BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (Aug. 30) – Freshman Paul Young, Jr. (Kingston, Jamaica/St. George's) registered a pair of goals, as the Vulcans notched a 3-3 tie in double-overtime at West Virginia Wesleyan in the non-conference season-opener on Thursday night.
 
With the tie, the California University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team opens the season with 0-0-1 record for the first time since 2007. Cal U has started the year against the Bobcats for the past four years, claiming a pair of victories over that stretch. Meanwhile, West Virginia Wesleyan moves to 0-0-1 overall after winning the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Championship last year after stunning eventual-National Champion Charleston (W.Va.).
 
In the first half, the Bobcats tested the Vulcan defense by striking four shots, including two on goal in the opening 10 minutes. West Virginia Wesleyan kept up the pressure and scored at the 43:46-mark after a cross into the box from sophomore Kazuma Takagi found senior Hazuki Hashizume, who registered the goal. Cal U responded quickly with Young recording his first collegiate goal after scoring in the top right corner of the net on a free kick from 25 yards out in the 45th minute. Both team went into the break tied at 1-1, while the Bobcats held a 9-3 advantage on shots.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan reclaimed the lead early in the second half on goal after a free kick into the box from junior Luca Falconieri deflected off senior Zach Whiting to give the Bobcats a 2-1 advantage. Cal U countered just over two minutes later, as Young scorched another free kick into the back of the net to tie the game. Freshman Antone Perry (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) delivered in the 73rd minute as he tallied his first collegiate goal on an assist from senior goalkeeper Austin Fisher (Carnegie, Pa./Chartiers Valley), who started the offensive push to give the Vulcans a 3-2 lead. Cal U decided to make a change between the posts following the goal to senior goalkeeper Lucas Exner (Horstmar, Germany/Pascal-Gymnasium) with just over 15 minutes left in regulation. In the 84th minute, West Virginia Wesleyan was awarded a penalty kick, but Exner made an outstanding save to keep the Cal U ahead. The Bobcats were able to keep up the offensive momentum and Takagi scored to send the contest into overtime.
 
Both teams were held scoreless over two separate 10-minute periods resulting in a draw.
 
Fisher recorded his first career start and finished with a career-high five saves in 72:10 minutes of action, while Exner played the remaining 38 minutes and tallied four saves.
 
The Bobcats sprayed the net with 12 shots in the second half and closed the game with a 26-11 shot advantage, in addition to a 6-2 edge in corner kicks.
 
The Vulcans return to action on Saturday, Sept. 1, when they host Findlay (Ohio) in their home opener at Phillipsburg Soccer Facility with kickoff set for 5 p.m.