WORCESTER -- Matthew Biando (Atlanta, GA) collected a first half goal for host WPI while Grant Bennati's (Tampa, FL) goal tied the match for Eastern Nazarene off a restart in the final 10 minutes as the two teams played to a 1-1 deadlock in a non-conference men's soccer matchup on Tuesday afternoon in Worcester.  The result moves the Crimson and Gray to 1-1-3 on the season while the visiting Lions are now 0-1-2.
 
The hosts had the better of the action in the opening half and were rewarded as a trio of reserves connected on a tally just over six minutes before intermission. Anthony Coutts (Millis, MA) and Alejandro Clermont-Delgado (San Franciso, MA) connected on a nifty give-and-go that had Coutts free on the right side.   The sophomore slipped a pass to the middle of the top of the box, and it was one-timed to the lower left corner by Biando for his first goal of the 2023 season at 38:44.
 
Biando's bid for a second goal late in the half just missed as the junior rifled a shot off the upper right post with under a minute to go before intermission. 
 
WPI held an 8-3 first half edge in shots but saw the visitors become more aggressive in the second half and attempting 10 of the session's 16 shots.   
 
The Lions pulled level following a free kick in the 82nd minute.  Dan Hill's (Tewksbury, England) service from 40 yards pinballed around until corralled by Juan Susa (Bogota, Columbia) six yards out on the left side.  The junior crossed the ball through the goal mouth where Bennati's diving header found the back of the net with 8:27 remaining to make it 1-1.
 
Eastern Nazarene had the best scoring chance in the final moments as they had a free kick near mid field that ending up finding David Torres Jimenez (Las Huesas, Spain), whose diving attempt was smothered away by WPI goalkeeper Julian Quaresima (East Meadow, NY) with 14 seconds left in the contest.
 
Ryan Martin (Douglas, MA) and Quaresima split the halves in net for the Engineers with Martin being credited with a save in the opening 45 minutes and Quaresima making four stops after halftime.  Erik Berg (Hadley, MA) registered a pair in saves in goal while going the distance for the Lyons.
 
Both teams kick off conference play on Saturday.  WPI beings NEWMAC action at defending conference champion Babson at 1pm while Eastern Nazarene makes its NAC debut at home at 5pm against SUNY Cobleskill at Veterans Memorial Stadium.