The Belmont Abbey men's soccer team battled the visiting Coker Cobras to 1-1 draw this afternoon at Alumni Field in the Conference Carolinas opener for both teams. The Abbey is now 1-2-1 overall and 0-0-1 in Conference Carolinas, while Coker is now 2-0-2 overall and 0-0-1 in Conference Carolinas.

Belmont Abbey outshot Coker 18-17, including a combined 7-4 in both overtime sessions, as Jose Penaloza struck first in the 35th minute off of a feed from Timmi Borges Da Silva. Borges Da Silva dribbled down the right flank and sent a cross to the center of the box, where Penaloza redirected the ball past Cobras netminder James Sweeney for the goal.

The Abbey held that lead through the first half and the first six minutes of the second half until the Cobras deadlocked the match at one in the 53rd minute. After an Abbey foul, Rommel Fondin set up the free kick 25 yards out and to the left of the goal. He bent the shot around the four-man Abbey wall and past John Max Bolling into the left side of the net to tie the contest at one.

From there, both teams had plenty of scoring chances but could not find the back of the net. The Crusaders controlled the first overtime, outshooting the Cobras 5-1 in the first ten minutes, but Coker took three shots to the Abbey's two in the second extra period.

Sweeney made five saves, while Bolling registered six.