CLINTON, S.C. – In danger of letting a second-minute slip-up be their doom on a Tuesday night non-conference showing versus Queens, the Presbyterian College men's soccer team instead shifted the narrative in the latter stages to earn a 1-1 tie against the Royals.

Alessandro Libertucci tossed out the life jacket for the Blue Hose with 16 minutes left, receiving a head tap by Braden Gritz for the game's second and final goal.

It's the first make by the true freshman from Canada, becoming the 11^th different player on head coach Nick Finotti's roster to score at least one goal this season.

Overcoming the early deficit to now stand at 5-5-4, PC returns to Big South play this weekend with a visit to UNC Asheville. First touch with the Bulldogs is primed for 6:00 PM.


 
FINAL SCORE – Presbyterian, 1 – Queens, 1

RECORDS – Presbyterian (5-5-4…2-2) – Queens (5-5-3…0-1-2)

LOCATION – Edens Field at Martin Stadium (Clinton, S.C.)


 
HOW IT HAPPENED

 
- While Queens would finish the contest with just five total shots, all five of them registered as on-goal attempts. Blue Hose keeper Tim Benjamin Baerwalde saved the final four on-target shots that came his way after the early blemish.

- The Royals needed just one minute and 52 seconds to take a one-nil advantage, leaving PC playing catch-up for the bulk of the night.

- Coach Finotti's group was very efficient in the second period, out-shooting Queens 9-3 and cashing in on a golden opportunity with a close-range free kick.

- Aloni Elfu sent that free kick into a Queens blockade. That bumped the ball straight up in the air, landing on Gritz' head, and touching Libertucci's toe for the match-tying boot.

- Presby had another opportune moment with less than three minutes to go, with a right-foot arc by AJ Acree grazing the crossbar and planting straight down. With Queens goalie Matheus Rhormens disoriented, Mike Walenchok raced into the picture for a shot of his own that just barely missed the target high.


 
UP NEXT

 
- PC and UNC Asheville will enter Saturday's affair with identical conference records, winning two and dropping two inside of league territory.

- The Bulldogs trounced Longwood in their last outing (a 3-0 decision in Virginia), also besting Radford by a 2-1 count.

- Five of the last six meetings between Presbyterian and Asheville have been decided by a single point, including last year's 2-1 Bulldog win at Martin Stadium.