the second half and were rewarded for their fast-paced play in the 54th minute. After winning back possession, senior Jake Lamar (New Haven, Conn.) sent a low cross into the box. Keeper Logan Keys was there to block the low pass, but sophomore Nathaniel Brown (Queens, N.Y.) stayed with the play and won back the ball. He lofted it to the middle of the box and found junior Thomas Binder (Vienna, Austria), who headed it into the net.

The Bulldogs had just one shot from there, as they clamped down defensively. The Blackbirds continued to press forward over the next 20 minutes and nearly found the back of the net twice in a two-minute span. Romario Guscott broke free in the middle of the field, got just inside the box and sent a right-footed shot on net, but Larente moved up from his line, slid and made a huge stop in the 75th minute.

Guscott broke free again on the left wing after a wonderful run, got into the box, but made one touch too many, as his shot from five yards out was again knocked away from sliding Larente in the 77th minute. The saves gave the Bulldogs energy and looked as if they would make it their day to knock off the defending league champs.

With just 30 seconds to play, a ball was sent into the Bryant box. The Blackbirds tried to get a shot off on the bounce with Larente moving up to punch the ball out of the zone. There was a collision and Larente was called for the foul to give LIU a penalty kick. Rasmus Hansen lined up for the attempt and he buried it to the low left post to send the game into overtime.

Though it was a demoralizing finish to regulation for Bryant, they came out strong in the extra time, sending the only two shots on net. But Keys snared both strikes from 20 yards out with ease. Both keepers had to make critical stops in the second OT, as junior Jason Norat Wilmington, Del.) shot low from just inside the box in the 106th minute. The attempt was blocked and ricocheted high to the close left wing, where freshman Zachary Valckenaere (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) was able to head the ball towards the middle of the goal. Keys leaped back and just got a hand on the ball to knock it away.

In a last minute desperation, Hansen tried to be the hero for the Blackbirds once again on a free kick with 15 seconds remaining. He struck a low and hard strike to the near post, but Larente made another key stop to preserve the hard-earned draw.

Freshman George Gill (Cork, Munster, Ireland) had three shots to lead the Bulldogs with one on net. Senior Curtis Orth (Ancaster, Ont.) had two shots on frame, and Binder's goal was his first of the season, while Brown's assist was his first. Larente made four saves in his first game.

Hansen led everyone with six shots and three on target, as he was one of seven Blackbirds to log all 110 minutes, with only 13 men seeing time. Guscott added three shots with two on net, and four others had shots in the tie. Keys matched Larente with four saves, three coming in both overtime periods.

The Bulldogs will try to build off of their strong performance despite the disappointing result given the finish to regular time, as they travel to Fairleigh Dickinson for a 6:00 p.m. match on Saturday, October 15.