DELAND, Fla. – Stetson men's soccer notched a 2-2 draw against Georgia Southern on a cool Tuesday night at the Athletic Training Center.
 
"It was celebratory to have the seniors start the game," head coach Emmett Rutkowski said "I thought they played well, we were organized and it was great to see some of those guys who have given a lot to the program. To see their progress and where this program was three years ago with the decisions and sacrifices these guys made. It's been neat for me as a first-time head coach, because these guys have always been there for the program, that to me Is really Impressive. The culture change, the tradition that has been started over the past few years Is more what this game Is about to me."
 
It appeared to be a defensive struggle and appeared to be a deadlock when Hilary Odhiambo came down with a ball over the top In the 18th minute. The Eagle forward brought the ball down, ripped it toward net, freshman goalkeeper Nicolo Radaelli made the initial save but the rebound bounced on Odiambo's knee and beat Radaelli over the top, 1-0 to the visitors.
 
The next carved out chase came 22 minutes later, when Charles Ahl connected with Gabriel Toro down the right sideline. Toro sent In a cross and Cesar Mata notched the tying goal with four minutes and 19 second left on the first half clock. Ahl and Toro both received an assist for their effort as the game was tied at one going into the half.
 
Stetson launched into the second half with immediate pressure. The pressing defense paid quick dividends with the Hats earning a corner kick. The ball pinballed around the box before bouncing to freshman Seth Russ. Russ fired toward net, and the ball was blocked off a defender but right back out to Russ. Russ, seemingly incensed that the defense blocked his shot, absolutely crushed the rebound toward net that found the lower left side beating a diving Nate Martinez less than a minute into the second half, 2-1 to the Hatters.

"Seth Russ came In as a sub against USF for his first minutes," Rutkowski said about player performances. "For someone who's been working hard but has not been traveling until recently gets the call up and makes such a special play in a moment to me was not luck, It was work he was putting In. It also shows to the team what It takes. Nicolo made some big saves and with this program moving forward, I was really Impressed with him tonight. I think Gabi [Gabriel] Toro Is really coming into his own; he's dangerous out wide and causes a lot of havoc. He and Mata had a good goal in the first half."
 
Samuel Odame left his mark on the scoresheet at the 69:55 mark. After an offensive build up from the visitors, Odame found a pocket of space and sent a curling shot toward the far post. Radaelli could do nothing but watch the shot curl into the net, 2-2.
 
While each side developed attacks, neither side could find the game-winning mark as the sides settled for a draw.
 
"I think any time you get a result, that's good," Rutkowski said about the match "We Obviously want to win, and I thought we had some chances but I thought Georgia Southern played really well. Their record does not reflect them, they are very well coached, they're tough and I thought they had a player that made a lot of special plays. They disrupted our game plan and did a good job of that."
 
Up next, the Hatters head north to Jacksonville for a pivotal match with Jacksonville Saturday night. Kickoff Is scheduled for 7 p.m.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS. Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.