Late goal helps Panthers to a draw with Hope International

ORANGE, Calif. – A late goal in regulation was enough to give the Chapman University men's soccer team a 1-1 tie with visiting Hope International University at Wilson Field on Wednesday night. The Panthers scored their only goal of the game with just four and a half minutes remaining in regulation to run their home record to 4-1-1 this season.

Junior MF Brent Hellesen scored the game-tying goal at 85:32, finding the back of the net after a header pass from junior F Mauricio Alfonso. The play was actually set up two plays before when sophomore F Nick Echeverry connected with sophomore MF Devon Schmidt with a leading pass along the right side. Schmidt's chip shot on goal hit the crossbar and Alfonso was there to redirect the rebound to Hellesen.

The goal was Hellesen's second of the season. Alfonso leads the Panthers, earning his fourth assist of the year and he has 16 total points.

Chapman (6-3-1) applied most of the offensive pressure in the second half and throughout two overtime frames, out-shooting Hope International 13-8 in the final 70 minutes, including a couple of shots that hit the crossbar.

Hope International's snapped a scoreless tie early in the first half on an unassisted goal from F Matthew Howard in the 48th minute to give the Royals a 1-0 advantage.

The Panthers' defense held Hope International (3-2-1) at bay for the remainder of the game, limiting the Royals to just one shot on goal after they had taken the lead. Chapman freshman GK Devin Foy made three saves in goal to earn the tie.

Royals' GK Jhovan Hernandez earned five saves.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/msoc/2011-12/box_scores/20110928_ayj9.xml