Hoboken, N.J. – The Stevens Institute of Technology men’s soccer team opened their Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom season with a 1-1 draw against King’s College on Saturday evening at the DeBaun Athletic Complex. Martin Fields scored his first goal of the season to give the Ducks an early lead.
Stevens (5-1-2, 0-0-1 MAC Freedom) outshot their opponents 16 to 11 and earned eight corner kicks throughout the match. Goalie Bobby Boyke made three saves to help secure the draw for the Ducks.
The match began with Fields missing an early shot in the fifth minute. King’s responded with three attempts in quick succession, but it was Stevens who would create more scoring opportunities as the first half progressed. In the 29th minute, Joseph Conte had a chance to score before Lucas Mendes recorded the Ducks’ first shot on target in the 38th minute, forcing a save from King’s goalkeeper. As the first half concluded, the score remained tied at 0-0.
Stevens came out strong in the second half, with Matthew Murillo attempting a shot less than two minutes in. The pressure from the Ducks paid off in the 53rd minute when Francesco Bonavita sent in a corner kick, which Fields headed past the King’s keeper to give Stevens a 1-0 lead.
The Ducks sought to extend their advantage but were denied when RJ Dougherty hit the right post shortly after their goal. Conte later had another shot on target, but the King’s goalie was there to make the save. The game took a turn in the 66th minute when King’s managed to score from a corner kick, leveling the match at 1-1.
In the closing minutes of the game, the Ducks pushed for a winning goal, generating four shots in a flurry that began in the 77th minute. Despite close attempts from Omar Martinez and Dougherty being thwarted, and Murillo pulling a shot wide, Stevens could not capitalize on their offensive momentum. With no further scoring, the teams ended the match in a stalemate.
Fields’ goal marked his second career goal, while Conte led the team with three shots. Bonavita notched his second career assist in the game, having previously assisted in a victory over NYU last season.
Stevens will return to the field on Wednesday, October 7, when they travel to Scranton, Pennsylvania, to face Marywood University at 7:00 PM.
