WEST CHESTER, Pa.- Cannon Dalton (Dallas, TX./Lake-Highlands) and Maksym Komperda (Whitehall, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) each scored goals to help lead the West Chester University men's soccer team (4-3-3) to a hard-fought 2-2 draw against No. 20 Gannon (7-1-2) on Senior Day on Rockwell Field on Saturday afternoon.

The 20^th-ranked Golden Knights entered play on Saturday as winners of five in a row, and the Golden Rams gave their guests all they could handle as the Golden Rams carried a slim 2-1 advantage into the final 20 minutes of the match on Saturday before Gannon found the equalizer in the 75^th minute.

The Golden Knights got out to an early 1-0 lead with a 19th-minute goal, but West Chester found the tying goal just a few minutes before halftime when Dalton finished a cross from Joshua Rick (Berwyn, Pa./Devon Prep) for his first collegiate goal to send the game to the break even at 1-1.

Following a halftime ceremony, which saw West Chester honor its six-player senior class, which included Ian Alicea (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Lower Moreland), Alexi Amanatidis (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./The Shipley School), Jaden Howard (Townsend, Del./Middletown), Peter Tichy (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom), Joseph Maxwell (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy), and Komperda, West Chester took the lead in the 58^th minute as Komperda scored for a goal for the second time in three games to give the Golden Rams the 2-1 lead.

Similar to his game-winner against Shepherd on Rockwell Field last Sunday, Komperda's goal came on the end of a perfectly placed cross from Luke Newman (Mission Viejo, CA./Santa Margarita Catholic), and West Chester suddenly found itself holding a 2-1 lead over the nationally-ranked Golden Knights, who were playing a man-down after a mid-first-half red card on keeper Caspar Lindner.

David Ivascu denied the upset bid in the 75^th minute when he scored off an assist from Jensen Peake, his second assist of the afternoon, to tie the match at 2-2 entering the final 15 minutes of play.

Howard impressed throughout the afternoon, making five tremendous saves, including a final stop in the 80^th minute, which allowed West Chester to hang on for the 2-2 draw.

Ivan Capurro entered in relief for Lindner in goal for Gannon and made five saves of his own in 59 minutes of action to help the Golden Knights escape Rockwell Field with a draw.

Gannon finished the match with a 16-14 lead in shots, although shots on goal were even at 7-7. West Chester did finish the match with a 7-5 lead in corners.

Up Next

West Chester will return to action on Wednesday afternoon against Millersville beginning at 3 p.m.