THE RUNDOWN 
The Patriot Soccer team battled Southern Nazarene to a 1-1 draw Saturday night at Wes Harmon Field. The DBU attack placed 10 shots on target and scored off the leg of Mason Wallak in a much-improved offensive performance. But a combined 15 saves from DBU goalkeeper Alexander Knepper and SNU goalie Michele Barletta left both teams stuck in an anxious stalemate. DBU now draws in back-to-back games for the first time in school history and heads home to host Northeastern State on August 31. 

While the Patriots managed just 10 shots against the Cougars' defense in Thursday's season opener, the offense rained 21 shots down upon the Crimson Storm on Saturday night. Freshman forward Gavyn Rosales led the charge with a game-high seven shots attempts, landing three of them on target. 

The game's only goals took place five minutes apart in the first half. In the 26th minute, SNU's Bruno Ferreira pinpointed a deadly cross to the foot of Nathaniel Mederos, who was streaking toward the goal line. A quick no-look strike from Mederos slid past Knepper and staked Southern Nazarene to a 1-0 lead. But the Patriots answered on a throw-in opportunity moments later. DBU rearranged the SNU defense as Christain Naizer slid a pass to Bruno Correa in the 31st minute. Correa then launched a pass to Ethan Unger, who earned an assist on a header to Mason Wallak that was rocketed into the top of the net to tie things up at 1-1.

The Patriots threw everything they had at Barletta in the second half, landing three shots on frame just three minutes apart. But the final man in the SNU defense refused to concede a game-winning goal. A marvelous diving save from Knepper in the 73rd minute ended the Crimson's Storm's last-best chance at finding the net before the match ended in a tie. 

THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 
-DBU draws in back-to-back matches for the first time in program history
-The Patriots improve to 4-0-1 all-time versus Southern Nazarene. 
-Mason Wallak scored DBU's first goal of the season. 

COACH JESS JOBE ON THE GAME 
"It was an incredible game. I thought it was very open toward the end and it was hard to know how the pieces would fit together. It was one of those games you kind of wish you were on the sidelines spectating. 

I thought both teams fought extremely hard and received big performances from their goalkeepers. Credit to SNU; they have a good team and really challenged us. But I am proud of our effort and thought we had lots of opportunities to win it. It's a cruel game sometimes, but I think we can take a lot away from this draw." 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 
5 - Wallak's goal was the fifth of his career. 
3 - Payton Franklin, Jonathan Leach, and Christian Naizer all went the full 90 minutes for DBU. 
6 - Six yellow cards were issued in a gritty battle between DBU and SNU. 

UP NEXT
The Patriots come home to battle Northeastern State on Wednesday night. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.