LOUDONVILLE, NY — Siena Men's Soccer and the Sacred Heart (SHU) Pioneers played to a 1-1 draw on Saturday at Hickey Field. The match was a significant encounter as both teams entered the match in first and second place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, separated by just two points. Siena's goal came in the second half off the foot of Christian Amaral, leveling the score after Sacred Heart initially led with a first-half goal. Siena managed 14 shots, with four on target, while the Pioneers registered 12 shots and five on goal. Both teams' goalkeepers played crucial roles, with Bennet Glinder making four saves and Luca Marinelli of SHU securing two.
 
The first half began with Siena establishing their defensive presence, as Glinder made an early save against the Pioneers' offensive efforts. Despite several attempts from Siena's Lee Mara and Rayan Berbachi, Marinelli remained steadfast. Sacred Heart, who entered the match having won four consecutive matches, saw David Garcia Gallego find the net in the 19th minute off his own set piece, putting the visitors ahead.
 
Siena continued to press forward, creating chances through multiple corner kicks and shots, notably from Lucas Almeida and Ismail Dia, but were unable to convert. The half closed with Siena trailing 1-0, despite a strong defensive effort and several offensive opportunities.
 
Siena started the second half with a defensive stance, highlighted by goalkeeper Glinder's save against the Pioneers' Brady Poor in the 53rd minute. Siena, who entered on a five-match point streak, then shifted momentum, culminating in a goal by Christian Amaral at the 70th minute, assisted by Eric Svensson, leveling the score at 1-1.
 
The half continued with Siena pressing forward, as Mario Navarro Perez and Martin Piedeleu both attempted shots that narrowly missed their mark. Glinder remained pivotal, making crucial saves to maintain the tie. Siena closed the half with a resilient defense, ending the match with a 1-1 draw.
 
Sacred Heart took a 1-0 lead into halftime against Siena, capitalizing on David Garcia Gallego's goal at the 19:55 mark. Despite outshooting Sacred Heart with nine attempts, Siena struggled to find the target, forcing only two saves from Marinelli. SHU's Ivan Morcillo was active early, contributing three shots, while Siena's Mara led the home side with two attempts that went wide.
 
Siena leveled the match at 1-1 in the 70th minute with a goal from Amaral, assisted by Svensson, after sustaining pressure from Sacred Heart. Despite SHU's five corner kicks in the second half, Siena's defense, backed by goalkeeper Glinder's key saves, held firm. The teams ended the half tied, with both sides unable to capitalize on further opportunities.
 
Glinder made four saves while playing the full 90 minutes, allowing only one goal from 12 shots faced.
 
Siena goes to 4-4-3 overall, with a conference record of 3-0-2 following the match. SHU stands at 5-3-3 overall and 4-0-1 in conference play.
 
Looking ahead, Siena travels to New Rochelle, N.Y., to take on Iona on Oct. 15. The match is set for 1 p.m. at Mazzella Field.