CMS Men's Soccer Plays to 1-1 Tie with Cal Lutheran after Kingsmen Score at Buzzer

CLAREMONT, Calif. - JP Melgoza scored from the right edge of the box with no time left as the Cal Lutheran men's soccer team was able to come away with a dramatic 1-1 tie at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the SCIAC opener for both teams on Wednesday afternoon.

CMS remains undefeated on the season with the draw moving to 2-0-2 on the year, while the Kingsmen move to 2-1-2 with the tie. 

The Stags appeared to have the game sewn up with the ball bouncing around the midfield area in the final five seconds. However, Alejandro Rodriguez blindly scissor-kicked the ball forward into the right edge of the box and Melgoza was able to run onto it. A CMS defender got into Melgoza's line, but it took an unlucky deflection and popped over the head of Stag goalkeeper Kevin Box and under the crossbar as the clock hit zero, although the Stags protested in vain that the clock hit zero before the ball went over the line. 

Shaan Malik put CMS ahead early in the 14th minute, when he took a back pass from Jake Allmon outside the right edge of the box and bent a 20-yard shot inside the far post for his first collegiate goal. Rafael Otero nearly stretched it to 2-0 midway through the second half, but goalkeeper Davis Sharts denied him with a diving save at full extension to keep the score 1-0. 

CMS played down a man for the final 18 minutes after Liam O'Reilly picked up his second yellow, but seemed to be poised to come away with the 1-0 win regardless, before the last-second heroics gave the Kingsmen the tie. 

CMS finished with an 11-5 edge in shots and a 9-3 edge in corner kicks. 

The Stags will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to face Chapman for an 11 a.m. contest.