BUZZARDS BAY, Mass – Saturday afternoon, the Buccaneer men's soccer team played host to Suffolk University at Clean Harbors Stadium to open the season for both teams. The Buccaneer attack and defense were stellar in the first half, finishing the first 45 minutes up 1-0. In the second half, the Ram offense broke through in the 52^nd minute. Tied after 90 minutes of regulation, the teams played two 10 minute overtime periods with neither team able to find the back of the net, ending the game in a 1-1 tie.

Maritime came out strong in their 2019 season and home opener, taking 14 shots, 10 of which were on target. In the 17^th Andrew Wayrynen (Rockport, Mass) scored for the Buccaneers from inside the 18 yard box on a loose ball that fell to his right foot and put past the Suffolk goalkeeper. Wayrynen took four shots in the game, two of which, including the goal were on target. Junior forward Benjamin Cook (Fort Myers, Fla), Justin Burns (Walpole, Mass) and Brady Lemmon (California, Md) each had two shots on target in the game. Goalkeeper Mitch Hardy (Pepperell, Mass) made seven saves on eight shots in the game including an acrobatic save on a stinger by the Suffolk attack.

Suffolk rattled off 20 shots in the game against Maritime but only eight were on target. Eight different players were responsible for the shots on target, Sunjoon Tenorio (Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands) had five shots total in the game to lead the Ram attack. Suffolk's goal came six minutes in to the second half of play off the foot of Simon Velez Angel (Weston, Fla). On a pass from Christian Restrepo (Revere, Mass), Velez Angel chipped the ball over the head of Hardy and in to the lower left corner of the net. In goal, Tom Bennett (Minnetonka, Minn) made eight saves on the day, allowing the one goal to the Buccaneers.

Maritime went on the offensive early in the season opener and broke the scoreless tie 17 minutes in on Wayrynen's unassisted goal. With the Buccaneer defense holding strong and playing stingy, the Rams had a tough time finding their way in to the final third, often taking shots from outside the 18 yard box trying to get something going. After the first 45 minutes of play the Buccaneers led, 1-0.

In the second half, Suffolk found an offensive spark straight from kick off of the second half. In the 52^nd minute, Velez Angel tied the game on a pass inside the box from Restrepo. Though both teams attacked often in the remaining 37 minutes of play, neither team could find the back of the net, thanks to the play of both goalkeepers and the left post of Hardy's net which saved a shot in the 71^st minute for the Bucs to maintain the tie. After 90 minutes of play the teams headed to overtime with the game tied at 1-1.

In the first 10-minute overtime period, Suffolk took three shots to the Buccaneers one with neither team finding the back of the net. In the second 10-minute overtime period, neither team was credited with a shot and the game finished in a 1-1 tie in front of close to 150 Maritime and Suffolk fans on a beautiful day at Mass Maritime Academy.

The Buccaneers are on the road for their next match on Wednesday, September 4^th against Curry College at 6:30pm. The Buccaneers do not return home until Wednesday, September 11^th when they take on Nichols College at 7pm at Clean Harbors Stadium.