EASTON, Pa.- The Lafayette men's soccer team battled American to a 2-2 draw Saturday afternoon at Gummeson Grounds: Home of Mike Bourger '44 Field at Oaks Stadium. Today's match served as the cancer awareness game for the men's soccer program. Prior to kickoff, the team honored its Team Impact mascot, Andrew Hummel, who has beaten cancer twice. The Angel 34 Foundation were in attendance in efforts to raise funds to battle childhood cancer.

Junior Lawrence Aydlett and senior captain Hale Lombard were the talisman on the day for the Maroon and White.

As the match began, Lafayette wasted no time getting on the front foot. A shot from freshman Roy Biegon forced a save from American goalkeeper Matthew Tibbetts in the 5^th minute. Senior Benji Grossi followed up the effort, but his shot soared high over Tibbetts's goal. In the 12^th minute Tibbetts would make another save off of a strike from Lombard.

Lafayette broke the deadlock in the 26^th minute. Senior defender Jack Needham played the ball forward looking for Aydlett. The Reistertown, Md. native received the ball at the top of the box before making his move. Aydlett only needed two touches before his left-footed screamer found the back of the net grazing the underside of the crossbar.

Just four minutes later, the Leopards would double their lead. Senior David Mizrahi was striding with the ball into the box before Tibbetts came off his line attempting to make a play on the ball. Tibbetts missed the ball and ended up giving away a penalty. Lombard stepped up to the spot and rifled Lafayette into a 2-0 lead in the 30^th minute. This takes the Belleair Bluffs, Fla. native to nine goals on the season.

American responded with a goal of its own with 30 seconds left in the half. The Eagles were in transition as Zemi Rodriguez drove forward with the ball. After a scrap in the box, Rodriguez's pass found Sam Hershey who calmly stroked the ball past junior goalkeeper Griffin Huff to cut the Eagles deficit to one goal.

Going into halftime the score remained 2-1 in favor of the Leopards.

The second half of play featured a skirmish in midfield for the majority of the 45 minutes.

Neither side had too many clear-cut opportunities until the later stages of the match approached.

Hershey secured a brace in the 83^rd minute. Defender Taku Takahashi found himself just outside the Leopards' penalty area before serving a left-footed cross into the box. Hershey quickly maneuvered around defenders and headed home his second goal of the match to equalize for American.

When the final whistle blew, the score stood still at two apiece.

The Leopards are back in action at 7 p.m. on Tuesday to face non-conference opponent La Salle.