BUENA VISTA, Va. - Still in search of their first win of the young season, the Southern Virginia University men's soccer team peppered their opposition with shots, ultimately settling for a tie with Eastern Mennonite, 2-2

The Knights' resilience was quickly put to the test after the Royals tallied the game's first goal just seven minutes after the opening kick off.

Despite the deficit, Southern Virginia managed to generate a response in the waning moments of the first half.

From his own side of the field, Jackson Gorringe launched a ball toward the Eastern Mennonite cage. Unwilling to give up on the play, forward Alex Qian muscled his way past a defender and poked the ball past the keeper to level the score.

For Qian, it's the freshman's first collegiate goal and came at a crucial moment for the Knights.

Despite taking momentum into the halftime break, the Royals snatched it right back with a goal four minutes into the second.

With the pressure building, the Knights flooded Eastern Mennonite to the tune of 19 shots in the second half. Eight different players registered multiple shots in the effort.

Similar to Southern Virginia's first goal, they lofted a pass into the box where freshman sensation Tate Hickman was waiting. Before he could get a handle on the ball, Hickman was knocked down by the keeper, resulting in a penalty.

On the ensuing play, Hickman's low shot found the left side of the net to tie the game and provide him with a fourth goal in five games to open the year.

Despite opportunities on both ends, neither team could break the deadlock which resulted in a tie, 2-2.

Looking Ahead

Adding to perhaps the program's most challenging schedule in years, the Knights will travel to Gettysburg College for their next matchup. Kickoff is slated for Saturday, September 13th at 3:00 PM. 

For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knightmsoccer on Instagram.