The University of Scranton men’s soccer team twice rallied from one-goal deficits, including late in regulation, to forge a 2-2 tie against Elizabethtown College in double overtime in the season opener for both teams at Fitzpatrick Field on Friday afternoon in the King’s/Scranton Classic.

Freshman defender Patrick Codispoti (Rockville Centre, N.Y./Chaminade) scored his first career goal with 3:15 left in regulation to tie it for the Royals. His header off a corner kick by junior defender Tom O’Connor (Great River, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) kept Scranton unbeaten in its last nine home openers. The Royals, who are ranked 10th in the preseason top 25 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, haven’t lost a home opener since Sept. 1, 2004, going 6-0-3 since that 3-0 loss to Susquehanna.

Scranton was forced to overcome a 1-0 deficit just less than 30 minutes into the match after a throw-in by Elizabethtown senior defender Kyle Volk (Bear, Del./St. Elizabeth) tipped off a Scranton defender and into the net for a 1-0 Blue Jays lead.

The Royals answered 3:55 before halftime on a well-executed set piece. A direct kick by freshman defender Tim DiBesciglie (Mine Hill, N.J./Gill St. Bernard’s) into the box was headed by junior forward Nick Paganelli (Ossining, N.Y./Fordham Preparatory) perfectly to the goalmouth, where senior forward John Spadaro (Stony Point, N.Y./Albertus Magnus) then headed it over the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper to tie the match.

The game remained knotted at a goal apiece until Elizabethtown senior forward Luis Devia (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley) tapped in a rebound of a shot by junior defender David Boretti (Garmisch, N.J./Archbishop Spalding).

The Royals outshot Elizabethtown, 32-13, but Blue Jays sophomore goalie Rodrigo Barrera (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Avanco) made 11 saves. Senior midfielder Bill McGuiness (Forty Fort, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) led the Royals with seven shots, and fellow senior midfielder Colin McFadden (Ventnor City, N.J./St. Augustine Prep) was next with five.

The Royals are back in action on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Fitzpatrick Field when they host Cabrini College in the final match of the King’s/Scranton Classic. Cabrini tied King’s College, 0-0, on Friday afternoon.

--ROYALS--