The No. 2 ranked Emory University men's soccer team played to a 1-1 result Sunday afternoon as the Eagles opened University Athletic Association play at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
In the hard-fought defensive battle, the Eagles outshot the Tartans 10-5 and mustered five shots on goals compared to CMU's two in the draw. Graduate student Ignacio Cubeddu led Emory with five attempts, including three on frame, but was held scoreless for the first time in six games.
Junior Lorenzo Avalos put the Eagles on the scoreboard first as he netted the go-ahead score at the 17-minute mark. Avalos made a defender miss as he dribbled around him on the left side before firing a low-ranging shot to the far post for his third tally of the year.
Emory ended the first half with a 7-2 edge in total shots but held only the 1-0 lead.
In the second half, Carnegie Mellon found the equalizer in the early goings as Idan Garten placed a header into the back of the net following a corner kick to level the score in the 51st minute.
Graduate student Jack Burgess had Emory's lone opportunity on frame in the second half with a chance in the 62nd minute but keeper Kai Yamamoto picked up one of his four saves of the afternoon.
The Tartans nearly pulled off a late-minute upset with a header in the 85th minute but junior Geoffrey Halpern collected his lone save of the day with the diving stop to preserve the 1-1 draw.
The Eagles (10-0-1) will continue UAA play on the road next weekend as Emory travels to Waltham, MA to face No. 12 Brandeis at 11:00 AM on October 11.
