Spartans Rally for Tie Against Panthers

Cayuga Community College Men's Soccer lost an early lead but rallied in the second half for a tie against Tompkins Cortland Community College at Falcon Park on Wednesday.

In their final match of the regular season, the Spartans trailed 2-1 at the break but pulled even in the second period for a 2-2 tie. Cayuga ends the regular season with a 10-3-1 record and a 9-3-1 record in Region III play.

The Spartans claimed an early advantage in the opening period, with the team's leading scorer Jake Botterill scoring off an assist from Raffaele Mathews. The Panthers pulled even then took a 2-1 lead headed into the break.

Cayuga attacked aggressively throughout the second period trying to tie the score, with Botterill finally knotting the match at 2 on a penalty kick with more than 27 minutes remaining. The Spartans stayed aggressive for the rest of the second half, but neither team was able to pull ahead.

The Spartans end the regular season in sixth place, and will host 12^th-place finisher Hudson Valley Community College in the opening round of the Region III playoffs. The teams played earlier this year at Hudson Valley, with the Spartans coming away with a 3-2 win. The match is scheduled for Falcon Park at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22.