Posted: Aug 31, 2014
Defiance, Ohio - Illinois Tech travelled to Defiance, Ohio to play Waynesburg University in the opening game of the Purple and Gold Classic. The teams would play in a wild and windy game that ended in a 4-4 draw after two overtimes couldn't decide a winner.
IIT conceded a goal just 30 seconds into the contest to go down 1-0. The Scarlet Hawks would answer with 3 straight goals from junior Bart Grabowski. Grabowski scored his hat trick in the 17th, 23rd, and 25th minute all from assists by senior Brahadon Ramirez.
Waynesburg would bring the score to 3-2 with a fluke wind-aided goal from goalkeeper Cameron Allen in the 37th minute. The score would remain 3-2 headed into intermission.
Waynesburg would even the score at 3-3 with a goal two minutes into the 2nd half from Brio Davis. Illinois Tech junior Tyler Haag would put the Hawks back up with a goal in the 70th minute, again assisted by Ramirez.
Joey Buchanan from Waynesburg would tie the game at 4-4 with a late goal just two minutes from the final whistle to put the game into overtime. The Scarlet Hawks could not find the net in overtime and had to settle for a draw. Illinois Tech fired off 21 shots on the day compared to 8 for Waynesburg.
Illinois Tech is 0-0-1 and will next face the host Defiance University on Monday, September 1st. A win by Illinois Tech would give them the tournament championship.