PORTLAND, Ore. – Two goals from Thiago Novis, including a penalty-kick finish with six minutes left in regulation, helped the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team overcome a 3-1 deficit and salvage a 3-3, double-overtime draw in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match at Concordia University Saturday evening.
 
"After being 3-1 down and coming back the way we did, I can't say how proud I am of this team," said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. "These guys refuse to stop believing. The performance they put together today, playing 110 minutes in their third game of the week, just to coach a team like this is an absolute joy."
 
Novis scored his first goal 19 minutes into the game, and added another with less than 10 minutes to play to help the team earn a point on the road. Julien Dragomir also scored for the 'Jackets, and he and Novis are now tied with Ricardo Palomino for second-most goals on the team this year with three apiece.
 
MSUB's record moves to 5-2-1 with the draw, and the 'Jackets are now 1-0-1 in GNAC play. The Cavaliers moved to 3-1-2 on the year overall, and earned one point in their first GNAC game of the season with a league record of 0-1-1.
 
"Collectively we were really good, and Joe came up big a couple of times," Balog said giving a nod to the team's goalkeeper. "It was truly a team performance overall, and Rhys Lambert did an outstanding job leading the guys on the field for 110 minutes."
 
The 'Cavs took advantage of an opportunity just 13 minutes into the game, as Matt Paine finished a strong, low shot into the right corner of the goal from just outside the 18-yard box.
 
MSUB responded quickly however, scoring its first goal of the game less than 10 minutes later. Flavio Colasanti saw an opening on the left side, and played a through ball to Novis into the box. The senior striker beat CU's keeper with a curling shot inside the far post for his second goal of the season.
 
With six minutes to play before the break, the Cavaliers were awarded a penalty kick which Erick Urzua converted with a shot into the lower-right corner to make the score 2-1.
 
Striking quickly after the halftime break, CU pushed ahead 3-1 as Paine played a clean through ball off of a volley to Jordan Potts into the left side of the box. MSUB responded within 30 seconds however, as Guillaume Kremer created the team's second goal of the match. Gathering the ball in with space at the top of the box, the sophomore played a perfect ball in to Dragomir who finished it with one touch past CU keeper Grant Alcorn.
 
With their backs against the wall inside of 10 minutes to play, JD Hauenstein beat three different defenders into the goal box before being taken down and winning a penalty kick. Novis delivered the equalizing goal, leaving no doubt with a powerful shot into the lower-left part of the net.
 
MSUB had a final chance to win the game in regulation, as Julian Toenges chased down a long ball over the top and raced towards the goal box. CU's last defender caught the senior at the last second however, while Alcorn came forward and deflected Toenges's attempt over the end line.
 
Neither team found the net in the overtime periods, as the two opponents matched last year's result of a 3-3, double-overtime draw at Tuominen Yard.
 
The 'Jackets held the upper hand overall with a 25-18 advantage in shots, and MSUB put 15 of those shots on frame while CU managed just five on target. Alcorn made 11 saves in the match, while eight of the home team's players saw the pitch for the entire 110 minutes.
 
Scott had a pair of saves for the 'Jackets in goal, while Eli Williams and Oliver Posarelli joined Lambert in playing the entire match defensively. Colasanti and Kremer also notched 110 minutes in the midfield for MSUB, which pushed its unbeaten streak to six straight games but snapped a five-game winning streak and shutout streak.
 
THE BUZZ: Lambert was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Hauenstein's lone shot was on target, keeping his shots-on-goal percentage on the season at a perfect 1.000 (6-for-6)…MSUB was without star striker Palomino, who served a one-game suspension for an accumulation of five yellow cards.
 
COMING UP: The 'Jackets remain on the road next week, traveling to Washington to challenge Seattle Pacific University on Thursday and Saint Martin's University on Saturday. Thursday's game against the Falcons kicks off at 8 p.m. Mountain time at Interbay Stadium in Seattle, while Saturday's contest against the Saints is set for 4 p.m. Mountain time at the SMU Soccer Field in Lacey, Wash.