Planer
Curt Smyth

Final-minute score earns tie for UNE against Gordon

Jon Planer made a career-best 17 saves, including four diving stops, to keep UNE close

Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Sophomore Kevin Tarr (Hermon, Maine) scored with 33 second left in regulation pull the University of New England even with Gordon College, and senior goalkeeper Jon Planer (Yarmouth, Maine) made several key stops down the stretch as the teams played to a 1-1 double-overtime draw in The Commonwealth Coast Conference men's soccer action Saturday evening at Barbara J. Hazard Field.

Despite getting out-shot by a 38-10 margin, the Nor'easters (3-2-3, 1-1-2 TCCC) pulled out a tie to extend their unbeaten streak to four (two wins, two ties). With two ties and a win in their last three, the Fighting Scots sit at 3-3-2 overall and 2-0-2 in conference games.

After dropping 12 consecutive meetings against Gordon from 1998 to 2008, UNE has managed a win and a tie in the last two contests.

Tarr's 90th-minute equalizer came following a scramble in front of the visitor's net, from which senior Shirwac Hussain Ali (Mogadishu, Somalia) settled the ball and set up the game-tying strike.

The Nor'easters remained close throughout the final 50 minutes thanks, in large part, to the efforts of Planer. Four times -- including three in the overtime sessions -- he denied Gordon shot attempts with diving saves, en route to a career-high total of 17.

The Fighting Scots got on the board early in the 11th minute when graduate student Joel Spruance (Ledyard, Conn.) collected the rebound off of his own shot attempt and put home his third score of the season.

Sophomore keeper Alex Sosler (Willoughby, Ohio) posted four saves for Gordon, which hosts Wentworth Institute of Technology Tuesday (3:30 p.m.)

UNE is set to entertain New England College on Wednesday. The match is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.