SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Senior Gabe El-Ghandour opened the scoring in just the second minute, but a late Sage College equalizer left the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's soccer team with a 1-1 draw in its season opener. The Engineers and Raptors both open the season with an 0-0-1 record.

Making his first collegiate start, El-Ghandour (Lafayette, NJ/Pope John) potted home his first ever goal for Renssealer, finishing a low cross from classmate Dylan Weitz (Berkeley Heights, NJ/Governor Livingston), in the second minute of play. RPI drew a foul 30 yards from goal and Weitz snuck a ball behind the Sage defense and into the path of El-Ghandour, who finished squarly with the inside of his right foot.

The Engineers continued to apply pressure in the offensive end, limiting the Gators to just two shot attempts in the opening 45 minutes. Substitute Devon Baughen (Sarasota, FL/Pine View) made a darting run in from the left wing and got a shot away in the 25th minute, but it just missed high. Sophmore Danny Corridan (Queens, NY/Archbishop Molloy) then saw his attempt from just inside the penalty fly over the bar in the 38th minute.

RPI held an 8-2 edge in shots at the half and a 3-0 advantage in corner kicks.

A more balanced second half saw the Gators pull even in the 78th minute. Paul Reynoso lobbed a ball up the right side for Sarpong Adjei to run onto and he went in alone with RPI junior goalkeeper Ryan Nealon (Somers, NY/Somers). Adjei chipped a shot into the top left corner of the net for his first of the season.

There were no clear cut changes in the final 20 minutes of regulation, which sent the game into overtime. 

In the opening 10 minutes of extra play, RPI held a narrow 2-1 shots advantage, with each team finding the target a single time. The second extra session brought about two opportunities for the Engineers to claim the win, but shot by Corridan just inches wide of the right post and a cross into the box went untouched over the endline.

Rensselaer finished with a 17-8 shots advantage and a 5-2 edge in corners. Nealon had three saves, while Sage keeper Caelan Kohut had five, including four in the first half.

The Engineers are back in action on Saturday, when they take on Utica (3:30pm). Sage duels Union on Saturday (1pm).