Box Score

MOUNT PLEASANT, TX – Down two goals at halftime, LSU Eunice rallied to force overtime but could not get over the hump in a 3-3 draw at Northeast Texas CC.  It was the third consecutive game that LSU Eunice (3-1-2) has been taken into extra time.
 
"While we did not get the result we want, I couldn't be happier with the effort and resiliency of the guys," LSU Eunice men's head soccer coach Josh McReynolds said.  "We easily played our best half of the season and it's certainly something we can build on going forward."
 
LSUE found itself in an early hole after surrendering a goal in the first five minutes of the game.  NTCC's Amadou Gadio corralled a loose ball on a misplayed clearance attempt to sneak past a goal in the upper near corner.
 
The Bengals answered with its own scrum in front of the goal in the 19th minute.  Axell Fuentes (Bridge City, LA, L.W. Higgins HS (LA)) knifed through the NTCC backline before finding Nicolai Small (Harbour View, Jamaica, Camperdown HS) point blank range for the goal to tie the game 1-1. 
 
The Eagles would go back in front with two goals before half including one off a penalty kick.
 
After sparing in the first twenty minutes after intermission, LSU Eunice would get back in the game thanks to set pieces.  Small would bury his second penalty kick of the season in the 60th minute followed by Adrian Franco's (Houston, TX, Andy Dekaney HS (TX)) firecracker on a 69th minute direct kick to knot things back up at 3-3.
 
"We felt our speed could be an asset in the second half as their backline played up," McReynolds said.  "Our guys did a great job of timing runs and forcing their defense to foul."
 
Things turned physical in the latter stages of the game as both teams accumulated six cards combined, including a red card for NTCC in the 84th minute to drop the Eagles to ten players.
 
In overtime, LSUE had several opportunities come up just short.
 
Sean Jeanfreau (Mandeville, LA, Mandeville HS) would come up with critical saves in the second half and overtime.   Jeanfreau's diving stop in the final minute of overtime would preserve the draw.  The sophomore would grab ten saves on the day.
 
LSU Eunice will welcome Mississippi Gulf Coast to Lafayette on Saturday.  The Bengals fell in overtime to the Bulldogs, 4-3, on September 12.  Kick-off from Moore Park is scheduled for 6:00PM.  Fans can find more LSUE news and information on social media via Twitter (@LSUEBengalsMSOC), Facebook and Instagram (@LSUEBengals) or by logging onto www.lsuebengals.net.