POTSDAM, N.Y.—Sophomore midfielder Owen Santos (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) and junior forward Anderson Velasquez (Bronx, N.Y./Marble Hill) each scored as the SUNY Potsdam men's soccer team (4-1-2, 0-0-1 SUNYAC) tied 13th-ranked SUNY Cortland (4-3-2, 0-0-2) 2-2 on Wednesday evening. Bears junior goalie Lucas Schiel (Bremen, Germany/Colegio Humboldt) made seven saves in the contest.
 
Cortland outshot Potsdam in the first half, but the Bears had the better scoring opportunities. In the eighth minute, Velasquez stole the ball from a Red Dragons defender and drove toward the left post. He fired right, but freshman goalie Luke van Galen (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown) dove to his left and got a hand on the ball to keep it out of the net. In the 39th minute, sophomore forward Justin Mossey (Amity Harbor, N.Y./Kellenberg Memorial) stepped around a Cortland player and launched a rocket on goal. van Galen snagged the ball out of the air. With just over four minutes left in the half, Mossey lofted a cross toward the right post and sophomore forward Peyton Snell (Parishville, N.Y./Potsdam) appeared to knock it home. However, the goal was waved off. The contest was still scoreless at the half.
 
Cortland finally broke the stalemate at just 4:03 into the second half. After Schiel stopped a shot point blank, junior forward AJ Ali (Rochester, N.Y./Brighton) knocked in the rebound to make it 1-0. Just 37 seconds later Potsdam was awarded a direct kick. Senior defender Donny Ophals (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) launched the ball into a crowd in front of the net and Santos tipped it in to even the score. In the 65th minute, Cortland regained the lead. Sophomore defender Cade Denlinger (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) sent a corner kick into play and junior forward Jack Coleman (Newark Valley, N.Y./Maine-Endwell) drove it into the net. The Bears hung in and took advantage with 10:21 left. Velasquez buried a free kick into the right corner of the net from about 25 yards out to tie the game. Cortland had a final grade A chance to win the game with under 30 seconds to go. The Red Dragons got the ball to Ali at the right side of the net, but Schiel stonewalled him, tipping the attempt over the crossbar.
 
van Galen had two saves for Cortland. The draw ends Potsdam's eight-game skid against the Red Dragons.
 
The Bears are on the road this weekend. They head to Brockport for a 1 p.m. contest with the Golden Eagles on Saturday.