TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler men's soccer will walk away with a draw in region play as they battled to a 2-2 result against UCCS on Thursday night at Citizens 1^st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex.
 
Luan Rangel scored both Patriots goals on the evening in a pair of big time efforts, marking his third and fourth goals of his career.
 
Both sides got off to a slower start as neither side recorded a shot until the 10 minute mark. The first big chances came at the 17 minute mark, as the Patriots put four shots up in the span of 2:25 of gametime. Rangel, Niko Vasileiou, Noe Coutiño and Oscar Sosa each put up shots, but all would be off the mark.
 
Rangel would put the first shot on goal of the match in the 24^th minute, and he made it a big one. Vasileiou slung a cross over the box that got deflected. That ball landed right in the lap of Rangel, who ripped a shot to the low right corner for a 1-0 lead.
 
Jaxson Stovall would record one more shot on goal for the Patriots in the first half as a foul right at the edge of the box gave them a dangerous chance. Stovall ripped a shot to the top left corner, but a brilliant save by the UCCS goalkeeper kept the score at 1-0.
 
Just three minutes into the second half the Mountain Lions would finally break through. After a counter attack got bounced around, the ball fell back around the edge of the box and the Mountain Lions connected on a low line drive that found the netting to even the score.
 
Four minutes later however, the Patriots had the answer, as Rangel found the netting yet again. Vasileiou again would provide the feed, this time putting Rangel in space down the right side. Rangel worked into the space and found the ball on his left food and curled a brilliant bender that snuck into the upper left 90 to give the Patriots back the lead.
 
Over the next minutes of the contest the teams would trade possession back and forth with neither side gaining an edge. The Mountain Lions would slowly begin to work things in their favor, putting the pressure on the Patriots. That pressure finally broke through in the 87^th minute, as a ball that got batted around and through a crowd managed to just slip by the right post and into the goal to tie the game.
 
Both teams would put up a final shot on net over the final two minutes of action, but neither side would find the tiebreaker as each goalkeeper made a strong save to preserve the draw.
 
Luan Rangel scored both goals on four shots for the night. Niko Vasileiou picked up an assist in the result. Coutiño, Vasileiou, and Sosa would each record a pair of shots.
 
UT Tyler will be back in action on Saturday as they take on Colorado Christian to wrap up their three game homestand to begin the season.