GREENCASTLE, IND. - The Kenyon College men's soccer team fought through a physical and evenly contested conference clash on Saturday afternoon, earning a 1-1 draw against the Tigers of DePauw University at Reavis Stadium. The result moves the Owls to 5-3-7 and 1-2-3 in North Coast Athletic Conference Play.
 
Kenyon controlled the tempo early probing DePauw's defense with quick passing sequences. The Owls first attempt came in the 10th minute when junior Moustapha Gassama tested the Tiger keeper with a low strike that unfortunately didn't have enough power, allowing the Tiger keeper to calmly secure the ball.
 
DePauw broke through in the 29th minute after a chaotic sequence inside the Owls' defensive box. Following a free kick that Kenyon initially attempted to clear, the ball was kept alive through a series of headers and deflections. It eventually fell to Braden Murphy just left of the penalty spot, and he drove a low shot into the center of the net to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Engel Harrison was credited with the assist.
 
Kenyon came out of halftime with a chip on their shoulder and immediately flipped the script. Just under a minute into the second half, first-year Joey Nigro applied pressure high up the field and intercepted a DePauw pass. Nigro quickly sent the ball down the left wing to sophomore Andrew Adams, who delivered a perfectly weighted pass across the box to senior Isaac Cortez. The Houston native controlled the feed and calmly slotted his shot into the bottom-left corner to level the game at 1-1. The goal marked Cortez's third of the season, while Adams picked up his second assist.
 
From that point on, both teams battled for the go-ahead goal, but neither could break through. Kenyon maintained strong offensive pressure, earning a 5-2 advantage on corner kicks. The Owls notched 14 shots total with nine of those on target while the Tigers etched 15 shots with five on target. Cortez led the offense with three shots, all on target, followed by Gassamma and first-year Jack Commandeur, who each tallied multiple attempts.
 
Defensively, the match was physical, featuring 26 fouls and six yellow cards, five shown to Depauw and one to Kenyon. In goal, sophomore Dominic Pratt turned away four of the five shots he faced.
 
Kenyon will hit the road again on Wednesday, October 29, for another NCAC showdown, traveling to face The College of Wooster. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
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