Yellow Jackets draw with Transylvania on Senior Day

DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Defiance College men's soccer team celebrated their nine seniors before Saturday's game against Transylvania. Both teams earned a point at Justin F. Coressel Stadium as the game finished in a 1-1 draw. 

Transylvania improves to 4-6-5 overall and 3-3-2 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Yellow Jackets move to 5-6-6 overall and 2-2-3 in the HCAC.

Transylvania's Gus Dickman recorded the first shot attempt of the game two minutes in. Orry Killam saved a shot from Dylan Barnes and then the Yellow Jackets took it the other way. 

Adam Tobin took the ball down the sideline and took it into the box for a shot attempt and it was blocked. The ball deflected to Armando Campos-Ortiz and he found the back of the net as the ball snuck under Transy's goalkeeper Nolan Yantz. The goal was the senior's first of the season and put the Yellow Jackets on top 1-0 in the 10th minute. 

The first half was relatively even with Transy having a 7-6 advantage in shots. The Yellow Jackets attempted four corner kicks during the first half but were unable to capitalize. Their fourth and final corner kick of the half came in the final minute and the ball bounced around in front of the net but would not go in as a last second shot from Tyler Fritchley was a team save in front of the net. 

The play of the first half was a sliding save by Cameron Kruyer in the 18th minute to keep the Pioneers off the board and the Yellow Jackets would take a 1-0 lead into halftime.

The tide changed quickly to start the second half as Transylvania dominated the majority of the half and found the equalizer in the 55th minute with a goal from Dylan Barnes in the 52nd minute. The goal was controversial as no one seemed very confident that the ball actually went into the net but nonetheless, the Pioneers were granted the goal. 

The game got very physical after that as a total of six yellow cards were given out in the final 38 minutes. The Pioneers had a 7-1 shot advantage in the final 45 minutes with the lone shot attempt for Defiance coming from Joshua Maurer with 2:42 remaining. Despite all that, the Defiance defense held strong to keep Transylvania off the board the rest of the way to earn a point in what was a critical game for both teams with both fighting for a spot in the HCAC Tournament. 

17 of the 26 fouls in the game came in the second half. 

Campos-Ortiz, Fritchley, and Riley Hensley each recorded one shot on goal and Orry Killam finished with six saves as he's on the verge of reaching career milestones in both career saves and career minutes played at goalkeeper. Austin Boles started at goalkeeper for the Yellow Jackets but was replaced by Killam 32 seconds into the game.

The Yellow Jackets close out the regular season with a home match against Mt. St. Joseph on Wednesday, October 25 at 3:30 p.m. The game will be played at Winsper-Knobel Memorial Field.