Moon Township, Pa. – The Robert Morris University men's soccer team withstood a late push from Bucknell to earn a 1-1 draw with the Bison this afternoon on the university's Homecoming weekend.
Winter Fondi made a trio of saves in the second overtime to help Robert Morris (0-6-1, 0-0-0 NEC) secure its first result of the 2017 season. The senior goalkeeper made nine saves on the afternoon, while Bayley Winkel collected his team-leading sixth goal of the campaign to open the scoring.
Winkel's goal came near the end of the first half in the 43rd minute. Jake Cooper played a long pass down the left flank to the senior midfielder, leaving him in space versus a single defender. Winkel then carried the ball to the right before ripping a shot that curled inside the far post.
The Colonials nearly made it 2-0 early in the second half with Keane McIvor testing Bucknell (2-2-1, 0-0-0 Patriot League) goalkeeper Ryan Ott, but Ott was able to punch away a strong right-footed strike. McIvor later unleashed a low curling shot in the 56th minute that just fell to the wrong side of the far post.
The Bison attack began to gain momentum with 15 minutes remaining in regulation, but a pair of last-ditch efforts by Jake Cooper and Kai Olguin kept the visitors scoreless. Cooper managed to execute a perfect tackle in the box just before a Jokubas Uznys attempt, while Olguin cleared an Ari Rosenzweig header off the line.
Bucknell scored its equalizer in the 85th minute when Matt Thorsheim found Nick King with a low cross from the right flank, allowing King to blast it past Fondi with one touch.
Fondi provided heroics in the final extra stanza, starting with a highlight reel save in the 105th minute. Stefan Krystman was able to create space in the box and struck a curler towards the left post, but the senior goalkeeper used every inch of his frame to get a hand on it.
In the 108th minute, Ben Derleth found some room and tried to poke the ball through at the near post, but Fondi reacted quickly to punch it away.
RMU had one last scoring chance with 27 seconds remaining, but Owen Pearce's strike flew over the crossbar.
McIvor led all players with seven shots on the afternoon, with three managing to make it on net.
Robert Morris is back in action on Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 7:00 p.m. when it travels to Pittsburgh.
