WASHINGTON - In front of a lively home crowd at a packed Reeves Field, the American University men's soccer team battled with #1 Vermont to earn a 1-1 draw against the defending national champions. Senior midfielder Troy Elgersma provided the game-tying goal in the 72^nd minute, and Matthew Tibbets made five saves to help AU toward the result.

Notable

• This was American's seventh-ever matchup with an NCAA #1 team, and the second time the program has not been defeated in such a contest. The 2014 Eagles beat #1 UCLA on Sep. 5, 2014, pulling off the upset at a neutral site. 
• Friday marked the first men's soccer game at Reeves Field since 2023, following renovations that began in the spring of 2024.
• AU had seven shots, with Elgersma's goal being the only one put on frame. Vermont took 12 shots total, putting six on target. The Catamounts also had 12 corners to two for AU. 
• While American had three yellow cards, they committed just three fouls to Vermont's 12 on the match.  
• Elgersma's goal was his second of the season, which leads the team through three games. 

How it Happened

• Vermont came out on the front foot, taking the game's first four shots and not allowing AU a promising look at goal throughout the first half. 
• Tibbetts was excellent in the first 45, doing well to keep his team in the match early with a series of saves. He made a dazzling denial on a strong header from Ioannis Vassiliou inside the six-yard box in the ninth minute, springing into position and deflecting it with two hands. 
• Just over 10 minutes later, the senior keeper made a quick-reaction kick save on a deflected shot from David Ismail. The Vermont striker fired a shot through traffic in the box that deflected off of Ian Webb-Johnson, forcing Tibbets to make an off-balance stop with his right foot. 
• The Catamounts broke through in the 32^nd minute, taking the 1-0 lead. Nicolas Loebus made an excellent run up the middle of the pitch, beating two defenders and finding Gabriel Chavez for a tap in after Tibbetts came off his line. The Eagles were able to hold UVM to just one shot from there, going to the locker room trailing by a goal. 
• Tibbetts came up big early in the second half as well, leaping to a well-struck try from outside the box by Jeremy Tsang and touching it over the crossbar.
• AU began to open Vermont up in their half in the 57^th minute, when Elgersma nearly found Chris Sullivan for a goal. Sullivan made a run up the left side and Elgersma delivered the cross to him in the box, but the shot went wide. 
• Still carving out attacking chances in the 71st minute, Patrick Rojek narrowly misfired a header to the left of goal off a quality free kick delivery from Oliver Snowdon. 
• One minute later, the Eagles found the equalizer. Sebastian Garces lofted a cross into the box that was misplayed by Ludvig af Ugglas, leaving the ball unpossessed. Quick to react, Elgersma pounced on the ball and fired it to the top right corner to level the match 1-1. 
• The intensity of the match heightened as both teams searched for a game-winning goal, as six fouls and two yellow cards were called in the final half hour. 
• AU's next best chance came on a free kick try from Elgersma just outside the box. The midfielder powered his shot high and wide left. 
• The Eagles defended well the rest of the way, headlined by two dispossessions forced by Kobe Keomany and Jonah Fogel in their half in the final minutes. 

Up Next
Continuing their challenging non-conference schedule, the Eagles head to Charlottesville on Monday to take on #11 Virginia. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Keep Up With Us

• For the latest on American University Women's Soccer, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on X (@AU_MSoccer) and Instagram (@au.msoccer).