Box Score
ACPHS played to a thrilling 3-3 tie against local opponent Hudson Valley Community College on Thursday night, recording their first tie of the season to move to 5-3-1 overall. This was also the Vikings' first tie, and they are now 5-6-1.

The Panthers had the first chance to open the scoring in the 7^th minute, when freshman Edward Ahanmisi threaded a ball into the path of senior Zak Giorgi (Whitesboro, NY / Whitesboro High School). Giorgi put a low, hard shot right at the feet of HVCC goalkeeper Patrick Knowles-Gerstenberger, but he held on well. Had he not, junior Mina Girgis (Canyon Country, CA / John Burroughs HS) was waiting to tap the ball into an empty net.

Just 2 minutes later, the Vikings converted on one of their first opportunities. Midfielder Scott Joyal sent a searching long ball over the ACPHS defense for forward William Walkley. Walkley settled at the top of the box, body-feinted to inside to get some space, and drove the ball into the lower right-hand corner for HVCC's first goal of the game. The Vikings netted again in the 18^th minute, when junior Julian Hernandez (Haverstraw, NY / Albertus Mangus High School) conceded a free-kick 20 yards from goal. Viking defender Luke Fane stepped up and skidded his shot along the ground that was blocked by the ACPHS wall. The ball deflected kindly to midfielder Juan Mejicano though, who blasted his shot under the roof of the net for a 2-0 lead.

The Panthers answered back only one minute and 11 seconds later with Ahanmisi starting the move up the right wing. He put in a hard cross that was knocked down by HVCC defender John Hope. Dylan Davie (Chittenango, NY / Chittenango) nicked the ball off of Hope and went near-post for his first collegiate goal, cutting the Viking lead to 1. This is how the teams would head into the break.

ACPHS knotted the score in the 48^th minute with a goal for head coach Jon Piraino to smile about. The Panthers worked hard for a corner that was taken by freshman Noah Keith (Rotterdam, NY / CBA). Keith rolled the ball along the ground for senior Connor Laughlin (Cohoes, NY / Cohoes High School) to dummy and let roll between his legs for junior Kyle Jenkins (Holbrook, NY / Sachem East High School). Jenkins struck the ball well and it rocketed into the near-post for his third goal of the year and the Panther equalizer.

Kieth and Jenkins hooked up again for what looked like the winning goal for the Panthers in the 72^nd minute. Kieth picked up the ball and held off a few defenders to get the ball to Jenkins. Jenkins raced to the byline a cut the ball back to freshman Steve Dumas (Flagstaff, AZ / Coconino) who got just enough on his shot for the ball to roll in off the far post and in. With the Panthers nursing their first lead of the match, it was a mix-up on the part of junior goalkeeper Matt Houlihan (Levittown, NY / Kellenberg Memorial High School). Houlihan came out to collect a long though-ball, but was beaten to it HVCC's Thilo Bell. Bell took the ball wide of Houlihan and tapped it into an empty net for the final goal of this six-goal thriller.

Houlihan made seven saves on the day with five coming in the second half. His counterpart Knowles-Gerstenberger only had to make three saves on the day. Houlihan is now also 5-3-1 on the year.

The Panthers complete their week of four home games with their HVIAC tie against Webb Institute at 12pm on Saturday, October 1^st. HVCC head to Cayuga on Saturday at 3pm.