WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Farmingdale State College men's soccer team twice wiped out one-goal deficits against Eastern Connecticut State University, forcing a final 2-2 tie when junior midfielder Anthony Bileddo buried a free kick from the top of the box with six minutes left in the 2023 season-opener for both schools Friday afternoon at Thomas Nevers Field.

The first career goal on the first career shot by first-year Eastern forward Julius McNeill (East Hartford) was the only scoring between the teams through the first 77 minutes before the teams combined on three goals in a span of six-plus minutes.

Farmingdale had the better of play with a number of dangerous scoring chances in the first half but could not break through, and McNeill's goal on a one-timer at the left post off sophomore first-team All-Little East Conference midfielder Niall O'Brien's (Guilford) looked like it might stand up and give the Warriors the win in their home-opener.

Senior midfielder Esnaire Rivera's  goal on a crossing pass from junior Daniel Rivas pulled the Rams even with just 12:38 left, but Eastern answered less than a minute later when senior midfielder Andres Mayuri (West Hartford) converted a penalty kick with a hard shot under the cross bar for his 17^th career goal after Eastern was taken down in the box that gave the Warriors a 2-1 lead with just 12 minutes left.

Eastern junior keeper Nathan Yeich (Willington) credited with only two first-half saves but made several additional plays that kept the game scoreless through the first half. Yeich rejected an open point-blank shot from in close by junior forward Joseph Raso 12 minutes into play, then covered up on a bid by sophomore forward Tyree Baskin midway through the half.

Eastern's best two chances came 13 minutes into play and with ten minutes left before the break. On the first try, junior forward Sean Cafferty (Clinton) stole the ball and was alone on the right side, but his shot from in close sailed wide. Late in the half, McNeill was alone on a break off a pass from first-year midfielder Noah Page (Stafford Springs), but Farmingdale senior defender Wilmer Dominguez caught him, and was able to dislodge the ball with a sliding tackle.
With the match still scoreless 13 minutes into the second half, Farmingdale senior keeper Justin Silva made the first of two second-half saves when he knocked down a hard, point-blank shot by Cafferty and his teammates were able to clear the rebound out of the box.

Farmingdale outshot Eastern, 14-9 and was awarded the only two corner kicks of the game. Yeich and Silva each made three saves.

Making starts in their first career matches were first-year midfielders Miles Deiulis (Canton) and Sebastian Kadlof (Clinton), with first-year players McNeill, midfielders Nico Matteucci (Colchester), Noah Page (Stafford Springs), and Christian Mendoza (New Milford) and forward James Cipriano (Thomaston) coming off the bench.

Eastern hosts Brandeis University in a non-conference match Sunday at 4 p.m. at Nevers Field.