BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University men's soccer team kicked off its 2022 campaign with a 2-2 tie against UC-Clermont on a hot and humid Thursday, Sept. 1. It took just one match for the NCAA new overtime rule to come into play. OT is now a thing of the past for regular season contests. Until tournament play requires a victor to emerge, 90 minutes it is. The Beavers stand 0-0-1, while UC-Clermont moved to 1-0-1.
Dalton Taynor (Troy/Miami East) needed just 15 minutes to equal Ethan Gauntt for 3rd on the all-time scoring list. His second tally of the half tied the score at 2-2 in minute 34, giving the senior sole possession of 3rd with 37 career tallies! The offenses went dry for the final 54 minutes as the scoring came to an abrupt halt following Taynor's equalizer.
Bluffton fired away with a 23-9 advantage in shots, including 10-7 on frame. The home team forced nine of the 12 corner kicks on Thursday afternoon.
Taynor ripped six shots and Elijah Zimmerman (Archbold) followed with five. Sophomores JJ Meyer (Cincinnati/Oak Hills) and Jackson Clark (Mount Blanchard/Riverdale) checked in with four shots apiece.
Angel Velasco-Urbina (Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay) picked up five saves in the season-opening tie.
Bluffton will return to the pitch next Wednesday, Sept. 7, when the Beavers welcome Olivet for the women's and men's doubleheader. The men will kick off between 5:15 and 5:30 at the Sears Complex.
-BEAVERS-
