SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Swarthmore College men's soccer team battled back to draw against Moravian University, 2-2, to wrap up opening weekend on Sunday afternoon. 

Adrien Marcelli opened the scoring with the game's first goal in the 29th minute. The junior tallied his first score of the season after leading the Garnet with four goals last year. Following a pair of Moravian scores, Joost Almekinders tied the game with his first career goal to force a draw. 

Christian Bignotti made three saves in a full 90-minutes of action. The Garnet outshot the Greyhounds 18-9 and held a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Garnet controlled pace early with the first six shots of the game. Len Yamabe, Toshiro Kenney and Nate Kim each challenged the keeper with shots on goal, but were unable to break through for the opening score. 

- Marcelli got the Garnet on the board with a tally in the 29th minute. Anzel Zhen made a heads-up play on a Moravian clear attempt as he headed the ball towards Marcelli from the opposite post. Marcelli then deflected the ball high off the near post for his first goal of the season. 

- Moravian began to show flashes of its offense late in the first half. The Greyhounds tied the game in the 40th minute with a header on the team's second shot attempt of the game. The team doubled their shot total with two more attempts in the final five minutes, but were unable to register any of those shots on goal. 

- Early in the second half, Tejas Sarna made a couple runs at the net, but had both attempts stopped by Moravian's keeper. Moments later, Len Yamabe registered a shot on goal, but was turned away in the 56th minute. 

- Moravian cashed in on a penalty kick in the 73rd minute to take its first lead. However, Almekinders provided a quick answer with his first collegiate goal in the 74th minute. Shlok Kaul set up the sophomore with a perfect pass from the right side of the box. Almekinders then put an excellent touch on the ball to beat the keeper to the left side.




GARNET LEADERS
Points: Marcelli, Almekinders 2
Goals: Marcelli, Almekinders 1
Assists: Kaul, Zhen 1
Shots: Yamabe 4
Saves: Bignotti 3

UP NEXT
The Garnet (1-0-1) travel to California to battle Occidental College on Friday, before wrapping up their road trip at California Institute of Technology on Sunday.