BUCCANEER MEN PLAY MIAMI DADE TO 3-3 TIE

Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information

Two quick goals from Miami Dade College did little to dissuade the Blinn College men's soccer team Sunday.

The Buccaneers rallied to tie the match twice – including a deadlocking goal in the final three minutes of play – to earn an impressive 3-3 tie with Miami Dade at Rankin Field in Brenham, Texas.

Miami Dade is in its first season of soccer since dissolving its program in 1990, but the Sharks hit the ground running this season with two wins to open the year, including a shutout of 2023 national champion Monroe College.

"We showed real resiliency today," Blinn head coach Michael McBride said. "Down two goals early, I think a lot of teams would give up and our men didn't. I think the result was right; it was an evenly matched game."

After the Sharks jumped ahead with tallies in the 9th and 11th minutes, it took a late-half penalty conversion from sophomore midfielder Mathew Williams to get the Buccaneers (1-1-2) going.

Williams fired a bullet to the right of the Miami Dade goalkeeper and found the net to make it 2-1 in the 44th minute.

"I'm confident when it comes to taking penalty shots," said Williams. "My team backs me, my coaches back me, so stepping in to take that shot, it's a huge confidence boost when you're trying to get your team back in the game."

The teams remained separated by a goal until the 53rd minute. 

Freshman forward Joseph Afful fired a long shot from the corner toward the front post that bounced off the hands of the Shark keeper and into the goal.

Freshmen midfielders Geoff Ojango and Nawfal Hadj-Hamou assisted on the play.

Miami Dade would take the lead for a final time in the 66th minute, but the Bucs continued fighting and that determination paid off late in the match.

In the 88th minute, freshman forward Devon Arnold crossed a pass from the right corner of the box to fellow freshman forward Ethan Lindo, who tapped the ball over the keeper for the tying tally. Freshman midfielder Joe Coyle also had a hand in the score.

"I was waiting in the area and was ready to pounce on the chance when it came," Lindo explained. "The ball came across and I finished it; I just did my job. This performance shows that we can be up there with the top teams in the country. I thought we could have won today, but we'll take the point and continue working to get better."

McBride also credited his team for executing a tweak in its defensive scheme after the Sharks jumped ahead 2-0.

"We tried to stretch them out a little bit, which is not usually our go-to strategy," the coach said. "We tried to make the field big and make it a running game. We moved the ball around quicker in the midfield with fewer touches. We were relentless. Miami Dade is a very good team, and they are going to win a lot of games this year, so to go toe-to-toe with a team like that, that fills you with confidence."

The Sharks out-shot the Bucs 17-16, while Blinn

held a 10-6 edge in corner kicks. Bucs freshman keeper Connor Vela finished with nine saves.

Up next for Blinn is a match against Rise SC at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Tuesday) at Rankin Field.