Coker Men's Soccer Battles to 1-1 Draw with No. 3 Nova Southeastern on Saturday

ANDERSON, S.C. - In a rematch from the first round of the 2021 NCAA tournament, the Coker University men's soccer team battled to a 1-1 draw with No. 3 Nova Southeastern on Saturday (Aug. 27). 

The Cobras were able to apply early pressure and eventually strike first in the first seven and a half minutes, when Ché Richards fed a ball through the middle of the box to Frederic Benedix, who was able to stash home his first collegiate goal to put the Cobras ahead 1-0. The Cobras were able to push the pace for the remainder of the first half to take their lead to the break. 

The Cobras maintained their lead for the majority of the second half, with Mitchell Starrs getting a chance and hitting the crossbar with about 16 minutes to play. A few more minutes ticked away before the Sharks made a late push to the Cobra end in the final 10 minutes. After a flurry of activity in the box, Nova Southeastern's Juanchi Nunez poked a ball into the back of the net to tie the match at 1-1. The Sharks would create one more chance in the final five minutes, but Jasper Rump made back-to-back saves on the doorstep to keep the contest tied. 

Benedix tallied the lone goal for the Cobras, with an assist from Richards in the contest. Coker totaled eight shots in the match, with five of them on goal. Two shots apiece came from Benedix and Mitchell Starrs, while Gustavo Palmieri, Matty Tricker, Richards and Gabin Guillou each had one. Rump (0-0-1) totaled five saves between the pipes in the effort. 

The Cobras (0-0-1) return to action on Wednesday (Aug. 31) for a non-conference tilt at North Greenville. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. from Tigerville, S.C., with video and live stats available at www.cokercobras.com.